Moving on

Cherryfudge

Not much to report: I chopped up the strawberries and they are soaking in sugar ready to make jam. I was going to try an Instant Pot jam recipe but found out that since the float valve got broken, I can't use the IP for pressure cooking. That doesn't make a huge difference as I only pressure cooked twice in my life that I remember - but I'm looking at the sets of spare parts that you can get for about a tenner, including a spare valve and a couple of spare sealing rings.

Trying to sort this, I locked myself out of a couple of things on the computer which has resolved okay but wasted time. I decided to leave the cleaning till tomorrow and instead chopped strawberries and got half way though wrapping the parcel. I'd forgotten it's Friday so I had a rush to get to work on time. While I was there, someone threw out a big roll of plain paper so I rescued it - anyone who spends time with small children will appreciate that large quantities of paper are very useful.

Mr T gave me some coupons, most of which don't reallt interest me but I used one to get a 25p reduction off tinned fruit. When you consider most of the tins of fruit are now over £1 each, it wasn't difficult to spend the required £2.

And that, I think, is all for tonight.

in_need_of_direction

if you’ve only occasionally used the pc, is it worth repairing to hang onto

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82058149#Comment_82058149

It's just one function of the IP, which I use relatively often when I need a slow cooker or want to make yogurt - so as a pc, no, not worth it, but for some of the other functions, I'd miss it if I didn't have it and would be out looking for a replacement slow cooker or another IP.

Of course, this highlights that I don't need another float valve or the spares that come with it, though more sealing rings would be useful so it can be used without trying to get the curry smell out of one before cooking something sweet!

Cherryfudge

I slept about an hour more than usual this morning - I'd not realised how tired I am, having rediscovered a functioning brain while learning about solar power. It's an energy drain, though nice to know I can hold my own again. Of course I have quite a way to go with that yet, and am constantly discovering new branches to investigate (ground source heat pumps and EVs have somehow edged in as DH is nominally interested in them so I've posted him a few links).

Anyway, tired. I handed some homegrown strawberries to DH for breakfast - he pulled a face and said 'sour'! These were growing in the shade so they probably weren't their best selves. We have the first raspberries too.

The car boot sale was rather busy, partly with people who were dragging dogs round. We once took DD's dog to a car boot sale and spent half the time trying to entertain her fetching sticks in the shade. I can't blame car boot dogs for being yappy and on edge: they aren't being taken for their benefit and I wish the owners would realise that and change their plans. It's not all dogs that yap and pull, of course, but some are clearly being faced with other canines that they feel are on their territory. Sad - and annoying, especially when I thought dragging the dog round was a thing of the past.

Rant over.

I didn't get much: a pack of discs and labels for jam jars, some cake frills (will go in DD's Christmas stocking I think), some printed craft paper (for V!nted?), and a children's Bible that needed a bit of a wipe down but is okay. £3 spent.

Back at home I levelled up on Duolingo and reached level 80, which apparently means I can read a short story in French. It didn't tell me which short story and I've not tried to find out, as I'm not convinced that, having read it, I'd really understand it. I don't want to burst the bubble!

Lunch was the same as every Saturday: breaded fish, veg and couscous. Afterwards I pushed myself to water the garden (the wind is making everything very dry) and cut back the blue geraniums so they flower again. Job two thirds done but I've been resting since.

Now I need to bestir myself and post the V1inted parcel, then if I have energy, put a few things in the loft and get a few things down.

Cherryfudge

That turned into another saga. Firstly we ran out of parcel tape so I used sellotape and it wouldn't stay stuck to the packaging, only to itself. This was a former 4mazon packet that came to me from the States so was on at least its second reuse. I ended up stapling the ends and using more tape so I could form circles round the card.

DH reminded me I'd still got the cleaning to do at church so in the end I decided I could post the parcel en route but at least needed to get the cleaning done. As usual, when I got there I was side tracked and had to sort out the last few activity bags for coming weeks with the small children, then photocopy in advance for the next session I'll lead. When I actually came to look at the cleaning, there was nothing much to do: those areas were either already done by some kind soul, or were untouched since last week.

I was therefore finished about 7, and went to meet DH in the supermarket. On the way I popped the parcel in a locker, closed the door and the computer screen packed up. AS the parcel was secure, I got my shopping, had a chat with a colleague of DH's then returned to the locker while DH went to deliver a card to the family with the new baby.

The screen was still frozen as I'd left it half an hour before so I rang the contact number on the lockers. That took about another 15 minutes and was only semi-successful as the guy had a strong accent which was hard to follow, and I had to pause while a car alarm went off nearby. Then there was no identifying number of the lockers and in the end the chap advised me to email, which I've done from home. The parcel is still in the locker but I'm not sure which locker, I have no receipt, just a tracking number and the timing of the computer failure meant the app only knows that I've received the PDF of the label, not that it's in the locker. I've contacted the buyer who was very nice about it and said it's happened to her before.

I've taken photos of the screen but I don't think they attached to the email so tomorrow I might have to write again and send them in a smaller format.

rtandon27

Argh - just the worst - when tech fails it does so with style!

Dakota_Rose

I really hope it gets sorted for you. All that effort to post for it not to register!

Baileys_Babe

@Cherryfudge said:

I've taken photos of the screen but I don't think they attached to the email so tomorrow I might have to write again and send them in a smaller format.

Are you able to see yesterday's email on your phone in your sent box? If so you could reply to this email and attach the photo. This would give the recipient all the information in one email chain.

Sun_Addict

What a pain! I hope you can get it sorted out quickly.

Cherryfudge

I've spent some time this afternoon trying to sort out the stuck' parcel. V1nted AI replies are actually quite good, but far too long to read on a phone but I've saved the chat, partly as evidence of the problem and steps taken to solve it, and partly to try to make better sense of it later.

For the first time, I've been advised to photograph parcel and label before sending, as evidence. A bit late now but I have a trail of 'evidence' and I'm keeping the buyer informed. For now, I've to log it in the Help centre (again? I thought I'd done that?) and wait to see if the parcel turns up with the buyer - which is entirely possible as it's labelled and in a locker. Meanwhile V have suspended the sale, meaning it doesn't get cancelled.

Church this morning was nice, topped and tailed with meeting the very new baby and spending some time with an old friend who I played online games with.

DH made a liver and bacon melee for lunch (tinned tomatoes, fried onions, baked potatoes and red wine in the juices to make gravy).

I spent a few minutes trying to tidy up shoes as I'd just shoved some on top of a storage box where the fancy shoes go for occasional retrieval, and it all needed to be tidied. I thought I might put some up in the loft.

Now, this morning I'd realised it was a good opportunity to test drive some summer shoes bought off V1nted a few weeks ago. I could wear them all morning but not have to walk far as we drove to church. They are dark green, which didn't particularly go with my outfit but hey - they were comfy and so far haven't caused problems. Success - I'm not easy to fit.

So back to after lunch: as I was tidying the shoes I saw a pair I'd bought back in the autumn as handy for summer - identical in all but colour to the dark green ones! I'd completely forgotten them, but it meant I went on V1nted in case there were other colourways, and there are. I've favourited a few to think over, and some people have dropped prices in response to interest, but I want to be sure I'm okay with what I've got before I buy. I will admit to wanting black ones though - they go with most things.

I've done a bit in the garden, mostly telling the tide to turn back. There was a fuss going on in our ash tree with four magpies and a bewildered but earnest-looking pigeon squawking - then there was a cat twenty feet up, walking along a branch and ignoring the birds. Everything died down after a while so I assume the cat wandered off.

Nothing spent today but in the coming week the plans are:

Work every day except Tuesday, which is child care. On Wednesday there's a meeting in the evening and on Thursday there's the last of the classes where I've been helping. On Sunday I'm leading the session for the pre-schoolers in the morning. Wednesday is also DH's infusion: I think his health is a lot better though not completely sorted out. It can take a while for the drugs to stabilise things completely. At least, over the last couple of days, the hay fever has gone. It was really bad for a while.

Well, I've been saying I need to get up the loft ladder while DH is here: there are a few bits to put away so I'll do that next.