Moving on

Cherryfudge · 31 July at 8:26AM

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82086772#Comment_82086772

Yes, they will be - staff forget to close them when they leave - but some of them are a security risk as the building is largely empty overnight and at weekends. Hence a closedown at the end of the day when security goes round checking for windows and locking exterior doors. It's a web of security cameras all over the place and fobs to open doors. Last night's behaviour didn't make sense - why lock external doors early but not close windows?!

Cherryfudge · 31 July at 8:31AM

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82086848#Comment_82086848

Absolutely. 😊 One small furry 1990s one has taken up residence. The bigger wooden 1960s one is the issue, he's a real piece of furniture given his size.

Sun_Addict · 31 July at 4:26PM

I used to have a huge wooden rocking horse when I was a child, I absolutely adored it. My mum gave it to a neighbour to store when we moved house, didn't claim it back and the neighbour passed it on to her grandkids (presumably with my mum's permission). What a shame it didn't survive in my family.

Courgettes - I grow mine in a huge storage container, I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination but they seem to do quite well. That said I'm the only one in the house who eats them so as long as they produce one or two a week I'm happy.

Cherryfudge · 1 August at 10:24PM

Yesterday (Friday) was travel day: we didn't get going till 12.30 but I'm pretty sure I had everything ticked on the list, including watering plants and picking blackberries. Oh, there was one thing: the poor gooseberries didn't get picked but what's another couple of days when they are already overdue? They are shaded so that will protect them a bit.

We stopped for motorway C0stas on the way down then detoured to get fuel. The previous tank lasted from home up to the Scottish borders and back, then down to near Birmingham, which we are very pleased about. The diesel stop meant a scenic last dozen miles but that was much nicer than the motorway.

Our hosts are hospitable as ever, though sadly one of their cats has just died and the other (very elderly) is physically frail and pining. I gave her lots of attention and I think that helped as she's started to eat again.

Today we went to a stately home, courtesy of vouchers ours friends spotted on MSE. DH bought lunch and I bought two booklets of recipes (Italian biscuits as cooked in the house a hundred years ago) and a couple of other book, one of which is for a gift. Fell asleep in the car on the way home!

I've been sneezing a lot and can't decide if it's hay fever or a cold, but DH seems better - a relief as that means it's less likely he's reacting to the medication.

I've also had an email inviting me to a discussion about changes at work, but I intend to reply when I'm home and query whether there's an option to remain as a relief member of staff, which is what I'd prefer, though of course I'll have to word if carefully in case that's not an option.

Cherryfudge · 4 August at 8:37PM

We arrived back home yesterday after the lovely sort of relaxing weekend that leaves one absolutely exhausted. I'm still struggling with that.

Sunday morning was a trawl round a large car boot sale and, as in previous years, I found the prices generally lower than in the Midlands than in Yorkshire. Our friends got various bits and pieces including a book they wanted which is currently £17 but cost them 50p. DH got a work shirt for £2 and I got moisturiser for 50p, a cardigan and a long sleeved tee shirt for £1 each then, in a '3 items for £1', two corduroy shirts and a branded tee shirt. All like new.

We had lunch out then went for a walk through the countryside near Clent, which is gorgeous and very good for the leg muscles, and we strayed off the planned path, so went a bit further than intended. That was weird as I was map reading but they all gave me credit for getting them out of the woods, rather than missing the turning in the first place. It was rather heavy going so we went back to the excellent coffee place for refreshments afterwards. I don't think we had a single indoor meal all weekend. Before we went back to our friends' house, we called at the Co-op for lunch ingredients for Monday, and got some good bargains as it was near closing time. Regrettably, the area doesn't seem to do blackcurrant and liquorice sweets, but one can't have everything.

The poor sick cat was looking significantly better by the time we left: more active, alert, eating and drinking. A great relief.

We set off home about 10 in the morning and arrived after lunch. That gave me time to check my emails and get to work (three hours), then later in the evening I found I had a reply saying that the relief posts will no longer be available so I will only have the option of part time. I was quite cast down by that and had just about decided I would drop out of the recruitment, but since then I've come round to thinking I should go ahead with the interview tomorrow and see what comes of it.

I've woken very early the last couple of days with either the job situation or the changes in the children's work at church on my mind. I'm having to tell myself that the people who have newly taken on a parallel role to mine at church are very knowledgeable professionals and will know what they are doing, and there's no point me panicking about how their team is going to work out. A little number-crunching in the car on the way home showed me the likely new numbers for the group I'm involved with, and I've sent a couple of emails to ensure we get enough tables.

This morning and right now - we have rain! Other than that, it's been hot and humid. We had the girls to look after which has meant over 14,000 steps, rather a lot of snacks, DGD1 initiating a game of 'first day at school' (only a month away), cooling them down with a hose (just short bursts for them to try to duck) and aching shoulders from lifting them on the playground and in various escapades at home.

I decided to make the most of tomorrow's interview, for which I have to do a SWOT assessment, by feeding a very slimmed-down version of my strengths and weaknesses into AI and see what it came up with. It's highlighted a few things that I can play up to, but when I'm more awake (i.e. in the morning) I will have to go through it all, add edits and make it more my own. I'm just too far gone to make much sense of it. Thankfully, the cold - the tickliest ever - has at last just about left and while I have a headache, I think I can overcome that with paracetamol, hydration and sleep.