Moving on

WelshmansDaughter · 30 May 2024 at 8:51AM

A likely story.

I want a cinnamon bun now

Cherryfudge · 30 May 2024 at 8:53AM

So for today... we have sunshine but rain is likely, so I'll delay the laundry till tomorrow, which should be drier.

I actually don't have anything scheduled till work at five, but there's a mound of ironing and I'm continuing to search for my diary which I put in a safe place before going away, and it's no longer there. I have a vague notion that I decided it didn't need to be kept hidden and I might forget the place so I took it out. Of course the older memory has remained and the newer one has gone, and neither DH nor I could find it yesterday. At least most things will be on some sort of rota, though I've already forgotten my friend's birthday.

Talking of rotas, I've offered to help with church cleaning on a Monday in the short term as someone currently has to take it easy, so I need to get that arranged.

Yesterday I just dozed a bit in the afternoon then went to work, but I was really tired late in the evening and slept over 7.5 hours, which is a lot for me and the second time that's happened this week. I don't know whether this is good or not: it feels almost post-viral but perhaps it's the less stressful lifestyle and physical exercise.

And I just came across this article on the Beeb about supermarket tactics. So true: I know I did a planned increased spend a couple of weeks ago in order to get double points, which works for me on an occasional basis but it has to be planned and in that case I didn't add things up correctly as I went along so I ended up buying more chocolate to make up the total. Chocolate being, of course, in sight of the till. If it happens again, I'd be better doubling up on an item already in the trolley so it's not junk food. Also a paper list and a pen would help so I can write down the prices instead of trying to keep them in my head.

Cherryfudge · 30 May 2024 at 9:37AM

WelshmansDaughter said:

A likely story.

I want a cinnamon bun now

I recommend Iceland's if you can cope with the sticky icing

Or of course there's cinnamon toast, for which you might already have ingredients.

WelshmansDaughter · 30 May 2024 at 10:01AM

Its not a cinnamon bun without icing.

When I was younger I used to make cinnamon sugar bread. Lightly toast white bread, spread with butter and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top.
Disgustingly good.

Cherryfudge · 30 May 2024 at 11:54PM

I am not going to give in and start toasting bread... not... not... I think I can resist as I've just had a hot chocolate.

Today has been mostly quiet and at home, and I've found the missing diary (in the bag I took on holiday) so I spent a bit of time updating it and texting people to sort out the bits I wasn't sure of. I realised with a bit of a shock that it really is filling up: I was asked if I'd help with a support group and there's a training day coming up, in addition to training for the budgeting role and having offered to help with extra cleaning while my colleague gets back on their feet - but I'm glad there's plenty to do.

At home, some cleaning, tidying and ironing has been done. I was thinking about getting the house 'window cleaner ready' (he's a very pleasant guy who's been doing our windows the best part of 30 years, so he's probably seen it all, but I'd actually left the bedroom blinds closed because it's a mess) when I realised he was actually here! I'm afraid I hid as I was still half in pyjamas and my hair was all over the place, but I was being productive, honestly. I'd worked out I could use some magazine holders for keeping paperwork for a couple of things and save having it in bags, so I was sorting that out.

Anyway, he finished the windows and I'll pay in the morning by bank transfer so my NSD stays intact.

It's been a bit on the cool side - low teens out of doors - and I even put the heating on boost for 15 minutes to warm the air and stop the house getting damp.

Work was fine: I had a bit of time free after the basics and used some of it to clean the cleaning cupboard! Nothing elaborate but the floor was a mess and things are more easily accessible now. I hope whoever usually does that area doesn't mind coming back to it like this, but I could see the tidying I'd put in when I did this area before has remained, so perhaps they like it or haven't noticed.

This evening I've tried to pay the credit card up to date but the site crashed twice on me so I need to try again tomorrow. I do have another week to pay before they charge me, but it's annoying to be thwarted and have to remember to go back. I've also updated my timesheet: just tomorrow to do then I can send it in.

Cherryfudge · 31 May 2024 at 9:26AM

Happy Friday! I'm working this evening but not this morning and whatever the sky says, the forecast is for dry weather so the washing machine is on. Other than that I've just discovered the new 'Greenfly' thread, which reminds me I really need to get out in the garden, and also that I discovered tomato seeds I'd saved last year and haven't planted. I think I might try them anyway. I mean, it's still May. Just. They won't get any younger if I leave them.

Tasks for today:
all things financial
garden
laundry
make a cake
see if I can brave applying for a election job - not vs Tr*mp, just counting votes.
any random housework and/or tidying that I can use to distract myself from the above.

DH has offered to make tuna pasta for tea (this is becoming a Friday habit).

And my WhatsApp has just let me know a friend has been given a cancellation and can have his surgery today. People are rallying round with offers of lifts and help with things. Hopefully it means he will be back to his usual health very soon.

Cherryfudge · 31 May 2024 at 10:59PM

I seem to have accomplished more than normal today: the window cleaner has been paid and I've checked most of the bank statements but realised as I did so that I've done very little financial recording through May. All the records exist apart from DH's cash spending, I just haven't put them in the right places.
I'm wondering if there's a value for me in doing a turn of the month statement as many people do. It could look something like this:

Current account 1 - not yet checked, daunting because there are so many small payments to process! Still in credit and enough to pay the outgoings!
current account 2 - checked, standing order (2) amended, pay is in, still in credit and enough to pay the outgoings!
General savings - interest rate 1.74%
Holiday savings - interest rate 1.74%
ISA - 4.60% till end of March 2025
Inheritance savings 1 checked - interest rate now dropped to 4.20% from 5.20%
Inheritance savings 2 - checked - interest rate still 4.80%, interest payable
Christmas saver - checked - interest rate 6%, payable 31st October.
My credit card - paid up to date, balance zero.

Basically, I have money, but not much income and am trying not to draw on savings till I retire, which I don't want to do for a few years.

There's some movement I can't make between accounts till tomorrow, but both our pay is in.

I'm having a small battle with myself over buying a Kindle book that isn't on the library e-books, but I'll have a look in charity shops if I still want it tomorrow. Doesn't do me any good just buying because I fancy it but it's full price!

Two loads of washing got done and mostly dry, but I had to put bedding in the drier to be able to use it tonight. DH has suggested we buy more... in fact I think if I search the underbed drawers there might even be something. Ironically we keep with the same set partly because it takes space to store, but there's a lot of old bedding there that never gets used.

After a rather uninspiring week with the Italian lessons, it seems to be picking up again. I'm not so tired for one thing, and for another, in Rome everyone spoke English so I didn't get as much practise as I usually do!

I've put in half an hour battling the weeds and mowing the lawns, but I need to push on with this. I also made a batch of coffee and walnut muffins which we've not tried yet but which may save us having so many pastries (if the recipe works out) and also means I have less of a not-so-good coffee to finish. It also means I need to buy some replacement stocks, so I might go to the supermarket tomorrow. Thanks to chatting over on the freezer thread, I now want sausages, liver and bacon next week and have several more recipes to try.

Our friend texted to say the operation (under local anaesthetic) is complete so hopefully he's home and resting now. In the meantime I've lined up a busy Sunday and Monday and am hoping DH feels up to helping but he may not as he's gone down with a cough. I'm also back to having my mid-week groups this week, and working Monday, Thursday and Friday. I will probably get some rest in between things.

Expenditure:
Household (windows) £6

Cherryfudge · 1 June 2024 at 7:56AM

Yesterday I managed to wear myself out so it was bed before midnight (early for me) and awake at 6.30 (also early for me).

I've been thinking about the skeletal monthly review I posted above and while it's not fleshed out with numbers, it's helping me think through how I deal with savings: I had originally intended to put some into some sort of investment, a bit more speculative than a savings account, and it highlights that I've not done this.

There seem to be 101 things I could be doing today, like trimming the overgrown shrubs or cleaning the dining room, washing the remainder of the things in the laundry basket, shopping for some things we're out of (which could probably wait apart from that we need to go to the shops anyway), and making the regular payment into the Christmas saver account. And any other financial stuff - it gets really daunting when I realise it's been a month since I reviewed the main current account. Oh, and put my timesheet in so I can be paid at the end of this month!

Cherryfudge · 1 June 2024 at 10:50PM

Today has warmed up a bit and the weather this evening was beautiful, but I will admit I'm layering up (though avoiding coats).

The timesheet is completed and sent in, and a closer look at my accounts shows there are things I've not filled in since the end of March, so I'm now struggling to face those. However, the YBS Christmas saver is paid up to date.

I've spent an hour in the garden and back lane, on and off. I divided it into 15 minute slots, as per Flylady: back lane (so DH could get the wheelie bin through), ground elder, shrubs and miscellaneous weeding. I can't see much difference but the wheelie bin is very full of the stuff I don't want in our compost.

We decided against a car boot sale this morning but DH took my grandfather clock for repair. It came back from its previous repair - probably a couple of years ago - and quickly developed a horribly juddering noise followed by a crash, and the inability to strike the right hour. DH has a contact who is a clock specialist and asked him for a recommendation, hence this other repairer who not only diagnosed, but asked if it had been through the hands of the previous people. It seems they left a trail behind them.

In fact to be fair, I think it was one of them, not the other, as the one who initially did the clock wasn't there when we went back and it sounded as though the other guy was picking up the pieces. The current repairer comes with 50 years' experience! Anyway, it looks as though the previous 'repair' damaged a cog which is likely to have to be remade as they aren't standard, so it could be expensive, but it would be lovely to have it ticking again. It's a sound I grew up with. This repair would also set the strike mechanism right.

In the afternoon DH went out to the other car boot sale. He was delighted because he was one of the first in and picked up a record deck for £20. He has stashed it away so I can give it to him for his birthday! The post came with a trial of a bathroom cleaning product which smells nice so if I like the way it works it could become part of my Sm0l order. I wandered round town searching the charity shops for a book I'm after. No luck, but I went to the supermarket afterwards and on the charity bookshelf I saw a copy of a Madhur Jaffrey book, so I now have that. I used to have it but gave it away because DH didn't then like curry, so now that he does, I'm looking forward to trying some of her recipes.

The supermarket shopping was fairly carefully planned and cost just under £20, with a few bonus Clubcard points thrown in. I had to ring DH for a lift as I couldn't carry it: milk, flour, margarine and other weighty stuff. I don't go in there as often now I'm trying to avoid 'accidental' spending, and I was taken aback at the prices for fish and chicken products. True, there are still things for a couple of pounds, but you have to search for them.

Dinner was supermarket fish with cous cous and peas - we both agree we feel better for it than we did on chip shop chips, but are also agreed the chip shop chips should remain as a treat! TV was The Piano, with some brilliant players, and lots of variety.

So there has been some spending, which will be more when we have the costing for the clock.
Housekeeping: £19.26 (plus anything DH got at the greengrocer's)
Gift (record deck) £20
Diesel £45.30

weenancyinAmerica · 2 June 2024 at 6:53AM

Cherryfudge - I don't know if any of your libraries do 3-D printing, but ours does, and the man running the program is able to make small parts for things on the printer. I wonder if your clock repairer could look into it as it is much cheaper here anyway. Something I had never considered before last week as he was giving me a demonstration of what he can do.