Moving on

Cherryfudge

It's very wet here this morning: apparently the area has had twice the expected rainfall for July... whether than would even out if it didn't rain from now to August... we are highly unlikely to find out.

Earlier sleep last night led to earlier waking this morning so I got the ironing done on cheap rate electricity. Some isn't 100% dry even after being out all yesterday so it's now on hangers in doorways upstairs where there's an updraught, and should be fine to put away later.

DH has the day off (alternate days this week) but has gone to the flat to see the chap who's coming to instal new heating for the tenant. I don't have set plans apart from feeding the houseplants and going to work at five.

Cherryfudge

The day turned out dry! And warm. Muggy, but at least it's summery. DH and I spent about three hours between us on the garden, mostly cutting the holly hedge, and quite a lot of general tidying up. DH has harvested most of the gooseberries and taken some more paint off the kitchen door frame as well as overseeing the new heating being installed at the flat. I've spent nothing; I don't know if he has but the heating will come from the flat account which he administers so it's separate from our finances.

We had a moment of excitement this morning when we spotted what may be a linnet on our bird feeder. I've never seen one before but apparently they may around here: slightly smaller than a sparrow with a reddish speckled chest.

Work this evening was two hours and uneventful.

Cherryfudge

It's a beautiful sunny day (note to self - there are other things to start a post with than weather, even in a cool wet year)!

Anyway I love a sunny day.

Tonight is my church group but only half of us are available so we are getting pizzas and having a social evening as we then have a break till September.

I'm not working tonight ('cos of group) but DH is at work so I need to get my act together and make something of the day:

• wash my hair. This doesn't generally warrant a place on the list but involves bestirring myself and that takes effort

• update my timesheet for work

• there is essential grocery shopping to be done though I've got sausages out of the freezer for DH's tea

• get some cash out for my contribution to the pizzas

• perhaps some study? I just thought that there are two or three areas I'm paid up for but have been avoiding and I think it's that fear of struggle/failure thing... but then, why not face it and be done with it?  

• housework: it I put as much effort in at home as I do at work, I'd get lots of free exercise and a shiny house

• garden - and today, remember to put sun cream on first. Yesterday I was tardy with it and think I just avoided getting burned.

Cherryfudge

Timesheet done.
I'm now looking through the supermarket apps for expiring offers. Two of the T3sco ones are of little use to me but there's one for baking ingredients. 100 points if I spend £6 on an assortment most of which aren't applicable, but I think I could do £6 worth of dried fruit and nuts as we're out of glace cherries (£1.80), ans can always use sultanas (95p for basic ones or £1.85 for the others) and flaked almonds (£3.90 for the larger size).

The sultanas intrigued me: why double the price for one product? Ingredients for both are 'sultanas, sunflower oil' but calories are 101kcal/30g for the basic ones and 85kcal/30g for the other. Why the big difference? The only thing I can think of are massively more oil in the cheaper ones (but oil isn't cheap, is it?) or a miscalculation. I went down the rabbit hole and checked the Sains. ones and the higher calorific 'cost' of Grower's Own is the biggest anomaly.

And it looks as though T may not be doing their own brand stem ginger which I used to get, as it's not online. I do love ginger though, and for me it's value for money but I have a jar in the cupboard.

So that was Mr T. Now Mr S... nothing I need urgently thought here are a couple of nice fruit promotions ending tomorrow. 

And Mr L: nothing particular from there either, so it will probably be T3sco.

Cherryfudge

The day seemed to be grinding to a halt around lunchtime, with what the weather forecast called 'light cloud' (really dark) but no rain, and cold enough to necessitate changing cropped jeans for long ones and drinking a hot drink.

I decided to fight back with a hair wash, texting work with my availability for next week and going to the shops. The music was so loud in one that I actually did a quick search for what I wanted with my hands on my ears! May have looked odd but I don't see why I should put up with discomfort.  

I got most of what I went for, plus, from a charity shop, one of those things to hold serviettes. I think it will help keep the sideboard on order and save me wasting paper serviettes that get scuffed.

I've also had the first hay fever tablet of the season, we'll see if it solves the dry eyes, sneezy nose and sore throat that seem to be developing! 

redofromstart

I had that baking offer too but I went to Hone Bargains this morning and paid £1.30 for a 200g tub of glacé cherries which reminded me how much cheaper B&M/Home Bargains can be for that type of thing. 

Sun_Addict

I’m also suffering with a sneezy nose and sore throat courtesy of what I think may be pollen related 🤧 

WelshmansDaughter

Ha if I forget earplugs I put my hands over my ears

Cherryfudge

I wrote a post last night but the site kept switching off - no idea why as the rest of the Internet seemed to be behaving itself. I've known MSE do that before though and it seems fine today.

@redofromstart, I never thought of B&M, I could have saved myself 50p there! Never mind, there's next time.

@Sun_Addict, mine responded well to antihistamines and ibuprofen last night and I've tested negative for Covid today, but the sore throat makes it feel like an infection. I don't normally get hay fever after May, but it's been a strange year so far, weather-wise, so it could be allergies or a cold, or both. The antihistamine meant I slept a long time last night!

@WelshmansDaughter, we should go shopping together, perhaps the shops would get the point! To be fair, I sent a note to their FB page last night and got a response saying they were sorry it was too loud, and asking for more details, so I'll respond to that later.

Last night I split the cost of the pizzas with a friend and we had a lovely evening with the host couple and their tiny daughter, sitting out in the garden while the opportunity presented itself and talking about all sorts of things. WhatsApp kept pinging as the absent members of the group sent photos of what they were doing - a Scottish river, a graduation... and we sent them one of us with a lot of pizza.  

Expenditure:
Toiletries £1.99
Household £2.30
Housekeeping £24.55 (including pizza)

Cherryfudge

It's been a quiet day, trying to beat the cold with inactivity. I'm not over it yet but it's not too bad.

J called round with some posh cakes from a café DFiL liked: she'd remembered it was his birthday and wanted to mark it in some way. So thoughtful of her. He's been gone since 2020 but they were close.

DH has had the day off so he met up with H and the girls and took them to the swings and out for a scone in a café. I could have gone but didn't fancy trying to socialise with my stuffed up nose and sore throat so I lay on the bed eating chocolate and reading, which was a nice distraction and set me up for work. I was only there two hours but I don't mind because there was very little to do and I wanted to get home and rest again.

So I've spent nothing and the bank statement will show me what DH spent. Dinner was mackerel with rice and veg (DH approves of the braised cabbage and rice dish) and I can't be all that poorly as I did the cooking. It's used up some rice and edamame beans and I remembered to defrost blackberries for DH's apple and blackberry pudding. This year's crop is headed the way of humungous so it's a good job he likes them.