Moving on

Cherryfudge

This morning was spent at the debt advice centre, hoping I didn't have to advise anyone! Thankfully it was quiet. There were only three of us staffing it but I still had time to go through some of my course material again and catch up on emails. That's after a tricky start as I had the keys and when I arrived, there was no one else there and I couldn't open the office! A colleague managed it for me a little while later. The keys are with someone else now so I don't have to worry about it.

I've not spent anything today: it would have been daft when I have enough to eat up, to last me till DH and Auntie come back on Sunday! Perhaps I can avoid the shops till Saturday? We'll see.

There never seems to be very long on a Wednesday between volunteering and work, but at 4 my daughter texted to say they had been told at her work to go straight home and avoid town as there were plans for a riot. That was followed immediately by A, who lives near her work and is not alarmist, saying he'd heard similar. I checked with my work and there were no warnings in place for our campus, in fact it sounds as though the manager had been past the place concerned and all was quiet, so I went in to work, where there were great mutterings among the staff, saying there had been a gathering outside a hotel last night and police riot vehicles had been there today.

And after all that... a quiet evening. I had to go back via town to pick up my prescription and noted there were people of various nationalities about, all seeming relaxed. Mind you, this is the end of town away from the hotel concerned: two major employers over there had locked up and sent staff straight home, and some uniformed services have apparently been told not to wear uniform in town this evening. All very oil-on-troubled waters, but the only sign of it I saw was police vehicles cruising conspicuously. I do feel for them and their families as well as all the people who've been targeted recently. It's really strange that it's come to our little town, but hopefully it's been headed off. What we could do with, of course, is rain. That's one way to keep people indoors!

Work was just the two hours: there wasn't much to do.

My mood has been a lot better today. I don't know if that's because there's nothing I need to prepare for urgently, or what it is. The flip side is that my arthritis is troubling me, and that includes in my right hand which I've been hoping wasn't affected. I wonder if I tensed it overnight and didn't notice? It just feels over used, but it could also be the usual delayed response to tension. I hope for a peaceful day tomorrow, but also to get something done rather than slump.

Cherryfudge

An interesting addendum from last night: local police posted a statement to say they were aware of rumours but their intelligence says there was no riot planned. Instead, someone has been arrested for starting the rumour.

Cherryfudge

DH has gone to work though he will be calling in for eye drops before heading off to Auntie's for a few days. I declined an invitation to go to visit the granddaughters until they know what N has caught, because I'm not sure what childhood vaccinations I had. The current ones weren't all available in my day.

I decided to make a mahousive hit list for jobs to do while on my own in the house, to stop me vegetating. Bear with me as I post and probably repost lots of times. I'm working this evening and tomorrow evening, but other than that I'm not on any rotas or anything. I have an edited version of my list from two days ago, pre-ice cream discussions (I might make a separate list of suggested flavours, I do love a list).

I will also add to the mahousive list at will, and comment, so feel free to ignore. I know it won't be realistic to try to achieve everything, but I like crossing things off (and I will try not to wear myself out).

• do Bible reading
• do Duolingo
• tidy the kitchen
• tidy the guest room
• round up some more plant pots
  
• check ice cream maker is working 11am update - it switches on and churns but can't be tested further till I have freezer space for the pot
• print out ice cream maker instructions 11am update - won't print but read and saved
• weed at least one garden tub
• push on with the budget
• Wash dining room curtains
• wash lounge curtain
• wash bedroom curtains
• wash guest bedding (just realised I'd left it after my sister visited as she was originally going to stay over again) - 1.30 update - done
• paint kitchen door frame
• paint garden gate
• second coat on lounge door
• shampoo carpets
• pot on tradescantia
• pot on both prayer plants
• mow the grass 1.30 update - done
• look into next regular saver account
• mark step edges with tape for Auntie, who doesn't see very well
• tie back plants near path (see above)
• wash cushion covers
• mend cushion covers
• ironing (not much yet)
• de-cobweb
• wash hair brushes and make up brushes 1.30 update - done
• attack brambles
• pick blackberries

Cherryfudge

That list has got out of hand.  

I did the grass earlier than expected as it looked like rain. It took longer as the mower was really stiff due to being left out on a damp night. It's now oiled and adjusted.

Yesterday I saw a green dragonfly going round and round the garden - never seen one here before - and also someone's very beautiful tortoiseshell cat on the lawn, eating a bird. Bleah. Thankfully it had taken the remains away by the time I had to face it today. I've also taken seed heads off some weeds (too nearly ripe to risk dislodging seeds while pulling up the plants). There are a myriad of blackberries needing to be picked and if I don't get at least some before it rains, they will probably moulder, so that's my next job.

There's no freezer space for them so I need to buy sugar for jam. At least I have lots of jam jars.

Lunch was curry with cous cous, thus finishing a jar of cous cous (there are more...). Down to one portion of curry now.  

Cherryfudge

Well, rain stopped play but at least I picked lots of blackberries and they are now soaking to get any insects out. I treated myself to a snooze for an hour before work, and work lasted three hours. On the way home I went to the supermarket for cheap apples and some sugar (not much sugar on the shelf!) for the jam.

You will have guessed the curtain washing is on hold till I can dry them.

Outside is so warm and stuffy! It was half dark as I walked back (only two weeks ago there was still a vestige of light in the sky at gone eleven) and low clouds were racing along. It reminded me of Wales! On this side of the country I rarely see the cloud so low. It's been raining but more steadily than hard.

So my idea of not buying any food till the weekend didn't get far. I didn't buy any extras: I looked at custard tarts and similar sweet treats and realised I could make some cakes and use some bought cake topping up at the same time, so I've not wasted money, calories or space on those.

I've finished the pesto pasta, with some peas and not-Greek cheese. Nice. And there's space for the blackberries in the fridge overnight!

I have three foraged plums, as I heard birds giving alarm calls in the lane behind the house and went to see if the tortoiseshell cat was about again. No cat was visible but the birds were shrieking at each other and some plums had come off the wild plum tree so I found some of the better ones to try. I wonder if the birds were quarrelling over them? It looked like it.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £4.18

Cherryfudge

Another grey day today, with the remnants of overnight rain still on the windows, but the forecast assures me it's not going to rain. No. 0% chance. Clouds are just there for ornament. I am therefore contemplating washing curtains, at least one lot that's easy to dry.

Other than that, here is today's version of the list, shorn of the everyday things I try to do anyway.

• make jam bedtime update - fruit is prepped and stewing but will be jammed tomorrow. Smells good.
• tidy the kitchen it's getting worse
• tidy the guest room - bed is made, other tidying not started
• tidy the bathroom - ongoing
• round up some more plant pots - collected another 14 but not washed them yet
• weed at least one garden tub, hopefully easier now it's been rained on - done but not very well
• push on with the budget
• Wash dining room curtains done
• wash lounge curtains
• wash bedroom curtains
• paint kitchen door frame
• paint garden gate
• second coat on lounge door
• shampoo carpets
• pot on tradescantia
• pot on both prayer plants
• look into next regular saver account
• mark step edges with tape for Auntie, who doesn't see very well
• tie back plants near path (see above)
• wash cushion covers
• mend cushion covers
• ironing (not much yet) done
• de-cobweb
• attack brambles done

Cherryfudge

Progress is slow. I spent what felt like long time picking over the blackberries, then another good while de-brambling the garden, by which I mean the large and obvious new bramble growth, not the branches with berries on. This also led to me making a start on the corner where I did attempt to tackle the ground elder: it's still there but so is a lot of junk, so I've reduced the rubbish a bit and the brambles a lot. It's only a small area thankfully. All the offcuts went in the green bin - so even the tidying up is done.

I'm still eating my way through the left overs in the fridge but the rest of the curry has gone now, with another portion of cous cous. I've binned an out of date jelly that I just couldn't fancy. Tonight will probably be finishing up some houmous with salad.

Too many things to do this afternoon in the three hours before work: iron and rehang the curtains, make the jam and, once those are out of the way, paint the kitchen door frame. I'm quite pleased with myself for repairing a loose bit of curtain tape before washing. However, I had a big attack of procrastination over cleaning the bin! It wasn't too bad a job, it just repelled me like a magnet turned wrong end on. It's done now.

Cherryfudge

The curtains are ironed and back in place, and the blackberries and apples are stewing ready to sieve for jam. Phew.

Paintbrushes, paint and sandpaper are found and on standby (not tonight).

The internet is playing up so I'm writing fast while it's still on!

Three hours' work this evening then down to the supermarket, ostensibly for margarine and Thai red curry sauce but spent £12.49, largely on store cupboard things.

Cherryfudge

The internet continues to play up but the landline is okay, so I'm as sure as I can be that the problem is with our ancient router. I've just looked online and they seem to start at around £90, unless we want one that has to be put on charge... that was just a quick look, though, so at some point I need to go into it further.

Looks like being a beautiful day and quite warm.

Jobs to do: last night midnight saw me washing plant pots, which is arguably not the best use of time but now they are clean and sorted (still loads in three locations in corners of the garden, which includes the official location: that's full...) I will put the 'keepers' in a bag in the shed during Auntie's visit though there's a temptation to carry on finding and cleaning. It's somehow satisfying!

However, I really need to get on with The List, but the big list from the other day isn't really relevant now. It was more about keeping me occupied and it succeeded very nicely. In fact, I've enjoyed the time, which is unusual when I'm in the house on my own. Now, I've about 24 hours to get the place ready for DH to come back with Auntie.

Having got to nearly-ready with things for painting, if I'm going to do it, it had better be soon or the paint won't be dry in time.
The kitchen needs a big clear up.
Jam needs to be sieved, weighed, sugar added, boiled to setting point, cooled and potted up. In theory that could wait a few days but crumbs, do I need another food project hanging over me? I have enough already, with a cake to make for the visit, soup to make for me and still a bowl of salad in the fridge to eat.
The area outside the back door needs a tidy up so Auntie can walk through safely. I might put chairs out on the lawn as she likes the sun.
Step edges on the front path need to be marked with tape and plants tied back so it's easier for her to navigate.
Some bits of laundry could be got out of the way while we have good drying weather.
Then there's tidying around the house.

P.S. I have discovered coffee bags will stand a second use before adding to the compost heap!

Cherryfudge

Urgh... internet still dodgy so I've asked on the forum for advice. I've also painted that door frame. Prep took 30+ years, if you include procrastination. Actually first coat took 40 minutes. I was proud of myself for not getting paint on myself, so I washed my hands, went to put the kettle on, and brushed against the paint...

The jam is fighting back: it will take even longer than the painting at the rate it's going through the sieve. I'm going to compromise by lifting the apple cores out and blending some, then trying it again. I know the sieving is supposed to get rid of the blackberry pips, but I think they are safe to eat so they remain. That can wait till this evening as the cooker is too close to the new paint for comfort.

There remains the cake to make (again, that will be this evening), some shopping to get and some outdoor jobs to do. First I'm having a bit of a break.