Moving on

Cherryfudge

It's been a good day though I started off with my usual 'don't do mornings'. Having a good previous day and a good night's sleep don't seem to stop the fug. I eventually felt reasonable some time after eleven. I wish I knew what the cure is!

We had planned to go to an exhibition in Newcastle but wires got crossed and I was working this evening which cut the time rather fine so we reverted to an earlier plan and went to Helmsley, which has to be one of my favourite towns. It was still very windy, so we had our picnic in the car then went round the Walled Garden, which is a favourite part of a favourite town. As usual, lots of photos were taken and we had hot drinks in the café and shared a rather nice berry crumble. There was quite a lot of garden produce available for a donation, including unusual varieties of apples (windfalls) so DH paid a pound and got a handful. We had one as a snack and it was very tasty despite being a windfall.

We then had a mooch round the town: there was a pop-up charity shop and I netted a Whistles cashmere jumper for £2! It's in need of a little TLC but nothing I can't handle and it's a nice versatile dark grey so I can wear white or something bright with it. I can't find the exact one online but the nearest was priced at £169! For the small amount of work it will take me to make it right, I call that a blessing.

DH (who was the one who suggested it could be cashmere, how did I miss that?) also had a treat as a favourite gallery was open and there were a couple of really good paintings there, as well as a local art sale in another venue with all sorts of paintings.

Back in time for work, and I remembered to query an oddity from my payslip but the manager didn't know and has referred me upwards. I've since looked into it and it seems a few things have been entered wrongly on my payslip. The amount of basic pay is right, but this month they have me working in a post I've never had, and some months my accrued leave has been paid to me, which I've never opted for (I can book it when I choose, but that option hasn't been given in those months). And as of this month my actual post is shown as having ended in July, and I'm being paid for the other (non-existent) post. Quite clearly something's up, which could be as simple as someone clicked the wrong button to select the post, and another person didn't realise I have the option to select a day off rather than be paid for it. I've made some notes but I'll wait to send it as it needs to be neatened up.

I don't have any real worries about it being resolved but it needs to be stopped and corrected before it gets any worse.

I also wandered round the garden in the dusk, tidying up after the wind. The tomato plants have been picked up and the first four tomatoes have been picked. I think they are 'Sungold', and an absolutely vibrant flavour. Then into the back garden where there were loads of blackberries on the grass but I decided to leave those as they were very soft and would be hard to clean. I did rescue some fallen greengages, though. Our home grown ones have never been so big and there are plenty still on the tree which aren't quite ready.

Expenditure:
Parking £3.50?
Entertainment ? About £10 for drinks and cake, entry was free with our annual pass.
Clothing £2
Housekeeping? DH bought his favourite steak pie from the deli.

WelshmansDaughter

I suspect something similar may happen with my pay. I await the end of the month to see, but the 'old guard' at work are full of tales of errors and ups and downs so we shall see.

Cherryfudge

This morning was a the car boot sale. The roads and the field were all much quieter than usual, though sadly we passed a roadkill deer on the way just out of town. I bought a bag of onions for 75p and a string of fairy lights for 50p - last of the big spenders. DH bought an old coin, and old pocket watch and some apples. Simple joys.  

I was supposed to be at a BBQ with people from my Wednesday evening group but it was called off due to forecast gusty weather and a rain shower at lunchtime seemed to confirm the decision, but it's nice out now. DH is helping at the shop as an extra this afternoon and I've had a couple of quiet hours, which I needed, though I've spent them working my way through rotas and synchronising my diary and the calendar. September is so close and I've not done anything about re-applying for the digital skills course: it's crept up on me. Now that I'm in a routine, I'm not really looking at office work any more so perhaps I don't need it but I would love to be a whizz at spreadsheets.

I am also about to fall into a lower league on Duolingo so I could be getting on with that. It has cleaning plant pots and cleaning the fridge to contend with.

KeepOnKnitting

Ooh, I need to check out the charity shops in Helmsley! What a fab find!

Cherryfudge

KeepOnKnitting said:

Ooh, I need to check out the charity shops in Helmsley! What a fab find!

I'm only aware of two: the sweet little Oxfam one where I've found some 'good makes' and which has a proper book room at the back, and this pop-up one which is nearby and is very mini. They're on the street off the market square that runs past the church. Without revealing where you are, do you know Helmsley?

Cherryfudge

More plant pots were cleaned this afternoon, another coffee and walnut cake made, houseplants are fed and watered and a load of washing has been done. After the barbecue being cancelled due to the weather forecast, it turned out quite sunny, though breezy.

After DH got home from volunteering, he helped me sort the smaller plant pots for recycling. 130 are stacked in the hall, and there are still two bin bags nearly full! I've selected a few (17) to keep, of sizes and shapes that I like. The larger ones can wait for another day.

We had fish and chips for lunch, proper chip shop ones but the shop seems to have trimmed their chip portions so it wasn't as much as usual, and the taste wasn't quite as good.

We went for a local walk at dusk - 8.15 now - and called in at the supermarket for oranges and chocolate. It was a nice walk: clear skies and peaceful but the air has changed. There's a slight feel of autumn which, if I enjoy it for the promise of crisp days, is rather exciting. However, there's also a little bit of urgency to get the garden and house jobs sorted out while it's still summer.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £7.50 (?) fish and chips, £4.80 (supermarket) £1.75 car boot fruit and veg
Hobbies £5?
Household 50p

KeepOnKnitting

Cherryfudge said:

 Without revealing where you are, do you know Helmsley?

I do. I used to live a few miles west, but now live a bit north over the moors. It is a lovely town, and some nice walks around that way.

Cherryfudge

@KeepOnKnitting *waves* not so far away then. Yes, it's beautiful round there.

Cherryfudge

Another full day! We had been asked to help with refreshments at church and I would rather have copped out but I'm really glad I didn't as it was a very good morning. During August the main services are 'café-style' with people sitting round tables and eating breakfast then there's a discussion topic with alternate activities for the children.

We had to arrive an hour beforehand to help chop melon and make drinks, toast and scotch pancakes: the music group were rehearsing and the sound was lovely in the empty hall, then after a while it started to fill up and we were in business. There was enough to do to keep us occupied but not too busy, and in the intervals between taking orders I managed to eat lots of melon as well as three Scotch pancakes which I really didn't need but which were nice. Afterwards I commandeered some plastic tubs so the tea bags and melon rinds are now in our compost. They bagged up leftovers so I have two bags of melon in the fridge for snacks. DH insisted we didn't want any bread products but I think they all found a home without my help!

A and H invited us to join them on an afternoon out so we hurried lunch (the rest of the curry) and I put two loads through the washer - some tablecloths from the morning then the outfit I was wearing as I was in too much of a hurry and managed to spill curry on myself. It's all come out, though. Then A texted to say the weather forecast wasn't good for going out so would we like to go round to theirs, instead?

We had most of the afternoon with them and took them all out to the garden centre for cake. I remembered to take some of the plant pots for recycling so that's 50 off our premises, but one came back as I picked up an orchid pot while I was there. H has also asked me to see if I can save a houseplant of theirs, so I'm working on that.

This evening I was so cold and tired I went back to bed but I'm fine now so a bit of a doze has set me right. When I went back on the computer I found that DGD, playing with my phone, had sent a photo of a cat to the church cleaning team, so I hastily explained which caused some hilarity. It could have been worse.  

Expenditure:
Entertaining approx £12

Cherryfudge

Tired today: I couldn't think why as I slept okay, but looking back, yesterday was busy. Diaries have their uses.

It's the Bank Holiday so the washing got rained on but I think it can go out again now. We went to the BH car boot sale and DH got a frame for a painting which looks really good, but I didn't see anything I wanted enough to trade money and space for it! I read on someone's diary that if you are humming and ha'ing about whether to buy something, then imagine you have the choice of having it for free or having the price of it in cash, then if you choose the cash, then you didn't really want the item. I kind of get that. Sometimes it's the fun of having a a new thing (including a new-to-me thing) rather than it being a need or a something you knew you wanted before you saw it.

It's supposed to be warm again (yay!) but hasn't quite got there yet. Meanwhile there's another load of washing to put out as well and some ironing. DH is volunteering this afternoon so it's up to me to keep myself motivated.

Dinner tonight is leftovers which will make a bit of fridge and freezer space.

Possible things to do:
Mow lawn - not going to happen due to rain
Wash yet more plant pots
Put laundry on the line
Clean out fridge
Make veg soup
Pot on more houseplants including DDiL's one which has survived the night (out of pot and soaking in a bowl to rehydrate before spent compost is washed off as much as possible and a suitable bigger pot found)
Research on here and elsewhere for ideas to increase someone's income (work related and my ideas so far won't bridge the gap)
Anything else that comes up.