Moving on

Sun_Addict

Apparently the BBC weather app was incorrect so no need to worry about the hurricane. 

Well done on getting an interview, fingers crossed for you ☝️

Cherryfudge

Thank you SA. Yes, they are saying it's a glitch but it's interesting it's still showing for a lot of areas: the Scottish locations I have on my app seem to be back to normal and one version of the local forecast is too - but the other side of town is still having the silent hurricane!

We had a flurry of excitement as D posted a lovely aurora photo, sending various of us running for cameras. DH and I drove out to a dark road and there was definitely some colour in the sky, but I couldn't get a good picture. A friend got a super one locally and family have then from nearby towns.

Other than that, I've managed some of yesterday's list. The interview has been moved an hour later as candidates seem to have been homing in on the afternoon slots. I did a bit more rearranging of D's old room though it's still a mess. Shopping got done and I had two hours at work. DH cooked me some Southern Fried Chicken for tea, and other than that I've had scrambled eggs with cheese and assorted veg with some oatcakes for lunch, and finished the houmous  with celery for a pre-work snack.

DH has been using the record player I gave him for his birthday to play a recording of the radio his Dad made in 1951. Just hearing it playing in the other room, I could almost believe it really was 1951!

The weather's been clear and cold. I've just seen something saying it's nearly a record chill for the 10th October.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £11.40 plus whatever DH spent.

Cherryfudge

Frost overnight, whitening the rooves opposite, and a clear, bright morning today. DH has the day off work and his pension lump sum has come through, so he's been making a start on distributing that. I've done my best to persuade him to move what's not already allocated into an interest-bearing account, but whether he's done it, I'm not sure. He hates dealing with money and gets very tense about it so it will have to be one step at a time.

I got another load of laundry in on cheap rate electricity (that said, I've never been convinced our tariff allows for that, and where on earth our smart meter request has got to, I don't know. It's months old and never a peep...)

I've realised I'm on this morning's cleaning rota so I'd better get moving. DH has gone to sort out a small issue with carpet at the flat then he's going to join me as I seem to be the only one on today! Not sure if the team leader has noticed that!

The plan for this afternoon is to build the log store. Also the rescue chickens email has come through so at last I feel I might make progress there. Previous emails have been just before holidays but we've nothing planned now so I could settle them in once the chicken coop is relieved of its temporary function as a log store.

Sun_Addict

How fabulous is the likelihood of getting some rescue chickens 😍 I used to work with someone who rescued chickens, such a lovely thing to do. Chickens are so sweet and real characters 🙂 Hoping to see photos if you get some. 

Cherryfudge

I've rather worn myself out today but that's not a bad thing, I will probably sleep well.

DH waited around for the men coming to fill in the hole left by the people who restored the electricity supply the other week. He was hoping to persuade them to fill in a few small but growing potholes (it's a private road so we could end up doing it ourselves). However, they haven't even filled in all the bigger of the two holes they dug, so no chance of spare tar as yet. Meanwhile I started on the church cleaning, which still had plenty of traces of the women's day last week, in the form of little tables with pretty flowers (really sweet, have taken note) and crumbs from, I assume, people finishing up leftover cake afterwards. By the time I ran out of time and energy most of it looked fine again but even with DH coming to help, I ended up with some jobs not done.

DH kindly made us corned beef hash for lunch and we watched the Bake Off, so I had chance to feel better.

Some detail from today here (log store, frog and path). I've not shopped anywhere today but DH probably did. He's also moved the balance of the money into savings: I hope I can talk him into putting it in a better account but at least it's gaining a bit of interest.

Work this evening was just two hours, but I did get to see someone's superb aurora photos from last night.

Cherryfudge

It's time I was in bed but we've got quite a lot done this weekend and I'll forget if I don't note it down.

Yesterday - Saturday - we had intended to go to the car boot but I woke up late and by the time I was ready, it was raining. I was quite glad not to go actually, as we were going to our former neighbours for lunch and would have been pushed for time. As it was, we had a really lovely time with them and their little girl and have decided we will invite them back to ours for a meal.

We still had half the afternoon after we got home, and had intended to put the log store up but there were heavy showers. Once those cleared, we went down to Sains for the exercise and pastries, but ended up with various other groceries and no pastries. That's not such a bad thing.  

Today was church this morning and a rather alternative Sunday dinner consisting of finishing up all sorts of bits and pieces. Cheap and cheerful and saves waste. We then battled the log store together (DH has skinned the palm of his hand from the effort) and set it up with the wood. It's as level as we could get it but from the house it looks to be leaning so there's more to do if we can work out whether it's actually the new structure or the house that's off true. I also cleared wood out of the chicken coop and cut back dead grass inside it, so it's nearer to being ready for occupants.

Cherryfudge

Happy Monday! What glorious sunshine, if a little chilly at two degrees first thing. DH has gone out for a bike ride and I am procrastinating as I have a busy week ahead and don't want to launch into it.

Today: finish prep for the Tuesday group. Ring about chickens?
Tuesday: Toddler group for DGD1. Host Tuesday group.
Wednesday: Wednesday job, finish thinking of questions for the interview and make sure I have a suitable outfit (I can't think of any other interview prep that I'm not on top of). Make ginger syrup and prepare ingredients for the weekend meal, and take some breakfasts too.
Thursday: 9-1.30 Assist at activity for Wednesday job. 3pm interview.
Friday: meet friends at 10 for weekend away. Away till Monday.

It will be odd not really seeing DH for a few days at the point when I may hear back from the interview. He's trying to get annual leave on Friday as he is dog-sitting over the weekend as well as going to an antiques fair and as things stand neither of us may be in for the dog. I might offer to help with his church cleaning rota (Thursday night or Friday) as that means he finishes earlier on Friday - and he helps out with mine a lot). Meanwhile he has a group to lead on Wednesday so he's trying to get ready for that.

Cherryfudge

I made a small start on preparing for tomorrow night's group: I'll push on with it when more awake.

Lunch today was tuna pasta.

DH had a great bike ride then spent the afternoon volunteering in the shop where he got an interesting book, so it's been a productive day for him.

I went to fill in the form for the chickens and found they (the charity not the chickens) want a photo of the coop, and the coop needed a clean and to be moved across the garden, so I moved all the bits of wood that had been stacked on top and pulled it out. Then I found the back door has partly rotted and needs work before I put chickens in there, and there's a little ladder for them to go to roost which also needs repair or replacement. The rest of it seems okay, just in need of a clean.

I got the lawn mower out - long overdue - and gave the grass a trim. There's a large area gone over to lush green moss where it used to be dry: evidence of what a wet year it's been. Running the mower over the moss was weird. It doesn't exactly need to be cut, but then I'd suddenly come across tufts of overgrown grass. The last bit I did was dead grass under where the coop had been, which will probably come back now the rain can get to it. I've pulled out some ivy under the trees at the back and can see they need to be trimmed back above where the coop was. Eventually I hope it will be moved round regularly to give the chickens fresh grass and save us getting bald bits of lawn (can you tell we had rabbits in the past?)

As to getting the chickens, collection day turns out to be Saturday, when I'm away with my friends and DH is dog sitting, so I'm going to have to wait. At least, having begun the process, I can have the repairs done and food and bedding bought ahead of time.

I had two hours of work this evening and a nice walk back home. Nothing spent, but I remembered to put the last payment through to the regular saver account.

Cherryfudge

Tuesday is done and so far I'm up to date on the list. DH took DGD1 to toddler group this morning. I managed to get both the dishwasher and the washing machine started on overnight electricity.

I met up with DH and DGD after their group and walked back with them so we were able to spend a bit of time with the whole family before heading off to the shops. That wasn't too successful as there was some sort of difficulty at Sains so the N3ctar system wasn't working. I abandoned shopping till after lunch and went to the more local shops instead. Total spend, including my contribution to the weekend's food, was about £20.

I had confirmation from a member of staff at L!dl that if I load my app with the offers I want to use before I reach the store, then even if I lose the signal (which usually happens), my phone number will link to my account and I'll be credited with the offers I want to use.

It's been quite hard to motivate myself today as there seem to be too many things looming, but I've taken it one step at a time and with today behind me, it doesn't seem so insurmountable. The study was ready for my friends coming round and the food went down well though both of them are coping with things at the moment, so we ended up talking for a while after we were supposed to be packing up.

Dh has also had a meeting and he said it was very successful which is great. His was partly to do with matching people up to things so hopefully that will have a knock-on effect. He's got one to lead tomorrow too but has already prepared it.

Nearly midnight so I'm just going to do my Duolingo and keep the streak going, then it's bed time ready for the Wednesday job tomorrow.

Cherryfudge

The Wednesday list is done apart from formalising some questions for the interview and (importantly!) deciding what to wear.

It was supposed to be 17 degrees and heavy rain today but was 16 degrees and a sort of misty drizzle. Not too bad at all. I'm realising tomorrow, manning a stall till after lunch, I'm going to need a rest rather than an interview later! However, I have an hour and a half between the two and have already made a batch of very hearty lentil and chorizo soup to give me a boost over lunch. I've also made some ginger syrup for hot drinks over the weekend, assembled breakfast stuff and gathered the ingredients for the curry I'm making on Sunday, so all those are ticked off the list.

Tonight's work was three hours and very full on as I had two departments to clean and both had been busy.

I also got Sains shopping as the scan and shop is working again.

Tomorrow's forecast is nice so at least I won't need to go to the interview all bundled up!

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £8.47