Moving on

Cherryfudge

That would make sense @redofromstart. Why they seem to have wi-fi-proof buildings beats me... (could do with a rolling-eyes emoji here).

WelshmansDaughter

Everything ok Cherry? Not like you to be awol

Cherryfudge

Sorry everyone - thought I'd mentioned I was away for the weekend, but possibly it loomed large enough in my mind that I assumed everyone knew!

Weekend away with friends, now exhausted. But okay. Will do a spot of catching up as I wind down...

Cherryfudge

I finished last week exhausted from rushing about and went straight into a weekend which was exhausting in terms of social interaction. Not a good balance of things but it's history now.

I didn't get the job, but I know who did get it and think they probably fitted the requirements better than I do. I also had a realisation before getting the phone call that it would feel like good news if I didn't get it, though I would have accepted it. I think it would have stretched me, which is better than being bored, but I'm okay with someone else being better qualified. Now I need to find something that gives me enough to be interesting but isn't too demanding, which in itself is a challenge.

The weekend away was arranged for a group of five of us some time ago. This sounds bad, but although there were nice things about it, I was too tired to enjoy the first part and really needed some peace and quiet instead. Then there was the storm, which wasn't too bad where we stayed but did restrict us getting out and about and at one point made driving really difficult due to heavy rain that soon gave way to a nice evening. I managed to get a few bits of quieter time which helped but I can't say it was something I'd choose to do again. That in itself could be awkward to avoid as it's likely another will be arranged at some time and in order to get out of it I might have to be brutal and say I can't cope with such a lot of socialising. I find it very tiring at the best of times.

I'm not sure what I've spent: I did have some coffees bought for me, bought a couple myself, paid entrance to an attraction, bought some groceries and contributed towards petrol. We also had lunches out a couple of times and fish and chips once. I've got better at wandering round gift shops but not buying anything, but I did buy some souvenir pens for DH and myself. I liked the colours!

Evenings were very cheap: food, TV, knitting and board games. I had brought along an unfinished project, knowing that there were fellow knitters and I could use the time to make progress on it.

I was wiped out by the time I got home, but it took me a while to wind down. I think I'm most of the way there now. DH had washed some jeans and I threw in another load which is now drying. DH and I had a local walk this evening which helps counterbalance too much sitting down. I've told him about a place we stopped that I think he'd like a lot, so that might be on the horizon for a visit at some point. It's a shame he's missed the gorgeous autumn colour and beautiful countryside we went through, too.

Tomorrow is another day: I hope to be wound down enough to get to sleep quite soon and just get back to normal.

Cherryfudge

I feel I'm still on the rebound from doing too much, but I'm more rested now. The weather has been mild and lovely, and I went to meet DH and little N from toddler club and walked back to her house, then back to ours. It's about 40 minutes each way so I've had a good share of steps (just over 19,000) and daylight.

We got some shopping and DH took the classic car to the garage for a bit of necessary work: around £60. He's enjoying getting it noticed!

We seem to have lots of ironing which I'm slowly working through. I think the recent wet weather meant a lot of laundry got done as soon as it was dry enough to hang it outside. I even left a lot out on the line overnight last night and it dried today. I've re-done a small mend on a sleeve in the interests of keeping a useful top, and inspired by a book I'm reading on mending clothes for the sake of the environment. On the same lines, I've retired some jeans that were pulling apart, but am giving some thought to using the fabric, where viable, to line a woolly hoodie. Nothing lost if it doesn't work, but I have a bit of a vision for it. The first hurdle will be getting down to it!

I've also sent a few photos from the weekend to the group who went.

Next Saturday I'm booked for flu and Covid jabs and am starting to worry in case I feel bad afterwards (though I've not so far). However, the good news there is I'm not leading the children's session on Sunday, just helping, so if I feel rough I don't have to battle through too much. I also have the day off from my Wednesday job tomorrow, so that's another day to decompress.

Expenditure:
DH's car £60
Housekeeping £6.38

While away:
Lunch, Friday £8.95
Entry, Saturday £12 (saved £1 for being a 'senior')
Beverages £3
Fish and chips £8.70
Data £3
Groceries, Saturday ?
Lunch, Monday 93p (and I owe my friend a coffee)
Petrol £20

in_need_of_direction

Well done on recognising the need for and benefits of down time. That said, your down time always seems more productive than me at best!

Cherryfudge

That's very kind of you, @in_need_of_direction! I admit the diary doesn't reflect the down time spent on computer games though... 

Last night I developed itchy skin again and I still don't know why. It comes and goes - doesn't seem to be related to bath or laundry products. I've put itch relief cream on which goes quite a way towards soothing it. There were also quite a number of small, easy-win things that needed to be sorted to get me to a peaceful place so I've been going round fixing those: even brushing my hair, having a coffee and putting some makeup on are all helpful to settling myself down.

I woke up in time to put the bedding on a hot wash using cheaper electricity, and charged a few electronics at the same time. Small winds but useful. I may have counterbalanced them by throwing the bedroom window open as it's a beautiful but not very warm Autumn day. I'm hoping that a few dry days mean the air coming in is fresh but not too damp.

I'm not sure how productive today will be but I'd like it to count for something. I'm not at work (yesterday I had two hours and managed to forget my badge so had to borrow a generic one or I can't get through the doors at work). It's hung up with my uniform now: it got separated when I did those big loads of laundry.

I've been thinking about the work/life/earnings balance and I really do value this quiet time at home, though I would like to be earning a bit more rather than living off what my parents left me. It doesn't sit easily with me to be relying on my parents in my sixties! However, the money needs to do something. This reminds me I need to do some financial stuff as well as some housework and listen to the talk we are probably discussing at the group tonight.

Sun_Addict

Sorry to hear you didn’t get the job but glad you’re not disappointed. Something else will come up I’m sure. To be honest you seem good at filling your time so don’t know how you’d fit anything else in 😆

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

Sorry to hear you didn’t get the job but glad you’re not disappointed. Something else will come up I’m sure. To be honest you seem good at filling your time so don’t know how you’d fit anything else in 😆

Well, admittedly you have a point there! The trouble is that a lot of it neither generates income nor gives me social contact, both of which are important to me. I don't think I cost a lot to run, but my income is now low, which is one of the reasons I feel justified in having a debt-free wannabe diary. I don't have debt any more (it used to be necessary to live in the overdraft) but neither do I want to get into debt, so I need to make things balance.

I'm in the same position as many: if I worked enough to generate more income, I'd be under pressure that would have a negative effect on my wellbeing.

I think I'll go and make some tiffin, which does no one any actual good but is quite fun and DH loves it. It's also a way of sneakily using up ingredients that need to be used, like fruits and nuts.

peb

It's hard.  I'm trying to decide whether to ask for a cut in hours for a work life balance which would be better for me but would mean I couldn't save as much so would have to work longer before retirement