Progress is...

rtandon27

@themadvix - a little win here and there is good for the spirit - I enter contests and lotteries not expecting anything and then get overjoyed when something lands!  In this case the win will fund my social life which these days is curated to minimal activity and expenditure.

@KajiKita - I know each and every person who works in HR, and all of them have gently suggested that I go to them first, rather than trust my manager to 'do the right thing' & follow due process - interesting for me as my manager's position is third from the top and head of administrative processes, including HR.  Says a lot without saying anything at all iyswim.

- I'm definitely not calm about the pension, but seeing red does hamper my thought processes, so while the letter is already composed, it's a matter of rereading & as you say polishing it!

- the process of applying was more than frustrating, and tbh hit my self-confidence like a ton of bricks - gone are the days of walking over to the manager of the group (we report to the same person) and saying hey, I'm interested in the position, let's work on a lateral transfer.  I'm no fan of an AI making decisions based on key words and checking the boxes to qualify - leaves no room for shades of grey and life is all about shades of grey!

So today's non-drama activities...
* a bit of pruning of the part of the garden I can see from the dining room window (already started this one)
* iron and put away clean sheets/towels
* steam workwear and put in in cupboard
* put away load hanging in summer house once it's dry
* put in last and final load for the weekend then hang out to dry
* have a look at that dang tablet that is STILL sitting in it's box & get it up and running
* renew blue-badge - supposedly lead time is 16 weeks!
* apply for accessible bus pass - I've just learned that I can use it in the big smoke as well!
* meal plan for the week
* supplements into pill boxes for the week
* file stack of paperwork
* finish 3 small projects for work that would not upload as my laptop & the one-drive have not been talking to each other nicely!

I think that is about all I need to do - and achievable on this glum & dreary indoor type of day.

ETA - ambition then of course ends up as a tada list...
✅ lavender trimmed
✅ pots moved so that decorative stones can be cleaned up 
✅ sheets & towels ironed and put away
✅ bed made (forgot to do it this morning)
✅ fireplace dusted & wiped down (it was distracting me but took under five mins)
✅ debris cleared from stones in garden
✅ pots organized and water for those that did not like being shifted (baby lilac started to droop)
✅ lunch has been noshed - not on the list but we did have a bitsa use it up platter which made fridge space
✅ supplements & medications into pill boxes for the week
✅ workwear steamed but still a bit damp so second round needed to sort cupboard
✅ last load sorted and in the washer
✅ have brought in 4 pairs of jeans to dry by the dehumidifier - it's too damp outside
✅ daily YNAB fiddling done
✅ putting away workwear turned into massive sorting through as there are too many winter items out!
✅ huge load is now up in the back hall drying with the dehumidifier running
✅ yesterday's load is still in the summer house struggling to dry
✅ meal plan done - pizza today, cheese burgers and wedges tomorrow and easy wins for the rest of the week
✅ hair styled for the week & cloths ready for the morning

💡 started blue badge reapplication - feels like I'm signing over my first born - half complete
❌ bus pass c/o
❌ tablet activation c/o
💡 work is partly done - annoying onedrive is not playing nicely - IT need to sort it tomorrow
❌ paperwork not filed - I hate filing - but at least it was not in a file when I had to find info for application - c/o

new things to add to the next day off list...
* hill up potatoes that are growing in bags - the rain hampered plans today
* order coat storage bags
* order new boxes for summer cloths storage - vacuum bags take too much room & don't stack neatly

rtandon27

Payday arrived & monthly budget shuffling has been done.  We've noticed several big increases in our normal spends, unfortunately my pay has not gone up by the same amount!

HEALTH & WELLBEING
* I've had to purchase a new F*tb*t as the screen on my old one is so dim it can only be seen in complete darkness.  Not unexpected as the old one was about 8 years old.  I did a quick calculation & this amounted to 1.25 a month, not including the multiple replacement straps, about twice a year as I prefer a leather strap and they wear out.  The new device actually cost about the same as the first one, which was surprising and I will get most of that cost back from my healthcare plan!  Well worth the paperwork for the refund!
* I've had another super stressful experience with my manager this week, which as I knew it would had knock on effects on my health - Thursday was spent in a dark room sleeping off a stonking great migraine from hell, complete with swollen face & drooping eyelids! Grrrr - I need to move to that other job!

WEALTH
* Payday shuffle has happened & various pots topped up.  I will need to pay attention to where savings go this year as I've suffered some HR tax due to my own human error.
* Delay Repay complete for May - over 50 pounds due back for this month!
* OH will have legal fees this month as yet another letter needed to be sent to chase up the sale of a property that he has a 50% share in.  Other party is a right PITA and needs to stop stalling, it just drags on and on and on.  I won't count that money until it is in hand but I will be very happy to get on with house upgrades.
* Very happy that I have been excused from Jury Duty on medical grounds - now is definitely not the time to try and take on that sort of disruption.  I still have multiple medical appointments every month and managing a full time job and a full time medical condition is challenge enough!
* Pension Administrator - Grrrr - the less said atm the better
* I've been reading about Investing & SIPPs - slowly getting my head around the topic & will be prepared to do the annual savings shuffle in July 
*  Paperwork still in a pile and needs putting away - must do better

GRATITUDES
* Being able to replace an old bit of Tech with a new and improved version & getting most of the cost reimbursed.
* A fabulous meal out this week with colleagues - South Indian vegetarian, appetizers & dosas for main - something none of us eat very often - delicious food and amazing company - did the spirit good!
* Still not millionaires, but I did win enough in the lottery to cover the meal out & enough for another one that will be rescheduled to another date!  Life is not a breeze financially but the universe has given us enough to meet our needs and our goals.  
* The sun is shining, the birds chirping loudly at all hours of the day and best of all it is warm.

So a small to-do list for the weekend...
* finish blue badge reapplication currently half complete
* do bus pass application
* get on with activating my tablet and start using it! (already got the F*tb*t going so what is the road block with this???)
* finish off a couple of work things - including boring courses!
* file the dang paperwork (another thing that never gets done - lol)
* hill up potatoes that are growing in bags
* order coat storage bags
* order new boxes for summer cloths storage
* order groceries and check monthly amazon subscriptions
* new trellis needs to go up for the climbing rose in the front
* a self-standing trellis needs to go in the back for a different rose
* sweet peas need transplanting into a large pot, with it's own mini trellis
That's more than enough for a low-key weekend of rest!

Ta-da!
✅ supplements into weekly dispensers
✅ ordered groceries and check monthly amazon subscriptions
✅ Sunday surveys & contests entered
✅ hilled up 3 bags of potatoes growing in bags
✅ planted up two more bags of sprouting organic potatoes
✅ assorted plates from m-i-l under potato bags - better used than stored (not fine china 🤣)
✅ summer house vacuumed
✅ pot trolley under large heavy pot with self-seeded rowan & assorted herbs
✅ put up the self-standing trellis & weeded around the climbing rose
✅ positioned the trellis to block the view of mr of the plastic grass neighbours, who is a creep
✅ transplanted sweet peas, added a mini trellis & positioned in front of an ugly fence post
✅ rooted out a stinging nettle that had taken up residence with the sweet peas
✅ found a slug & put it out where our baby blackbird found and munched it! he can come back anytime
✅ removed some bind weed & cut back some brambles
✅ deadheaded spent roses
✅ binge watched new hong kong cooking show with OH & ordered the book
✅ moved fan trellis out of the front room and into the summer house
✅ did a load of laundry & hung up to dry with the dehumidifier
✅ meal plan completed
✅ order coat storage bags
✅ order new boxes for winter cloths storage (vacuum but with outer boxes)

💡 finish blue badge reapplication currently half complete
💡 do bus pass application
❌ get on with activating my tablet and start using it! (already got the F*tb*t going so what is the road block with this???)
❌ finish off a couple of work things - including boring courses!
❌ file the dang paperwork (another thing that never gets done - lol)
❌ new trellis needs to go up for the climbing rose in the front - OH needs to get some hardware for this

new things...
* source a pot for my baby lilac tree
* source a pot for the baby birch
* source a pot for the baby sycamore
* get gutters cleaned and order new drain guards
* trim down and rehome butterfly bush which seems to be in a plastic bag of all things!
* tame climbing jasmine & add more supports for it to grown on
* keep an eye on potatoes which have taken off so will need hilling up again soon
* start getting quotes for new felt for flat roof & summer house & shed
* follow-up on specialist recommendation from OT
* follow-up on eye specialist (forgot about this one!)

badmemory

Be careful with the fitbit as they are now owned by Google.  I have had nothing but trouble with mine since.

rtandon27

@badmemory - I was super annoyed when they moved the dashboard to app as I used it for food tracking which is a million times better on a proper size screen.  Overall I don't do much more than use it as a watch and track steps & the later is only for my healthcare plan points accumulation, so if the new device is pants, I'll return it and switch to one of the other brands that uploads my activity!

beanielou

Hope the job change is very soon. 

Cherryfudge

Just catching up... and I love the long line of green ticks! You certainly got a lot done!

Thank you for reminding me to check on the potatoes - I've no idea how they are doing but I don't want them to go green.

P.S. I'm glad you got excused jury service, you don't need more to do.

rtandon27

@beanielou - thanks so much sweetie - me too! - having a poor manager is a first for me - usually at that level they come fully baked - this one is half-baked at best 😉 iyswim - even the one who was crooked and unethical many years ago was actually a decent manager!

@Cherryfudge - haha - sometimes I think I've done nothing on the weekend when in reality I've done a lot, just not necessarily what's on the list! - a lot of those activities are sit down activities so there is a bit of balance!  I've not yet looked at the potatoes - LOL - they are sprouting so definitely need a bit of hilling up - I'm also thrilled not to have to do jury duty, means I have enough time to balance health & work and focus on my actual ongoing plans for both without stressing!

rtandon27

Well today is a non-financial update...

It's been a very bad week...

AI screened me out of the job application...
...gawd knows how that happened...
...the three senior managers that I spoke to were baffled!
I am firm hater of all things artificial atm.

The opening Gala yesterday was a wash-out literally & figuratively...
...the heavens opened and we could have done with an ark
...I asked for sparkling wine in a water glass and was given sparkling water
...the supposed community organic garden & veg box was a bit of a con & we won't be subscribing
...we were heart-broken to see all the work we'd put into the old veg beds had been bulldozed over, including our pollinator beds.
...the new farmer didn't even give a proper speech, coping out and saying he was saving his voice for the next day - who knows why
...the acoustic musician was really terrible & off key
...after waiting 25 mins for a pizza, I watched some woman swoop in take it and distribute to everyone else in the queue behind me
...second option was a food truck at the brewery on the way home, they got stuck on the M3 so gave up
...third option was 2 for 1 pizza & the online ordering would not work
...by the time we got home OH and I had a few rows, no fun in the car on country roads! 

Today I confronted my manager about her predilection to micro-management...
...it did not go well...
...she 'got the hump' when I asked to have the topic added to next week's bilat

So I've bought a lottery ticket - if I win then this little moan will have been worth it & I'll justify that it was  a financial post...
...if I don't it was just one big moan & you'll have to forgive me for the rant!

beanielou

It’s good to rant. 

themadvix

Ugh, definitely a rotten week! Does being screened out by ai preclude you from going further in the process, despite the confusion from the managers?

 How utterly heartbreaking to see all your good work being undone with the community garden - and the food situation would be enough to make anyone ratty!