Next steps; grip-relaxing bimbling, and avoiding the temptations

Baileys_Babe

Your wreath is gorgeous 

Suffolk_lass

Aww thanks everyone. It might have taken me 15 years to get there, but I realise I don't need all the bits hanging off it, that I used to add.

So yesterday I removed a huge pork shoulder from the meat chest freezer and it is gently defrosting in the fridge, ahead of roasting for Sunday when DS&P are coming to help put the outdoor lights up. While the door was open, I half filled a carrier bag and restocked the portions of meat in the kitchen meat drawer, so that there is considerably more space out there than the start of the day.

I also took last year's Yule Log out of the kitchen freezer, so chocolate fudge cake will be the simple Sunday dessert. That might be my advent declaration as the cards sat, unwritten, waiting for me to write them. Although thinking about it, I did message two people about coming for New Year - the usual couple are coming for two nights, the single (widowed) woman is going to Australia to see her SiL and will be in Malaysia, enroute, for NYE. So once again, we are hosting. At least it means the house gets cleaned and tidied once a year! I know the single man will come - he always does, and was our buddy in lockdown, bringing his campervan here and living on our drive to stop him going stir crazy. I might ask my widowed village friend because it looks as though he and his son will spend Christmas day together because Son won't leave dog (and we have two dogs already for the day) - I know he likes a curry and gets on with single friend!

So to today. I have no appointments, and neither does Mr Sl, so a big loft-swap is planned (bee stuff going up, Christmas paraphernalia coming down). Annoyingly, the big credit card bill goes out 2 day before the state pension arrives, and it was looking good until I realised my VED for the big car is also going out on the same day as the pension. I will need to check the account every day to check the OD is not invoked. With the CC due on Saturday, it could appear tomorrow, or Friday for Monday. I have just looked at the account and it suggests the CC will now go two days after SP. So with all the little changes, I shall just check daily.

The optician's check of my eye went well - no abnormalities and we put the dancing black dots down to stress invoking them. I have only had it twice, and was very stressed (by Mr Sl situation) and again wile preparing for 2 exams and several Christmas markets, last and this month.

We continue to discuss what to do about the truck and how much money we want to spend on it

joedenise

If your CC direct debit is due at a weekend it will never go out early it will always be on the Monday.  They're not allowed to ask for it early only on or after the due date.  If they ever ask (in error) early and you go overdrawn you'd be quite entitled to get them to pay your charges if you get any.

Suffolk_lass

Thank you @joedenise. It isn't a regular issue here, and I wasn't sure if things had changed

Suffolk_lass

Finished! (The day's main distraction from what we should be doing!) We have finished the GCHQ Christmas Quiz in under 6 hours. It must be easy. We're not that clever

foxgloves

Love the wreath! Haven't made mine yet & have also promised one to my sister on Sunday, so I must get my secateurs out this week! Good to hear that nothing suspicious was found by the optician. I used to get shimmers in my vision when I was very stressed, like a visual migraine without the headache. It is surprising how many physical symptoms can be triggered by stress.

trix-a-belle

Do you have balance alerts set up on that account SL? My main (Lloyds) credit card is never consistent with the date it gets taken so I have text alerts on for the (Lloyds) current account the DD payment comes from, it saves me putting the money over unnecessarily early or having to check the balance daily. If the money isn't in there I get the text first thing in the morning and have till 2pm to shuffle it across.
Also have the same set up on First Direct which is my only automated regular saver payment for the same reason

Suffolk_lass

I don't, but there are three reasons why not. Thing one, I don't use my phone, only my desktop for that account. Thing 2 I check the account every morning, and Thing 3, Mr Sl gets the alerts, and tells me!

rtandon27

Haha 😄 - I love a bit of three thing reasoning.

Suffolk_lass

I was channeling @foxgloves' 3-thing lists @rtandon27! - Back to the payment dates for a moment.

I have just been in to the account to check. So much for not taking DD early. The credit card is sitting there pending for tomorrow, a day before normal and five days (including the weekend) before the statement says they will take it. Tomorrow will be the crunch day. SP should be visible for Monday, long with the VED. Shall I risk letting them run their course? I think I've been rescued by the £10 pensioners' Christmas bonus which arrived without warning this morning. I know I have the money in the savings (Tilly Tidy) pot. I just don't like removing it. I could borrow a bit from the running costs account but we are about to raid that for four Christmas events (two today, two on Saturday), so I shall leave it.

In other news I ordered a flower candle mould from the bay. They have changed their address bot thing and decided they no longer deliver to us because our house name refers to a previous use of the building. Mr Sl did speak to a Customer dis-service individual (officially a little t*sser, in this house) whose "helpful" suggestion was to change the house name or just use the house number (our house is 17th century; no numbers then or now). This time I have sent it to DS's house. I may never receive it but here goes. The first time I tried messaging the business (no response; probably thought I was a scammer), the second time, the mould went to my friend's. I might have to stop using them if they don't change it. 

I did have a good go through my bee craft boxes and put like with like, finding a last empty small plastic crate that now has the wood wool in it, just in case there are visitors in the loft before I need it again!  They are all stacked in the dining room awaiting the big stash and swap event, planned for this morning. I am hoping to supervise their stacking so I can get things like my candle and soap making bits out when needed.

Still no cards written. I really must give myself a good talking to and do most of them tomorrow.

Finally, my 101-year old Aunt died peacefully with both her daughters at her side on Wednesday. My Mum's sister in law; she was the closest in age to Mum. Married so young (17, in the war) to my Mum's brother. They met after her letter to a different soldier of the same name was received by him in error, and they then corresponded, met and married. She was a lovely person who always called all of us "medook", (my duck with a strong Derbyshire accent). After they married, they lived with my Mum and her parents and the family tale is that my grandmother had to teach her the facts of life and how to consecrate their marriage. Enough said that both daughters were there at her end. x