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

liselle

Thank you, I don’t have a diary but always read others and have done so for a very long time.Fortunately I’m now out the other side of my debt journey but am full of admiration at all your amazing ideas and determination.

Suffolk_lass

Well if you are through your debt yourney, very well done @liselle. For me, that was the first bit done. I feel I have to keep going on here (even if it goes a bit awol in peak bee swarm season) as it keeps me dedicated to the "do I need it? …etc" mantra and posting helps keep me honest. Most of all, I spend less. Feel free to chip in and I love the ideas of others and answering any questions.

I am so late up this morning. The radio comes on, on a Sunday at just after 08.00 and I was still asleep this morning (I did watch four episodes of the Traitors Ireland with Mr Sl last evening, and then had to go back to the start of MOTD to see the Chelsea game. First the goals, then the big fight at the end. I was expecting a bit more forensic picking over it, and can't believe it was so superficial. The radio commentary (which I was listening to while making up brood frames) made it sound much worse.

Anyway, I've tidied the accounts and logged the cash I got out and the 3 items I bought in the local co-op for last night's curry. It ended up being a chicken madras with lots of homegrown (frozen) chillies added which seemed very mild to me. I emptied a bag of peas and added 4 balls of frozen spinach, as well as half a T/A tub of frozen chick peas (I recently pressure cooked four tubs worth instead of buying tins) to the veg I roasted yesterday morning. There's enough leftover for two in the fridge, as long as I cook rice to pad it out for Mr Sl.

I start with my rubber chicken today and will slow roast it in a cast iron pot with veg stock. We will have roast today, and I plan to make a pie (enough for 2 days), a stir fry, a couple of sandwiches and some soup. If there is any left it can be added to the curry.

Right, I had better get on with my day. A few more diaries to peruse and then more preparing for the new beekeeping season, are what I plan today. More brood frames and then some cleaning (ugh), just to clear the decks before the painting I need to do (masonry paint protects the poly hives and pine parts and stops them breaking down).

Have a good Sunday all

liselle

Wow, another busy day for you then but very productive.

Thanks, yes it was a very long journey.Several advisers wanted me to go for bankruptcy but I was working for the MoD at the time and it wasn’t acceptable.My ex managed to walk away from his debts but I was working and easily traceable.I’m glad I paid it all but it was hard.He turned up occasionally and offered money, but as others have said, if you make an overpayment once, it’s assumed that you can make that payment every month.I got tired of constantly posting my Income and Expenditure.

Suffolk_lass

So I have phoned the hospital and spoken to "my" consultant's secretary and explained the issue. For anyone not aware, we come under a 2-county hospital trust and our doctor is in one but our postcode suggests the other. A new Appointments system was introduced (I understand it is the first joint system!) and the person setting my pelvic scan appointment evidently looked at the postcode and set the appointment for the other hospital. Having never been there, I went to the usual hospital, as I have for 18 months and after visiting four clinics that do diagnostic imaging, we finally got to the bottom of the issue. They changed it to the "right hospital" I had my scan on 3rd January, but the system still shows an unknown consultant in the "wrong hospital" who doesn't know me, has no access to my records and with whom I have never had any contact. So as I anticipated, a month on, no letter. Diddly. So I have spoken to her this morning and she is looking into it.

Feeling a tad distracted by this. I'm going to paint some kit, maybe plant some seeds. Distraction therapy!

rtandon27

I feel your pain SL - I've been OH's full time administrator since last August wrt health issues - the NHS does not talk to private - private does not talk to NHS - heaven forbid - even though his consaltant works for both!

Suffolk_lass

I painted the roof and the body of the kit. Just got the feeder to go. That is postponed this morning as I have a sourdough hybrid loaf proving. I do need to plant some chilli seeds (they are the first things to plant) and stop talking about what I am going to do and just do it!

This morning's Tilly tidies have been done and my bee friend who is part of my accommodation booking for the conference in April has paid me her share, so this month there is enough for the big CC DD to clear without relying on my state pension. This is an improvement over the last three months. I still have some large lumps in there - with the afore-mentioned conference booking (in addition to DB&B for 3 nights there are entry fees to the event and one chargeable workshop), my redesigned ring that had to be remade and one night's hotel booking for two of us at another event in two weeks time, along with a rather large big river bill exceeding £200 that included the trestles that Mr Sl ordered. They were moved to my CC because his Halifax Clarity card changed over from Mastercard to Visa when it time-renewed and all the big river orders (subscriptions, as well as default card) were on this.

I can't moan, I have just snaffled his tax rebate of over £500 which hit the account this week.

Tonight we will have the other chicken pie I made with our rubber chicken - it is chicken and sweetcorn and I think cabbage and buttered leeks might be the way we go, possibly carrots too.

If I get time, I might make some leek, celery and potato soup to go with the bread - which needs knocking back. Some getting on with things coming up…

Have a good day, it's persisting down here! 😉

Suffolk_lass

Well, I made that bit of leek, potato and celery soup - delicious! We can have more this evening. Lunch is the community lunch and I have made the pudding today - using frozen plums and blackberries - I have made plum crumble and a blackberry sauce. I also have a carton of custard that prefer that (one person is dairy free, hence the sauce, and it does mean I didn't use butter in the crumble. Cabbage yet to be prepped to go with the casserole my fellow volunteer is making. Catering for 20, but expecting 17 today.

I've done a little bit of Tilly tidying this morning, and with my state pension visible as pending for Monday, all is well with the world. I also increased our water direct debit by £10 a month, because our water authority is showing 7% increase from April. I would rather flatten that impact for a few months. I was expecting us to have a small deficit come July, when the annual bill arrives, and hopefully this is enough to address that. As I'm typing, I'm wondering how they determine the water used up to the price increase point versus that afterwards and I might try to see if I can work that out.

I must get on with more bee tasks this afternoon I probably wont! I shall probably have a little snooze on the sofa.

In the meantime, I need to get showered and dressed. I'm still sat here, lolling in my nightie

rtandon27

I'm so pleased to see you chose a nap as your priority! Sometimes rest is the best thing ❤️

Suffolk_lass

I did @rtandon. I needed it!. Just an hour. Lovely. My dearest Mr Sl took the dog for a walk during that time, in a paws (!) between showers.

Absolutely nothing in the calendar today, I hope to get those chilli seeds planted, two loads of washing done and some more bee equipment painted. That will free me up to catch up on the bee exam, syllabus parts I know I haven't taken in properly.

Oh, and having watched "What not to eat" on catch up, I have incorporated a couple of tips and the loaf I baked this week has been sliced and frozen, so that the starch in it becomes resistant. Our stir fry this evening will also need the veg cutting early so the brassicas rest and develop their beneficial chemicals while sitting. I keep thinking I must give kimchi another go, but just the the moment, I prefer eating cabbage freshly lightly steamed. The frozen ground has clearly resulted in them being sweeter this year.

I think I will also try and "read" more of my rather upsetting audible book and we will catch up on two more episodes of Irish Traitors this evening.

Suffolk_lass

I slobbed about for a lot of yesterday but sold some honey (had to stay in for collection) and did three loads of washing. The final load is hanging in the boiler cupboard now, on the Gnu rails, with pants and socks pegged on hangers, as well as T-shirts hung up to dry. There is a pair of Mr Sl's jeans and one of his spreadsheets hanging on the rail on the Aga too.

It looks like chump chops that have now defrosted - four of them so I think all will be oven cooked, then two can be had tomorrow with baked potatoes, piccalilli (still my River Cottage Pam's recipe batch) and a bit of salad. I might add mini-cucumbers to my list of bowl fruit and eggs. I shall make coleslaw. Feeling disappointed by the unnecessary additives in shop bought. As usual, I shall add finely chopped chillies to the cabbage, onion and carrot. It makes it a bit less raw veg and a bit more pizazz in winter. I really must avoid the OATs I omitted yesterday. I said that on Thursday too…

Anyway, have a good day all, keep the moneysaving faith!