🌞 Happy Days in our Golden Years 🌞

Seasidegal58

I've just found your new diary!  Hooray!  I've really missed your posts!
So pleased to read that you, Mr F and Canine- F are well!
I'm so sorry though to hear about your issues with the Cowboy Joiner!  I do hope you can get things sorted out here. 

That was so good of you too to donate your meadow grass to your farmer neighbour. Poor farmers - they need all the help they can get these days. ☹️
All in all, it's great to hear about your continuing hobbies and how you're spending retirement. 🥰

Cheery_Daff

I was considering seeing if our farmer wants our meadow grass this year too. What's putting me off is that party of the walk has come down so he'd need to mess about with electric fencing, and I feel like he's done enough of that on our land this year already! And the gate post has rotted so the gate isn't even attached... but I should probably get that fixed anyway 🙄 (and would probably ask if he'd do it for a few quid) so.. it'd save me a scything job if nowt else!

Watty1

Would he swap fixing the gate for the meadow grass?  Could that work?

Cheery_Daff

Watty1 said:

Would he swap fixing the gate for the meadow grass?  Could that work?

Probably. I think we both feel like we don't do enough 😂 I feel like he fixes fences etc, but they're only there to keep in his cows 😂 and he feels like he grazes 8 acres of our land which he doesn't pay for - but I feel like if his cows weren't on it, it'd just be a massive headache figuring out how to keep the grass down 😂 Swings and roundabouts. So I just need to make a decision and then ask. I like to scythe it, but I've only done one row so far this year and it's the end of August! 

rtandon27

I'm sure the cows will appreciate the extra sustenance and the new field to explore! In return they will aerate your field and fertilize it - so win/win!

greenbee

Offer him the grass, but let him know the issues - "I wasn't going to offer as the gate/wall/fencing isn't in a good state, but if you need it, then it's yours." He may be able to sort out temporary security.

As for the scything, I haven't started mine, and the front needs to be done by Sept 25th as I have a tree coming down then. I need to drill a hole for the peening anvil in my bench, and sort out the blade, as I've never peened it myself... and then I can try and remember what to do!

Fortune_Smiles

Seasidegal58 said:

I've just found your new diary!  Hooray!  I've really missed your posts!
So pleased to read that you, Mr F and Canine- F are well!
I'm so sorry though to hear about your issues with the Cowboy Joiner!  I do hope you can get things sorted out here. 

That was so good of you too to donate your meadow grass to your farmer neighbour. Poor farmers - they need all the help they can get these days. ☹️
All in all, it's great to hear about your continuing hobbies and how you're spending retirement. 🥰

Hi there @Seasidegal58 - lovely to 'see' you.  I haven't promoted the Joiner to 'Cowboy' just yet - just 'careless and disorganised' for the moment 😂  It's a quid pro quo with our farmer neighbour - he cuts and bales the grass which helps us in our flower meadow restoration and helps him with winter feed for his animals.  He also cuts our hedgerows for us.

Cheery_Daff said:

I was considering seeing if our farmer wants our meadow grass this year too. What's putting me off is that party of the walk has come down so he'd need to mess about with electric fencing, and I feel like he's done enough of that on our land this year already! And the gate post has rotted so the gate isn't even attached... but I should probably get that fixed anyway 🙄 (and would probably ask if he'd do it for a few quid) so.. it'd save me a scything job if nowt else!

Our farmer comes and cuts our grass, bales it and takes it away.  We don't have livestock in the meadow anymore as there was too much damage and hassle with escaping bullocks!  I don't know if that's an option for you @Cheery_Daff?

Fortune_Smiles

Bye bye week flying by 🪁

Another week has flown!  I'm sure time is speeding up 🙄

Most of the week has been taken up with DS2's visit and wading through the treacle that passes for communication with the Joiner.  We're going to see him tomorrow to view the cabinets 🤔  I'm hoping all our queries/concerns will be answered/put to bed but I know there is one major issue to be addressed.  How we proceed will all depend on how he handles that one.  At least he has now accepted that he did agree to instal/arrange for the installation of worktops as part of the project.  Yesterday he was saying that we'd have to engage another firm to do that 🙄  I think he may be slowly wading through the treacle too and finding that he's put a lot of this stuff in writing to us 😉

The grocery shop is done (and more or less on budget).  A third load of washing is in the machine and I think I've managed to save a shirt and gilet that Mr F got covered in pink dye 🙄 (a clay pigeon dropped on him from the sky 😂).

We've had Fish Pie Soup for lunch today which was left over from last night and I'm planning a Potato, Spring Onion, Dill & Cheese Frittata for supper with salad.

I haven't started my next sewing project yet (due to the treacle wading) so will scratch the sewing itch with S3wing B33 this evening.  Mr F is being banished to the gym 😂

Fortune x

Seasidegal58

Ooooh - that frittata looks scrumptious!😋. I'm a Big Eggy Lover!🍳

Fortune_Smiles

Making a Difference

Well I've been very rubbish at posting on this diary 😂  However, just having a diary again seems to be making a difference.  I feel I've regained some control over our spending at least.

I've spent the weekend crunching numbers.  There's been an international invoice to raise and they're always complicated because of currency exchanges and bank charges.  That's finished now and I also raised the associated expense claim so we could get some money back to pay the credit card.  I've reconciled the credit card too and paid the bill in full.  It's our company year end so I've also tidied up the accounts ready for the accountant to do their thing.

I'm still struggling to get my blood pressure down.  It seems to take an immense force of will for me to lose any weight at all these days and there doesn't seem to be a correlation between my calorie intake and weight loss (I track everything).  I'll keep at it.

It doesn't help that the issues with the builder are ongoing.  We've compromised on several things but have found more issues and now have solicitors involved.  We've just been taking advice up until now but the builder's response to any issues we raise about the build is to demand monies and threaten interest and storage charges and, in today's email, debt collectors 🙄  It's become harrassment so I think it's time to take action against him now.  Fortunately we have legal cover with our house insurance.

In brighter news, my little inheritance paid for me to have a day out with a friend this week.  It was dry and sunny and our drive took us out through the welsh countryside.  We stopped for a coffee in a scenic spot then spent a relaxing few hours having a colour consultation.  Friend paid for coffee and lunch on the way home as I'd driven. We'd not usually have spent money on something so frivolous so it felt very indulgent.  It's all part of our big birthday years celebrations.  We've decided we don't want a big holiday or party, just lots of little special treats over the year.  We have some of the same things on our treats list so will be able to do those together.

In other fabulous news, the Youngest Fortunate will be spending Christmas with us 🥳  And, we are booked in to a favourite restaurant for Christmas lunch.  YF's mum was keen to eat out this year as she's never done so before and they'll want to stay at home as YF gets older so he can play with his presents.  I'm not complaining as it's less work for me on the big day 😁

Mr F went up to visit the Younger Fortunates today.  I stayed home this time as we couldn't get a sitter for FDawg and he's not up to the journey these days.  It's been nice to have a quiet day to get on with the financial stuff.  I also need to complete a Christmas present I've started for YF.  It's a portable dinosaur play mat and I'm about half way through the mat part so need to get a wriggle on if I'm going to finish it.  I've plans for a soft toy for him too plus home-made gifts for some friends - and there's only 88 days left you know 😲🎅

Hope all is well with you guys

Fortune x