Steadily climbing the mountain, enjoying the view along the way

Humboldt

Hi @KajiKita , just catching up. Loving the wrist warmers and I now want to visit the Ye0 Valley Organic Gardens. I am a big fan of Joanne Harris's books, how are you getting on with Vianne? Thanks for the updates that always inspire, are of interest, or just make me smile 😊

PennysIntoPounds

Aw the warmers are very cute, and aren't you looking toned and svelte with all your working out!

This might be an irrelevant suggestion but would jutting solar panels do a similar job? There was a recent news story about smaller and cheaper ones becoming widely available in lild etc soon, might it be possible to install some of them instead if you're looking at covering smaller spaces?

KajiKita

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82053294#Comment_82053294

Vianne was lovely, a real page turner 😊 I am slowly and painfully (as it fairly dry) working my way through 'The Perfect N@zi' which I picked up in the peace museum near Caen (along with 'The Midwife of @uswhitz'). Mr KK pounced on it and read it before I did, which was interesting for me to see … (he's normally more into the tactics of various battles etc, not the psycholgy of why and how one might become a member of the 33!) We are comparing notes on what strikes us about it … I am therefore saving 'Chocolat' for the weekend when I will feel I deserve something a little more indulgent …. 😉

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82053488#Comment_82053488

Ummm … Not looking toned and svelte - the pose, with my arms pressed together, lifts my dress off my torso so my Badass-Belly is more hidden! 🤣

Interesting suggestion about the jutting solar panels but a) I think they wouldn't do quite the same job as they would permanently block the light whereas with the brise soleil panel angles there winter sun would struggle to come in, b) there is nowhere close by to safely put a battery, which is how I assume you would use solar panels and c) that face of the house is on the corner and incredibly exposed to winter winds so I think protruding solar panels would get shredded quite quickly! I appreciate the thought though, thank you 😊

I'm going to wait until the weekend to check the direction the window faces, as I want to be sure the brise soieil, if i go for it, will have the effect I am hoping for - it may be too easterly facing …

Managed to do a bit more of things that need doing this week:

• Cleared dead seed trays from the conservatory, retaining all the compost for mulch for somewhere as yet undefined.
• Found various stashed presents for my mother's birthday in a couple of weeks, so I can get those wrapped and ready for the post tonight 😊
• Paused the B3tterH3lp subs for a bit - I'm not in the headspace for any more counselling atm and the £260 still goes out of my account each month whether I have unbooked counselling spend accrued with them or not!
• Kept on top of all the watering that needs doing and started havesting cucumbers 😊
• Got to the gym yesterday, after work for the first time. I really wasn't feeling it but wanted to go to just start the habit of going there, using their changing facilities, see what the crowd was like at that time etc. Actually I trained quite well and shoulders felt great whilst doing so but have been super niggly (but not full on painful) ever since … 🤷🏻‍♀️ I think maybe I aim for no more than going twice per week and allow my shoulders to recover in between 🤷🏻‍♀️

In other news, I won £50 on the PBs this month 🥳 It will will get paid directly into my savings, which is where it can stay, as they have taken a beating of late … 😉

KK

KajiKita

Done some prep for my lunch tomorrow ❤️ Eggs hard boiled, 2 slices of bread broken off broken block and put in fridge to defrost. That will save me spending anything on lunch! 👏

Mother’s presents (art style silk scarf and turned wooden bowl) and card all wrapped, written and packed so they can be posted to my dad tomorrow.

Dead headed / picked sweet peas. As others have said, about half the plants are giving up already due to the hot weather, but I may get a few more before they give up completely … 🤷‍♀️

Submitted a request to the local garden society for membership 😊

Fresh bed linen on and third attempt at new pillow introduced … 😳🙄🤞

KK

Watty1

Am glad I didn't put sweet peas in given the weather here. I meant to but didn't get to it and I think they would have been in a sorry state. I need to get a plumber to fix the outside tap so watering can be easier.

Love love the wrist warmers. My grandmother used to knit the for me and I had a few that were just about 1.5 inches long that I wore under work shirts in a job that had me in a very cold office. They were fabulous. Then longer ones for riding being outside on days off. They were wonderful every winter - and - joyously I still have some pairs left which I treasure and still use.

KajiKita

I’m glad the wrist warmers made you smile @Watty1 😊

Mr KK and I had a bit of a contretemps last night when I suddenly started to realise quite HOW many shows, steam rallies, other vehicle events, he has planned to go to this year. I’m not hugely impressed as he hasn’t discussed it at all with me nor shared his plans … Now he has, I can see that there are 9 weekends between now and the end of September when he is doing something! 😳🙄 Even he flinched a bit when handling the list over to me this afternoon before disappearing for this weekend. I will give him his rope, but I suspect even he will see that this is too many for a season …

Slept a bit better - think shoulders have eased a bit after gym on Wednesday and the new pillow was pretty good. 👏😊

Walked into an accident that had happened overnight this morning. It’s the same kind of accident on the same machine as a few months ago, so we obviously didn’t root cause it properly 😢 IP was heading off to A&E this afternoon, I suspect he needs stitches … So the morning was COMPLETELY taken up with that (investigating, reporting, supporting, consoling, well done-ing etc etc). I was very glad to finish this lunchtime.

Posted my mother’s present.
Emailed my dad about said parcel with a clear count of the contents, so items he may miss in there don’t end up in the recycling (he had form for this … 🙄).

Did a wee bit of shopping in moreesons so I can make myself something for dinner tonight and noticed some nice tops in there. Was FINALLY able to use the £50 voucher that my employer gave me for Christmas last year, so the food and the tops were free! 🤩

Took out just £40 pocket money for the month. It’s usually £100, but £30 will cover the gym subs and £30 will cover the next garden visit - see below 😊

Soothed Mr KK in his pre-show nerves (happens every time …).

Good lunch from last night’s prep 😊👏

Sent off membership from for garden society and paid subs.
Sent off joining form for next garden visit in the Black Mountains plus mini bus cost and paid fees.

Now having a calming cuppa … 😉

KK

debtfreewannabe321

I don't know about you KK but I now need a rest reading your list you got through 😂🤪.

I LOVE the warmers...the colours make me smile 😁!

Merlin's_Beard

I definitely need a rest after reading that. Nine weekends out between now and september would actually finish me off, I'm envious of Mr KK's energy if I'm honest!

beanielou

9 weekends between now and September is an awful lot.

KajiKita

@debtfreewannabe321, I didn’t do much after that tbh. Chilled on the sofa, planned food and updated the Toscos order for tomorrow. I have cooked proper food tonight - cottage cheese and lentil stuffed peppers (had some leftover mushrooms on the side) - Delish! 😋

@Merlin's_Beard, @beanielou, I have to confess I won’t be HUGELY sympathetic when he starts wailing about being tired or feeling like he gets no down time … 😉

Right, time to do some watering 😊

KK