Summertime 2026

C_J

I’ve been busy but only on the regular stuff which always needs doing, so I don’t really feel that I’ve made any progress as such. However today I mowed all the lawns (quite a feat, I am cursed blessed with a large garden!), pulled up/dug out a big patch of nettles and thistles from a neglected flower border (enough to half fill a one tonne builders bag - I’ve booked a slot at the tip for Tuesday to dispose of it), dismantled a couple of wooden trough style raised planters which had become too dorricky to use and were past further repair, chopped the wood into manageable chunks and stacked it in the wood store to use in the wood burner come winter. I also did a machine load of washing and got it into the line, it’s been perfect drying weather today. I did a bit of cooking, chopped up a cauliflower from the Community Fridge and roasted it in the Ninja with a drizzle of oil, some cumin, coriander powder and cayenne in readiness for turning it into a butter curry for the freezer tomorrow, along with some chickpeas, spinach and tomatoes.

So bits got done, but I just feel like I am treading water all the time. My lengthy list of Big Jobs To Do is not getting any shorter, which is a bit disheartening at times ☹️

PennysIntoPounds

That sounds like smashing it to me @C_J!

Fret not, this is the Summertime thread so you've still got best part of two months 😁

KajiKita

I have had at my bedroom floor this afternoon which had almost vanished! 😳

- Summer duvet (5 tog?) decanted from cover, squashed into a bag and shuffled off to spare room. Cover ready to be washed. Can’t see myself using anything other than a 1 tog duvet for some time …

- I have been desperately buying pillows since I got home, as I discovered on the ferry that a thicker one eases the pain in my shoulders when side sleeping. But …. if it’s too thick, I can’t actually get to sleep on my back (my routine). It’s taken 4 attempts but I think I have finally found ‘the one’!! Designed for back sleepers but still thick enough to give my shoulders / neck a bit more support. It’s probably the best compromise. The old pillow went in the bin just now and I have packed up two sets to see if I can return them and get some monies back 🤞 the other ones are cheap enough that I am happy to lob them into the hospice shop.

- Unpacked the ‘objets d’art’ I found in France and put them as a display on my windowsill. They are making me smile. There was a two day pottery festival in Bayeux the first weekend we were there. I found a beautiful organic, flat, open work topped kind of bowl / dish thing in a soft green glaze. There was a gloriously ugly set up where you chose the piece of timber with sockets in it, and then the two ceramic, internally glazed, bud vases you slotted into them. The vendor was looking quite disheartened until I bought one, as his stall just wasn’t ’very polished’ like the others, but I really like the quirkiness and uniqueness of them 😊 The final piece was a tiny little greeny-blue vase which I picked up in the same brocante-market that Mr KK bought spent five shells of various from …! 😂 The stall holder was wittering on about the maker, but I didn’t really care - I just loved the glaze.
- All the packing materials from the ceramics tucked away in the office to become shipping materials for other people’s presents, as and when needed.

KK

Wednesday2000

I made up two donation bags to take tomorrow to the charity shop. I was going to go out to London to a meetup tomorrow, but it is going to be so hot and it is in a park so I might just go out for dinner locally instead.

I did close down an online bank account today and we had our house valued, but we are thinking of waiting a year now as I went through our finances.

Cheery_Daff

I've been neglecting my OATs and have quite a backlog 😬 But I did get both the mower and the strimmer out the other day, and after an hour and a half the garden is looking a lot more civilised. Still various areas to do (I too am blessed with a large garden) but getting there - I even managed to go part way up the drive! I usually only manage the drive once a year, and didn't get round to it last year so it's quite wild 😂

Cheery_Daff

One OAT done - i arranged for collection of the useless hoe i bought online several weeks ago. They've deliberately made the whole process annoying but I've arranged collection, printed the label, and deposited in the porch. Would rather have taken it to the shop but it's longer than they'll accept sadly.

Annoyingly, I have to send them the tracking number and copy of the label, which I did but i see my e.ail has been returned - apparently I need to log into the online platform 🙄

Still, at least my 1 star review has been published 🙄

Also managed to log in to the bank on my new phone, and transfer nephew some birthday money. Lost the folder with the written bank details so it took a while. Still can't find it - I'm convinced i gave it to Mr C for something and he's just not used it and put it in a pile somewhere 🙄 need to write it out again (but of course it will only have mine on, not his!)

Clearly need to keep a tighter hold on my admin folders, I'm quite annoyed about it. I've got everything very well organised in a concertina folder, mostly in case anything happens to me and he needs it - but this little bank folder is... where?? Grrr.

Hey ho, another thing to add to the list 🙄

In the meantime, another OAT - getting all the blistering veg out of the greenhouse and into the ground!

Soontobeoap

2 big jobs off of my never ending list. Trimmed all of the roses and bushes back and hand scrubbed the high decking with a stiff long brush and small scrubbing brush in the corners. Avoided jet washer because of water shortage .managed to do it all from the water butt that the council fitted for free last year. Trying really hard to use up wood preserver, non slip coating and paint before I buy any more DOY stuff.

Floss

It must have been the day for cutting back roses, as I gave the rather unruly climber in the back garden a haircut today! There are just 3 long stems now, which all have buds so I will cut those back when they're done flowering. It has put out quite a lot of new growth, so I think it's happy.

I also pulled out lots of mares tail and dead-headed the everlasting sweet peas.

Rhyddid2026

I painted my log store bright pink to match my shed. I've also started painting the garden wall, that's in white though.

Brie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82059601#Comment_82059601

we need pictures!!! it sounds quite jolly!!!

I enjoyed watching a magpie gobble up some stale muesli I put out yesterday and then have a splash in the bird bath. The bird bath is tiny so a big bird in there almost empties it - went out to refill it using a watering can that was filled yesterday and the water in that was almost hot so I'm afraid it won't be all that refreshing for the poor birds. I'll top it up later using the garden hose if the water in the butts also feels too warm.