Cherry takes the reins

One of those bitty days where the morning was so long ago I'm having to think hard to remember what I did.

Started off at work - the rain overnight was very loud! Home for breakfast and took advantage of a break in the weather to fit in a run before lunch. Running into a cool wind with a smattering of rain is actually not bad at all.

I saw DD briefly too, and tried on my dress for the wedding - amazingly it will now do up! Only just though, so I have taken time to do some fitness-app programming to help me get rid of a bit more of the padding that's been slowly creeping on since DS2 was on the way. Considering he's now an adult, I've had it long enough.

Before tea I braved the rain (proper umbrella and waterproofs weather this afternoon) and did a food shop: some yellow sticker beef for DS, tins to take to Mum's house and ingredients for a really nice recipe kindly passed to me by armchairexpert. I've never had Cuban food before and it's a hit with us.

This evening I met up with my usual group of friends from church including a lady who used to meet with us years ago but couldn't commit the time while her boys were growing up. Lovely to see her again. Then home to tuck the guinea pigs up for the night - the rain is still falling very wetly and the poor piggies have been in their hutch all day. There is an inch of water standing in the milk bottle holder (no, it's not a wire one) and all the plants are looking surprised at this change of fortune. Talking of fortune, work had one of those deliveries of random books and gadgets so I resisted very hard and only put an order in for one item... sort of. I'm quite pleased I completely didn't buy a recipe book: it's quite hefty and very unnecessarily calorific, but the ideas sounded very tempting. Then there was a pack of two books of which I wanted one, so I went on @mazon and found it for 1p. :rotfl: When postage is added on and the remainder of a gift voucher deducted, it comes to £1.99. There was also £3 for some bowls which I might never have bought if they hadn't been presented to me as An Opportunity. They are supposed to hold the right amounts for a portion of different food types. So I've spent a fiver and saved nearly £6, IYSWIM.

I've also treated myself to a running belt for my phone. I felt I've earned it as I haven't rewarded myself for the running I've achieved. The running and the fitness and the sense of achievement have been reward enough, TBH, but still, it's nice to have an accessory and this is a useful one.

Tomorrow DH has the day off and we're going to take some bits to Mum's house and come back with other bits.

Spends:
Household (measuring bowls) £3
Book £1.99
Housekeeping £23.46
Running belt £5.97

MS stuff:
2 portions of tonight's meal in freezer for another day
Resisted the traybake book!
Managed to get the small book I wanted without having its unwanted companion.
A couple of days ago I trimmed my hair which is a freebie and easy as it's long.
5 meals' worth of beef for DS at YS prices.
Going on a diet: savings on nibbles at least today!

Confession time:
I've lived life so far without that book, that running belt and those bowls and most of the world will live their lifespans without those particular things either so really they are a bit of a luxury.
Forgot to take my list of things I need at Mum's house so my shopping was guess work.
Used the tumble dryer to dry my jeans.
DS turned the heating on... and we left it on...and it's June!

Well that was a long day, that was. Road trip to Mum's old house (motorway meal on the way, picnic while there), loaded various things we were left in her will and vacuumed the place from top to toe as it hadn't been done in literally a few years (though it had been carpet-sweepered after the vacuum broke).

Back at ours, we've unloaded the van which has to go back to the hire people tomorrow. I think I will have a bit of a sore back after a couple of hundred miles sitting in it but it wasn't bad. Mostly glad the load didn't slide about and get damaged en route.

We have looked at some jobs that need to be completed at the house and made progress with decisions. Didn't take anything to the tip (it's hard to get to and we need a crew to move certain items) but I've identified a few things that can go. Very slowly, we're making more space there, and it's lovely to be rid of the uninhabited feel.

Spends:
DH bought van hire, some tea, diesel, over counter medicine. I don't know totals.
Me: meal at services £18.69

Confession time:
We never planned to eat at services. Dh was intending to go to the chippy for tea, but when we pulled in and I felt the pull of takeaway coffee and hadn't brought a flask, it somehow turned into a meal for two. It was a good choice though as I didn't get car sick from greasy food on the return journey and it made it much easier to stick to my diet later.

May's housekeeping: there was a final £18.12 leaking over into June which got spent as 1st: £7.37, 3rd: £11.60 and gave any change to DH to spend on Sunday's meat (we had Bolognese for four and a quick google says that would have been £3.50) so a May overspend of £4.35.

Well, we are lucky enough to have that lee-way but I still think we spend a lot on food/cleaning products. Part of that is because I like shopping and part is DH being time/energy poor when it comes to cooking, and yet another part is feeding a lot of family people on Sundays and sometimes during the week - which is good as it gives us time with them, and they with us.

It's time I went back to bed: I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep so I came down about 1/4 to 4 to find DS still up and the election news trickling in. Britain doing what it's so good at: being middle-of-the-road, I think. I don't watch the blow-by-blow reckoning...watching won't change it and sleep makes a big difference to how I face each day.

Aw thanks, hex. I suppose I feel a bit guilty that I have a much bigger budget than some people and don't have the self-control to stay within it when there are people going hungry. I used to be hungry between meals because I couldn't afford more food. That was a long time ago but there are people in that situation now... so I feel a bit bad that I'm here with a diary which, while it helps me in that I feel accountable and get to chat to nice people the while, isn't about the sort of hardship others have.

On the other hand, am I perfect? No, I'm a work in progress so this is about me learning and taking control of my finances, or trying to.