I've made up for all the No Spend Days in one fell swoop today!
The snow is still lying in the streets, and this road where we live is treacherous as the gritting lorries don't come down here, but the main roads are OK. Tonight, more snow has fallen for about 2 hours, and there is more forecast overnight - I'm kind of dreading waking up in the morning to yet more snow - this seems to be hanging around just a bit too long now; snow is one of those things which is great when it first happens as it is a novelty, but now that it has been here five days, the novelty has worn off and it is becoming just plain bothersome.
I went to the Post office in the village this morning to send a couple of parcels, and unwittingly locked the FH out! He was on his way home from the art club just as I was going out, and I presumed that he had taken the full bunch of keys: he hadn't! Just taking the car key is not terribly helpful, but he went next door to the neighbour, who kept him sustained with tea and mince pies until I returned about 20 minutes later. We joined them for tea and then came home for lunch.
After lunch, we all went to town. There was a Long List for Tesco and there were things needed from the town as well, so the FH and YFG hit Tesco and the EFG and I went to town. We also picked up a floor lamp from Focus which we had ordered last week, but which is going to have to go back as it just refuses to go together - some of the screws don't fit and the FH got very frustrated trying to put it together this evening. And a bulb was broken.
We are supposed to be going to Peterborough to take a load of books back to the unit, but although they are all loaded into the trailer, it will not be safe if the weather continues in this vein as there will just be too much weight on the brakes to be safe. The plan was to drop the books off and then go to my uncle's house to pick up a trailer load of logs but that may have to wait.
I emailed this fantastic calendar to my local printer and he did some copies nicely bound for me to give to a couple of my friends as a little Christmas gift. It is from www.moneysavingexpert.com and is really very helpful with no end of hints for saving cash, arranged for the appropriate months in which to do them. I hope the friends who I have decided to give them to like the ideas! Have a look and maybe you'd like to print one off for yourself. I'm keeping one for me, and I'm going to put all my important financial dates on it like the house insurance and car tax renewal dates, as well as the MOT dates - I'm always paranoid about forgetting them!
Stay safe in this challenging weather - and keep warm!
Monday, 21 December 2009
Saturday, 19 December 2009
Strictly Sensational
Chris Hollins has just won Strictly Come Dancing!! We only began to think he could win tonight with the fantastic dances that he and Ola have been doing. He deserves the win as his character has been shining through and he and Ola are just so entertaining, although I do acknowledge that Ricky was probably the best dancer.
The snow is still here, but we are spending our time cosied up around the fire. The YFG is getting over her stomach bug but the EFG seems to be coming down with a cold as she is really suffering tonight with a sore throat and bunged up nose giving her a headache. I think that perhaps we may not all make it to church tomorrow morning.
The cat spent another night in the utility room last night, but if she tried opening the door again, she would have been thwarted by the sack of potatoes I put up against it! She has been in since about 6pm and is curled up tight on one of the FH's fleecy sweaters (it's an old, manky one!) on a chair.
The tree is up, at last, now that the curtains are up again in the lounge after the decorating. We took all of half an hour to get it all up - I just need to buy some tinsel when we go out again. I have started a shopping list as I reckon that the next time we do go to town will be the last time this year so I want to get all the bits and bobs we are running out of, as well as the vital supplies for Christmas like cranberry sauce! I must go to the Post Office on Monday with some parcels even if we don't go to town.
The snow is still here, but we are spending our time cosied up around the fire. The YFG is getting over her stomach bug but the EFG seems to be coming down with a cold as she is really suffering tonight with a sore throat and bunged up nose giving her a headache. I think that perhaps we may not all make it to church tomorrow morning.
The cat spent another night in the utility room last night, but if she tried opening the door again, she would have been thwarted by the sack of potatoes I put up against it! She has been in since about 6pm and is curled up tight on one of the FH's fleecy sweaters (it's an old, manky one!) on a chair.
The tree is up, at last, now that the curtains are up again in the lounge after the decorating. We took all of half an hour to get it all up - I just need to buy some tinsel when we go out again. I have started a shopping list as I reckon that the next time we do go to town will be the last time this year so I want to get all the bits and bobs we are running out of, as well as the vital supplies for Christmas like cranberry sauce! I must go to the Post Office on Monday with some parcels even if we don't go to town.
Friday, 18 December 2009
No Spend Days are here again!
Yes, there are several inches of snow on the ground, so I am staying home and not spending!! Therefore snow is good for the bank balance!!
The YFG has been unwell since Wednesday evening, so I couldn't go anywhere although I did send the FH on a mission to Focus and then Tesco. We have had the sitting room painted and the FH unfortunately broke some of the curtain rail fixings when he took them down, so I wanted him to get replacements so that I could get the curtains back up again, but no joy - they don't keep that make. Also made the mistake of asking him to nip in to Tesco as it is right next door to get some bread and clementines. £35 later, he came home with bread, meat, clementines, a cheesy french stick, milk, three boxes of cereal (THREE!!) etc....I should have known better.
I'll be back later to update the week's happenings, but I have to go back outside. I fed the chickens and came in to thaw out, but now that I am, I have to go and thaw their water out so they can wash their breakfast down. Some of the chickens are experiencing snow for the first time and they are hilarious - prancing round and pecking at it. We let the cat stay in the utility room last night for the first time, but she was investigating the rest of the house at 3am and meowing rather loudly so I let her out. She must be one of those cats which can open doors as the utility room door was firmly closed last thing.
The YFG has been unwell since Wednesday evening, so I couldn't go anywhere although I did send the FH on a mission to Focus and then Tesco. We have had the sitting room painted and the FH unfortunately broke some of the curtain rail fixings when he took them down, so I wanted him to get replacements so that I could get the curtains back up again, but no joy - they don't keep that make. Also made the mistake of asking him to nip in to Tesco as it is right next door to get some bread and clementines. £35 later, he came home with bread, meat, clementines, a cheesy french stick, milk, three boxes of cereal (THREE!!) etc....I should have known better.
I'll be back later to update the week's happenings, but I have to go back outside. I fed the chickens and came in to thaw out, but now that I am, I have to go and thaw their water out so they can wash their breakfast down. Some of the chickens are experiencing snow for the first time and they are hilarious - prancing round and pecking at it. We let the cat stay in the utility room last night for the first time, but she was investigating the rest of the house at 3am and meowing rather loudly so I let her out. She must be one of those cats which can open doors as the utility room door was firmly closed last thing.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Shop till you drop!
Well, my little expedition to Lidl turned into a major shopping trip. I started in Lidl and did find some lovely art sets for the FH, and some for the girls too. Then I went into the town and hit Superdrug for little girly bits and pieces for their stockings, as well as some regular shopping.
I also had a look in the "pound" shop for some battery-operated tree lights for the Christmas tree at church - the only place we can put the tree is not convenient for plugging lights in properly, but a tree without lights looks a little bare, so I was pleased to find a small set for £4.99 which I hope will do the job. They also had masking tape which I will need when we do the decorating.
I had a quick look in Mackays (now called M&Co) and got something for the EFG. I nipped into Sainsbury's and then went back out of town to Focus for paint charts, and to Tesco for the mens' socks I needed. Needless to say, I picked up a few groceries in Tesco as well!
When I got home, the whole lot had to be stashed away! Hiding stuff from the girls is so hard at this time of year, but actually, sometimes hiding items in plain sight works well - they just don't see things right under their noses...
I brought home the YFG for her lunch today as she has had a traumatic couple of days at school what with one thing and another; she didn't really want to go back at 1pm. She ate very little of her packed lunch yesterday so I was pleased to see her wolf down a tuna and sweetcorn sandwich. We have paid for her to have a school dinner tomorrow, so hopefully a change of direction will help - and perhaps I need to up the ante and give her more interesting lunches.
Tonight the FH has gone out to a village history society meeting - a speaker is coming to talk about Oliver Cromwell as this is definitely Cromwell Country around this area! He is going to discuss the opinions people hold on Cromwell as to whether he was a villain or a hero......the jusy is still out on that as far as I am concerned as I really don't know enough about him to make a decision. My first knowledge of him came in a book my grandmother loved called "The Children of the New Forest" about a family during the Civil War who took to the forest to live in hiding. I must have a look and see if it is still available these days as it was a good read.
I also had a look in the "pound" shop for some battery-operated tree lights for the Christmas tree at church - the only place we can put the tree is not convenient for plugging lights in properly, but a tree without lights looks a little bare, so I was pleased to find a small set for £4.99 which I hope will do the job. They also had masking tape which I will need when we do the decorating.
I had a quick look in Mackays (now called M&Co) and got something for the EFG. I nipped into Sainsbury's and then went back out of town to Focus for paint charts, and to Tesco for the mens' socks I needed. Needless to say, I picked up a few groceries in Tesco as well!
When I got home, the whole lot had to be stashed away! Hiding stuff from the girls is so hard at this time of year, but actually, sometimes hiding items in plain sight works well - they just don't see things right under their noses...
I brought home the YFG for her lunch today as she has had a traumatic couple of days at school what with one thing and another; she didn't really want to go back at 1pm. She ate very little of her packed lunch yesterday so I was pleased to see her wolf down a tuna and sweetcorn sandwich. We have paid for her to have a school dinner tomorrow, so hopefully a change of direction will help - and perhaps I need to up the ante and give her more interesting lunches.
Tonight the FH has gone out to a village history society meeting - a speaker is coming to talk about Oliver Cromwell as this is definitely Cromwell Country around this area! He is going to discuss the opinions people hold on Cromwell as to whether he was a villain or a hero......the jusy is still out on that as far as I am concerned as I really don't know enough about him to make a decision. My first knowledge of him came in a book my grandmother loved called "The Children of the New Forest" about a family during the Civil War who took to the forest to live in hiding. I must have a look and see if it is still available these days as it was a good read.
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
One day at a time
we are making it through the week!
The Lakeland parcel has arrived, my hair has been coloured (not the colour the packet indicated that it would end up, but it has been coloured nevertheless - one daughter likes it, the other is not so keen!) and another load of pallets is now strewn about the garden. The hairdresser, my friend B, brought her Christmas cake, the first one she has ever made, and I showed her how to marzipan it, but we ran out of time for me to do mine, so I will have to get mine done asap as she is coming back early next week to do the icing. She is thrilled with it, so I just hope it tastes as good as it looks!!
B was also an angel and helped my neighbour M whose hair had been butchered at a local salon on Saturday morning. She was almost in tears over in on Saturday afternoon but B has sorted it out rather well and M is well pleased with the result; she finds hairdressers traumatic at the best of times, so to have it all go wrong like that was even worse - and to be charged £18 for the privilege was rubbing salt into the wound.
Plans are underway for the party on Sunday and it looks to be coming together nicely. I haven't offered to bake anything this time, so that is one less thing to do. The HC's wife is doing some of the food shopping tomorrow and then I will get the bread for the sandwiches on Saturday afternoon, so it is fresher. We are looking at about 80 children at the party, so I think it will be fun!!
Tomorrow the FH is out doing deliveries for me, and I shall be doing some housework, and ironing. I may watch a DVD whilst doing the ironing, and there may even be a spot of knitting - I am feeling much calmer than I was at the start of the week, when I just felt like there was too much to cope with. I may have a quick trip to Lidl tomorrow as well, if I can fit it in, as their promotional items for sale this week are art/craft based things, and I want to get a couple of things for the FH's stocking to restock (pardon) his art supplies as he is enjoying his art classes so much.
The Lakeland parcel has arrived, my hair has been coloured (not the colour the packet indicated that it would end up, but it has been coloured nevertheless - one daughter likes it, the other is not so keen!) and another load of pallets is now strewn about the garden. The hairdresser, my friend B, brought her Christmas cake, the first one she has ever made, and I showed her how to marzipan it, but we ran out of time for me to do mine, so I will have to get mine done asap as she is coming back early next week to do the icing. She is thrilled with it, so I just hope it tastes as good as it looks!!
B was also an angel and helped my neighbour M whose hair had been butchered at a local salon on Saturday morning. She was almost in tears over in on Saturday afternoon but B has sorted it out rather well and M is well pleased with the result; she finds hairdressers traumatic at the best of times, so to have it all go wrong like that was even worse - and to be charged £18 for the privilege was rubbing salt into the wound.
Plans are underway for the party on Sunday and it looks to be coming together nicely. I haven't offered to bake anything this time, so that is one less thing to do. The HC's wife is doing some of the food shopping tomorrow and then I will get the bread for the sandwiches on Saturday afternoon, so it is fresher. We are looking at about 80 children at the party, so I think it will be fun!!
Tomorrow the FH is out doing deliveries for me, and I shall be doing some housework, and ironing. I may watch a DVD whilst doing the ironing, and there may even be a spot of knitting - I am feeling much calmer than I was at the start of the week, when I just felt like there was too much to cope with. I may have a quick trip to Lidl tomorrow as well, if I can fit it in, as their promotional items for sale this week are art/craft based things, and I want to get a couple of things for the FH's stocking to restock (pardon) his art supplies as he is enjoying his art classes so much.
Monday, 7 December 2009
"What am I doing?" she wails!
I feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment!
We have had a good weekend, and all the events went to plan - the coffee morning on Friday raised £220, then the choir came on Saturday evening and sang most beautifully, adding another £100 to the fundraising total, and Sunday.....well, Sunday happened....church, lunch, Dad coming over and then me popping round to D's house to lend her the sewing machine, but ending up playing charades with the family. I managed to watch the beginning of Hugh F-W's Christmas programme, but fell asleep sometime after he made the venison joints, and never saw the final feast, unfortunately!
I have agreed to do too much, as usual; there's the Christmas Party at gymnastics - next Sunday evening, the HC is going to redecorate the lounge before Christmas for me, I have almost all the Christmas presents to choose, buy and wrap, I have to prepare a Service for church for the 27th, hymns to remember how to play so need to practise, clean the house as it is a tip and I am harbouring FAR too many spiders - webs aplenty here! Meal planning - what's that? Ironing - yes, there's that to do, the washing machine is spinning so that needs rebooting asap, the chickens - oh, the poor chickens - too much mud - sorry, I am becoming a bit Virginia Woolf-ish in this rambling! My friend B's mum came to the coffee morning on Friday to help B with her stall, and then shocked everyone by having a mini-stroke that night and being hospitalised till yesterday afternoon. Poor B hasn't had much sleep, but she is coming round on Wednesday morning to marzipan our Christmas cakes (must get some apricot jam!) and do my hair for me. She may need chocolate brownies to keep her going.... And to cap all my hassles, Lakeland has lost the parcel they were sending me! They promised to re-dispatch so it will be delivered tomorrow but this second parcel hasn't got the cake stand in that I ordered as they are now out of stock, but if the first parcel should happen to turn up at any point, I am to open it and remove the cake stand from that one, and then send the rest back......
My week is looking like this -
Monday 1.30 - Governor visit to school/FH to art group
Tuesday - stay in for parcel, FH and friend to fetch more pallets, then 3pm YFG and I to gym
Wednesday - hair/marzipan/chatting with B in the morning; FH out to lunch
Thursday - FH out with deliveries/forecast to be dry day so chickens need attention
Friday - gym at 3pm with YFG
Saturday - gym from 9.30 to 1pm; promised girls trip to Ely to shops, then baking for party
Sunday - church at 9.30 then REST I hope until 4pm setting up for party, 6pm - 9pm party.
Could we just stop the world for a couple of days so that I could catch up with everyone else??
We have had a good weekend, and all the events went to plan - the coffee morning on Friday raised £220, then the choir came on Saturday evening and sang most beautifully, adding another £100 to the fundraising total, and Sunday.....well, Sunday happened....church, lunch, Dad coming over and then me popping round to D's house to lend her the sewing machine, but ending up playing charades with the family. I managed to watch the beginning of Hugh F-W's Christmas programme, but fell asleep sometime after he made the venison joints, and never saw the final feast, unfortunately!
I have agreed to do too much, as usual; there's the Christmas Party at gymnastics - next Sunday evening, the HC is going to redecorate the lounge before Christmas for me, I have almost all the Christmas presents to choose, buy and wrap, I have to prepare a Service for church for the 27th, hymns to remember how to play so need to practise, clean the house as it is a tip and I am harbouring FAR too many spiders - webs aplenty here! Meal planning - what's that? Ironing - yes, there's that to do, the washing machine is spinning so that needs rebooting asap, the chickens - oh, the poor chickens - too much mud - sorry, I am becoming a bit Virginia Woolf-ish in this rambling! My friend B's mum came to the coffee morning on Friday to help B with her stall, and then shocked everyone by having a mini-stroke that night and being hospitalised till yesterday afternoon. Poor B hasn't had much sleep, but she is coming round on Wednesday morning to marzipan our Christmas cakes (must get some apricot jam!) and do my hair for me. She may need chocolate brownies to keep her going.... And to cap all my hassles, Lakeland has lost the parcel they were sending me! They promised to re-dispatch so it will be delivered tomorrow but this second parcel hasn't got the cake stand in that I ordered as they are now out of stock, but if the first parcel should happen to turn up at any point, I am to open it and remove the cake stand from that one, and then send the rest back......
My week is looking like this -
Monday 1.30 - Governor visit to school/FH to art group
Tuesday - stay in for parcel, FH and friend to fetch more pallets, then 3pm YFG and I to gym
Wednesday - hair/marzipan/chatting with B in the morning; FH out to lunch
Thursday - FH out with deliveries/forecast to be dry day so chickens need attention
Friday - gym at 3pm with YFG
Saturday - gym from 9.30 to 1pm; promised girls trip to Ely to shops, then baking for party
Sunday - church at 9.30 then REST I hope until 4pm setting up for party, 6pm - 9pm party.
Could we just stop the world for a couple of days so that I could catch up with everyone else??
Thursday, 3 December 2009
I can't believe it - I'm fashionable!
The EFG took (with my permission) a long scarf, a bit like a pashmina, from my wardrobe earlier in the year, and likes to wear it around her neck all the time. She has the deep lilac one, and there is also a navy one in there somewhere, which she now has her eye on! Anyway, the point being that she wears it to school now that the weather has turned so cold, and it seems that she is following the latest trend - these scarves are worn by all the "in" crowd. One of them asked her today where she got hers from, so she answered, "Mum's wardrobe," to which the girl said, "Ooh, is that in Cambridge?" thinking it was a shop. The EFG had to explain that no, it was the big cupboard in the corner of Mum's bedroom!?! The EFG added as she recounted this to me tonight that the girl IS blonde...(we're not - and no disrespect intended to bright blondes - it was just the way she said it!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
