In and Out

Yesterday was pay day and it was in and out the bank account at great speed.

I paid my car tax and insurance yesterday evening, I sponsored my DGS for his Race for Life run, I paid two small bills and bang, that's this months wages gone.

There is still money in the joint account, I could have paid the bills earlier but didn't as they were not due.

But it just goes to show the money doesn't go far.

I have entered some writing competitions, not many as they cost money to enter, but nothing risked means nothing gained.

I'm allowing myself £10 a month competition money for a couple of months.

Life

According to Forrest Gump's mamma 'Life is like a box of chocolates'.

Well my life certainly includes chocolate, in varying amounts depending on my stress levels.

But my life isn't like a box of chocolates, it's like a sodding great rucksack that some muppet forgot to zip up.

Coping ok with L&M's PTSD and depression, ok let's chuck in a bipolar diagnoses for your daughter.

Coping ok moneywise, ok we'll give you a pay cut and change the L&M's  duties to make him unhappy.

Settled nicely in your house, ok, let's make you move as you will no longer afford the mortgage with all the changes at work.

All I can do it hitch up my shoulders a bit higher to take the extra weight in the rucksack, and remember the words of my friend Joy. Chin up and tits out!

My Family

Rambler asked if it was my family who were rude to me about my vote, no it wasn't, it was acquaintances and strangers.

We had some interesting conversations about which way we were voting and why, but no abuse.

Let me tell you about my extended family.

Religion, we have Catholic, C of E, atheists, agnostics, Pagan, Wiccan, Spiritualist, Jehovah's Witness and Jedi represented, we discuss our views, we never fall out about them.

Ethnicity, we have Irish, English, French African, Polish, Welsh and Scandinavian.

Sexuality, we have Gay, Straight, not sure yet and Transvestite.

Health, we have Bi-polar, Depression, Childhood Cancer, Adult Cancer, Post Traumatic Stress, Dementia and Diverticulitis.

We also have a mix of Left and Right Handed.

Sleeping beauty

Just another day (don't read this post if you are offended by bad language)

As expected DGD Eileen woke me during the night and asked my to sleep in her room with her, so I had a disturbed night. She was up just after 5 and we came downstairs to play 'Go Fish'.

I've also done 4 loads of washing, including DGS's uniform for next week.

At 10 am I collected DGD Suzy so SIL could take DGS to his football tournament.

We then drove to DD1's to look after her four whilst she and her DH went house hunting.

I made and served a picnic lunch for 6 children and 2 adults and hung DD1's washing out.

We came home about 1:30 with just 2 DGD's and I hung my washing out, emptied and washed out my bins and vacuumed through.

At 5pm I took packed the DGD's and all their stuff in to my car, drove to where DGD2 works, collected her and dropped them all home.

Whilst I was doing all this I have been sworn at, called stupid, been called an old fart, been called 2 faced, been called a racist!

Why? Because I voted, I always vote, women died to get me the vote and I intend to use it.

I don't like politicians, I think with a few exceptions they are a bunch of overpaid lying wankers.

But I vote, I live in a democracy, I am grateful for that so I vote.

Whenever possible I vote for The Monster Raving Loony Party, if my preferred candidate doesn't win I don't demand a second election. We live in a fucking democracy, if you don't like the result well that's just tough, get over it.

Yesterday I voted, I voted the same way I voted 40 years ago.

Anybody else want to call me names? Just post in the comments and I'll fucking ignore it just like I've ignored all the other insults today.

Bad Grandma

First I bought my DGS a paintball gun!

Next my DGD's conned me in to getting their craft box down for them so by the time their mum got up the kitchen was covered in playdoh and glitter. Fortunately my daughter is like me and doesn't worry about clean mess.

This morning Eileen wanted to watch a youtube video, as we'd been playing 'Go Fish' since 5am I readily acquiesced.

I managed to find the song, I soon realised the lyrics, whilst being hysterically funny, were somewhat inappropriate. I decided to look for something else. Barbie, I thought, poisonous but innocuous. Then I spotted the Barbie Song by Aqua. Big mistake, the lyrics go 'Touch my hair, Kiss me everywhere'.

We finally settled on Coppelia, no words, just music and dance, phew.

Good news, bad news

Oh there is no good news.

My L&M had an interview but didn't get the job. He's over 60 so he's not likely to get one now.

Yes I know B&Q take on older staff, but it's an hour and half commute during office hours and much longer when taking shift work in to consideration, plus £8 to £10 a day it travel costs, it's really not a viable option.

More changes afoot with my job, my equipment is possibly being moved to a smaller area with less natural light, no air con and little ventilation, I'll worry about it when/if it happens. My current area is light and airy so obviously far too good for the likes of me!

I've been up since 3 and it's now getting light, I won't get much sleep tonight as DGD is staying and she's not sleeping well at the moment.

Rootling in the freezer

I haven't cooked a proper meal apart from at the weekends for the last two weeks as my beloved has been working the late shift.

I have pasta and rice in the cupboard and potatoes in the fridge, I also have plenty of veg a mix of tinned, frozen and fresh.

I have enough salad to make myself a few packed lunches, when the salad runs out I will take peanut butter sandwiches.

I've had a rootle in the freezer to see how little I can get away with spending next week or two. 

We had steak pie today and there are lamb chops for tomorrow with new potatoes.

In the freezer there is some salmon pieces, some white fish and some prawns, also a small lamb joint.

There are 2 pork chops, so they will do two meals for my L&M one this week, one next as I don't eat pork.

There are packs of cooked sliced meat, leftover from joints cooked previously, ham, turkey and beef.

Week one.

Fish pie, 
Pork chop for my L&M, leftover fish pie for me,
Ham, egg and chips, 
Roast turkey dinner, 
Spag bol using some cooked beef.

Saturday we will have a cooked breakfast and I will buy some nice rolls for lunch we probably won't want anything else, if we do, we will have egg on toast.

Sunday, cooked breakfast again and then roast lamb about 4ish.

Week two.

Beef in red wine,
Pork chop,
Fish in cheese sauce,
Pasta carbonara,
Ham, egg and chips.

This probably seems monotonous but my beloved is a very fussy eater so we tend to eat a lot of repetitive meals.

An unreserved apology

I owe my L&M an unreserved apology, how could I possibly accuse him of having 17 coats.

Of course he hasn't got 17 coats.

A) There is 21, not 17!
B) They aren't all coats, some are jackets and some are fleeces!

Allegedly that makes all the difference!

After a period of consultation he now has one coat and 5 fleeces, that's alright then.

The rest are being donated to a local homeless charity where people can go to shower, get a hot meal, a hair cut and a change of clothes.

He has also sorted out his shoes and some clothes.

He has numerous pairs of shoes that are uncomfortable to wear, investigation proves these shoes to be either size 7.5 or size 8.

When measured my beloved actually takes a size 8.5 wide fitting, no wonder his shoes are all uncomfortable.

The sounds of joy

I love the sounds of joy and happiness.

Early in the morning I listen to the dawn chorus, later I watch the swallows flitting overhead, and I watch the kites swooping around with their high pitched cry.

Once the day wakes up properly I can hear.

The local church bells when someone gets married, even though they do go ding dong ding dong ding clunk.

The small plane that flies over head sometimes for over an hour doing loop the loops and other acrobatics.

The local kids screaming and yelling and kicking their football against my fence.

My L&M screaming at the TV willing Hamilton on to victory.

The giggles on Halloween when I open my door dressed as a witch, to the local children.

The neighbours cheering England on against Wales.

I don't care if it's something I don't enjoy, someone else is having fun.

Just my personal opinin

Getting there

This was how the room was when we started.

After one visit from Claire at Let's Get Sorted it looked like this.

Now it looks like this.

Best laid plans

I didn't find Harry Potter, I didn't even start on the cupboard under the stairs.
Why?
Because DS rang to say he's got a cancellation and could MOT my car for me.
So he collected my car and I scrubbed the study.
When he bought my car back (it passed by the way) I delivered supper to my L&M, my slowcooker to someone who needed one and some more yarn to the care homes. Then I made myself a sandwich and a cuppa and put my feet up for a while.

The study, all finished.

This evening, the study

I forgot to take a pic before I started, this was about half way through when I'd dragged everything off the shelves.

Then I was waylaid by this.

She was lost and running around outside my house. DD brought her in and we gave her a drink.

Then we took her for a walk in case she could find her own way home. She couldn't but we did find her very worried owner who was out looking for her. They have now been reunited, I'll post a pic of the finished study tomorrow.

Sunny

The rain this morning didn't last long we have glorious sunshine now.

I have my bony ankles back, the only part of me that is bony!

I have spent time with my legs raised (no tittering in the back row) when I sit down.

Today I have filled 4 bin bags one for each of the care homes and one for a local nursery.

I've had messages from my DD's to tell me all 3 of my littlest DGC have chicken pox!

Sorry for the delay

I'm sorry if you are still waiting for something to arrive, I'm selling craft stuff on FB and rude stuff on Ebay as well as the books I'm giving away on here. All this combined with many trips to the tip and the local care homes, well it is taking me longer than I thought to get everything packed up. Please be patient I will get there soon.

Plans

So how am I doing with my plan?

Wednesday, Stray books, done and all in a small box.

Thursday, Wardrobes to be emptied, yes and one has been refilled but only with a couple of pairs of shoes so they aren't on the floor.

Friday, Bathroom cupboards to be emptied, missed this one completely and started on the study instead.

Weekend, Garden & Shed, all the rubbish has been binned and it's now easier to see what's what.


We have had no significant rain so far and I have got washing on the line.

The hall is full of boxes waiting to be taken places, the bins and recycling are full.

I'm putting my feet up for half an hour and drinking a pint of water.

Return of the Cankles

They're back, a combination of too much standing and the warm weather.

My legs now go in a straight line down from knees to my ankles.

My ankles are now the same diameter as my calves.

Never mind, they will go down over night I expect, they usually do.

I'm collecting the last few books I missed yesterday and I've packed up 2 or 3 boxes of yarn and knitting needles to drop off tomorrow.

I have so much yarn I have phoned a couple of other local care homes, I will be playing the wool fairy for a few days!

So thanks to 50 and counting and Lyssa for their suggestions about my yarn mountain.

My next question is, does anyone know where I could donate some garden tools to?

Did give them away

Thank you for the suggestion '50 and counting' I've just dropped a box of DVD's of at a local care home and they were delighted, especially with the Norman Wisdom ones as they specialise in dementia care.
They would also be grateful for any yarn, patterns and knitting needles, so I'll drop those of one day next week.

Thanks Lyssa, I did try the local hospital but they don't accept anything at all and the local hospice referred me to their charity shop, but said shop doesn't want DVD's.

Still they have gone to a good home and I hope they provide the residents with a few hours of entertainment.

Everything in life

Yesterday I was working on some cards made by our nursery children. As often happens with anything from the little ones, glitter was involved.
Myself and my machines all received a generous coating of said glitter.
I don't mind, it doesn't damage the machines and it washes off me and my clothes.
I had a staff member using one of my machines, it wasn't doing what she wanted and she refused to follow the instructions as she was convinced she knew better.
She was getting more and more annoyed and still couldn't get the required result.
Eventually she decided to complain about the glitter, nonsensical as the glitter wasn't on the machine she was using.
I told her that as far as I was concerned everything in life was improved by a sprinkling of glitter!
Now I'm not really a glitter sort of person, but 3 year olds and glitter definitely go together!

Can't give them away

Videos and DVD's that is, I have a boxed set of the Sharpe DVD's, boxed set of Norman Wisdom and boxed set of Hornblower, I will take them to the charity shop on Friday, the rest will go in the bin.

I've drawn up a timetable as follows:-
Wednesday, Stray books (a small job as I'm out this evening)

Thursday Wardrobes to be emptied.

Friday Bathroom cupboards to be emptied

Weekend Garden & Shed

Monday Yarn, I have help to ensure I am ruthless.

Tuesday Kitchen.

Wednesday Study.

Thursday Claire from Lets get Sorted returns, I'm hoping we will be mopping up by then.

A tidy room and a narrow escape

Yesterday I had help, the lovely and efficient Claire from 'Lets Get Sorted'.
In 2 and a half hours we went from this, I'd been using it as a dumping ground as I sorted out other rooms.

To this.

It's looking so much better, I sorted fabric, cottons to Project Linus, fantasy and glittery ones to a local nursery. We filled a bag for the rubbish bin but most stuff was sent to people and places where it can be used. My next job is to sort the yarn.

And the narrow escape?

Claire told me there are professional declutterers who work on the Marie Kondo system of handling each item to see if it gives you joy. If we'd have done that, we'd have taken a week and not done half as much!

Onwards and upwards

Patti, LAC is 'looked after child' in other words a foster child.

It's been glorious here today again, I had hoped to hang washing on the line before I left for work this morning but it was not to be.

At 7pm yesterday I was just about to set the WM going, have a shower and have a last tidy round.

Then the phone rang, it was DD, her hubby needed to go to A&E with an ankle injury, could I watch the children. Of course I could, DD & SIL finally returned at 11:30.

I was in bed by 12 but no shower, no washing done & no tidying.

I was up at 5 as hubby was on the early shift today, he's on lates the rest of the week.

I collected DGS and took him to school, left work and came home to meet the declutterer, we did 3 hours together.

Hubby worked an 11 and a half hour day today, I did 10 hours, we are both worn out.

We have sun!!!

Hooray we have a sunny day here today, I was finally able to get some washing on the line instead of having it draped over the radiators.
Saturday we collected our 10 and 11 year old DGC, and we took them to the Beale Park Boat Show, they loved the woodcraft and survival skills.

demonstrations. DGS 10 wanted a woodsman's knife but as he is an LAC he had to settle for a strike fire.
DGD 11 chose a mermaid tee shirt.
They spent a happy couple of hours when we got home lighting a fire and cooking burgers and sausages.
This morning they were up at 6 and had breakfast at 6:30, at 9 when my L&M got up they had cooked breakfast with him.
After breakfast we all walked to the lock to watch the boats and have an ice cream and then on to the park.
We took them home about 12ish as my L&M had to work this afternoon.

Book Giveaway

Same as before, email me at suehester51@gmail with your address if you want any of these books, a contribution towards postage would be appreciated.

Birthday present

Today I made my second foray in to town in as many days.
I took DGS in, he is 12 at the weekend, he chose his present and we had pizza for lunch.
He is such a gentleman, he opens doors and carries bags.
Today was a lot easier than yesterday.

Eileen was so funny yesterday, she insisted we used the stairs in the car park as she is afraid of alligators, I was somewhat confused until I realised that she muddled up alligator and elevator, either way we had to use the stairs!

Greater love hath no Grandma

Than she takes a five year old Eileen and an eight year old Norah in to town, not only to Smiggle, but also to McDonalds.
And they had a ride on a roundabout and they have come back to my house to play until 3o'clock.
Norah informs me that they are visiting their grandpa on Friday (my ex) and he's got lots more money than me, but I'm nicer!