Monday 9th February. Back to basics seems like a good idea for a blog this morning. You may remember I did this about a week ago, it is basically a list of headings which you complete every few days or each week to give yourself and others an idea of what is going on in your life right now. So let’s get to it!
Doing: All of the normal housework which I shall refrain from listing!! I am going to walk up to the post office when I have finished my coffee. I have a parcel to post; Some envelopes that I sold on EBay. I am hoping the promised snow doesn’t start before I get back.
Making: I am steaming ahead with Evans cross stitch embroidery the last few days so I am hopefully going to have time to sit down this afternoon and do a bit more. I also intend to start making a card for Joshua’s 21st birthday which is next week.
Dinner: I haven’t actually decided yet but it is going to be something made with left over roast lamb.
Challenge/s: Walking in the snow and staying upright!
Solution/s: Wear my boots; walk slowly and in the road if possible where it is not so slippery.
Transgressions: I have been pretty good this last week and haven’t really spent that much. I did buy a little outfit for Ellie in Tesco about a week ago and yesterday Simon and I popped to Argos and got 2 new V shaped pillows. The kind you use to prop yourself up in bed to read. “Old people” pillows according to Saskia! Simons one, which was donkeys years old, fell apart a few weeks back. Mine was still ok but not very plump any more so we ended up buying 2. Note to self: We only really needed one!
Observing: How much snow is in the garden and the effect it is having on my birds. We haven’t seen anywhere near as many the last few days. Where do they all go?
Reading: I’m still reading The Tightwad Gazette which has some great ideas. I also have a new issue of Good Food to read.
Utility savings: This issue is still not being dealt with. We have had extra children at home the last week or so and that doesn’t help as they are not good at this yet! They constantly leave on lights and computers. I did get Simon to read the metres a few weeks back and I was going to get him to do it every week so I could begin to work out consumption levels to see if we could get them down.
I need to start this over again and get him to read the meters again. I could do it myself, but the meter cupboard is above my height and very hard to open. I don’t fancy having to stand on a chair in the snow to reach it!
I have looked into changing our suppliers but the current advice is to wait and see what happens. British Gas recently dropped its prices by 10% but the advice is that if you wait the other companies are likely to follow.
I have finally got the plumber coming tomorrow, providing it doesn’t snow anymore! Hopefully he can do whatever needs doing while he is here. The tap which was leaking, started to pour out hot water continually! Not good for the gas bill! Simon’s solution was to put a clamp thing round the pipe! This stopped it but we have no hot water down there!
I know it isn’t exactly a utility bill but I have been looking at our council tax. I read a very good article on www.moneyexpert.com last week which says that millions of houses are in the wrong council tax band and therefore paying too much. It shows you how to check on the government site which bands your neighbour’s houses are in and also what the value of your home would have been in 1991.
After checking we found our house is in a higher band than some neighbours and also our house would have been within the lower band price range in 1991 too. I have applied to the relevant authority for reassessment and apparently if we are successful they repay you the over-payments back to 1991. According to the website many people are successfully re-banded, so I am keeping my fingers crossed,
Contemplating: New floor tiles for the kitchen and new work tops. Samuel has said that he will lay the floor for us and fit the work tops. Our kitchen is a bit dated ( a lot dated!) We did have a look at some tiles while we were out yesterday and work tops. The thing is new work tops will make the units look bad but Sam and Simon say all they really need is refinishing and new handles, so we are contemplating that. We want to smarten it up a bit but don’t want to spend too much as we hope to move from here in about 3 years when Josh and Saskia finish Uni.
Sowing seed or planting: Our onions, shallots and garlic were planted a week ago and I just hope they are surviving under the snow! Obviously it is impossible to do anything on the allotment at the moment because of the snow. I am very excited though as we have taken delivery of our raspberry canes! They will go in as soon as the snow clears. To be honest they look like a bundle of 6 foot tall twigs right now but as they already have one year’s growth they should fruit this summer. Raspberry jam here we come.
Maintenance jobs: See above.
Planning for the future: Tackling the kitchen is sort of planning for the future as it may help to sell the house when we get to that stage. Although it is still a long way off from being possible, we are always looking out for areas that may be possible places to move to and working out what a new house needs to be like for us.
Harvesting: I don’t think a week is long enough for the onions to be ready to harvest!
Working for the Future: Well nothing much done in this area this week!
Building community: Nothing done here.
Donations: Simon took some more stuff to the charity shop and I am still working on clearing out unnecessary stuff so there will be more bags soon. I gave my computer chair from my bedroom to Sam.
Learn a new skill: I haven’t learnt anything new this week. Must try harder!
Weather: Very, very cold with about 4 inches of snow still on the ground. There is lots of ice underneath too. The actual forecast is for more snow later today, but we will see. I am not convinced that I believe them! The temperature is currently 1 degree! Lovely!
Off to the post office now!
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