Help calm me. House buying and selling stress. Part 6

oh ellianne, I do have everything crossed for your dd.

Whiff a busy bee as usual, another one with higher energy in the morning and franbern what a very lovely day you have had

The tip run is done, I was able to back up right in front of the wood skip, now the wood has gone I can draw a line across that load, it was hard to release it but it will go back to nature so I am happy.

Sitting now and sticking to my theme of little and often, that was work and now I am eating a bit, some baked beans on their own. My stomach is happiest with little and often and fruit on a plate by itself, later

Garden is ahead of me today, the hotbin compost is down to half from overflowing and is hot, I want to spread the compost in autumn, not earlier. Nature is a wonderful thing, covid is not bothering the flowers at all, they are mad busy making seeds, almost at the end of their season. I much prefer the other 3 seasons, summer down here is just far too hot

I have done for the day and surprisingly, am not feeling at all sleepy. I have done so much but I will make up for this in my winter hibernation The underbed spinning fibres were all double packed and in lakeland vac bags, moths horrify me. The bags all needed some air sucking out but are tremendously useful, all my spare ones from moving are neatly stashed in a big whicker laundry basket in a bedroom. Its a nice rectangular JL basket, I bought it for viewings at the other house and here I put a cloth on top and a lamp

So all those fibres are neatly away in my new upstairs cupboards and I discovered my photos up there in a 9 litre box, lots of cds and small albums and small labelled packs and proof sheets of tiny prints of the photos on cds. Very neat and compact and much better than the 4 x 18 litre boxes that I used to have in a wardrobe, my husband did all that copying. The photos are now downstairs in a 17 litre light grey curver amazon box with a lid, plenty of room inside but I have 6 of these boxes on the floor at the base of my units. 3 are empty and such a change from me in a past life

I am feeling de-cluttered, I feel lighter but there is still way to go

You must feel a great sense of achievement at doing all that Craftyone. Decluttering is never ending. Thought mine was all done but found some more to sort out. But that's for another day. Made my cards and made the robot for my grandson. It's not a working one it's cross stitch which and backed with felt and stuff so it's more a cuddle or throw robot. Hopefully he will like it. Better go and water the plants even though we had some rain first thing it's be scorching for hours and everything is dried out. Have a good evening.

It seems as though you hardly ever sit doing nothing either whiff. I have found the `safe `place I put my cross stitch kits and I will put my felting kit in with them, I think this will be my autumn/winter hibernation hobby corner. I would make more socks but I think they are lurking with woollen winter jumpers, I love home made woollen socks. Another one for winter will be a small carving from a small lump of mahogany, I just tested it and it is good to go with a whittling knife. I wear a full leather apron and safety gloves when whittling. I want to make something for my new oak mantlepiece

When my husband became an architectural photographer, after he retired from structural work, he used to take me with him to look after equipment etc. One project was, I think, in Bath, retirement apartments and a lovely communal atrium with running water. This was before it was occupied. A typical `good` apartment was one weeny living room, one tiny kitchenette and tiny bathroom and a very small bedroom and that was it. I remember being silent that night, thinking `what if` and how the heck do people do it? Go to tiny and communal from even a 2 bed terraced house, let alone a 4 bed vicarage. I sometimes get that inner warning, still. I have to shrink down even more

Shandy, just read your post about writing down all your expenditure. I am very careful about having everything written down. I work out all my usual bills and direct debits and costs and divide them all by 12 and then keep those monthly amounts in a long list in my diary (I include amounts I give for birthday and Christmas Pressies, and make allowance for a monthly splurge on clothes and household items). With that in place, giving me a total monthly amount I need - even though some months it may be not that amount I pay out - I (following Mr Micawber), know that if it is less than I receive each month (and annually), then it is good, etc.

When I and my daughter were out recently, and approached by someone trying to persuade us to get them to come to discuss utility costs, etc and said to me 'Do you have some rough idea how much your electricity and gas cost you?', my daughter laughed, and said 'This is my Mum, she will give you exact amounts'. I took out my diary and gave that.
I also remember a few years ago, I was visiting some friends who had moved down to Exemouth, and sitting in their car on a day out we were discussing different costs of water rates and my friend asked me (again approximately) how much I was paying at my house - I said, 'hold on a minute - took out my diary and gave him the exact monthly payment'
I find being this organised very useful and it is quite easy, just writing that into each new diary and ensuring I keep amendments up to date.
I think I will never really recover from all the many years when we were so very desperately short of money, and it was a constant serious worry. If I heard a noise in the house at any time (Including night), I never worried about it being an intruder, just that it was something breaking down and how could we find money to get it repaired (let alone replaced). Even now, nearly two decades after I came out of that time, I still find I have to calm myself down if something breaks down as I know I can get repair or replacement. But, I always have to know exactly how much money I have and have to spend. Check Bank Statement and credit card statement two or three times each week.

Good morning all. This is the week my daughter WILL exchange contracts, please keep me positive.
Don't talk to me about water charges in Devon Franbern! South West Water are the most expensive in the UK. We are paying nearly 4 times what we used to in London. I think it is to do with having the biggest coastline to look after, so I can kind of see why. At least car insurance is cheaper here, as is pet insurance!
Have a good day.

Those hard times franbern, me too, I remember taking out the exact amount of cash for the month and stashing it into different envelopes in an underwear drawer. If we had a £1 left at the end of the month, we would get a big bar of cadburys, if a bit more then we would get a bag of prawn cocktail crips and a video too. Then we would have a nice tea, rolled in on a trolley with my best china, we called them cosy evenings. The AC still talk about those cosy evenings

I decided that I would sort my technology at some stage ie de-cluttering and that means starting gently with taking m/s money off the old laptop. I do know my expenses and income now and am most happy with it all written down, to refer to easily. That will need me to transfer important data to a nice new notebook, maybe a winter job

I am slowly de-cluttering the garden, to make it easy to hoe and to fill my compost bins. It still looks lovely and there are masses of flowers. Some of the plants are saying that autumn is coming a bit earlier this year, they have been manic producers of the next generation. I even see red leaves appearing on the blueberries and I would say 3-4 weeks early this year

Today all I need to do is make the kitchen sparkle again, I don`t see anything to de-clutter today. Could well be a rest day

Ellianne, is that wessex water, like me? The whole country should have equal water rates, they can all use the coastline

South West Water crafty.
You're right, the whole country uses the coastline, especially this year!! Maybe a water tax for all the tourists visiting would be good?

My water costs are so much cheaper here. In the Midlands it was a set rate so I paid the same as everyone else even though their was only me. Here I have a water meter and having a combi boiler means I only pay for what I use both hot and cold water. I am like Franbern and Craftyone know my out goings every month. Spent all I need to on the inside of bungalow for this year and glad to say came in under what I had allowed myself to spend. Mainly due to my home improvements guy sending me to the right places for my kitchen,shower room and new doors. I had he's discounts at each place. Also what he charged me was cheaper than what I thought it would be. My decorator was also cheaper than I thought same with all the work my roofer did. What money I would have spent on clothes used that for plants instead. Like others I wasn't brought up with money and always saved. Also remember the days of 15% mortgage rates which. Could you imagine how the house buyers of today would cope with that.

I've made 7lb lime&lemon marmalade and off to do some weeding. Don't think it's worth risking putting the washing out as we had showers early on.

Have a good day everyone.

Ellianne - your water bill is no more than mine from Thames Water.

GM I checked back and I was paying £20 a month in London. In Devon it is £50 plus. My mistake, not 4 times but certainly well over double.

lazy day today but I have a sparkling kitchen and everything in the garden is done. I managed to put a few more things out including a cheap mastic gun as I have a better one and a cheap ceramic bowl with a lid, for baking bread in the oven and three items of clothing. The little things add up and right now I am going by cu foot of space

Soon it will be another 2 of the rugs from my other house. They are upstairs in a bedroom and definitely not needed, they are just dust catchers. They were good in the other house, I don`t know why I brought them here.

I am on a de-cluttering mission, I know that but I am finding it is immensely satisfying. Shortly it will be table cloths and white napkins and unopened bags of sweets from uncle joes. All I need is one table cloth and the place mats and coasters. I can buy serviettes if I need them or close family can use kitchen roll . I can re-use the white napkins as kitchen cloths or in the garage. Anyway they are stiff cotton

Hi all, I'm late today. Suffering from being a greedy guts, I've got too chubby and decided not to eat bread for lunch anymore. Instead I ate a punnet of delicious 'Sweetheart' cherries from Aldi and now have horrible gripy tummy pains!

I find it hard not eating bread, it is my 'go to' food. I hardly ever have soup, I do like to have something to chew but I'm going to have to give bread up completely as I can't just have a scrape of butter, I like doorsteps slices and a slab.

My daughter rang today and is coming for two days on the 16th August, and I am glad to report she does have an interview on Friday I'm also glad she will be collecting her car and be able to visit her boyfriend easily over the winter, no draughty bus stops. Talking of her car, I took it to Aldi yesterday to get my food shop. Came out of the shop about forty minutes later and pushed my trolley towards the area I thought I'd parked ... couldn't see my X trail .... walked around a bit longer and felt rising panic - then remembered I'd come in her car! Ha ha, silly old bat! I have a special number plate on the X trail and asked for a valuation yesterday - came back at £2K, will come in handy once I've worked out how to sell it. Haven't read the site properly, probably 80% commission! ;)

I've nearly done my budget and now I've done the 'annual cost' need to cut down on my food bill and start cooking bulk again. Chucked all my tupperware out as it was so stained, going to get some of the 'take away' sized plastic boxes. What've you got this week Whiff or have you still got lamb stew left?

Talking of cooking I took my ten books into the second hand bookshop today and my Mrs Beeton has finally gone.
I never used any of the recipes and it was so huge on the shelf. Got £24 credit for 7 books, very pleased. Resisted having an ice cream afterwards (they've set up a parlour next door) as I've realised I spend about £10 a week on take away cake/ice creams because I'm greedy and bored.

I've just listed three items of clothing on ebay today, wish me luck. Should pay for the kennels if they sell.

Enjoy your evening, I'm off to the beach, unfortunately my skechers are absolutely rotten as the tide is leaving huge pools lately, they aren't drying out inbetween. Too cold for flip flops and I can't run in wellies

Fingers crossed Ellianne - and as for water rates, thanks for the heads up, I think I will choose Exmouth out of the two places.
ots of things going on with septic tanks on the moneysavingexpert page, thanks for the 'binding' information craftyone, so glad I didn't get nabbed for a new system at the Station. Think ours was original from 1847, but it definitely didn't drain into the river. Urgh for wild swimmers where it does!

Shandy57 got the last portion of my pork stew tomorrow. I have some falafel I brought from Aldi in the freezer. 9 in a pack so I will have 3 per dinner with some roasted tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, sweet potatoes and 2 mini wraps per meal. Still trying to lose the last of my weight only a stone to go but it's been a struggle. Either I put on half a pound then lose it or stay the same.

Shandy try the MyFitnessPal app. It’s not a diet but just lets you know what you have eaten and what you need protein etc wise. It can be a diet if you want it to be. Definitely worth a look.

Argh oink instead of baa! Sorry Whiff got mixed up. Thanks for the tip midgey. like my Mum I do have a huge appetite but I shocked myself yesterday when I made a three pieces of bread sandwich, pure greed and boredom. Can't hold my tummy in anymore at all. Getting out of hand. Need lockjaw, not lockdown!

The weight just creeps on after a certain age and it is flipping hard to lose any, in spite of always moving. What suits me best is little and often and really I have cut out a meal, I know I stop absolutely by 4.30, no snacks nothing and my stomach got used to that. Bread is easily my downfall too and I need to avoid potatoes. My last meal today was just a pot of baked beans, nothing else but I do eat what I want earlier and my very worst time is after lunch when I get mouth hunger. To try and help that I have stretched the morning out, a plate of fruit, a green salad in a bowl and being busy helps. So far I am eating my main meal at 1 now instead of 12 but after that is a bit of dark chocolate and always something sweet, crumble or cake

Stopping eating earlier helps my digestion a lot, no heartburn at night and is especially helpful if I just have a smooth soup, say at 4.30 if I can

I sorted my dining drawer and have put the big crisp white cloth, naplins and 6 stiff card shiny cream table mats out, bought 2006 and used once. Tomorrow I am putting out the remaining tea lights, I never realised I had 2 lots and goodness me, I never use them. Yesterday I put out 3 candles fom india, they seemed dodgy anyway and not suitable for presents

I am concentrating on using food stores, I have a lot, it was in my nature, I followed my post war mum. Certainly saving loads of money by not spending and the garden is providing ample fresh food. This is my very best chance to save and I will, I am determined. Its the best months, the bills all come after christmas

Speaking about diets craftyone I’ve been trying to fit into a one piece swimsuit that I bought last year, bought it in a charity shop, brand new with tags, size 14 on the charity shop tag.
Try as I might I still can’t get into it, so gave it to DD 2 yesterday to sell on eBay, she said that she would give it to Miss oops to try on, Miss oops, my GC is 16, 5ft 10 and skinny as a rake, I told my daughter that it would hang off of her, she replied that as a size 10 it would be perfect.
Turns out the charity shop tag was wrong and I’d been trying to squeeze into it all this time!
So, not fat, just stupid!

I have a jelly king crab apple tree, it is a beautiful tree, I got the M26 rootstock so it will only reach around 14 feet tall. I was thinking, your jam inspirations whiff, crab apple and blackcurrant jelly. How does this sound, cook the chopped crab apples and blackcurrants in a little water until soft, strain through a jelly bag, 375 g sugar to 500ml juice? Should be nice as savoury jelly for gravy, casseroles etc

Not sure what to do today, it feels so nice here after de-cluttering, nothing much more strikes me but no doubt bits and pieces will rear their heads over time. I have to get back into cycling, I do need the exercise and it should be a nice temperature today

I needed a small present for a vegan dil for later this month, a 50th so have found a nice set of body products on etsy, very reasonable price and only £3 delivery direct to her. I don`t normally do presents for the in laws any more, I got fed up of not getting a thank you if I sent a present, I only send cards now but a 50th is different

I do need to get myself organised with that written budget list, I tried a spreadsheet last night on the laptop but didn`t like it. Pen and paper it will be and as long as I get all the outgoings and incomings down, it will give me clarity about forward progress, month by month.

It feels as though I could be aimless today but I won`t let that happen, breakfast soon and then I will see

Nice to know someone still grows crab apples Craftyone. If the weather holds my job for this morning is to weed the front garden and put down another 50,l of compost. Then all the soil levels should be at a good level. Just need more plants to fill the boarder. Never spent so much on plants. But since moving found I love gardening. In the back garden the only plant in it from when I moved here is a lovely variegated Holly. Which I will keep. I stripped everything else out. Taken a lot of work but it's worth it. My husband used to say I had a black thumb but now I know I have green fingers. Or usually dirty fingers nails! I wear gloves most of the time but find it easier to put in plants bare handed.

Its supposed to rain tomorrow so that will mean a sort out and housework day. I do clean shower room and kitchen everyday. But the rest give a good go once a week. Windows need doing this week that's a monthly job.

Have a good day whatever you are doing.

Jolly cold here today. Cannot remember it being so cold. At 3pm it had managed to reach the dizzy heights of 6.5C outside which for here is unheard of. Snow in many places not far from us and we have had quite a bit of hail. Easy to stay in today.

Due to our new COVID19 restrictions our house hunting is on hold for at least 6 weeks as the real estate industry has effectively been shut down. One can still do online viewings but there is no way I'm going to buy a house based on what I see online. I guess the upside to that is come mid September there could be a good number of places come onto the market. We will just have to wait and see.

spice, gosh that is cold, I had no idea that you ever had snow. Staying put for some more weeks is not really so bad, at least you will have enforced rest so the healing should be progressing nicely

Whiff variegated holly is lovely and it takes a long time to grow, silver queen is the male holly and has no berries, golden king is the female one with berries. Berries on variegated holly would be gorgeous. Are you not aching after all that work? Very satisfying for you, your own creation and work of art

My upper right arm has an ache this morning, I know it was caused by trying to loosen a kilner jar ring, I ended up with it in hot water and it loosened but I forget myself and twist so hard that my muscles get affected. Silly me

An easy thing this morning and standing up, the winter `what if` medicines. All still in date and now neat and tidy, together with ample tissue packs. Did those and stomach upset meds and painkillers. I would not want to have to go out if unwell. I don`t need to buy anything and oximeter and thermometer are handy

Like Craftyone didn't realise it could get so cold by you Spice101. How is recovery going?

I have had constant pain in my left arm and leg for 32 years. Which I tolerate at times it gets worse which stops me doing things for a few days and then it's back to its normal levels. So even if I ache after gardening it's no worse than I put up with everyday. I mainly get tired. Like yesterday had a nap for a hour yesterday afternoon. My Holly has berries.

It's raining so it's sorting out and cleaning the windows today.