Continuing to Make Slow Progress - W/E 10th August 2024

The week started with my having a free day on Sunday. I decided to do the weekly shop again, to use another voucher that was expiring.  This time £6 off a £60 spend at Tesco. I ended up spending way more than £60, as I bought a few expensive items that I needed. I then did a much smaller shop at Lidl to get a few other bits we like from there. 

Later, in the afternoon, I got OH to help me hang the tab top curtains in the shed, that I'd bought from IKEA for £10. That was pretty simple, just a case of hanging them over the curtain pole, but I then needed to attempt to hem them which was not straightforward as there is a roof slope. I ended up pinning the hem in situ, and I'll probably handstitch the hems in situ too.

I had to cut off quite a bit from the length of the curtains, as they were way too long and I then decided to use the off cuts to make roll up blinds for the shed doors. These were a really simple construction using the curtain tie backs as a tie, so I ended up using every bit of the curtains I bought. I handstitched the blinds while sat in the shed and then later whilst watching the Olympics again, save for the tops, which I intend to do by machine to make them more secure. I was pleased with how they turned out. I enjoyed doing some sewing again too. I've missed it.

On Monday, I didn't need to go anywhere again, so I decided to spend the morning sewing in the shed. I hand stitched the hem of the partition curtains. It was nice and relaxing. The end result wasn't perfect, but it doesn't need to be, it just needed to be practical and inexpensive, which it was. Here's a photo of them hanging:

I made them longer than necessary and the excess is tucked underneath in this photo. I'm happy enough with the results.

After lunch, I decided to finish the window blinds for the doors. I just needed to machine stitch the tops and add on some small loops to hang them from some screws in the door. It didn't take long and then I was able to hang them. Here's a picture of what they look like in situ, rolled up and down:

Once again, not perfect, but good enough. I'll only be using them when I am working out and need privacy.

It felt good to get these two jobs completed and it has got me in the mood to restart work on making a cover for the sofa in there.

I was given an extra shift to work on Monday evening. I wasn't thrilled about it, but it will mean a bit more money, which is useful at the moment. After I'd finished sewing and installing the blinds, it was time to have a shower and get ready for work.

I've worked quite a lot this week, four consequetive nights, including two shifts which were a bit longer than usual, so it's been a busy week. In between, I did manage a class at the gym and a gym session and also a shopping trip with LB out of town to Home Bargains and our favourite large charity shop. It was on this day that I realised that I'd got my work hours wrong. I thought I was working at 5pm, but I was on the rota for 1pm. It was at 12.15pm, when I got a message from my manager asking me to work later, that I realised.  Anyway, we managed a compromise that I get in for 3pm and work until late, which was good, so we got to finish our shopping trip and then I had time to get home and ready for work.

I was glad to get to Thursday night, my last working night this week and get home, knowing I had a couple of days off. I was quite tired and just needed some down time.

OH went away on Thursday morning. He cycled up to Yorkshire to see his parents, so it was just myself and LB at home towards the end of the week. LB got some good news this week though, that her and her friend have definitely been approved for the flat they applied for, they now just need to sign contracts. That was a big relief, as she would have had to start looking again if it hadn't gone through and it was quite a drag for her to travel over to south west London all the time, not to mention expensive.  She can now relax a little, knowing that she's got somewhere to live organised and enjoy the rest of the summer holidays.

On Friday morning, it was great to lie in and then get up and ready knowing that I had the day free to do as I pleased. I had a cup of tea out in the garden and did a bit of pottering in the sunshine. It was so therapeutic. Just what I needed. I've done a bit of cutting back and pruning this week around the decking area. There's still a lot more to do, but I'm hoping it will look a lot better once I've got around to doing it all, as it's all got a bit out of hand lately.

With OH being away, nothing got done on the decking this week, as he still needs to order the materials before he can lay the new decking. There's no hurry though. Hopefully, it will get done in the next couple of weeks or so.

On Saturday morning, I got up early and drove LB to work, as she'd been out late the night before celebrating a friend's birthday. On the way home, I stopped off at the allotment to water, harvest, weed and dig over part of the plot, as I might sow more lettuce into it. I harvested my first crop of beetroot today which was good, as I can now pickle it.

I enjoyed having another day off, pottering around at home and catching up on jobs in the house and garden. OH came back from Yorkshire in the afternoon, which was nice. He'd enjoyed his stay at his parents. We spent the evening watching the last day of Olympic athletics. I'll miss the Olympics when they finish this weekend. I've really enjoyed watching some of the events. I find it really inspiring.