This Week - W/E 15th October 2022

This week got off to a great start on Sunday. As my birthday is this week, we arranged to go over to see LB at her Halls of Residence in South London and take her out for lunch.

Before we met up with her, we spent a couple of hours over at Herne Hill Velodrome as OH was competing in a cycle cross competition.  That was quite enjoyable as it was a lovely day and I could take the dog into the spectator's area of the outdoor track.  There were lots of families there with children competing too.

Once OH had finished his race, we headed off to meet LB. It was so lovely to see her. It had been about a month since she'd been back home for a visit. We took a big bag full of things that she wanted from home, which she was happy to receive. The dog was really pleased to see her too.

Anyway, we headed out to lunch at a local pub with a beer garden. It was so nice to catch up with her news and find out how things were going at Uni.  She seems to be enjoying it and making lots of friends.

After lunch, we popped into a few shops on the high street and then we dropped her off back at her halls before heading home. It was a lovely day and a good start to my birthday week.

On Monday, it was back to doing the weekly shop. I didn't have a really big list, after doing a pretty big shop last week, so I was able to keep costs to a minimum.  I treated myself to a new handbag from Sainsbury's with some birthday money that OH had given me. It only cost £15, but I needed a new one, as my current one hasn't worn well. Usually, I would buy second hand, but I haven't seen any that I like at car boot sales or in charity shops when I've looked lately. Here's a picture of it:

It's not my usual style, but I fancied a change.

I put a few Xmas items into the trolley today when I saw them at good prices, as it will spread the cost for me this year. Just a few bits of food here and there, an advent calender for me and a couple of small consumable gifts. I was able to use some Nectar points in Sainsburys which saved me £5 today and was a blessing. 

In order to afford Xmas presents this year, I'm putting aside all the proceeds from any online sales and I will use these to buy presents for LB and OH. I'll wait until I've got a good amount, until I spend it, but it is steadily rising, week on week. Hopefully, I'll have enough to cover the cost of Xmas if I stick to it and continue to sell things.

When I got back from doing the shop, I posted off a couple of online sales and then pottered around at home,  did a bit of financial housekeeping and then worked on my patchwork for the rest of the day.

Tuesday, I got up and got ready and out with the dog. I then headed off to the gym for my aerobics class, which was good. I was told once again, that I can't book in using my current membership, which is for a different borough, and need to buy a new membership. I decided to set one up, as I was told it only cost £1.35, hopefully it will prevent me having trouble getting into classes in the future. 

I spent the afternoon listing online and preparing and posting out a couple of parcels.

I decided not to go to the Soca Aerobics class on Wednesday. I just wasn't feeling it. I wanted to have a day where I didn't need to rush round on the dog walk and dress in gym gear, so I put on a dress and tights and had a long walk with the dog.

When I got back we received a delivery of some smokeless coal to see us through  the winter. OH had ordered 10 bags a few weeks ago and they finally came. We should be fine now for heat, electricity, gas shortages or not.

Later, in the afternoon, I did a bit of financial housekeeping.  With everything that is happening with the economy, I decided to cash in a small pension. I'd been thinking about doing it for a few months and finally bit the bullet and did it. It felt like a big decision, but I have no regrets, as it drew a line under my employment with a particular employer, which wasn't a wholly positive experience. 

Trying to get through on the telephone to do this took a long time, as the lines were so busy, which just highlights peoples' current concerns about their pensions at the moment. It took over 40 minutes to get to speak to anyone. I have a plan for what I'm going to do with the proceeds and hopefully, I shouldn't need to pay too much tax on it, as I haven't been working for the past 4 months. Having had no success so far in getting a job either, I might not be working for months to come, so I may not even reach my tax free allowance this year.

Thursday was a quiet but productive day. I spent the afternoon, sewing and making new stock to sell online.  I tried a couple of new ideas. One was a no-go, as it was way to fiddly. Another was quite quick and simple, which is how I like makes to be. I cut out fabric ready to go for when I get the urge to make more items. I also made some packaging today too, which I enjoyed. It felt good to spend time on creative pursuits.

Friday, was another creative kind of day too. I finished off some items that I'd started previously, to clear a bit of space on my desk in the sewing room. It gets very cluttered up with half made things at times.

I also had to go out to take some library books back and I picked up a few more whilst there. One was a book about the Victoria and Albert Museum's Textile collection and I was interested to note that I have some pieces of one or two of the fabrics that were in there.

I then went to Lidl to do a top up shop for the weekend, as we were running low on salad items and dog kibble. I bought a bit more than we needed, so I shouldn't need to get as much on Monday when I do the weekly shop. I was in bed by 10pm as I hadn't slept well the night before, and thankfully got a really good night's sleep.

On Saturday morning, OH took the dog out, so I decided to spend the morning listing items online. A month or so ago, I went through my vintage linen collection and decided I would sell some items, but they have sat in boxes since, awaiting my attention.  Well, this was the day and I managed to list quite a few. I'm hoping they sell. A few others I decided weren't in good enough condition to list, so I will either use them or use them for the fabric and a couple more I decided to put back in my collection. Progress was made, however.

In other news, we had a bit of a power cut today.  I thought 'Oh here we go', thinking that it was a black out, but it was actually our toaster that had tripped everything.  We only got it during Lockdown too, so it's not that old. Very annoying, as I need it daily for my breakfast.  Potato cakes done in the microwave aren't quite the same. 

I hope you've had a good week.

This Week - W/E 8th October 2022

This week got off to a very chilled start. I spent Sunday at home, pottering mostly, which I always enjoy.

I was dragged out of bed on Monday, by some news about one of the companies in which I have shares. It wasn't good news and wasn't something I could condone as a shareholder, so I decided to get up and sell the shares. I was intending to sell them anyway later this week, after some dividends were paid, but I decided that they would probably dip more in value now, than the amount I would receive, so the news just helped make the decision for me.  

I now own just three lots of shares, two that are not on a platform where it is easy to sell them, so I'll probably hang onto them for now and one other set of shares that it will cost me money to sell, as their value has dropped so much. Paying to sell them makes no sense at all. It's frankly a relief to know I have less money tied up in shares at the moment.

For the rest of Monday, I decided to do some sewing in the sewing room. I wanted to try making a few new things to sell.

On Tuesday, I went to Aerobics as usual. It was tough this week, the teacher worked us hard. When I got back, I was awaiting a call from a government funded pension information line. I'm considering cashing in a small pension and wanted to know more about my options and their implications.  It was very informative, but I still haven't made a solid decision about what I'm going to do. It's actually reducing in value currently with the state of the economy.

Wednesday, I went to Soca Aerobics. I really enjoyed it this week, possibly because I never made it there last week. It was really windy on the cycle ride there and back, but refreshingly so.

In the afternoon, I started to make some more items to sell on line and pulled out some other things to list, which I did later in the evening. I had another sale to post off today and then I got a response to a job application I made earlier in the week. I was asked to answer some questions on video, as part of the job application process. It's not something I've done before, but I'll give it a go.

We got some other good news on Wednesday, we (well, OH) won the Best Plot award at the allotment. I was really pleased for him, as he puts a lot of work into it.  I have been going to the plot a bit more since leaving work, but mainly just to harvest, so I can't take the credit. We received a £10 voucher to spend at a local Garden Centre, so I will enjoy heading over there and buying something with it.  I may use it to get something for OH for Xmas.

On Thursday, I got up and got myself ready to make the video for the job application. I'm always a bit nervous with online interviews and such like.  I had a zoom interview back before I left my job, but it wasn't successful, so I'm not sure that I come across very well, but I'll soon find out. After several attempts at recording and re-recording I was finally happy with my submissions. How the world has changed in terms of applying for jobs. I then applied for several more jobs online and had various online assessments to complete. I felt like I'd done a days work by the time I'd finished.

Anyway, the remainder of Thursday was pretty chilled. I posted off another few sales and did some top up shopping. OH took the afternoon off and started to replace the sash windows in the back bedroom (LB's room). He's changing them over from single glazed to double glazed, which should make the room a bit more energy efficient and warmer in the winter months.

Friday, got off to a disappointing start this week. I got an email from a large supermarket I'd applied to, asking me to book an interview slot.  When I got to the interview schedule page, all the slots had gone. I rang the store in question and found out that I'd missed the boat, which was a pity.  At least I now know how it works for future applications. Anyway, I applied for quite a few more jobs today, so we'll see if I get any more opportunites to attend interviews.  There are so many applicants for every job I apply for. I don't believe it when people say there aren't enough workers in the UK anymore. It's complete rubbish.

Anyway, I had booked into the gym, so went over there later, but to be honest, I wasn't feeling it so much today. I just went through the motions and came home. On Friday evening OH was out, so I walked the dog, had some supper and did a few bits and pieces, such as making some more roll on deodorant and air freshener.

On Saturday, I got up and went out with the dog. OH was out cycling, so I was home alone most of the day. I decided to do some crafting with beads. I'd bought some more in a mixed lot on eBay and was keen to use them. I have made another suncatcher, which I'm thinking of selling.  It took a couple of hours to make it, but I was happy with the result.  We'll see if anyone buys it.

I also got a couple of rejections from job applications today, which was pretty depressing. I'm grateful that they had the courtesy to let me know, but it is still disappointing. I'm finding job hunting a little demoralising if I'm honest, but it is what it is.

I ordered a few things on eBay this week, some from OH for my birthday this month, some just things I needed for making things to sell, so I've had lots of happy mail this week and parcels to open, which has been very exciting. I can't really afford to buy anything else though now, so spending and receiving parcels will be curtailed for the rest of the month.

We had a quiet night in on Saturday night. I needed to get some things together to take over to LB in South London on Sunday. OH is cycling over at Herne Hill and then afterwards we're going to see LB and take her some things and then out for something to eat.  I'm really looking forward to seeing her. I miss her a lot.

I hope you've had a good week.

This Week - W/E 1/10/22

This week began with a morning out at the Car Boot sale on Sunday and then lunch out at the pub with OH, which was a nice treat.  The rest of the day was pretty chill and spent at home.

On Monday, I did the usual weekly shop. It being the last week of the month, money was tight this week. I had to be very careful, as I didn't want to overdraw. I just don't want to go down that route again. 

I was very selective about what I chose to buy and kept it to an absolute minimum. I'm continually shocked at how food prices are going up every week. Each time I go into the supermarket, something else has gone up 10p or 20p or more. I'm having to really think about what I put in my trolley for the first time in a very long time.

Anyway, in better news, I had a few online sales to post out on Monday, which was a blessing and I got to pick up the Too Good To Go bag I'd ordered, which was interesting.

On Tuesday, I headed out to the gym to my regular Aerobic class, which was good as always. The rest of the day was spent at home, pottering and doing jobs. I can always find things to do that don't cost money, so I'm thankful for that. I did my usual month end financial round up and was shocked at how much the few shares I have left had gone down in value in the last week. I sold one more holding, as I'm not prepared to lose any more money on them. This particular holding was still in profit - just.

I started a new craft project today with some beads I bought from the car boot sale and was very happy with how it turned out. It's not quite finished, but isn't far off. I'll post about it when it is.

Wednesday, was a quiet day at home. After walking the dog and picking up a prescription on the way back, I didn't need to go anywhere which suits me sometimes. I listed a few more things online today. I've been watching a few videos about the particular platform I use, and they suggest adding listing regularly to boost the algorythmn, so I'm getting into the habit of making new listings every week. It seems to be paying off so far, as I had another couple of sales today. 

I got the all clear from my mammogram today, which was reassuring.

On Thursday, when I got up, I decided to do an impromptu wardrobe changeover, from spring/summer to autumn/winter. This is what my wardrobe looked like once I'd taken the summer stuff out:

And then once I'd put the winter items in:

It's amazing how a few thick sweaters can bulk things out. There were a few skirts and trousers too. There's a few more items in the ironing basket, so once they're done, the wardrobe should be full again.

I had a long walk with the dog and then after lunch, I spent a few hours in my sewing room diligently going through all of my drawers of fabric, to condense them as much as I possibly could. This was to free up a drawer to store listed items safely, to avoid them getting dirty or damaged. 

It was interesting that whilst going through my stash, It found a couple of fabrics that will be ideal for quilt backs, which is always a challenge, so I made a mental note of them for future reference.

I posted off a couple more sales today and made some alterations to some listings to offer better value for money and then began to create some new products to sell.

On Friday, I had a late start as I didn't sleep well. When I did get up I decided to do a little job in the sewing room that I'd been meaning to do for a while.  I needed to remove a strip of fabric from the edge of a vintage sheet I was using on the bed. It was a plain dark brown strip, which I felt contrasted too markedly with the pretty pattern of the sheet. Besides, I had another job in mind for the strip, which was to use the fabric in my current patchwork project.  It took quite a while to cut all the stitches along the width of the sheet and remove it carefully. I now just need to re-hem the sheet.

Once I'd got up and ready, I headed out for a bike ride. I haven't done one for a couple of weeks, despite promising myself I'd do it every week. I enjoyed getting out in the fresh air.

Later on Friday, as I had some money in my account, I decided to go out and do a proper grocery shop. We were running low on lots of things, as I'd done a very minimal shop this week.  I won't need to do a shop on Monday now, but may need to top up a couple of things later in the week next week. It felt good to be properly stocked up again on food and household items. I managed to get 10% off at Lidl, as I'd spent £250 in September on groceries.  This saved me around £8.50 which is a decent saving.

On Saturday, I stayed home all day, apart from walking the dog. I did some sewing to add products to my online offering and hemmed the sheet from the other day. I made a few more listings and did a bit of online research. Nothing wildly exciting. OH was out most of the day cycling and then down the pub after the ride, so I had the house to myself which was nice. 

How has your week been, mine's been pretty uneventful, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Late to the Too Good To Go Party

As the title suggests, this week I decided to try out the Too Good To Go App for the first time.  I was inspired by Frugal Lizzy Bee on YouTube. She posted a video about some Magic Bags she got from Starbucks which looked good. I've heard lots of people talk about this app, but I've never tried it out, so I thought that now would be as good a time as any. 

There were quite a few organic grocery shops and artisan bakery shops around where I live that were taking part, as well as a few restaurants, but as an introduction, I decided to stick to a high street brand that isn't too far away, namely Greggs. Partly, this was because of geography, partly because of the reviews and lastly it only cost £2.59 for a bag, which was the lowest entry point really. As it is the end of the month, I'm pretty strapped for cash, so I didn't want to go for something more expensive, but I'm open to try out lots of different places over time.

I needed to collect the bag between 5.30 pm and 6.00 pm on Monday evening.  In hindsight, Monday wasn't the best day to try this out, as it's also the day I do the weekly food shopping, so we will probably end up with more food than we need.  Next time, I'll probably purchase one towards the end of the week when we're running out of food, as it will be a nice treat. It's quite exciting, not knowing what you're going to get though.

In any case, here's what was in the bag:

1 x ham/egg salad sandwich - this is now in the fridge and I will eat this for my lunch tomorrow.

1 x Vegan Sausage and Bean Bake (the paler of the three on the plate) - I ate this for supper on the day I collected it, with some wedges and peas.

2 x Chicken Bakes - OH ate one of these on the day too and one went into the fridge to eat the next day or day after. I'm sure it will keep.

1 x Iced Doughnut - We shared this for a dessert after supper.

You are supposed to get £8 worth of food for the £2.59 paid. I think I got a little over that as the bakes cost £1.75 each and the sandwich £2.85. I didn't see how much the doughnut cost.

I think this was quite a good deal and everything was pretty fresh and tasty. I was able to choose the items I wanted from what was left in the fridge and under the counter, so I didn't end up getting things that we wouldn't eat.

I was pretty impressed.  The app even tells you how much CO2 you have saved by using up this food. In my case it was 3kg, which is encouraging.  Next month, I'll try out a couple more venues that are part of the scheme and I'll let you know how I get on.

Have you got the app and have you ever reserved a bag?

Sunday Morning at the Car Boot Sale

On Sunday morning, OH and I headed out to visit a favourite car boot sale in Hertfordshire. By the time we got there, it was about 10.30am, which was quite late for a car boot sale, so whilst I went for a look around the stalls, OH walked the dog.

I did my usual of taking just £10 with me to spend. There's not much we need, but it's nice to have a browse and pick up a few bits. I spent a little more than this, i.e. £15, as OH gave me another £5, most of which I spent of fruit and vegetables at one of the stalls.

The remaining £10 was spent on the following:

Gorilla Super Glue £2 for two tubes.  

A cosy long sleeved leopard print top for £2 and a black thermal t-shirt for 50p, which will be good for layering up in the winter months.

A pair of grey fabric gloves for 50p. These were new in their packaging.

I bought a few large and a couple of small plastic plant pots for potting on plants I have, but don't have pots of the necessary size, for £1.  These always come in useful.

Finally, the rest of my money was spent on some jewellery for crafts. I spent about £4 on these and I bought them with a specific project in mind.  One bag, which cost £2, had quite a few glass beads in it, which is what I was ideally looking for. There was quite a variety in all, that should get me started on this project. I'll post about it when I do get around to doing it.

When I got home, I removed all of the beads from the necklaces and bracelets and I ended up with a tub full of beads of multiple sizes and colours. They were a real mixture with some glass, metal, ceramic, plastic and wooden. 

A couple of necklaces that I bought for the beads, and which cost just 50p each, I couldn't bring myself to dismantle, so I've kept them for now, as they are too nice to cut up.  I may succumb at some point, as I don't think I'll actually wear them.

After the car boot sale, OH and I stopped off at a pub for lunch on the way home which was a nice treat. It's rare that he's not cycling on a Sunday morning, so when he isn't, we like to go out and do something together.

This Week - Week Ending 24/9/22

This week got off to a busy start on Sunday as it was our local Jumble Trail and I decided to take a look around for the first time in a good few years. I've posted separately about this, but I quite enjoyed it and bought a few small inexpensive items.

My sister got in touch whilst I was walking around, so we exchanged news and it was good to catch up with what's going on in each others' lives.

Later that afternoon, I had to go out to Lidl to do the weekly shop, as I usually do it on a Monday and most of the supermarkets were going to be closed to allow staff to watch the Queen's funeral.  We had run out of most things that we use daily, so a visit was necessary. I managed to spend just over £30. I didn't get everything we needed and I will probably have to do a small top up shop during the week, but I got enough to tide us over for a good few days. 

The shop and car park were so busy, and lots of the shelves were empty when I got there. It was almost like Christmas. The thought of supermarkets being closed for a day and everyone piles down there, myself included. I used a £2 voucher on this visit that I'd earned this month and I also qualified for a free pack of W5 multi-surface wipes too, which I welcomed.

Once I got home, I had a couple of small household tasks to do and I also decided to update my CV on Indeed, so that I could start applying for part time jobs. I put in a few applications. I'll let you know if anything comes of them.

On Monday, I woke up to a disturbing What's App message from LB, that she'd sent in the early hours whilst we were asleep. There'd been an incident in her halls involving a friend and she was obviously upset.  By the time I woke up and tried to contact her, she was asleep so didn't respond, so I had a few hours waiting until I could get hold of her to find out what had happened. 

Anyway, I had to skoot around the park with the dog, so that I could get back in time to watch the Queen's funeral. When I got back, I managed to get hold of LB, so I was trying to talk to her and reassure her for a while, whilst it was on TV.  Sometimes, life gets in the way, even of an event as monumental as a monarch's funeral, but I had to give priority to my daughter to be honest.

Thankfully, things were okay, but it was a serious incident and I was really worried for a while. I can't go into detail here, as it's someone else's personal story, but thankfully there was no danger to LB, although she was quite shocked and scared by what happened. 

Eventually, I did get to settle down and watch the funeral in peace. It was very moving and eloquent and I thought a very fitting tribute to the Queen's reign and life. Most of the day was spent watching the coverage, although I did stop for a while and went off to do a small cleaning job at one point. It was a long day, that has brought the previous 11 days to a close.

Later, in the evening, I did some banking and bill paying so that I was all set for the start of a new week.

On Tuesday morning, I went along to the gym to do my usual Aerobics class. It was all the more enjoyable after not being able to get there last week.

When I got back I had lunch and then had to go to the Post Office to post off an online sale. Encouraged by this, I then did some more listing for the rest of the afternoon. I only got about 5 things listed, as it takes quite a bit of time to do each listing, what with photographing, taking measurements and creating listings, etc., probably about half an hour per listing all told.  Today, I was listing mostly vintage fabrics from my collection, that I no longer want to keep. I'm hoping they will sell. I have lots more fabric to list this week or when I next get the chance or inclination.

Later, I took the dog out for a walk, and picked up this book from one of the local Little Free Libraries. I'm pretty sure I haven't read it, although I've read quite a few by this author over the years. I'm not really reading much at the moment, just not feeling it, so I'm hoping I will get back into it by reading this book.

Wednesday, I was out at the Soca Aerobics class late morning. It was good fun this week. We had the whole sports hall to ourselves. When I got back, I didn't do a whole lot to be honest. Instead I had an afternoon working on my latest patchwork project, which is my favourite thing to do at the moment.

Thursday, was a bit busier. Whilst out on the dog walk, I stopped in at my local charity shop to essentially look for some plain fabric for my patchwork project, but I couldn't find enough of it.  Instead, I found the elusive larger plant pot that I'd been looking for for a while. It cost me £4.50. 

Above is a picture of the newly potted on plant inside it in the bathroom. I like it and it cost a lot less than buying a new one of this size would. 

I also bought this large ball of thick wool or acrylic yarn. It's really chunky and nice and I've started to make a very basic pair of fingerless gloves with it, for when the weather gets colder. It cost £1.50.

I haven't been to this particular charity shop for probably 6 weeks, as I've not really had any spare cash to spend, so it was a treat. Unfortunately, someone shoplifted some expensive trainers whilst I was in there, which led to a bit of an altercation. It reminded me of work and I felt glad that I'm not there anymore.

Later, I had to head out to get some food shopping, as we were running out of everything. I then went on to B&Q to pick up some dowling for my loom, (I'd lost a piece when I was going round the Jumble Trail, and it's important to keep the sides of anything you weave straight). It only cost just over £2, but doubled the cost of the loom!

I also dropped into a local shop to get some houseplant compost, as I needed to pot on three plants into bigger pots. It felt satisfying to get that done, as it's been on my list a while. 

I applied for a couple more jobs today.  That's five now this week, I hope I hear something from at least one of them.

Friday, was a pretty quiet day at home. I dropped in to our local library and borrowed a couple of books, but otherwise it was very uneventful.

On Saturday, OH was away all day at a cycling event in Norfolk, so I had the house to myself, which is quite rare. I went to a free session at the gym in the morning and then I got lost in the sewing room for the afternoon, reorganising things a bit and trying to make it feel a little less cluttered. Not easy in this particular room. 

Later, I made a draught excluder for a door in the living room from a scrap of fabric that matches a quilt we use in this room. It is a very simple one, but it should do the job. I stuffed it with the stuffing from a cushion that had seen better days, so it cost me nothing to make.

This week seems to have gone by so quickly. Hope you had a good week.

A Wander Around Our Local Jumble Trail

Once every year, our local area organises a Jumble Trail, as do many other villages, streets, neighbourhoods all over the UK. I haven't actually attended ours for several years, but this year I decided to give it a go. 

A neighbour across the road posted on the street chat that she needed to borrow a clothing rail, so I lent her LB's, as she's away at Uni, and I said I would pop across to her stall. Having promised to do so, I did and then walked on to some other stalls in the local area.

There were a lot of stalls participating, so I was spoilt for choice looking at them, and there were some lovely things for sale, some of them real bargains.  All I really wanted to find was a large plant pot, to pot on one of my plants in the bathroom, but I didn't find one. Instead, I spent £11 on various other things. I tried to keep it practical, but a few extras did slip in.

Here's what I bought:

A limited edition print of Pegasus.  This mythical winged horse has a special significance to me from my childhood, so this instantly appealed and at 50p was a complete steal.

A child's wooden loom. I love this and got so many comments and questions from people about it as I walked around carrying it over my arm. I'm looking forward to trying to possibly weave a small rug with . It might need to be in two pieces that I then sew together, but for £2, this was also a bargain, as it's a good size.

Next, I bougth a cute notebook for 50p. Can't have too many of these, they always come in useful.

Two books, possibly Xmas presents for OH. Just £1 for the two.

Two Peggy Lee albums for £1 each. I couldn't resist these.

Some hot chilli's for OH from a community garden to support them.

Four packs of seeds for 50p each.

This piece of fabric for £1. (I don't need any more fabric, but I couldn't resist this print)

An interesting plant pot for £1.

I also bought a large spider plant from the neighbour's stall for £2.50, so I spent £13.50 in total, as I had an extra £1 in my purse and went back home to get more money to pay for the plant.

It was a fun way to spend a few hours, but I was exhausted by the time I got home.  I probably could have spent more, if I'd had it, but I don't really need much these days and I've got way too much stuff already.

Did you visit any local Jumble Trails this year?