Happy with my bills

Hello me hearties. I haven't got any fresh veg left because I want to eat out of the cupboard and freezer for a few more days. I have plenty in the freezer to keep me going, seems daft to leave it in there forever and a day, it's got to be eaten sometime, might as well be now. 

Frozen chips indeed. Yes I bought a bag of these as something different, can't remember when I last bought them, that long ago I have forgotten. Yes, a bag of potatoes would have been cheaper, but I don't make real chips in a pan at home, I don't have a chip pan, and I'm certainly not doing them in a frying pan on the hob with all that oil spitting all over the place. These oven chips are cooked under the grill, turn once. Half a tin of spag hoops, and two scrambled eggs, my dinner tonight. I just fancied this and it was very nice. 

I am sorting out my spare room, aka the fabric store, plus all manner of stuff I collect because it might come in useful. It's going really well. The ladies at crafty club took some of my excess off me this morning, things I knew I was unlikely to get round to using. I've found some bits for the charity shop as well.

Three bills dropped through my door last week which will be paid tomorrow. I'm not too bothered by regular bills because I know more or less how much money they want from me. I email my gas and electricity readings in monthly, and they use these to calculate an amount. I last emailed on 25th September and the bills were dated 5th October, so there is a bit of a gap there. I see they have estimated what I have used during that gap, and they are pretty close so I am happy to pay them.

I get both gas and electricity from SSE, they are the suppliers, but my account is with Ebico, a not for profit organisation. I have no penalties for paying quarterly, and I have no standing charges. Everyone pays the same price per kwh. So, my gas bill is for £4.04, and my electricity bill is for £36.75. My electricity bill is always more than gas, probably because I have this computer on a lot. It rises slightly in the winter due to lights going on earlier.

My gas bill is obviously low in the summer months because I don't have any heating on. It will go up a bit in the winter. I think it is so low because I have been having a lot of meals which require little or no cooking. A lot of salads, and one pan meals, the shorter the cooking time the cheaper the meals are. Even a pan of veg stew made with fresh veg only takes about ten minutes on the hob, and if I use a big pan to make four portions, three of those will get heated in the microwave.

I only heat a tank of water if I am going to have a bath, why do I need to have a tank permanently full of hot water? I can boil a kettle to wash a few pots in the sink or wash my hair.

The other bill I have received is for £28.10 payable to Severn Trent Water. This covers the period from April to October, and is for surface water drainage. I will get another bill shortly from Anglia Water, it will be around £37, that's for clean water into the house, and a small amount of that will be sent on to Severn Trent for removal of dirty water through the sewers. Being on a water meter works best for me because I am in control of how much I use.

All cats are in for the night, they don't seem to want to go out much these days. Mayze spends a lot of time on my bed, she loves snuggling under the top cover, I often find a bump in the bed when I get in. Heidi is due for a vet visit later this week, we are getting to the end of her tablets. Best let the vet check her over and get some more. Bugsy is still camped out on the living room table right next to me. Boy does he yowl when I don't serve up the right food. Today they got a treat, I buy bags of cheap frozen white fish and microwave it for them. They love it.

Right, I'm off now. It's not yet 7pm and dark already. I still have to go and do my walk. I could have a day or two off but I don't want to drop behind. The extra I did last week has boosted my total, I will finish October over the target. Hope you are all keeping it up, no slacking now the weather is getting cooler. A good fast walk will keep you warm.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Breath in

Hello. I've got the sloppy habit of draping my trousers over the banister, because I can't be bothered to put them in the wardrobe and keep taking them out. I wear trousers all the time, alternating between four or five different pairs, so to have them handy makes dressing and undressing a lot quicker and easier. 

Some of them I haven't worn for ages, so I thought I had better try them on and see if they still fit. I think I have gained an inch or two around the middle, so best to check. 

Oh heck. These are my last pair of black denim jeans, it must be over five years since I last wore them. At one time I was always in denim and I preferred black rather than blue. They are a size 12 and the label inside says waist 26 inches, hips 37 inches. Looks like my bottom is not a size 12 any more. Nope, it isn't, the tape measure says I am 29 waist and 39 hip, so that's more like a 14. 

Maybe if I just breathed in I could perhaps manage to fasten them up. Yep, can do that. However, I can imagine that spending any length of time with my insides squashed up like a vacuum packed trussed up chicken would result in horrendous abdominal pain as my wind struggled to find the way out. I also doubt very much that I could sit down. Nothing for it, these will have to go to the charity shop. 

I don't think I need to be too worried about an extra inch or two, these are a perfect fit and so comfortable. They are lightweight and lined, with elastic around the back and a drawstring at the front, and supposedly a size 10. Very strange. It pays to try on clothes before you buy, not all labels tell the truth.

I had visitors this morning. Brenda and her family called in on their way to a caravan and camping rally at  Sandringham. The car was loaded up with three bicycles, they are hoping to get some rides in while they are there. I hope the rain stops for them and it brightens up a bit. Brenda very kindly gave me a bag of fabric which she doesn't need. I'm having fun sorting through it and adding it to my piles in the stock room. I'll take some to crafty club next week to see if the ladies can find a use for it.

I forgot to take a photo while they were here, but Brenda has one so I'm sure it will appear on her blog when she gets a minute to write up her trip report. Her link is on the sidebar, but here it is if you want to look out for the picture.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

I can't possibly throw her out.

Hello. I need to do more decluttering, I have too much stuff. I keep revisiting cupboards and drawers, going through things over and over again. Do I really need this or can it go. Maybe I should keep it, it might come in handy. I have had this a long time, and can't let it go, always excuses as to why I should keep things. I have too many pairs of socks, why do I keep the holey ones? Some of my sweatshirts are faded, stained, and worn out, maybe they will be useful for wearing around the house. 

Sometimes I am in a brutal mood and put things in bags and take them to the Age UK shop, but no matter how many times I do this, I still have far too much. Things find their way into my house when I am not looking. I need to balance it out and take more stuff to the charity shop. 

But what to take? I've found a few things here that I have had for many a year, they have moved house with me several times, I can't leave them behind, or give them away. 

My first and only baby dolly,  it must be about 60 years old. It still has the same romper suit on, and it has a lazy eye. I called it Amanda after my German Grandmother. Poor dolly is losing it's stuffing, the rubber arms and legs have perished and it's falling apart. I can't possibly throw her out. 

My jewelry box from when I was about 13. It's got a red silk lining with a tray dividing the top and bottom. I never had any proper jewels to put in it, just a few chains and beads. This has to stay.

My mum's musical jewelry box, she had it for as long as I can remember. I love to lift the lid and listen to The Blue Danube. Mine to keep forever.

Mum's transistor radio. I always used to nick this and take it to bed with me and listen under the covers. She used to put it in her handbag and take it with her when she went out anywhere. She was a big fan of Derby County Football Club and always listened to the match on it. I have to keep this.

These books belonged to my dad, he had a big collection of film books which he kept in a cupboard in the living room. we weren't allowed to read them, but often sneaked them out when he wasn't looking. I got into trouble once because I scribbled in one with a pencil. After he died we had to sort his few belongings out and his book pile was thrown away. I kept these. What a shame that I didn't keep them all, they would have been collectors pieces now. I might as well keep these, they are not taking up much space. 

Oh well, back to the drawing board, these things stay, but surely there must be more stuff lurking in my house that I can move on. I'll have a check round.

Do you find it easy to declutter, or do you hang onto stuff? How do you decide what you actually need to keep, or what you can manage without?

I haven't done much in the garden today. Crafty Club this morning, and I took Rocky for a check up at the vet this afternoon, and to get some more medication as we are just coming to the end of the bottle.

I was tired last night after all that brick humping so I didn't do a walk. I must go and do it now. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Domestic help wanted, must be cheap.

Hello. I do have some cleaning equipment in the cupboard under my kitchen sink, but every time I open the door a hot sweat comes over me and I go all fluttery. My brain starts to panic at the thought of actually reaching for a cloth and a bottle of whatever. I take a few deep breaths and try and focus. I say to myself, 'come on, you can do this'. I was not put on this earth to drag a Dyson around, or flick the dust off the picture rail. There's no fun in that, but today I made an effort. I have some people coming this week, so I need to tart the place up a bit. 

First this mess on the table. There's allsorts of crafting bits and bobs here. I'm sure it can't be me leaving things lying around, I wonder who is doing it ;o)

The window is clean, inside and out. I have moved a lot of stuff upstairs, and put a clean cloth on the table. It's a bed sheet by the way, This is a work table which the cats jump up on to sit in the window sill, so no point in putting a posh table cloth on, it would get ruined, and I have plenty of bed sheets. The window sill cover is also a bed sheet, folded to fit.

Remember the four years of dust, well it's gone now. Imagine all the time I have saved by not dusting it every week. The mantlepiece has quite a shine on it. That will do nicely for another four years, or until I get some more visitors.

Tomorrow I have the bathroom and kitchen to clean, they won't take long as I am not quite so slovenly where food and washing is concerned. Housework does not turn me on one bit, if I could afford it I would employ a cleaner. Now that's an idea, I'll have a look at the budget to see if I could stretch to a fiver a week, ha ha. They don't cost much, do they?

Thanks for popping in. Catch you soon. Toodle pip.

Chucking the rubbish, recycling the might be useful's.

Hello. A trip to the vet was called for this morning, Rocky is not having a very good time with his arthritis at the moment. An anti inflammatory injection was administered, and a slight increase in dosage of his medication was advised. We'll see how that goes over the next few days. I took him to the park yesterday and took his buggy to push him around. He had a little sniffle about in the grass and picked up a few doggy smells, then enjoyed his ride. He is happy being outside with me when I am working in the garden, though it is too hot for him at the moment so he sits in the shade. 

I've got round to using up the last of the decorated paper I made at the Crafty Club. The piece was just enough for a paperback book cover. This time I have sewn on a lot of sequins, and the top and bottom are sewn together with a running stitch, instead of a blanket stitch on the previous one. I like the finish of this one. 

I wanted to tone the white down at the front of the Bespoke Summerhouse, so I mixed some dark blue emulsion paint with yellow gloss paint which made a nice light shade of green. Much better. Still the floor to do, looking for some paving slabs. I also cleared out the wood and rubbish at the back of the garage, and painted that a pale cream colour. Looks a lot more tidier now. 

Today I took a load of rubbish to the Council tip. I almost threw this paste table in the car as it was, but then thought if I take it apart I can maybe use some of it for other projects. Some useful bits of wood there, and screws. The tops were the only pieces that got chucked.

Everything I took was rubbish, fit for nothing else, but peering in the huge skips I saw lots which could have been re used. I took a fancy to a wooden sewing box, a lick of paint and it could be given another life. Taking things out of their skips is not allowed, there are cameras covering the site. I asked the man if I could have the sewing box, but of course he couldn't give me permission to take it. When I got home I emailed the council to ask about their recycling policy, why couldn't people take things which could be used again. We'll see what their reply is.

While I was there I got chatting to someone who was throwing some household stuff away from an open top trailer. I had a look in it and asked what this was. He said it's like an underlay for laying floorboards, peel the plastic off and it's sticky, fix the boards to it. I thought it might come in useful for something so he said I could have it.

He also let me have this, a distressed plant stand. I might paint it as I don't like the shabby look.

Glen asked how much weight the cat food box table would take. About eight and a half stone actually, ha ha. The boxes are very strong, and it has many layers of papier mache and wallpaper covering it. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip

Pimp my sun visor

Hi de Hi. Phew, it's been a hot 'un today. I've been busy inside and outside. The garage needed sorting out, it was a right mess. Everything came out, rubbish is now in a pile waiting to go to the tip, and everything to keep is back inside nice and tidy. 

Anyone remember this? I made a little table ages ago, one of my reuse and recycle experiments. Guess what it's made out of? I thought I had thrown it out ages ago. 

Here is a picture of the bottom of it. Cat food boxes. They are so strong, if you fasten them together and cover them with papier mache, and paint it, you can make furniture with them.

 I lost my union jack sun visor, left it on the train when I was on holiday. Daft thing to do I know. That's the second one I've lost. I bought another one for 50p but I don't like it very much, so I've dug an old one out that I recovered. The fabric has faded and it looks a bit scruffy, so I think it's time recover it again. Here are the pieces, stitches unpicked, to use as a pattern.

 Here is the original, twas pink, also faded and scruffy.

I looked in my stash for something which would make a nice visor, and found this. 

If you have a dirty old sun visor and want to recover it this is what you do. Sew the two pieces together, right sides facing.

Turn it the right way and pin it over the peak. Hand sew it on, both sides. It doesn't matter if the stitches aren't very neat because they will be covered up by the band.

Put the middle of the band to the middle of the peak, turn a hem under, pin it on, then sew it on with tiny stitches. Then turn a hem under on the inside and stitch that down. Next fold under a hem all the way along to the ends of the band, hand sew it together to make a flat tube. Add velcro for the fastening.

And there you have it, one new sun visor. Keeps the sun out of my eyes, I love it.

In my mini chopper today....cranberries, dried fruit mix, almonds, and peanuts. As a topper with a banana, grapes, and plain yogurt. This was my elevenses. Very nice.

Must go, got to get the cats in. Catch you tomorrow.
Toodle pip

Re organizing my space

Hello. It's been a damp and dreary day here in North Lincolnshire, best place is indoors. I woke up with a few ideas of what to do today, could do some sewing, could do some cooking, or I could move my big computer down into the living room. Now it is running perfectly it's a shame to leave it upstairs while squinting downstairs at the little netbook. 

So what's to be done. I have a large front to back living room with a table at each end. This corner next to the table at the front is wasted space at the moment. An ancient treadle sewing machine which I never use, (ought to really), and a writing bureau which has some crafting stuff stored in it which I don't use very often. On the top of the sewing machine are storage boxes full of more crafting stuff which I often dive into, so I want to keep them close at hand. The space could be better utilized. 

I do my sewing here at this table, so the machine can stay here.

That's better. The telephone socket comes into the house here, so that's handy for the router. Those wires dangling down are for the tv aerial and the satellite dish, neither of which I use, so I'm thinking about chopping them off.

This office desk will fit in the space perfectly, all I have to do is get it downstairs. It weighs a ton, I bought it second hand years ago from an office furniture warehouse for £30. A bargain and it's ever so sturdy.

I think I'm going to need these.

That's the wood removed, next dismantle the frame.

Bit by bit it all gets moved downstairs, and cleaned. Now how does it fit together. I should have marked what goes where.

 YAY, dunnit. Everything plugged in and switched on, and it works.

Now I've got to get the writing bureau upstairs. The treadle sewing machine is too heavy to move very far so that will have to stay in here, I'll find a space for that. There is room under the desk for the plastic storage boxes, and then I've got to move the second desk in the office to underneath the window so the cats can jump up into the window sill. I think I'll get my dinner before I carry on.

I must say it's nice getting back on this big computer again, the screen feels gigantic after that little one. I much prefer a real full size keyboard as well. Yes I think this arrangement will suite me better. I used to spend a lot of time in the small office, now I prefer to be all on one level. Shall I move my bed downstairs next, ha ha. The next move might be to a bungalow.

Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip

Sewing for the planet

It's been a sunny Sunday here in North Lincolnshire, so I have divided my time between indoors and outdoors. A walk to visit a friend. Tidying up in the garden. Wash hair. Dyson all through downstairs and half way up the stairs, couldn't be bothered to do any more. Wash pots. Sewing. And made a start on the decluttering. I cleared two shelves, and that's as far as I got. 

I need to sort the fabric into piles, from heavy to light. Then what shall I do with it? Put it all back in neater piles? I need to get rid of it, I need to use it up. and get it out of the house. So, I have a plan. 

What is easy to make? Yep, shopping bags. I am going to make lots of shopping bags, well, maybe not lots, but quite a few. Keep going til I get fed up of doing the same old thing over and over again. Then I am going to give them away. I am going to take them with me when I go shopping, and give them to random people outside Tesco who haven't brought their own bag. I am going to ask them not to take a plastic bag and to keep their new bag in the car for future use. I am not going to sell them as I don't need the money, and our cat rescue has enough at the moment. It's not about making money, the fabric cost virtually nothing, it's about getting the message across, doing my bit for the planet. 

So, making the bags is part of the decluttering. I've picked these four pieces out for the next bags. They are quite heavy fabrics, a bit like upholstery fabric or thick curtain fabric.   

Here's two I made earlier. The dark one on the left is very heavy fabric, I thought I would have difficulty getting the needle to go through it. Although bulky it was fine.

I have some sad news for you. My poor rigger boots have finally given up the ghost. After many years of protecting my feet from the harsh terrain of quarries, the mountains of mud on building sites, and the many winters of unloading lorries in slushy conditions after a heavy snowfall. They are now kaput, defunct, and not fit for purpose. 

I remember when me and RB met. I was working at Rugby Cement, I had searched everywhere for a pair in my size, but no one stocked small sizes. I went to the stores in the cement works and told them of my dilemma. Aha, said the man behind the counter, you might be lucky, and he went round the back and came out with a size 5. I tried them on, just like Cinderella, and they fit. Someone had mistakenly ordered them and they had been languishing at the back of the stores for a long time. How much I asked. He couldn't give them to me because I wasn't employed by the cement works. You can have them for £5, he said. I handed my cash over, and I was the proud new owner of my very own rigger boots. Now I was one of the lads, YAY :o))

So dear RB, you have served me well. You have been my friend for a long time and I am sad to see you go :o(( 

Before I go, I have read your comment on yesterday's post, Anon 'N', and will give it some thought for a future post. I see several people have replied, thank you everyone for your useful comments.
Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip

I'll get on with the decluttering....maybe tomorrow

This morning I made up my mind that today was the day I am going to sort out, declutter, and tidy the spare room. This room in the past has been the stockroom for my business, hence the metal shelving. Now it is mostly crafty stuff which has taken over. Oh dear, what a mess, it badly needs seeing to. 

After breakfast I spent an hour or so on the rag rug, I am wanting to get that finished, but I think I will need some more teeshirts. I will make enquiries about when the car boot sales start again.

The weather wasn't too bad this morning, a bit chilly but dry, so I decided to go for a walk in the park at 12 o clock. I'll start the decluttering later.

When I got back it was lunch time. I opened a tin of mixed bean salad, and put half of it in a dish with a portion of carrot soup that I had made and frozen. Zapped it in the microwave and ate it with a couple of slices of granary bread. Just the thing to warm me up.

At about 2pm I thought I'd better make a start on the room. I'm not sure I want to do this :o(

 Oh gawd, boxes of stuff everywhere. I made a start.

Then at 4.30pm my tummy was rumbling, better get the dinner on. I haven't got much left in the way of fresh food, but I have enough to make a three day stew. It's supposed to be a Rustic Ratatouille, that's what it says on the packet, even though mine looks nothing like the picture, ha ha. Worth a try with an out of date packet from the cash and carry for 20p. Anyway, my version of it is butternut squash, four small potatoes, one onion, the other half tin of mixed bean salad, and three handfulls of pasta. It tasted so nice I had to go back for second helpings. This should take me through till Sunday, I'll go shopping early next week. I have four eggs left and stuff in the freezer I can eat. Sorry about the blurry picture, I am no good at taking closeups with a flash.

I had a lovely surprise in the post today, the postman doesn't normally knock on my door. A lovely blogger friend sent me a parcel. I have some pretty red fabric, golden ribbon, a stretchy key chain, a fridge magnet, packets of seeds, green cobwebby fabric, and something to soothe tired feet. Thank you very much Sue G, I am chuffed.

It's blowing a hooley outside, looks like it is going to be a miserable weekend weather wise. Best get on with the decluttering then. I'll get onto it tomorrow. Hope you have a nice weekend.
Toodle pip.