I've been buying lots of stuff like GIN at amazing prices, as an indulgence, because, as The Intrepid Grandson* put it to me the other day -' You remember Great-grandma died? well, she left us a lot of money'. That depends on your definition of a lot, but a) I have more disposable income, and b) I figured that I'd be helping small-ish businesses survive by buying stock they couldn't get rid of through the usual channels.
* some of that had made its way to his parents, who bought him a Lego Millennium Falcon** as a way for him to have some joy from her money, and to remember her.
** no, of course not the giant one - that would be silly!
Also plants, chocolate, shorts, flowers, a hosepipe, wine, and a new washer-dryer, delivered and installed. The council are coming for the old kit tomorrow morning - must remember to remind Mr. S to lug it out to the kerb tonight.
I've saved quite a lot of money during the last couple of months. I've not been buying coffee or lunches out (not that I did either more than once or twice a week.) My gym membership is on hold and I got a total refund of this term's tai chi class and a partial one for my writing class which is now on zoom. I haven't been to my hairdressers or dentists both of which are expensive either.
I've no room for new furniture or gadgets, but I have bought some nice new earrings and a few new clothes. I've also re-discovered GIN, maybe the next bottle should be from one of our local distilleries. I'm considering a hosepipe too @The Intrepid Mrs S . I only have a small backyard, filled with pots, but wandering round with a watering can is time consuming. Also my acer has gone nuts, and I have to clamber under it to get to the pot to water it. Maybe a YouTube video on how to trim it is what I need, as it is now taking up a large amount of space.
Last night’s tea was a homemade meat-free feast of paneer and spinach curry, veg curry and dahl, with paratha for the boys. There’s some dahl and veg left over so I might put them in the venison stew and dumplings I’m cooking tonight.
Been for my morning walk (and popped to the corner shop) and am now having a cup of tea and a pastry before watering the garden. I have a day off so might do some sewing and even some housework.
we've not been eating out, or buying lunches at work, but because all 4 of us are in the house, all the time, our supermarket bills have been a lot bigger.
We've been helping the local independent toy shop and DIY shop stay afloat by joining in with their "order remote and we deliver/you collect at our shop door" days
and at the same time, we've used Amazon for a new digital SLR, batteries, printer ink, and a few other things, and John Lewis for a DAB radio and a trampoline(which is taking up a large proportion of the garden) so we've not exactly been saving much money.
The only area we're spending a lot less than before is not being able to go out and try (and buy) clothes (and take them back again when they change shape on the way home ). Not much of an issue for me and my wife, but a bit trickier with growing children.
Celebrated out wedding anniversary on Sunday by NOT cooking dinner. Had a delivery from a family owned pizza restaurant in the next town. Mr RoS had a pizza 'Florentina', and I had a panuozzo vegetale. Could have just strolled round the corner to a chain pizza takeaway place, but that didn't feel like a treat.
Yesterday I made a sort of leftovers shakshuka with cooked peppers and some courgette/onion/tomato stew from earlier in the week, and the leaves off a bolting swiss chard from last year's planting.
Should clear that bed, to make way for some Florence fennel, but it is still producing loads of leaves, so it can wait until next weekend.
Looks like chard will be a dinner ingredient for the next few days.
Until the weekend, so was my sister - the garage was absolutely full of it. My nephew called round on Sunday with his kids, and S. got them to break up the boxes, which we then packed into the biggest box ready to go to the tip once it opens.
In fairness to her, some of the packaging was from pre-lockdown purchases, and like you, we've been the beneficiaries of a family legacy (the sale of Dad's house came through the day after David died). Quite a lot of the purchases have been either food or garden-related things - she's now the proud owner of three birdie bistros, which are being happily patronised by the local avian life (and a couple of squirrels).
It looks like another nice day, so I think I'll go for an amble before it changes its mind - I think there may be RAIN in the forecast for later.
I think there may be RAIN in the forecast for later.
Is outrage!
Is needed by the gardens!
I mowed our lawns on Saturday and with hindsight it was a mistake. They were very dry and dusty and are now completely brown all over so we're watering them every night and hoping the forthcoming rain will revive them. Later that evening, over a drink on the patio, Mr Nen said he'd read somewhere you shouldn't mow lawns in May. Bit. Late. To. Tell. Me. Now.
I'm definitely spending less than I was before, although my weekly supermarket bills are significantly higher which I suspect is due to essential alcohol supplies (yes, I bought GIN this morning) and other little treats. Without Zumba classes or lunch and coffee dates, and not travelling to work, plus Slimming World being online and half price, there's not a great deal to spend money on. I was considering membership at the local leisure centre once I finished work, but there's so much different exercise stuff available online for free that I won't be doing that. Once things are a bit more normal I'll probably just pick up the odd class for social reasons as much as anything else.
In other news I trimmed my fringe again this morning with reasonable success. I've had several compliments about my hair and as Nature's Platinum Highlights are showing more than they have for years I am surprised and grateful and wondering whether to let things take their course and save a packet at the hairdresser.
We’re spending more on groceries despite only going to Waitrose every few weeks. The weekly organic meat and veg boxes are expensive (but we used these before lockdown) and I go to corner shop a couple of times a week to pick up a few items. The Waitrose shop tends to be a big one. The increased expense is generally due to have 4 people here all day and the teenage boys have big appetites but we must be saving elsewhere as my husband isn’t eating out with colleagues and my youngest previously bought lunches at school. My eldest is making a profit as we haven’t stopped his monthly university allowance and he has nothing to buy.
I'm spending more on the supermarket shop, because I'm shopping once or twice a week rather than cruising the yellow stickers several times a week and then picking up any extras we need. Because I can only go shopping once a week, I can't shop around for things the way I would normally. I'd also be going to the theatre (on cheap tickets) or music so I'm saving that money, however I've spent a bit on music to support musicians who are really suffering through this as they don't qualify for any of the Government's packages. I've reminded myself that I need to put another donation in through the theatre organisation I'm linked in to.
It's hard to say whether we're spending more or less on groceries. On the one hand we don't get to go to the big supermarkets, so there's not the temptation to opportunistic buying. On the other I probably over-buy when I get a delivery slot as not sure when I'll get another. Though that is easing up - got into Sainsbury's for the first time in 10 weeks.
This morning tho' I bought a summer jacket online. (Baggy. Lilac. Ruched sleeves.)
I don't think I've saved much money, though that is also from the fact I was doing a no-spend year anyway. I've saved what I would have spent on gym membership, coffee shop coffees, bus fares and the occasional charity shop book (roughly £100 per month in total, from looking back at my monthly spends on my budget app), but I'm spending considerably more on food than I usually would. Like Ck, I usually mostly buy food from the yellow sticker reductions sections, but they've been generally empty during lockdown, except for the first couple of weeks. I've also had a fruit and veg box delivered a couple of times, which I don't usually have. And when I go to the supermarket, I am trying to be quite fast in selecting food, so not being as careful with considering and comparing prices as I usually am. I've also bought more crisps and chocolate than I usually do, feeling the need for comfort food.
Plus I am using more electricity and water, being at home all the time. In usual times, I don't always have two baths a day, because I go swimming at the gym sometimes in the evening, with a shower after, so then I don't have an evening bath. And in usual times I am often charging my ipad and phone at work or in coffee shops or at the gym, but now I always charge them at home. Plus I've started wearing my Apple watch again, to help me monitor my health, and that needs charging daily.
I have also saved money on massage therapy and osteopathy though, now I think of it, which I usually budget for having once a month. So I think I have saved money overall. My bank app shows I have more money than usual in my account, which should make me happy, but I really miss my massage and osteopathy. I haven't had either since February. I don't like saving money when it's from my health budget, because that feels like I'm just paying for it with my health instead, so it's more of a loss than a gain. I try to massage myself with apples (because I can't find my tennis balls, and the fruit and veg box had too many apples) and spiky plastic balls, and I try to do osteopathy on myself against the trees in the woods, and it helps a bit, but is not the same.
I did save £20 on tickets to the opera - I had two discount £10 tickets, to see two operas in April. I'd bought the tickets in October and had been looking forward to it, so I was sad about that. They phoned me to refund me. The trouble with saving money is that if you are careful to spend what you have only on things that are very important to you, then you don't actually want to save the money, because you had considered your purchase carefully and decided that what you were purchasing was more important than keeping the money.
Our food bill has gone up as the Dragonlets are home for lunch and snacks. Term-time weekdays they're fed by school (and Dragonlet 1 is young enough for that to be free) or childcare. We're also buying a bit more of things like nice cheese as a treat.
I've just splashed out on a smartphone as my very basic old one was broken and I have just bought a specialist yoga app to encourage me to exercise more. (It was on a decent special offer or I'd have stuck to free YouTube videos.
Clothing wise, there will probably have to be new shoes soon for growing feet and Dragonlet 1 has had some t-shirts. His sister has had the hand-me-downs, but thankfully as they're not that big for their age and reasonably slow-growing despite their appetites, a lot of last summer's stuff still fits them. I've been prowling eBay for new shorts as my work maternity wardrobe doesn't cover the need to chase after children when working from home!
Our Unexpected Guest cooked dinner on his own this evening: pork medallions in a mushroom and white wine sauce with mangetout, purple-sprouting broccoli and new potatoes, followed by wild strawberries and ice cream.
He's spent the past few days tidying the shed and renovating two steamer recliners that were advertised as "free to collector" in the Farm Shop. The cushions are horrible so I'm going to take apart carefully so I can see how to make replacements, then maybe the UG will have a lesson on the sewing machine
I got some pretty upsetting news yesterday - it looks like I'm about to lose my job. 😥
At this point I'm basically at the "wallowing in self-pity" stage. I saw one ad for a job that would suit me and sent my CV immediately, which made me feel better for a moment but now I'm back to wallowing again.
I got some pretty upsetting news yesterday - it looks like I'm about to lose my job. 😥
At this point I'm basically at the "wallowing in self-pity" stage. I saw one ad for a job that would suit me and sent my CV immediately, which made me feel better for a moment but now I'm back to wallowing again.
Oh no 😢
My son, the pilot, is unsure too. EasyJet are going to make 30% of pilots redundant. They are deciding/negotiating who.
These times are hard. I have a friend who was made redundant when Thomas Cook collapsed last year. Now she's actually quite pleased it happened then as she secured a job with Great Western as a train manager. These are such hard times for people in what we all thought were "secure" jobs in "growth" industries.
There will be a knock-on effect elsewhere of course, including churches, if people have no disposable income.
... my son has just lost his wife and his dreams for the future with her.
O my goodness - I'm so sorry to hear that.
La Vie - very sorry to hear about your job - the current economic climate doth verily suck.
I'm lucky that (so far) my sister's been prepared to give me a roof over my head; I'm contributing a bit to the food bills and doing the cooking, so I don't feel like a total sponge, but my savings won't last for ever. I'd really love to be able to get a place of my own, but although there are places I could afford to buy outright, I couldn't actually run a house without getting a job (having not lived in the UK for 17 years, I doubt very much that I'd quaify for any benefits).
After all the rain we got last night, it doesn't look like too bad a day today, although much cooler than it's been (no bad thing IMHO), so I'll go and amble shortly.
Supper this evening will be a chicken stir-fry thing - the last of the current order from Hello Fresh.
The daughter of one of our congregation has just lost her job, though they didn't make her redundant until her first (and only) year with them was past, which AIUI means that at least she gets some redundancy money.
Another member's teenage daughter had just started with Thomas Cook when they collapsed, and AFAIK hasn't yet found another job.
As @Piglet says, it all doth verily suck, as so many of these upsets are a direct result of The Plague.
{{votives}} for all those whose families are affected.
I have to wait until next week to find out exactly what the situation is, but I fear my employer (who I always thought well of until now) is going to try a constructive dismissal, because they don't want the world outside to know that their financial situation is such that they're getting rid of employees. Verily it sucks very very much and I think I may be needing a lawyer.
Boogie, your poor son, hope things aren't so bad for him on the job front.
So many marriages are struggling in lock down - more time together than normal and all the stresses and strains making things difficult. Plus all the other support has shut down.
My idiot neighbour (IN), the one I fairly regularly rant about, has managed to shout at all his neighbours, including me. His diatribe against me concerned the fence that blew down early on or just before lock down. It originally enclosed the back garden behind our block, separating it from the neighbouring car park which has had an interesting history through the two decades I've lived here: used for "fixing" and torching cars by one neighbour for a few months it then featured as a well-known site for dogging and drug dealing for a while. Since then the lighting has improved, but salubrious it's not.
The IN decided the fence looked scruffy so he took it upon himself to balance the two full and two part panels precariously on a lamp post, what was left after the full volume grunting, scraping and swearing as he manhandled them. Result: no improvement in appearance. Yes, I could have tried to stop him, but much past experience tells me that it's quicker and easier to sort it out quietly later.
Flat on the ground with all the cross bars sticking up the fence was a significant trip hazard, particularly at night. Removed it opened up the garden and back of the flats to all comers leaving the end downstairs flat tenants, a mother and young daughter, unsafe and exposed, particularly during a heatwave when nobody wants to sleep with windows shut. After consultation I moved the fence panels back to acting as an improvised barrier.
My manoeuvres were quiet and discreet, but I admitted 'twas I when the IN started ranting at the gardeners last week, attracting a stream of invective. Apparently he had spoken to the landlord and I shouldn't have interfered. Arguing with an irate autistic man doesn't work, so I ran a mental commentary: what did he say to the landlord? because mostly undamaged fence panels flat on the floor shouldn't be harder to inspect than mangled, propped one on top of another against a lamppost, should they? Did they say yes to shut him up? Or what did he misinterpret? And pot, kettle, black to interfering, the previous housing manager spent all her time telling him not to interfere. And he hated her, said she was useless.
His excuse is 1) that he's not getting any of his normal Alcoholics Anonymous or mental health support, so he's all good getting upset / losing his temper. Having seen him buy whisky in the supermarket earlier this week to fuel another of his rants, colour me unconvinced. And 2) that he's going soon. My tongue hurts from biting it on: "can't be soon enough" and "10 months we've been promised this, when are you going to actually follow through?"
We're definitely not enjoying the complete lack of time to ourselves unless we lock ourselves in the bedroom (singly or together). Splitting up sucks, especially when you need the shared income to see you through, and there is nothing to do outside the house to distract oneself.
I suspect a lot of companies, especially smaller ones in cut-throat industries, or with circling creditors, will be trying to obfusticate how bad things are in an attempt to avoid going under. Being 'let go' is awful, and I am very grateful that I work for the NHS in the current climate. My sister-in-law had just started a new job in charity fundraising at the start of March but was told she was surplus to requirements by the end of the month and had to plead with her previous employer to put her back on their payroll to get furlough payments.
My son and daughter-in-law both work in the theatre; he as a technical stage manager as a costume maker. Both are freelance although she does regular work for one company. Our son's work dried up overnight in March although he has been able to receive some money (not as much as he'd hoped) through the Government scheme. Still it has kept the wolf from the door. But there is little prospect of any work, whether in theatre or events, over the next few months at least. D-in-l's work also dried up and she was ineligible for any Government money as she had maternity leave. She is now back at work part-time due to some work being carried out for non-British theatre companies. But there is big uncertainty over the future there too; although there will be a big demand for costumes when theatres do open up there is a real question about how many will have survived the crisis. And of course this pattern is repeated for so many.
My eldest son is a Ballet pianist - well-enough paid, but self employed. His work dried up almost overnight in March and who knows when it will start again. A very worrying time for him and his family ( a wife and 4 children). As this is a Christian Website (!) mention must be made of the parish church where he is organist and choir master - they have carried on paying him all the way through the lockdown and regularly ask him if he needs extra help. His view of 'The Church' as an entity has been so enhanced by the response of one little village church. Actions speaking louder than words!
I have grumped about what a bloody slog it can be at the moment but reading stuff like the above makes me realise that I am incredibly lucky to have what I have - we are both in full employment still, so full salary, with a house, a garden, and space outside that we can spread into for things like walks. No-one we know has died, though maybe one or two passing acquantances may have.
It also makes me feel rather guilty in that sidling British way that maybe I shouldn't have it so good. Can't win...
Well, this afternoon someone gave husband en rouge the number of a good lawyer. She is 99% certain my employer is breaking the law, and thinks I can walk away from this with a big fat cheque.
The next few weeks are still going to be horrible, but I'm feeling a bit better about it.
@Sandemaniac - have you seen all the folk musicians out there who are really struggling? They're all falling through the safety nets in the same way that theatres are. Buying albums or signing up for one of the online gigs would help them in a small way.
Mention must be made of the parish church where he is organist and choir master - they have carried on paying him all the way through the lockdown and regularly ask him if he needs extra help.
Our church Playgroup staff have been furloughed but fortunately we have had enough funds in hand to make their pay up to 100%. Of course these are not full-time staff.
Buying albums or signing up for one of the online gigs would help them in a small way.
That's a very good suggestion, thank you - we are already paying, in a very small way, anyone who was on the bill for Cropredy this year (we usually get tickets in December...), will have to have a look-see.
Seconding what @Sandemaniac says - we are almost embarrassed by how little we have been affected. Retired and living in a big house in the country, it's only the lack of contact with friends and family that's really causing us problems. So yes, we've been trying to support the weird theatre groups we'd be queueing up to go and see, buying CDs from our favourite sax player, and paying the NT for their 'National Theatre at Home' programme, and so on.
So sorry to hear all today's bad news, @Sarasa , @Boogie , @'la vie en rouge'
Today is the day my sick pay runs out. I've been trying to go back to work since the end of March but have been delayed by HR and OH. My union are on the case but everything is so damn slow.
Usually at this time of year I would be marking exams, but they've all been cancelled and the thanks I get from AQA for nearly 10 years of marking is "sucks to be you, we're not paying you anything".
Although things aren't great in my wider family, an ill brother, a sister-in-law whose work in film PR has vanished and a mother in a care home that I haven't seen since mid March, I'm aware how lucky my immediate family is. My husband is working half from home and half a cycle ride away. My son's company was working harder than ever, so much so that my son was ending up doing six/seven day weeks. That's because European companies in the same line of work closed down. Now things are easing off in Europe and with Brexit coming goodness knows what will happen. However as a chemist if the worst came to the worst at least he could set up in business making hand sanitizer or something! Apart from not being able to do my usual classes live for me is pretty much as normal, though I am getting bored at not going out and seeing people. But I'll take boredom over excitement at the moment. I too have been trying to donate to places that might be struggling like my local theatre. @Arethosemyfeet, hope something gets sorted out regarding sick pay etc soon.
My lifestyle hasn’t been materially affected by covid but my own and my husband’s health has; I still have the health effects of covid after 11 weeks and life outwardly looks normal to others but isn’t inside. Luckily the setbacks in my physical health haven’t been matched by any in my mental health, despite having to share the house all day with 3 others (currently me and my 19 year old both sitting at the kitchen table). But I’m aware we are lucky as a family, my eldest’s university seems more proactive than others in setting work, my nearly 16 year old has been given a place at the sixth form of his choice without waiting for GCSE results, my husband’s business hasn’t furloughed or laid anyone off, and working for the OU means my work is secure, sympathetic and manageable with my health issues (how anyone in a manual job with post-covid symptoms manages I don’t know).
Today I walked for 2 1/2 miles, the longest since developing covid (actually the longest since January and the broken toe). Managed my rapid pulse by fluid intake, regular rests and flexing my leg muscles. It’s an odd scenario to have to think about how you manage a walk but necessary for the moment; I’m currently sporting a bright red haemorrhage at the front of one of my eyes because last Saturday I did some gardening in the hot weather and my pulse shot up. But my breathing seems to be improving so that’s good news and I think everything will improve over time.
Last night’s tea was some rather nice pork chops in mushroom sauce with potato wedges. Lunch is cheese toasties and I’m currently baking a banana and condensed milk concoction to use old bananas up.
I’m not sure what to have for tea, looks like the sausages need using up so might do pasta with sausages in tomato sauce. This morning I’ve soaked some tapioca in a spare pint of milk to bake these evening
Charities are also suffering due to the lockdown - we are members of a preserved railway which has launched an appeal to raise money to cover the necessary overheads.
They have put together a fundraising pack of a tote bag, tea towel and pen, so as you can guess, we now have a W&L tea towel, tote bag and pen!
Comments
* some of that had made its way to his parents, who bought him a Lego Millennium Falcon** as a way for him to have some joy from her money, and to remember her.
** no, of course not the giant one - that would be silly!
Also plants, chocolate, shorts, flowers, a hosepipe, wine, and a new washer-dryer, delivered and installed. The council are coming for the old kit tomorrow morning - must remember to remind Mr. S to lug it out to the kerb tonight.
Mrs. S, drowning in cardboard packaging
I've no room for new furniture or gadgets, but I have bought some nice new earrings and a few new clothes. I've also re-discovered GIN, maybe the next bottle should be from one of our local distilleries. I'm considering a hosepipe too @The Intrepid Mrs S . I only have a small backyard, filled with pots, but wandering round with a watering can is time consuming. Also my acer has gone nuts, and I have to clamber under it to get to the pot to water it. Maybe a YouTube video on how to trim it is what I need, as it is now taking up a large amount of space.
Been for my morning walk (and popped to the corner shop) and am now having a cup of tea and a pastry before watering the garden. I have a day off so might do some sewing and even some housework.
We've been helping the local independent toy shop and DIY shop stay afloat by joining in with their "order remote and we deliver/you collect at our shop door" days
and at the same time, we've used Amazon for a new digital SLR, batteries, printer ink, and a few other things, and John Lewis for a DAB radio and a trampoline(which is taking up a large proportion of the garden) so we've not exactly been saving much money.
The only area we're spending a lot less than before is not being able to go out and try (and buy) clothes (and take them back again when they change shape on the way home
Yesterday I made a sort of leftovers shakshuka with cooked peppers and some courgette/onion/tomato stew from earlier in the week, and the leaves off a bolting swiss chard from last year's planting.
Should clear that bed, to make way for some Florence fennel, but it is still producing loads of leaves, so it can wait until next weekend.
Looks like chard will be a dinner ingredient for the next few days.
Until the weekend, so was my sister - the garage was absolutely full of it. My nephew called round on Sunday with his kids, and S. got them to break up the boxes, which we then packed into the biggest box ready to go to the tip once it opens.
In fairness to her, some of the packaging was from pre-lockdown purchases, and like you, we've been the beneficiaries of a family legacy (the sale of Dad's house came through the day after David died). Quite a lot of the purchases have been either food or garden-related things - she's now the proud owner of three birdie bistros, which are being happily patronised by the local avian life (and a couple of squirrels).
It looks like another nice day, so I think I'll go for an amble before it changes its mind - I think there may be RAIN in the forecast for later.
Is outrage!
Is needed by the gardens!
I mowed our lawns on Saturday and with hindsight it was a mistake. They were very dry and dusty and are now completely brown all over so we're watering them every night and hoping the forthcoming rain will revive them. Later that evening, over a drink on the patio, Mr Nen said he'd read somewhere you shouldn't mow lawns in May. Bit. Late. To. Tell. Me. Now.
I'm definitely spending less than I was before, although my weekly supermarket bills are significantly higher which I suspect is due to essential alcohol supplies (yes, I bought GIN this morning) and other little treats. Without Zumba classes or lunch and coffee dates, and not travelling to work, plus Slimming World being online and half price, there's not a great deal to spend money on. I was considering membership at the local leisure centre once I finished work, but there's so much different exercise stuff available online for free that I won't be doing that. Once things are a bit more normal I'll probably just pick up the odd class for social reasons as much as anything else.
In other news I trimmed my fringe again this morning with reasonable success. I've had several compliments about my hair and as Nature's Platinum Highlights are showing more than they have for years I am surprised and grateful and wondering whether to let things take their course and save a packet at the hairdresser.
Nen - no longer earning so watching the pennies.
We have taken to shopping at our local corner shops, which is probably more expensive but much nicer.
Overall, we are quids in but would prefer if it were otherwise. I am aware that we are the lucky ones.
MMM
This morning tho' I bought a summer jacket online. (Baggy. Lilac. Ruched sleeves.)
Plus I am using more electricity and water, being at home all the time. In usual times, I don't always have two baths a day, because I go swimming at the gym sometimes in the evening, with a shower after, so then I don't have an evening bath. And in usual times I am often charging my ipad and phone at work or in coffee shops or at the gym, but now I always charge them at home. Plus I've started wearing my Apple watch again, to help me monitor my health, and that needs charging daily.
I have also saved money on massage therapy and osteopathy though, now I think of it, which I usually budget for having once a month. So I think I have saved money overall. My bank app shows I have more money than usual in my account, which should make me happy, but I really miss my massage and osteopathy. I haven't had either since February. I don't like saving money when it's from my health budget, because that feels like I'm just paying for it with my health instead, so it's more of a loss than a gain. I try to massage myself with apples (because I can't find my tennis balls, and the fruit and veg box had too many apples) and spiky plastic balls, and I try to do osteopathy on myself against the trees in the woods, and it helps a bit, but is not the same.
I did save £20 on tickets to the opera - I had two discount £10 tickets, to see two operas in April. I'd bought the tickets in October and had been looking forward to it, so I was sad about that. They phoned me to refund me. The trouble with saving money is that if you are careful to spend what you have only on things that are very important to you, then you don't actually want to save the money, because you had considered your purchase carefully and decided that what you were purchasing was more important than keeping the money.
I've just splashed out on a smartphone as my very basic old one was broken and I have just bought a specialist yoga app to encourage me to exercise more. (It was on a decent special offer or I'd have stuck to free YouTube videos.
Clothing wise, there will probably have to be new shoes soon for growing feet and Dragonlet 1 has had some t-shirts. His sister has had the hand-me-downs, but thankfully as they're not that big for their age and reasonably slow-growing despite their appetites, a lot of last summer's stuff still fits them. I've been prowling eBay for new shorts as my work maternity wardrobe doesn't cover the need to chase after children when working from home!
He's spent the past few days tidying the shed and renovating two steamer recliners that were advertised as "free to collector" in the Farm Shop. The cushions are horrible so I'm going to take apart carefully so I can see how to make replacements, then maybe the UG will have a lesson on the sewing machine
At this point I'm basically at the "wallowing in self-pity" stage. I saw one ad for a job that would suit me and sent my CV immediately, which made me feel better for a moment but now I'm back to wallowing again.
Oh no 😢
My son, the pilot, is unsure too. EasyJet are going to make 30% of pilots redundant. They are deciding/negotiating who.
There will be a knock-on effect elsewhere of course, including churches, if people have no disposable income.
But my son has just lost his wife and his dreams for the future with her. I dearly hope he doesn’t lose his job and home too.
La Vie - very sorry to hear about your job - the current economic climate doth verily suck.
I'm lucky that (so far) my sister's been prepared to give me a roof over my head; I'm contributing a bit to the food bills and doing the cooking, so I don't feel like a total sponge, but my savings won't last for ever. I'd really love to be able to get a place of my own, but although there are places I could afford to buy outright, I couldn't actually run a house without getting a job (having not lived in the UK for 17 years, I doubt very much that I'd quaify for any benefits).
After all the rain we got last night, it doesn't look like too bad a day today, although much cooler than it's been (no bad thing IMHO), so I'll go and amble shortly.
Supper this evening will be a chicken stir-fry thing - the last of the current order from Hello Fresh.
Another member's teenage daughter had just started with Thomas Cook when they collapsed, and AFAIK hasn't yet found another job.
As @Piglet says, it all doth verily suck, as so many of these upsets are a direct result of The Plague.
{{votives}} for all those whose families are affected.
@Boogie, I'm very sorry about your son.
Boogie, your poor son, hope things aren't so bad for him on the job front.
So many marriages are struggling in lock down - more time together than normal and all the stresses and strains making things difficult. Plus all the other support has shut down.
My idiot neighbour (IN), the one I fairly regularly rant about, has managed to shout at all his neighbours, including me. His diatribe against me concerned the fence that blew down early on or just before lock down. It originally enclosed the back garden behind our block, separating it from the neighbouring car park which has had an interesting history through the two decades I've lived here: used for "fixing" and torching cars by one neighbour for a few months it then featured as a well-known site for dogging and drug dealing for a while. Since then the lighting has improved, but salubrious it's not.
The IN decided the fence looked scruffy so he took it upon himself to balance the two full and two part panels precariously on a lamp post, what was left after the full volume grunting, scraping and swearing as he manhandled them. Result: no improvement in appearance. Yes, I could have tried to stop him, but much past experience tells me that it's quicker and easier to sort it out quietly later.
Flat on the ground with all the cross bars sticking up the fence was a significant trip hazard, particularly at night. Removed it opened up the garden and back of the flats to all comers leaving the end downstairs flat tenants, a mother and young daughter, unsafe and exposed, particularly during a heatwave when nobody wants to sleep with windows shut. After consultation I moved the fence panels back to acting as an improvised barrier.
My manoeuvres were quiet and discreet, but I admitted 'twas I when the IN started ranting at the gardeners last week, attracting a stream of invective. Apparently he had spoken to the landlord and I shouldn't have interfered. Arguing with an irate autistic man doesn't work, so I ran a mental commentary: what did he say to the landlord? because mostly undamaged fence panels flat on the floor shouldn't be harder to inspect than mangled, propped one on top of another against a lamppost, should they? Did they say yes to shut him up? Or what did he misinterpret? And pot, kettle, black to interfering, the previous housing manager spent all her time telling him not to interfere. And he hated her, said she was useless.
His excuse is 1) that he's not getting any of his normal Alcoholics Anonymous or mental health support, so he's all good getting upset / losing his temper. Having seen him buy whisky in the supermarket earlier this week to fuel another of his rants, colour me unconvinced. And 2) that he's going soon. My tongue hurts from biting it on: "can't be soon enough" and "10 months we've been promised this, when are you going to actually follow through?"
I suspect a lot of companies, especially smaller ones in cut-throat industries, or with circling creditors, will be trying to obfusticate how bad things are in an attempt to avoid going under. Being 'let go' is awful, and I am very grateful that I work for the NHS in the current climate. My sister-in-law had just started a new job in charity fundraising at the start of March but was told she was surplus to requirements by the end of the month and had to plead with her previous employer to put her back on their payroll to get furlough payments.
It also makes me feel rather guilty in that sidling British way that maybe I shouldn't have it so good. Can't win...
Hugs to all who need them. Wish I could do more.
AG
The next few weeks are still going to be horrible, but I'm feeling a bit better about it.
Still devastating. I'm deeply sorry.
Many difficult stories here... thinking of you all...
That's a very good suggestion, thank you - we are already paying, in a very small way, anyone who was on the bill for Cropredy this year (we usually get tickets in December...), will have to have a look-see.
So sorry to hear all today's bad news, @Sarasa , @Boogie , @'la vie en rouge'
Usually at this time of year I would be marking exams, but they've all been cancelled and the thanks I get from AQA for nearly 10 years of marking is "sucks to be you, we're not paying you anything".
@Arethosemyfeet, hope something gets sorted out regarding sick pay etc soon.
Today I walked for 2 1/2 miles, the longest since developing covid (actually the longest since January and the broken toe). Managed my rapid pulse by fluid intake, regular rests and flexing my leg muscles. It’s an odd scenario to have to think about how you manage a walk but necessary for the moment; I’m currently sporting a bright red haemorrhage at the front of one of my eyes because last Saturday I did some gardening in the hot weather and my pulse shot up. But my breathing seems to be improving so that’s good news and I think everything will improve over time.
Last night’s tea was some rather nice pork chops in mushroom sauce with potato wedges. Lunch is cheese toasties and I’m currently baking a banana and condensed milk concoction to use old bananas up.
I’m not sure what to have for tea, looks like the sausages need using up so might do pasta with sausages in tomato sauce. This morning I’ve soaked some tapioca in a spare pint of milk to bake these evening
They have put together a fundraising pack of a tote bag, tea towel and pen, so as you can guess, we now have a W&L tea towel, tote bag and pen!