Thursday, 26-01-23

 Good morning, everyone.  It's above freezing again today although it felt really cold when I went out to the freezer.  Yesterday was damp and raw, a very bleak day;  I didn't really feel properly warm pretty much all day until I warmed up in personal training.  There's a moral there, I am sure!

Thanks for all your stash comments yesterday.  I think this whole 'keep something set by' ethos is one that's never really gone away.  My own experience is that Mum always had one open, one on the shelf and at least one set by for all the commonly used food products.  For the cleaning products and toiletries it was one open and one in the cupboard.  Don't start me on loo rolls!  They had a big airing cupboard with plenty of storage room!
So I grew up with the habit of never running anything down completely and I'm sure that is part of the reason why I get a bit edgy when the petrol tank measures half full.  It is at the moment and I'm glad it will be February soon so I can do a top up - I could anyway but am trying to budget a bit.
So, for me, it's always been a thing to have a stash, whether it be shelf or freezer which is why I'm doing a no spend!  And I am very thankful that I can.
But for some the very idea of having things left in the cupboard at the start of the week (the shopping week, I mean) is strange and they are happy to, or have to,  buy from week to week.  Sometimes it is necessity and sometimes it's choice.  The latter is absolutely fine, it's just different.  The former is not so good, is it.  Everyone should have enough money for food.

I guess in harder times we all do our best, in our own way, not to waste things.

Apart from feeling cold, yesterday went really well.  I got the shelf stash sorted - sadly, there were a few out of date items that I decided just had to be thrown out (I felt bad about that) and the whole thing was a mixture of longer term stuff and kitchen overflow.  It's all sorted out now, listed and organised with a few things brought in and the same things crossed off my shopping list for next time.

Just as I finished, a message pinged through from Chris.  She and Steve got home from badminton to find that their stopcock had been broken by the plumber working next door to them (by mistake, obviously) and not only was water gushing out, they had no water in the house.  Please could she come over and grab some containers of drinking water?  Obviously, I said yes, and dug out a couple more containers she could use.  Just as we were walking back, up drove the water board van and they got it sorted pretty quickly and, thank goodness, without any need to dig.  But it was a worrying hour or so for them, all the same.  
One plumber NOT to use in the future (although, to be fair, he did get the water board on the job very quickly indeed)!

Sharon turned up and now I feel a bit tidier again.  She always does such a great job, bless her.  Now my hair is short, it can be dry cut so that saves on time and money, both the cost of the cut and the amount of shampoo and conditioner I use.

Personal training was great - it's the start of a new block and Lindsey has definitely upped the ante, especially with the strength stuff.  She's also included more balance type stuff - my balance is very poor due to wobbly ankles and also the poor hearing/middle ear stuff.  So I'll never be great on balance but every bit of improvement helps.

Today starts with the Shimmy Snippet which is a full 45 minute SET class so that will be great.
Then Chris is over for our weekly natter and I look forward to hearing the whole Great Water Disaster story!  After all, very little exciting stuff happens round here.

Then the day's my own so what shall I do?  Well, I think I'm going to sort out my pull-out cupboard in the kitchen.  It's better than it was but it is rather disorganised and, as I'm on a bit of a roll, I may as well make the most of the current motivation.  It won't last for ever.  And I need to change my sheets so that's some washing, drying and ironing to get done - I am starting to long for days when I can dry my washing outside again now.

Better get over to Facebook and do my admin stuff over there now and then I need to get myself sorted out.  Enjoy your day, everyone, whatever the weather!  xx