Sunday, 08-10-23

Good morning, everyone.  It's really early (around 5:30) but I woke bright and breezy and feeling loads better than yesterday so I'm up and doing.  It is dry outside, pleasantly cool too, so fingers crossed for another very pleasant autumnal day.

Before I went away, I got a fair amount of garden waste into the bin but stopped because the bin was full.  I chucked two of the courgette plants, Spare and Little Runt, but there wasn't room for the main one.  Just as well because when I got home there was one big courgette ready to pick and two or three smaller ones coming along so Heir has been granted a reprieve for a few days.  A nice welcome home, don't you think?

Yesterday turned out really well.  The back behaved and I got plenty done.

I made a loaf of bread as I was nearly out - I make my bread, slice it and freeze it, taking out slices as and when needed, and the ends get cubed and frozen too, so I can make croutons.  Sometimes I breadcrumb the ends but I have enough breadcrumbs in the freezer for now.  This one was 200g wholemeal, 200g spelt and 100g white plus some mixed seeds and it's made a delicious loaf.

I divvied up all the washing plus some bits that were hiding in the washing baskets and got them all washed and line dried (yay) through the day and then ironed while watching Strictly.

I have a few things to still take out of my case and put away but I'll get that sorted shortly.

I got a letter yesterday from British Gas, one I was expecting.
You may or may not remember that when I had the solar panels fitted, I took a long hard look at my power usage and the way I wasn't in control.  For example, I relied on estimated readings and the occasional proper reading when I really should have been taking readings monthly.  British Gas had contacted me to say they were putting up my monthly payments by an absolutely horrendous amount which was a big motivation to do something.
So between before last quarterly bill and this one, I have sent off meter readings and also reduced the time I have the water heating to one session a day, early morning.  The heating, of course, has been off anyway.  The result has been a credit balance that has built up nicely - far too nicely really, so I was expecting something from them in the way of either a refund or a lowering of my monthly payments. 

 
'We can see you're currently paying too much each month . . .' said the letter.   Well, I did tell them that when they increased my payments but did they listen?  Did they heck!
So, as from November, I will be paying - wait for it - a whopping £133.50 less each month.  Yes, that's right, really.  And I have a really good buffer for when the heating does go on as it inevitably will do in the next month or so.  I'm not sure I will be paying quite enough but the heavy usage time is coming up and I am sure they won't hesitate to put it up, should it be necessary.
That's a lot of money and I'm going to increase what I put into my short term savings each month.  Those savings are why I can afford outings and holidays now and again, as well as any replacement equipment, and so on and I feel so lucky to have it there as a security thing.

Talking of holidays, guess who has booked another Elveden holiday.  Yup, me, for next April.  I'll be going on my own and staying in one of the self catering Waterfront apartments.  I've stayed there before and they're really comfortable and have a great view - I think the one I'm using has a lakeside view.
I've got this little new tradition (Val gave me the idea) of treating myself near my birthday each year and calling it a gift from Mum and Dad which, in a way, it is - well, that is my gift next year.  It's actually the week before my birthday but that's OK.

On to today and at around ten I'm popping to Morrisons to get a bit of fresh stuff and a few cleaning products I am nearly out of.  It won't be a big shop so I'm not going all the way to M&S/Aldi this time.
There's just a few things to do at home and then I will chill.  I might potter in the garden now the brown bin is empty again (thank you Steve, for putting it out for me last week) and do a bit more clearing up.

Also, I'd like to get the meals for the coming week planned.  It's never tablets of stone but it does stop my mind from going blank and reminds me to use up what needs using up.

What are your plans for today?  Have a great day, whatever you do, and be happy.  xx