TAKING CHARGE 24 April 06

Rain yesterday evening and most of the night so I'm working inside today, too.

I put away the Easter decorations this morning, and stopped in the basement to go through two boxes of craft "junk." Eight years leading scouts lends itself to a mountain of bits-and-pieces from crafts.

I'm trying to pull together stuff for a yard sale the first week-end in May. I've already been scheduled to work that Friday, but I may still go ahead for Saturday and see how that goes. If it's a dud, I'll just hold over and try again in June...then all goes to charity....or to the trash.

I MUST get the floors and bathrooms cleaned today, though, and I'm already scheduled to work tomorrow. MIL's surgery is Wednesday but if I get called I may work Thursday and/or Friday.

that's all from me now!
Blessings,
Lenora
"...if woman's work is never done, why bother about how much of it [isn't] getting done at any given moment?"
~ Claire Fraser in The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

I got some mail posted today that I'd been meaning to get to for a few days, and filled in the application for the Open University course I hope to start in June. I have some paperwork I have to dig out before I can send it off, so that is one of tomorrow's jobs. I should also go grocery shopping and run some errands in town tomorrow.

Nothing much to report, really. I'll try to be more interesting next time

Just showing up is good!

We've shredded and recycled tons and tons of papers recently because we bought and set up a ton of extra office furniture (IKEA) so DH and I both have our own desks now, as well as extra storage space. Since I moved to the new desk and DH finally had to sort through his old papers that meant he spent hours and hours shredding things before we went away last week. I'd like to say things are looking more organised but we still have a long way to go yet - filing and accounts all need setting up.

We've set up the printer this morning to run for both computers now, and routed the answer machine through that system too, since the printer is also the fax! Things are happening, but there's a lot more to be done yet before it really starts running smoothly. We have a card terminal arriving sometime soon, and goodness only knows how we'll plug all that in!

I think Honey and I are going through quite major transitions at the moment, and it shows! Lenora, I know you're always busy.

Kerri.

I just had my second mammoth shredding and filing session and it's still not finished. I am left with a ten inch pile of papers that can't possibly all fit into the 'misc' section of my file box, but don't fit anywhere else either. Arg. And I didn't find the papers I need for my OU application either Goodness knows where they are.

I'm going to grump off to bed with a book and a hot chocolate....

I filed my:

1st quarter unemployment report
1st quarter 941
1st quarter IFTA report

today.

I also paid several personal bills, and am about to reconcile the business checking account and check vendor statements for March.

Phew!
-Jo

They were in my handbag. I KNEW I had put them in a safe place! At least searching for them forced me to organise/chuck out lots of other papers too. Still have that 10 inch pile though.

Posted off my application to study with the Open University.

Ran several errands (including finally giving in my doctor's letter to the physiotherapy clinic). Also did a week's grocery shopping (£19.08 Kerri!) and laundry catch up. Big pile of ironing to do this evening, and helping DS to organise his room.

Bought myself a nice top

You are so controlled - I can spend twenty quid when I only went in for a bottle of milk! Even as a student I don't think I really had to scrape as much as some did. Not that I'll throw good money away as such, but we definitely eat well! That's also why I think it's our responsibility, since we're not struggling at the moment to pay a little extra for organic and fairtrade type items wherever reasonable. That would include the Green & Black's organic 70% cocoa chocolate bar I bought today!

today we got one important piece of bureaucracy out of the way - an interview to get a number for DH which he needs if we're to ever pay him (National Insurance Honey!). If they don't question anything it might come within a week, but with the whole company v. employed thing they might throw a wobbly on us.

We now have 3 lots of warehousng or more on the go, so hopefully something will come out of one of those. We're already filling up next week with appointments!

I believe we have 2 pieces of ironing in our 'pile'. The kids only started back at school this week and barring accidents they wear one shirt for the whole week. DH has a number of new semi-casual shirts which don't need ironing so that's nice, and since most of these meetings see me turning up in jeans he's given up wearing a suit - I got him down to jeans, checked shirt and suit jacket today which was just right!

I'm going to have a bath and an early night.

Kerri.

I spent a little more than that. I've remembered that I bought a few things in a different shop - 100 tea bags £1, huge jar of coffee £2 and coffeemate £1.

I am finding that on this new low budget of mine we are actually eating quite well. I always have eggs, cheese, chicken and mince along with lentils and chickpeas. Plenty of protein We have also always got fruit and veg. It's just a case of being inventive so we don't get bored.

Today DS14 has friends over for the day. I am planning on sorting out our huge supply of homeschooling books and paraphernalia.

I just spent 3 hours searching online for a mug for my father for Fathers' Day. Mum told me he had broken his favourite mug, so I was determined to find the same one ... I finally had to concede defeat a little while ago and order something similar, but I think he'll like it. Now I'm going to bed, I feel numb from the neck up. Too much internet time is not a good thing

but I didn't have any luck either. Maybe the perfect 'new' mug would still have a positive impact.

I gave in to exhaustion shortly after 10pm last night and even with a brief thing that needed dealing with before I could crawl into bed we were still sleeping before 11pm, and stayed that way till nearly half eight. It felt so much better than midnight to 7pm. And then Francis started watching a bit of snooker after we'd had quite a large lunch and I fell asleep in the chair, possibly for over an hour!

We've had meetings every day, sometimes in the dining room and other times on site looking for warehousing (yes, still!) and I've found meetings to be really exhausting. I've taken charge and asserted myself with a few emails this week though, putting myself in the middle of an existing working relationship because I felt DH was being mucked about and it was about time this other guy learned that I was now part of this and he'd have to deal with me too. I don't have the old problems with him, so I can be more of a ballbreaker!

we've done farmers' market and supermarket today, so no surprise I'm knackered really. Didn't get a hue amount at the farmers' market - cheese, lemon curd and a massive box of chocolate brownie (no nuts, which is a joy because I hate that everyone puts walnuts in their brownies!) - it must weigh at least a kilogramme if not more!! Probably doesn't make it any better that it was organic!!! And then there was the ice-cream to go with it... which is not organic.

Actually I think I outdid myself getting more organic veg at the supermarket today. There weren't any veg at the market which surprised me. Plenty of cheese, meat, eggs, cakes, wines, but no fruit or veg. I'm going to start looking around for other farmers' markets we might be able to get to.

I'm still exhausted though, and my desk looks like hell. We're a matched set at the moment!

Kerri.

I actually vacuumed the *inside* of my computer out today. DH bought the wrong RAM for his computer so we tried it in mine but it didn't fit that either. Meanwhile I degunked the inside with a vacuum cleaner. At least the fan should be cooler. Also tipped my keyboard upside down and gave it a damn good shake - piece of advice if you want to try that... do it in the garden! Mine's wireless so it was dead easy, but when I came back DH said the computer had been flashing up all kinds of weird things while I was banging the keys to get the muck out!

right, we're off to my parents' house shortly for Mum's homemade soup. I get to drop off some of the odds and ends that have been waiting to go to them, like souvenirs from our little holiday and hose attachments from the brief but successful shed clear out (inc. a timer worth 25 quid!). No use to me in such a titchy waterlogged garden. Unfortunately we have more to bring back that the kids' left from their visit - guitar, books, computer games and a bike which might not make it on this trip.

anybody's car due a service?? Get it done please. Mine was overdue for its MOT so I can't even drive it for a week! Preventive maintenance and no procrastination!!!

Kerri.