Saturday 19 June 2021

Saturday Catch Up

This week.................................

My first strawberry from my six plants ripened this week - just the one so far- so I thought I'd better go and see if the big strawberry patch at BiL's was producing because I knew he wouldn't think to let me know when they were ready. Good thing I did as just the one lot of rain on Wednesday night had already started to spoil them. Brought home a colander full but some were already too squishy for jam. 1½ pounds popped into the freezer for later. I'm just going to make a few jars for the Christmas Hampers.

Friday was exciting as the information about my State Pension arrived.  I'm only entitled to the basic State Pension as most of my life was spent at home with children but it's still nice to know I have some money coming in each month as well as the spouses pension from the County Council. I'm frequently thankful that Colin loved his job as a bridge inspector and stayed long enough for the pension.

Flowers on the table this week are some of my own roses, thanks to the previous owners there are plenty to pick. They don't last long indoors and even less time outdoors when it rains. The Peonies and Geums also got flattened with Wednesday night's and Friday's rain although it was much needed everywhere else.

Weather forecast for Sunday isn't looking hopeful for a car-boot sale so not many plans for the weekend. On Saturday I just have to go and show my ID to book the hire of a turf removal machine thingy so I can make my raised vegetable beds. Decided that would be much easier than any other method when I tried to dig some slots for the wooden bed sides to sit in - Much Too Hard. According to the Gardeners World website if I stack the turf upside down and cover it, it will rot down and provide some good soil to add to the flower and veg beds in a year or so.

Hope there are some dry spells for the tennis to get finished at  Queens, then its a countdown to Wimbledon starting on the 28th.

This week I've been grateful for
  • Some rain for the garden
  • Strawberries from BiL's garden
  • Tennis on TV
  • Time to do some cross stitch
  • A quiet swimming session
Have a good weekend wherever you are. I shall be back Monday.
Sue

18 comments:

  1. I had been a stay at home mum too. I was able to claim stare oension on my late spouses contributions. That was fourteen years ago but it might have changed. Could well be worth your while to find out,xxx

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    1. I've had a look and what I'm getting is actually more than the basic. I think it's based on years of child benefit received.
      I have enough to live on - thats the main thing!

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  2. I ended up paying in an extra £4000 over a few years just to be able to get the basic pension, once I am entitled. Like you, stayed at home or lived abroad with the Forces. Constantly moving moving it difficult to keep in work.

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    1. I though what I was getting was the basic but seems it is actually more so all OK

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  3. So pleased you got your pension sorted out, you might be entitled to pension credit if your pension is not very high.
    We had rain all day yesterday which has really bad for the tall foxgloves and my big poppies but the rain was needed.
    My D. Is taking me to some open Gardens tomorrow so look to get dome plants and an outing for it is a village I have not been to before.
    Enjoy your weekend Sue and everyone.
    Hazel 🌈🌈

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    1. With 2 pensions coming in I won't be entitled to anything more.
      Weather forecast is iffy for Sunday so hope your trip out stays dry

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  4. Surely you're entitled to some additional pension based on Colin's contributions? It's not as if you didn't work!

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    1. I didn't work much at all - only paid NI between ages of 18 and 25 and then self employed low contributions for a few years with the campsite. My pension and the spouses pension is enough for me to live on

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  5. We are desperate for rain here Sue - have not had a drop..

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    1. That's strange, usually much wetter in your part of the world. Forecast for next week here is very unsettled too

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  6. As you may know from my blog, my berries are in and now pretty much gone. It looks like there might be a few stragglers but I'll settle for what I had. And good news on getting the pension settled. Those things are always frustrating and a good chore to be done.

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    1. I'm hoping to have a raspberry bed in my new garden sometime - they are my favourite and expensive to buy.

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  7. I, too, cut flowers before it rains. Your red rose is beautiful and must have a lovely scent. Fresh, home grown strawberries are so much better than the grocery store strawberries. Your plan for a raspberry bed is excellent - raspberries are my favorite as well.

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    1. I'll be able to have a few roses in for several weeks I think, unless we get more rain everyday to knock all the petals off.

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  8. I like roses as well. I like to cut some and bring in house. I hope Phil will be able to dig holes and put 2 more rose bushes in the ground. We went from rain a week ago to now being hot. 100 degrees F. on Monday. Phil is going to rent a chainsaw to cut wood in half that my sis and hubby are getting in a couple weeks. Cheaper than having to buy one. There are some fires happening in a few spots in Oregon as it's been dry. Two are in forest areas. Hopefully firefighters will get it taken care of and people don't lose houses and animals again. Have a good weekend!

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    1. Phew! thats too hot.
      I do hope the USA doesn't have the huge fires like last year. We saw them on the news here - very frightening

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  9. It's lovely that you have some flowers already coming through to cut for indoor enjoyment this year, that rose is really pretty.

    I applied for and got credits for all the years I had as a stay at home Mum and claimed Child Benefit, so like you I should get a full pension. Actually I already have enough contributions banked although I am not officially able to retire until a month after I'm 66 ... not that long to go now though!!

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    1. I gave them all my details and address changes etc and let them work it out and as it seems I shall get almost as much as Brother in Law is forecast to get in 4 years time after working from 16 to 61 then I reckon I'm OK!

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