Saturday, 30 September 2023

End of September

 And before we had time to appreciate it September has gone.

A decent month here in the East weather wise compared to many parts of the country, no storms and quite mild so the grass kept growing and the patio doors were often open.

My Low Spend September was foiled by paying the second half of my sofa and chair but as I would have paid it in October anyway it doesn't really make much difference.

As promised here are pictures. The colour is a sort of green/gold which hasn't really come out well in the photos. I do like plenty of scatter cushions to liven things up! 3 came with the sofa and chair, 4 from boot sales and two cushion covers bought from Dunelm have been put on old cushions.



I'm very pleased that I moved shelves around so that the space between the leather recliner and new settee was big enough to get through and  I was able to fit in a slightly larger 3 seater as it's now big enough to lay on properly.
My old sofa was just 4 inches too short for stretching out and I do like to stretch out of an evening when I'm reading!


I've got a quote to replace my patio outside of those patio doors next spring. Some of the old slabs will be used round the corner where the old oil tank once stood and the rest will be stored down the side entrance way ready for relaying sometime in the future. Making the path there two slabs wide instead of one and to stop the  mess of weeds/plants/shingle.

Apart from the furniture the rest of spending was just below normal. Only one fill up with diesel for the car which  means there will be two next month and food spending was lower than usual and that just means it will be more next month! No getting away from buying food and diesel and paying Council Tax, electric and phone bills.

My last two books read in September have both been really good. 

Book 7 was  Jane Thynne- The Words I Never Wrote. Fiction. (Published 2020) This is the story of two English sisters  Irene and Cordelia born in the early 1900's. As they grow they are very close always confiding in each other but when Irene marries a German Industrialist in 1936 she is whisked away to Berlin. Cordelia then gets a job as a journalist in Paris. As Europe heads towards war Cordelia begs her sister to leave Germany but with her husband being a Nazi sympathiser it's not as easy as it sounds.  70 years later, in present day New York, Juno Lambert buys a 1931 Underwood Typewriter which once belonged to  well known American journalist Cordelia Capel and finds an unfinished novel.  Juno decides she wants to know more about Cordelia and Irene to fill in the blanks about why the sisters became estranged.

The 8th book of the month, finished yesterday has been a fascinating read. Published in 2022 after Monica Wilde decides to live off foraged food for a year. This isn't as crazy as it sounds because she is an expert . Here is her website  


Luckily she lives in Scotland where many things are available that are not found here in arable Suffolk and it's just incredible what is available if we just knew about. It took me several days to read and I really enjoyed finding out about her year of foraging.

Lots more lovely free library books to read in October - thankfully because in October there are more family birthdays to buy for and a visit to the dentist on Monday - Lovely! Plus all the usual expenses and I'll keep an eye on the heating oil measuring thing and get the tank filled before the end of the month.

Hope you have some enjoyable things planned for the weekend

I'll be back Monday
Sue

35 comments:

  1. I've often found that when I have a big expenditure I somehow unconsciously reduce my spending in other areas. The cushions look great on the new furniture.

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    1. I think my October spending will be average except for getting in heating oil and 3 family birthdays all within 6 days!

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  2. I love your new furniture and the additional cushions! A sofa long enough to lie on is splendid! I hope you will have many cosy winter evenings!

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    1. I like having the different colour cushions for a plain sofa

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  3. Your living room looks absolutely lovely, Sue. Cosy and comfortable and so welcoming. Cushions are great for a splash of colour or pattern, I agree. xx

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  4. It looks lovely and cosy, just in time for cooler days. Xx

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  5. It looks a very pleasing and coordinated room with comfortable furniture and a few good books. What more could you ask?

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  6. We sit on very similar leather recliners with a foot stool, hubby's is larger then mine, it lovely to read with your feet up.

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  7. Lovely comfortable furniture, very inviting to relax on.

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  8. That's much better and your children will be delighted (smile). I notice that the arms are a bit higher than normal which will be ideal for reading when you are stretched out.

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    1. I jokingly told Granddaughter that they wouldn't be allowed to sit on them!

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  9. Your new furniture is lovely and I'm with you on the cushions, I always use one yet most people will move them out of the way when they sit down. I think they add to the look in a room too.

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  10. Love your new furniture. The foraging book looks like a great read.
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. The list of foraged things that she ate is very long and she had wild meat too - an interesting read

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  11. Your new furniture is beautiful with lovely lines. For comfort and style, seating with a high back is always preferred. The gently curved arms and wood legs are also very pleasing. Being able to lay on the couch with a cozy blanket and a good book sounds especially perfect for the Winter months. Great purchase!

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    1. I'm very pleased - makes the room seem bigger

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  12. I do like indoor views, and yours is so welcoming, I'd like to visit.

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  13. You made a good choice in furniture. I've noted that J. Thynne book to look for. Sounds like one I'd like.

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  14. The new furniture looks really nice and very co-ordinated with everything else. It's all looking very cosy ready for Winter ... I can't believe we are about to tip into October already!

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    1. It's a very long time since I've been co-ordinated!

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  15. Comfy, cosy and a good book to enjoy, Bliss !

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  16. The colour of the new furniture is beautiful and I have similar cushions! Enjoy being able to stretch out and read on your comfy new sofa. Catriona

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    1. I like having lots of different cushions for splashes of pattern and colour

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  17. Your furniture is such a lovely colour and looks very comfortable. I love stretching out to read too.

    God bless.

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    1. End of the day reading laying on the sofa suits me well!

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  18. I love lying on the sofa reading, woodburner alight, sometimes radio 3 playing quietly in the background, pot of tea, gentle lamplight … ah there’s the catch, I should sort out a proper reading light for this winter. Thanks for the book recommendation, which I have reserved from the library, along with another recent recommendation, “Steeple Chasing” by Peter Ross which might appeal to you (and Bovey Belle) too as the author travels around Britain looking at churches. Sarah in Sussex

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  19. I really like your furniture style and color. Sept was an expensive month for us plumbers and dentist appointments did us in.
    Cathy

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