Tomorrows post will be about Halloween so I'm doing my End of October post a day early. A month when I have felt unwell a couple of times with something last experienced 20 years ago. On the whole though it was a decent month weather wise although why we had to have rain for the last car boot sale of the season I don't know, and it turned much colder quite suddenly............Back to taking a hot water bottle and my microwave heat pack to bed again.
I did some garden clearing, until this last week, but there is still so much Buddleia to cut back and all the perennials out the front. I'm going to get BiL over with his chainsaw to cut one buddleia back much further than I can do. Plus the Flamingo tree died suddenly in the dry weather of the summer so that will need to go too.
The month hasn't been too spendy but I accidently put one birthday present purchase on the wrong card so that will catch up with me next month. Two lots of diesel, Council Tax, charity donations, monthly electric bill, phones and broadband and my laptop Windows update came to £444 this month.
I found a couple of things for Christmas gifts and there were two birthday presents. In the house I spent out on a new kettle and the window cleaner came. From boot sales came the new ceramic pumpkin for the bookshelf display for £1 and the Summer Chintz jug also £1 also from boot sales a nearly full roll of baking parchment for 20p, Christmas crackers for £1. I stocked up with bird food from the market stall for £12 - should last until the new year. And for myself some second hand books and a new Puzzler book.
Food is still going up in price - I noticed milk is up another 10p for 4 pints, that's an increase of 30p since April but I did call in at the nearest proper butchers and picked up a large bag of lamb scrag for stews for £3 and then found a nice big gammon joint for Christmas for half price = £7 on Diss market.
November is round the corner, always a month when I try to spend as little as possible except for Christmas presents etc., while still visiting as many Christmas Sales and Fairs as I can. Some Saturdays in November there are three, in three different villages, on one day. I gave up the idea of coffee and cake at each sale when this happened last year!
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We have our first frost this morning after really damp weather so I’ll be catching up indoors for the morning. I really need to sort out the study which means that I need to put stuff away where it belongs as it’s been dumped in the study while we were decorating. Time to look out my old faithful duvet coat and boots I think. Catriona
ReplyDeleteNo sign of frosts yet down here. Last winter we didn't get many at all
DeleteHot water bottles, simple solution aren't they to the colder nights. I just felt chilly in the house despite having a long sleeve t shirt and fleece top on. I looked at the temperature and it was a very acceptable 19 c so put another jumper on top of existing layers - feel much comfier now.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
My hot water bottle has a furry cover and keeps warm all night - very handy in the mornings
DeleteYou've reminded me to start thinking about my Christmas shopping.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue.
Christmas present shopping worries me nowadays - sign of getting old I think
DeleteIt is cool, cloudy and raining lightly here for a day or two. The frost overnight covers the lawn in the early morning. The season has changed.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I have bought a few presents.
Food prices are steadily increasing here too. One trip to the grocery store is a minimum of $100 and this does not fill the carriage with items.
Multiple boot sales in one day shows there is a lot in the resale market. So, there are bargains to be had which is very nice.
I hope your PCP resolves your re-occurring medical issue. Ideally the solution will be the same as it was 20 years ago.
Food prices never go down do they?
DeleteDecember is my Oh My Goodness month for spending as house insurance, car insurance and MoT are due . . . not to mention cost of Christmas on top. We are all having a frugal one this year.
ReplyDeleteBB, I got my house insurance renewal date moved to August as I was also dealing with it at Christmas - sort of helped! x
DeleteI'll need heating oil soon as well as Christmas presents, there's always something. House insurance and dentist too - Aaagh!
ReplyDeleteWe are getting rain right now, but by the time the evening falls for good there will be some of the white stuff floating to the ground.
ReplyDeleteNext month we have some vehicle things that need doing before the winter, and our house insurance is due (which of course went up).
God bless.
I'm saving up my PC Points for the Christmas meal so almost have that covered although it means shopping in just the one store. Also working on the yard cleanup which seems to be never-ending!
ReplyDeleteApart from illness you appear to have had a reasonable month. Always good to get some presents under your belt.
ReplyDeleteI am a lover of tea and cake and bearing in mind I don't drink alcohol, we don't eat out often, I don't smoke , buy secondhand etc I think it's a reasonable treat. Village coffee mornings are cheaper than cafe prices. When I have a long morning of chores in town I buy a cheap bun from Lidl and use my reusable mug for a free coffee from Waitrose. Yes I'm a Waitrose card holder and no I don't buy much there!
Penny