Charity shop shopping

As part of my getting out and about, I went into town earlier in the week and had a look around the charity shops. Theres not many to be honest and the prices aren't as cheap as they once were. One of my favourite charity shops is British Heart Foundation and they had quite a few items in my size. I bought a few that a liked and spent about £15. I thought that I'd get a few more tops for work as I always wear the same old stuff and although I thought £15 is a lot to spend at the charity shop, its still less than what you would probably spend on one new item at the high street stores. I bought ;

Spotty scoop neck Next top.
Black and white patterned top with a waterfall neckline.
Black M&S top
Floral Dorothy Perkins top.
Fuschia coloured M&S Autograph top.
Checked scoop neck blouse.

Some of the things are not my usual colours or style but I thought I'd just mix things up a little. The black and white patterned top my husband tells me is a bit zany but it looks ok with my black work skirt. The floral top I have worn and had a few compliments already so it can't be all that bad.

I also had a green patterned see through top from the Scope charity shop, priced £4 which I thought was a little high but I bought it as I liked it once worn. I picked up a green camisole top for underneath from the nearby Bon Marche shop. Again green is not my usual colour but I thought I'd give it a go.

Trolley bargins

Yesterday we went to the supermarket and timed it just as the lady was there marking down the items. When I first started blogging you seemed to get lots of reductions at the shops but now I find they are few and far between. We rarely seem to get anything nowadays so last night was an exception. Heres what we had :

3 packs of pasta reduced from £1.95 each to 39p each.
Lamb chops reduced from £4.83 to 97p.
4 packs of Beef steak mince reduced from £4 each to 80p each.
2 Gammon steaks reduced from £4 to 80p
Salmon fillets reduced from £4.50 to 90p.
Aberdeen angus mince reduced from £3.75 to 75p.
Jaffa cakes reduced from £3 to 45p.
Pasta reduced from £2.15 to 43p
2 packs of sausages reduced from £3.29 per pack to 66p each.
Lamb steak reduced from £4 to 80p
3 crab and cod bakes reduced from £3.60 to 72p each.

This little lot came to £12.15 when full price it should have been £64.61.

I am particularly looking forward to the cod and crab bake. The lamb chops and gammon we are putting towards a BBQ we are hoping to have. The mince will be used for spag bol, chilli and the like.

Trying to get back to normal

After my recent events I have been at home on sick leave. I will be going back to work in a few weeks. Being at home I have been doing lots of thinking about lots of things. One of which was my job. I did contemplate handing my notice in but I think I was feeling a bit rash so have decided not too. Besides I would be foolish as they are always talking about making cuts and if they wanted to get rid of me they would have to pay me off. I have 12 years service so it would be silly to walk away from that. The first two weeks of leave I was just at home, not getting dressed and just mainly staring at the artex patterns on the bedroom ceiling as well as noticing how many cobwebs I had around the place. To be fair , medically, I was in no fit state to be anywhere other than home due to the physical symptoms I experienced. My first sick note was from the hospital. When that expired I had to see my GP. He is a lovely doctor and was very sympathetic and kind and wrote my note with no hesitation. He asked me what I had been doing so I told him truthfully nothing. In fact the day I went to see him was the first day in that fortnight I had been dressed. He told me not to stay home as it would make me worse dwelling on things, it sounds obvious but until he told me that it hadn't occurred to me. So in the week or so since I saw him , I have been getting out a bit more. I went to see some local relatives last week which was nice. This week I have been out by myself just for an hour or so at a time. Monday I treated myself to some 'chazzing' and found a nice top for the grand sum of £2.49. Today I have been to the hairdressers as I hadn't had my hair cut since March and it was getting a bit mop top hair shop again. Its been good to get out and have a walk around in the fresh air and I do feel better for it.  

The 2014 year so far ...life and death

Hello bloggers and Happy New Year. I know its July but its my first blog of the year. My life in some ways has not been my own this year. A relative was diagnosed with cancer at Christmas which was followed by a terminal diagnosis in new year. The first part of the year was spent in various hospitals with docters appointments, tests, biopsies, scans and finally hospital admission. Then they passed away and we had the usual arrangements to make as we were next of kin. A few surprises along the way sorting the finances out as they hadn't been entirely honest with us , so along with bereavement,  a lot of stress trying to sort everything out and dealing with creditors and various people involved in the process. We are hoping now that there are no more surprises , time will tell. Shortly after the bereavement we found out that I was expecting . We were both delighted and I found out at 7 weeks. I am quite old fashioned and don't believe in announcing until the 12 weeks have passed so other than my husband, mother and my work superior , no one else knew. So we were going along happily until just about a week before my 12 week scan when I began to spot. Nothing to much to begin with but over a course of two days it got worse and I miscarried. That was four weeks ago and was very hard to deal with. I am still dealing with it and no doubt always will. So I hope the rest of the year will be calm so that we can get our heads together and go forwards.