Him Outside loved his job for years. He spent his time driving around Suffolk, inspecting things, organising the repairs and then supervising the men who did the work. Then it all changed, preparing for being contracted out they called it - one of the County Councils ideas for saving money. His job involved just driving round, filling in forms, putting stuff on the computer and listening to the men moaning about the lack of organisation. He decided that at 55 he would pack up, go self employed doing odd jobs. The council put him onto casual hours and now he works just 2 to 4 days a month for them. So most of our income now arrives during the summer and last winter was our first living in this new way. It wasn't easy, we weren't exactly short of money but I did have to take a cut in housekeeping. This meant that by spring the cupboards were not as well stocked as I like to keep them. So as July is always a low spend / good income month I'm planning to re stock the cupboard ready for the winter. We are also stocking up the instant access ISAs with spare bits of cash and best of all we have started stocking up the freezer. We picked more gooseberries and put in the freezer most of the broad beans have been put into the freezer after a quick blanching and then the very first basin of raspberries.
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| Delicious raspberries - my favourite fruit | | | |
The raspberries have started just in time as strawberries are finishing. I always put lots of bags of raspberries in the freezer as they go so well with apples to make a pie or crumble in winter.
Him Outside worked like crazy yesterday ( with me checking he felt OK and making sure he had the angina spray with him at all times!) sorting baling of hay and getting it collected, stored here or carted away. Things didn't go as planned- they never do - more breakdowns as usual, but it was done by evening. So today was supposed to be spent turning one more lot of hay and sitting out listening to the cricket. Then his ears pricked up as he heard someone cutting a hay field a way down the road. Did this mean our farmer friends mower was mended? would he be able to cut the field we rent in Saxmundham? If it isn't done this week the opportunity to do it will be gone. He was up the road like a shot, but it wasn't our friend but someone else on yet another borrowed mower doing a favour for our farmer friend. Phone calls were made and yes, this chap could cut the field for us. So off Him Outside went to walk the field ahead of the mower to check for ragwort. Perhaps tomorrow will be restful?
