A frugal life is an easy life!

Day 17:

When I last posted to my diary, it was Friday and a nice relaxing driving job planned.
The weekends have now started to melt into the week and with few clocks around hoovertowers* being the school holidays is turning into a normal way of life.

On Friday, the gripes over the better half working too much overtime surfaced, so not much was said. It had been brewing for a few days to be honest.
We are complete opposites in this regard, our lass sees it as an opportunity, I see it as too much of it makes her cranky and it's me that's the target or the "vent."

Anyways, finally home from work at a reasonable hour, teatime, and faced with a 120 mile driving job to Sunderland, to collect dear old mum and take her 150 miles south to Derbyshire for her break with my brother and his family, then a 60 mile trip home, I decided that I would travel up Friday evening and sleep over, ready for the trip south.
My better half decided to come along with sprog2, not an issue, except the packing, luggage and assorted baby things, filled more of the car up than the holiday maker I was taking.

What do women need lots of "stuff" for when they go anywhere?
Blokes just throw a change of clothes in a bag and assorted toiletries and away we go.
Now we had hair dryers, brushes, wipes, extra nappies than those I had put in already, two changes of clothes, two lots of footwear, etc, etc.
We hit the road about 8pm, a surprise landing planned, I like surprising people.
The added bonus, to those that think it's a routine drive, is that on the way up, I can test the car out, any break downs would allow me time to be towed back home and use another car, keeping mum on time for her holiday.

The drive was no problem the next day we set off for sunny (hopefully) Derbyshire and it was. You can view the pictures of Carsington by clicking this link.

A beautiful area Carsington is, close to Matlock Bath deep into Derbyshire, if you ever get the chance to stay there, grab it with both hands.
We had a cracking time there, but had to set off back... Saturday was over.
Sunday, saw the better half working overtime yet again, so off I went to pick up some bread, baby milk, etc.
Getting back into sprog1's car, I clattered my kneecap on the dashboard, it just missed the kneecap and heard the muscle rip, didn't feel that bad at the time, but come teatime, I couldn't bend my leg... OUCH!
The milk on Sunday turned sour, the fridge had iced up and was using large amounts of electricity. The fridge had finally conked out.
We bought it from the old Norweb electric showrooms, so it must be at least 12 years old.
Add to this, a banging headache, Sunday was not a good day.

Sprog2 had been hot and bothered on the Saturday, on Sunday it continued, cranky, gurning for no reason, sleeping alot.
Monday was no exception. Off we went to track down a fridge (we ended up with a fridge and chest freezer - got £45 knocked off for haggling with a local firm) Sprog2 was on form, bouncing around as normal, but a very hot head.
Three doses of the magic calpol, she was cool all over, just her head was burning up.
We got back around teatime, I called up the nurse, who got us an appointment with an "Out of hours GP" up at what's left of our local hospital.

A throat infection, which explains why shes been trying to scratch her throat and gagging on her fingers for the last two days bless her.
The long sleeps, the not eating, at least I was correct to up the amount of bottles she was having. Kept her topped up with fluids I have, checked for rashes and made sure she gets plenty of naps.

Only now, after shringes full of anti biotics, neurofen (for children) and calpol has her temperature finally come down a bit.
The nurse told me that neurofen and calpol could be taken together, it was not often used at the same time if the temperature didn't fall with just one?

So in the last three days, I've ripped the muscle under my kneecap, sprog2 has picked up a throat infection and temperature, I have driving jobs to look forward to on Wednesday and Saturday to come, I have managed to break the fridge and we have a new freezer coming as well.
I'd be proud of all that in a week... let alone just three days.

* Hoover towers = home, which looks like a building site