Hello, Not a lot done today, been bimbling around and socializing. Monday is a village day, starting with the Craft Club. We almost had a full house this morning and it was catchup time with everyone chattering at once, and not much crafting getting done. Then a dog walk, then lunch, then the mobile library van and a natter with Stan the man. My fave mag arrived through the letter box, oooh, excitement, couldn't wait to get my sticky fingers into this, so an hour was spent drooling with a mug of coffee. I can be a real lazy slob when I put my mind to it, ha ha.
It's that time of year when I am thinking of walking. Itching to go off on a trek again. As soon as we get some longer days I will be off. I got a free book today, there are bookshelves in the Village Hall, people leave their unwanted books for anyone to take. You can keep them, or read them and take them back, or add some of your own if you have any to get rid of. I found this one all about The Living Countryside. Exploring the land in different parts of the country, looking at the animal and plant life. Some smashing pictures of places I have been to, and some that I hope to visit. Reading these kind of travel books makes me want to put my boots on and go now.
My Anglian Water bill arrived the other day, I get two a year for the water I use, plus it includes the cost of taking the grey water away. Total for 12 months is £70.55. Out of that, only £15.55 is the cost of the actual clean water which comes into the house. The rest is made up of the standing charge and the taking away of the waste water. There's not a lot more I can do to bring the cost down there. I also get two bills from Severn Trent every year, for the surface water drainage from my property. This is charged at £61.10 per year, I am on a measured drainage band 2 tariff. So my total water charges are £131.65 a year. I will still be frugal with my water usage, even though it wouldn't make much difference if I used a bit more than my normal 10 cubic metres. It makes me feel better to flush the toilets with bath and rain water.
Utility bills due soon, wonder what they will be. Anyway. I'll cut you loose. I'll get back to my magazine, bought with my Tesco Vouchers I may add, in case any of you think I have been splashing the cash ;o)
Ilona, I would never suspect you of "splashing the cash". Love to read what you are up to. Not totally clear on the utility bill. Our utilities are all billed on usage and flat rates for sewage, etc. The water bill is also by usage as well as the electric, so we can definitely control the use of water. We are looking at putting up a couple of rain barrels on the gutters in our back yard to conserve. Enjoy your magazine.
ReplyDeleteIlona sounds such a busy day. really nice to catch up with friends and to finish with a lovely read.Great idea sharing books you no longer want.
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Your day sounds lovely, I was back at work today, so am cream crackered. Still a bit of crafting tomorrow inbetween chores and studying. The book exchange is a great idea.
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From Margie in Toronto - Back to work for me today as well so your lovely day around the village sounds wonderful. A friend gave me a book about 115 places to visit in Canada for my Christmas present so I've been leafing through that - checking off the places I've been and marking the ones I really want to visit. It's always fun to dream and to get plans into place.
ReplyDeleteYou are all talking about planning for the good weather and daffodils coming up etc. while our winter has barely started - January and February are our coldest months - we are under a weather warning at the moment and it was minus -19C when I left for work this morning so no blossoms for us for a few months yet! Enjoy your magazine Ilona.
I like to watch my water usage, partly because it's cheaper, but largely because clean fresh water is such a first world luxury! no need to carry it for miles on my head. So I'm conscientious about not running the water while I brush my teeth, not taking long showers, all that. It's all the doing of Jane Goodall! my small bills, less than $20 this month, are a bonus. Clean leftover water goes on the houseplants. And so on. No choice about sewer charges, though since they're a flat rate, based on your house or condo size. But I'm still not wasteful.
ReplyDeleteYour magazine looks really interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy water is included in my monthly maintenance fee, sort of like a condo fee, so it is hard to break out the amount. But I handle my mom's bills and she averages $35 a month for water and sewer, so $420 a year and most is for the standing charges and sewer. She also pays about $100 a year on her property taxes for what I think is comparable to the standing water charge that you pay. I believe that water will be a scarce resource in the coming years so you are right that it is good to conserve it.
I saw an aqua blue bicycle today and thought of you, Ilona!
The book that is on the frontcover is called 'Wild' by Cheryl Strayed is a very good 'walking' story and tale of emotional growth and
ReplyDeletetenacity. I would recommend it as a good read, not sure if I will be seeing it at the cinema though as it's just been made into a film, but I know you like a good book.
We too have been planning some walks we want to do for this year. I really missed them last year as my health was too poor to do as many as we wanted.
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Oooh exciting. Can't wait to find out where you end up. We are planning more walking this year - I'm getting itchy feet too! Debbie x
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you treat yourself to a magazine? What is the 'Lake District's Loneliest Valley', by the way? The Duddon Valley is our favourite - quiet and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAs to your Color My World video yesterday....That must have been Lawrence Kansas high school? I'm just assuming as I saw a KU t-shirt and Kansas University is where two of my grands attend here in Kansas....that was exciting!
ReplyDeleteYour water bill really shows the savings you achieve by thinking out of the box.Also am guessing being on your own that contributes to less usage too but am very impressed.Have been watching "Walking Through History "with Tony Robinson who does a good job on explaining the history and connections of places he walks to and love the filming of the English countryside-so beautiful.Your reading picks look very interesting.Regards, Destemona
ReplyDeleteI am on yorkshire water meter here in wakefield. my yearly water usage is 33 cubic meters and i am in credit so next years bill is £12 a month. Is your 10 cubic meters for a quarter or the whole year?
ReplyDeleteHello. It's for the year. I've just checked the bills. I am very careful how I use it.
Deletewow, that is amazing, the above comment on 33 cubic meters is from me, yorkshire lass. Well I have a lot more to do to try to cut down a bit more but I do like making cups of tea! I have been trying to find out how much water households used in war time and in 1950's for comparison, they didn't have water guzzling white goods then.
DeleteHello. I don't wash my clothes until they are smelly or grubby, with the exception of pants, they are clean every day. Don't flush the toilet every time I pee, flush solids. Leave bath water in the bath and use a jug to flush the toilet with it. I have a gizmo in the kitchen tap which I can turn it into a trickle, I rinse my dishes under that as soon as I have finished with them. Wash up pots in a bowl once a week. Wash my hair with one and a half kettles of water in the kitchen sink. Wash the kitchen floor with the rinsing water. Save rain water to flush downstairs loo and water the garden. Wash car with bath water. Wash cats dishes outside the back door in a bowl of rainwater. Lots of little savings all add up.
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