My goodness but that was an expensive weekend!!

Nevertheless, it was a nice and frugal weekend, even if we did spend a huge amount of money!

About 12 or 18 months ago, our washing machine started making a peculiar noise.  It sounded as though there was a football boot mixed in with the clothes.  It was only an intermittent noise, so we ignored it.

Then it started to become more frequent.

And noisier!

We surmised that it was the main bearing slowly and noisily dying, but decided to wait until it had actually died before doing anything about it - not least because we were saving up for the GWT. And also because it doesn't do to replace things unnecessarily.

In the meantime, Lindsey's washing machine in Ballarat started making noises that sounded remarkably as though a high speed train was hurtling down the hallway.  Shortly after we had returned home, her washing machine died and needed to be replaced.  Ours, in sympathy, was making even more noise.

It was clear that the washing machine's days were numbered and we decided that it would be best to buy a replacement while the January sales were still on, rather than waiting until February, or March, or April and having to [pay full price.  So we have ordered a replacement. £100 off in the sales, but adding £30 to have the new one installed and the old one removed.

I have to say, though, that our little and cheap Indesit washing machine has done sterling service. I bought it in June 2002 when Austin, Julia, Tabitha and Freyja were all with us and we were struggling getting the washing done and dried.  I'd say that 10 years and 6 months isn't bad going for a little machine.  We have bought another Indesit in the hope that it too will be happy and reliable.

So that was £200+ gone.

Some months ago - I don't remember when exactly, but quite a lot of months ago - I inadvertently stood on my varifocal glasses and rendered them inoperative as varifocal glasses.  Again, I didn't want to spend lots of money in the run up to the GWT, so I dug out an ancient pair of distance glasses and carried on.  However, it was becoming clear that they weren't really working terribly effectively as corrective lenses and now that we are back I decided that I must bite the bullet and set about getting a new pair of glasses.  So The Builder and I took ourselves to the optician after we had ordered the washing machine.  I had my eyes thoroughly tested and I am now awaiting a pair of varifocal glasses, and a pair of distance sunglasses. Very exciting!

But that was another £145 gone (with a further £145 to pay when the new glasses arrive; but I remained frugally minded and chose very cheap frames, the sunglasses were half price and both my distance and near vision have changed quite a bit in the last couple of years so not money wasted). I have to say I was very impressed with the Scriven's optician.  I was equally impressed that I got a free hearing test while I was there (and you will, I hope, be delighted to learn that my hearing is absolutely excellent - so it *was* you muttering rather than my hearing being pathetic :-P  ).

Oh - and we also bought The Builder a new winter jacket and me some new winter walking trousers.  Again in the sales. Another £70 handed over

After all that we took ourselves to the Rutland by the church for a recovery glass of something and a quick lunch.  Although it wasn't particularly quick because they had one person in the kitchen and one person behind the bar and the ;pub was full :-S  Apparently on Friday they had had 6 drinkers and 4 drinkers and diners all day so had assumed that Saturday would be equally quiet.  But on Saturday it wasn't actively snowing.  It was just cold and miserable so people were thinking fondly of the idea of the pub. Particularly if they were wandering around in town.  So not particularly frugal, I suppose. But The Rutland does nice, home cooked pub food for not very much money, so not particularly extravagant either.

It started snowing again yesterday evening.  We woke up this morning to quite a good covering of snow and more snow falling.  We amused ourselves at around 7:00 watching cars trying to turn from Ankerbold Road into Queen Vic Road, or Bridge Street and by and large failing.  We decided there was no point trying to dig out our car so I could go to the station.  Instead I waited until 8:00 when it had got light and we could assess the situation, and took a bus to the station. I think I might leave work a bit early today though, so I also get home in daylight.

Click on our snowy garden to get to the snowy album