What a run of bad luck!

It started in August with my fan oven going and I had to get the element replaced.  Then at the start of this month I took Edwin up to Carlisle with some of his things , and the alternator went on my car, although I was lucky in that I managed to get back home, and to drive it to the garage, but that cost money as well.  Then Shadow, my Scottie, was limping, but when I looked there was nothing in her paw, nor was it cut, and there didn't seem to be any broken bones.  I though she had sprained it slightly or overstretched herself.  Just around two weeks ago I thought that perhaps she had jarred her nail as she was still limping, I hadn't taken her to the vet as there was nothing obvious going on.  Anyway, on Wednesday evening around bedtime I noticed that her claw was at a funny angle, she must have broken her claw inside the toe and it had only just emerged. SO the next day I got someone to help me and I bathed it and got some of the puss out of it.  I rang the vet, but the only appointment they had was when I was at work, so I took her down last Saturday morning.  The vet cut her damaged claw off and then bandaged her foot, he gave me antibiotics, (the strongest they have for dogs,) and said he'd like to see her mid week.  I made an appointment for Wednesday. Unfortunately it wasn't the same vet, and this wants to lance the swelling and x-ray the foot....to the tune of around £220 with the x-ray, £120 maximum without an x-ray.  I don't have that kind of money spare, so I paid for the appointment and another lot of antibiotics, and said I would think about it.  After doing some research, and bearing in mind that Shadow is much more active and the swelling is going down slowly, I have decided to put off it being possibly lanced.  What I have found out is that an abscess occurs to stop infection spreading, and when the threat of infection has gone the abscess is reabsorbed into the body, so lancing an abscess seems to me to be going against nature.  I will see how she progresses.
Anyway, all in all over the past 6weeks I have had three unexpected expenses and just hope that is all for now.

An achievement! Well, it is for me.

On Sunday, I switched my oven on in order to bake some part baked baguettes. Around half an hour later I remembered and went to put them in, only the oven appeared to be off.  It had in fact tripped the circuit breaker.  So I flicked the switch and left the oven for a few minutes to warm up.  Nothing.  The element had gone.  I hunted out the oven handbook and left it where it would remind me in the morning.
Yesterday, Monday, I looked online for a replacement part, and after a discussion with a very helpful man at www.elementreplacement.co.uk I found the right replacement part. I ordered it & it had arrived before 10am.
It wasn't that difficult to fit, & after watching a You Tube video I set about the task.  I did have to do it twice though, as the first time I didn't push the spade connector on properly and it came off as I fastened it in place.

That was yesterday.  Today I intended to get stuck into the undercoating, but found that I only have extremely narrow brushes, so I will buy some broader ones and get stuck in on Friday.
I have been baking/cooking things though, and so far this week have made butternut squash and tomato soup, cauliflower cheese soup, ciabatta bread and a pork pie.

By the way, the achievement?  Fixing the oven myself of course!  :)