Live on £4000 for a year - part 4 (Oct - Dec 2008)

looby-loo_2

I've just got back from a lovely Christmas dinner, served with all the trimmings. And very nice it was too. It's early but it's because of a silly tradition started some years ago - I don't think anyone remembers why.

Anyway it was made even better because my youngest DS won the quiz. The questions were really hard eg, the Latin name for a magpie, one about tin and the periodic table and another about ranks in the services. It was a knock out and got very competitive - no leaniency for age. He said afterwards he worked some out from his year of studying Latin at school so it wasn't a waste after all even though he hated it,it won him £30!

Things to do tomorrow:-
Car boot
Paint winow sills
Pick and sort apples
Pud made from

---

apples!
Line dry sheets

Janey - I grow fushias but have never learnt the secret of keeping them from year to year - they always die over winter.

Skint_Lynne

i'm back,

Well, Frankie and Benny's was not good, just as I thought. I had a chicken dish (I hope they washed it!!!:p ), was tasteless. Then had cheesecake, was tasteless, had a coffee, the cup was cracked. I think my friend enjoyed it, I did not want to moan as she does not go out much. I enjoyed her company and we had a good catch up, so that aspect of the night was great.

Unfortunately, I did not have the time to subscribe to the website Nyk as this was a last minute thing:o , sorry!!! I wouldn't rush back anyway, I like real food!! You're quite right Mumsy, it is next to the cinema, bowling alley etc.

Marru, you will know the chicken is ready if you stab it with a skewer or something similar and the juices run clear. I've not got a slow cooker, I'll need to get one of these nearer to when DH is coming back.

Off to bed now, nite nite xx

Skint_Lynne

looby-loo wrote: »

I've just got back from a lovely Christmas dinner, served with all the trimmings. And very nice it was too. It's early but it's because of a silly tradition started some years ago - I don't think anyone remembers why.

Anyway it was made even better because my youngest DS won the quiz. The questions were really hard eg, the Latin name for a magpie, one about tin and the periodic table and another about ranks in the services. It was a knock out and got very competitive - no leaniency for age. He said afterwards he worked some out from his year of studying Latin at school so it wasn't a waste after all even though he hated it,it won him £30!

Things to do tomorrow:-
Car boot
Paint winow sills
Pick and sort apples
Pud made from

---

apples!
Line dry sheets

Janey - I grow fushias but have never learnt the secret of keeping them from year to year - they always die over winter.

I'm glad your dinner was nice LL, mine was rotten, I feel a bit dodgy now actually, I'm probably just tired.

The price was rotten as well, £40 for 2 people!!!!

I had a look at what an inter varsity club is, that looks great Marru, I would go for it!!
SL xx

Janey51

:j I love you all :j

Went to see Mum yesterday and she cried all the time. My lovely SIL came with me and it made it easier for me to cope with.
The Manager told me that Mum only cries when I am there and it is probably her way of showing anger that I have "put her away".
He said it happens a lot. They had one lady who was fine until her relatives arrived and then she threw herself on the floor :eek:

Anyway, following advice from the Counsellor and my SIL, I am going to have a couple of days off and do things for me.
Well, I will be listing stuff for Mum on Ebay/Ebid :rolleyes:

I have also decided that if the weather forecast is particularly bad this winter, I will go and stay with my SIL in town.
Nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that she is a great cook and has just had Central Heating put in

Part of my savings from this challenge were going to buy a pedigree kitten but I am now thinking that another rescue cat would be a good idea. I have 3 already. Two I got as kittens and the other was 9mths and had been abandoned in a car park. They are now 10,7 and 5 and wonderful.
I thought I might give a home to an older cat who has been overlooked for rehoming and needs a place in my home (which is cat heaven) for it's autumn years.
I just have to think that if I do move, I might have problems getting a house that will allow so many moggies

The savings by getting a rescue cat will be considerable as I could expect to pay £300+. A rescue cat would only need a donation and I could use the savings to pay for cat insurance which I don't have at the moment.

Mum's memory of the day
Mum was a fantastic ballroom dancer.

lyndasharp

Janey51 wrote: »

Part of my savings from this challenge were going to buy a pedigree kitten but I am now thinking that another rescue cat would be a good idea. I have 3 already. Two I got as kittens and the other was 9mths and had been abandoned in a car park. They are now 10,7 and 5 and wonderful.

I thought I might give a home to an older cat who has been overlooked for rehoming and needs a place in my home (which is cat heaven) for it's autumn years.
I just have to think that if I do move, I might have problems getting a house that will allow so many moggies

The savings by getting a rescue cat will be considerable as I could expect to pay £300+. A rescue cat would only need a donation and I could use the savings to pay for cat insurance which I don't have at the moment.

Mum's memory of the day

Mum was a fantastic ballroom dancer.

I don't know about your area, but some of the Cats Protection branches will pay all the costs for taking on an older cat that they can't rehome, basically like cat fostering but it lives with you for the rest of its life. I'm hoping to get one when I get a house, though my landlady has already chosen me a cat from the stables where she keeps her horse, so it depends on how Special Best Friend gets on with other cats. She's definitely going to be renamed, can you imagine standing on the doorstep late at night and shouting 'Special Best Friend', who knows what sort of responses I might get

skintwellie

Big hugs for Janey (Been there, done it, got the tee-shirt!) Might help to take in photos from past times. Sometimes there is a glimmer of recognition and even a sensible conversation.
Congratulations to nyk, your new house sounds lovely. If you want a large, extremely loyal, extremely loveable, fantastic temperament dog - you won't go wrong with a Leonberger. I can give you the name and no. of their rescue society if you wish.
Good end of the week for me -:
Won £25.00 on a scratchcard yesterday.
Got a £100.00 steamgenerator iron to test for a market research company (had to pay twenty quid - but well worth it!)
Have cashed in all of my survey, etc clicks and have ended up with:-
£10.00 eAmazon voucher
£20.00 Boots voucher
£40.00 Argos vouchers
7 entries into a cash prize draw.
I've also won a cookery book (put on Amazon) and have made £45.00 selling unwanted books on Amazon. (Must remember not to put heavy hardbacks on as didn't cover cost of postage with one!!!!).

Still well over budget though:eek: but have learnt loads from being a member of this site. Thanks to you all:T :T :T

Making lunch for 6 today using chicken thighs Reduced top £1.00 per pack!). Boned them and stuffed them with home-made stuffing. Serving them with minted new potatoes (bag of new spuds only £1.00 in Co-op) and some veg from my sister's allotment (free!). Have splashed out on pud though Raspberry (2 punnets £6.00:eek: :eek: :eek: ) and almond tart.
Luckily our guests are bringing the wine.

Have a nice :rotfl: :rotfl: day EVERYONE

Janey51

skintwellie I am thinking of listing some books on Amazon and have been reading the relevant advice threads on MSE. There are a lot of tips to take in so you get the best deal.
But I must make the effort as DH collected 100s of books in his time and I can't keep them all.

bails

Another lovely memory Janey, thankyou. This is my dream, to one day learn to dance. I'm glad the staff were able to reassure you about your mum's behaviour being common, although I understand it is still painful. Taking some time for yourself is a great idea, as is moving in with your SiL over the winter (great food AND central heating, woo hoo!). Another cat, ace! :T I think it's great to take an older cat, our first one was 8 when we got him and I love him to bits. There are so many lovely older cats at our home who have so much love to give if someone would give them the chance (I'd bring them all on if OH would let me and the dogs, rabbits, chickens...:rotfl:) I might pop up there now actually, while he's out riding...;)
Oh go on Lynda, keep the name - that'll have me in stitches for years to think of you calling out into the night :rotfl::rotfl:
Got up early for the car boot, was so tired I thought I wouldn't buy anything to start with but got into my stride :rotfl:I got some bargains, and OH also got something he hadn't bargained for...2 maggots...at the bottom of his cup...once he'd finished drinking his tea :eek::eek: YUK! He got his money back but still, imagine if he'd swallowed them (eek, what if there were more than two originally?! :eek::rotfl:)

System

bails wrote: »

2 maggots...at the bottom of his cup...once he'd finished drinking his tea :eek::eek: YUK! He got his money back but still, imagine if he'd swallowed them (eek, what if there were more than two originally?! :eek::rotfl:)

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

cw18

Great idea about temporarily moving in with your SIL if needs be Janey -- but just a word of warning.....

Check how this impacts on your home insurance. My BIL (who lived on his own) was in hospital for several months following a road accident (someone pulled out a side road knocking him off his motorbike), and his insurance companies wouldn't cover the property (neither buildings nor contents) once it had been unoccupied for a set time (think it may have been 4 weeks )

Just a bit concerned that an unoccupied property over the winter months is prone to pipes bursting, and that the lack of lights/life is more noticeable for those looking for "easy pickings" :eek: