The revenge of the stripey socks - a DFW adventure

honeybear_2

Besides, you can't get rid of Peedie cos he's on his way to see me

Pippilongstocking

HB - he's looking forward to seeing you - I wasn't going to get rid of him, just disguise him as another son?

I was gonna ask - I've got Norweigen neutrogena formula hand cream stuff - that I'm using on my face whilst in the field - I'm thinking its super industrial (my face has been wind/cold burnt over past couple days) will that stuff be OK to use or will I need something a bit posher?

It doesnt seem to hurt my skin as lots of creams do - so I'm thinking thats probably a good indication. I'm so rubbish at this stuff. Any good advice taken!

That's right - off to bedfordshire - DD has had a bit of an evening and a couple of her chums have been a bit (probably not thought through) horrible to her - so its time for a pampering!

honeybear_2

It probably won't do any harm - the face is more sensitive than the body so face stuff is more sensitised than body care. That being said, we are talking slightly more unusual conditions for your skin as you live in the wilds of nowhere

If it's not irritating your skin then that's the best sign. Just make sure you do cleanse it well, more so at night, as that's when the skin & the body does all the repair work

I'll have to rootle out some things for you - meant to do it before, I think, but lost track!

Enjoy your pampering & sleep well

xx

Lemon_Tree

i've just escaped the committee meeting of the allotment, and have been given lots of good advice, today we were also given some parsnips! so they're in the freezer.

I cannot believe that during the time i've not been on here you've discussed sending Peedie to a new home, you can't get rid of him, unless he likes cats and he can come and live with us.

Pippilongstocking

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

i've just escaped the committee meeting of the allotment, and have been given lots of good advice, today we were also given some parsnips! so they're in the freezer.

I cannot believe that during the time i've not been on here you've discussed sending Peedie to a new home, you can't get rid of him, unless he likes cats and he can come and live with us.

:j:jto allotments and parsnips:j:j

I wasn't really going to get rid of him - I was just thinking outloud of all the outrageous solutions - honest - he's becoming my constant companion, through the winter he's taken up residence on the bottom of the bed (I've a king sized - so his blanket is snuck on the bottom of it) - renting is a pain - I've even seen a couple of amazing houses for buying at (cough) £195k - which I sent to OH - he's amazed at what you can get for your money but not convinced about buying up here.

Curses

Snow today - quite a bit of it.

Oh and I'm getting some very interesting results in the field

HB thanks for the face advice - I'm probably going to have to take the plunge and buy something a bit more heavy duty but this hand cream stuff wasnt' cheap (£6?) SO I'm thinking that its probably pretty decent stuff - I htink the Norweigan range is especially for cold, windy etc outdoor living (?)

Money update later cos I haven't done one for ages!

Hugs and sparkles all around! LT hows the chair covers going?

Pippilongstocking

Bit of a 'hen situation' looks like one of mine was got by a cat last night and has slept out all night in the snow, its not looking terribly great, popped her into a small cosy shed with a blanket and lots of cosy straw.........will check in a couple hours.

Pah.

Karmacat

Poor little thing - I hope she gets through it......

Pippilongstocking

Ok not-so-peedie update:

Banks OK - one OD has taken a hammering this month - I need to sort that out - mainly due to large CC bills and also the insurance company wanting to charge interest if I pay monthly (no chance) and a charge for using a CC (again NO chance) so paid by cashcard. Also AA monster payment £120 out of hte account - I'm due money from OH and cashback so 'eventually' this wont cost much but at the moment its an ouch.

Debts are under (just about I think) £20k - if I take savings from what I owe etc. 13k of that is still student loan.....so I'm well chuffed. My Lloyds loan is £754.09, Gargamel £2530 and Penguin chops £2745 are the only things left.

I'm over my grocery budget this month I'd budgetted £100 a month but its currently at £134 - I think food shopping for me is one of my favourite things - although everything's reduced/value or whatever - I'm constantly topping up the freezer - I'm just hoping this is balanced when the kids go to their dads and I don't tend to bother shopping I just live out of the various stashes. (I hope they are normally away for 12 weeks of the year when I have no one but me to feed ) But I guess the idea of the frugal living challenge is to highlight what's working, highlight where spends are higher and constantly review and boy to I need reviewing.

As you know I've set up all my individual expenses pots as online savers - its quite an eyeopener when you allocate everything each month! The spreadsheets are a real eye-opener too. Petrol spends are more than expected - although the campervan has a very full tank of petrol due to the petrol guage suddenly stopping working. I am hoping it will even out.

I've made sure I have rice cooked and stuff ready for an almost instant 'takeaway' later on - this (I discovered from last years spends) is an area which I need to sort out - I really try hard at shopping - and then sometimes blow a weeks money on a takeaway (there are two indians and two chinese takeaways here, both expensive) so unfortuneately - its got to stop.

I'm also working on Darwin to put curtain rails up - got the rails yesterday a bit more expensive here but better than the cost of delivery I was being quoted from the campervan site and I have lovely stripey blue fabric to make curtains with - I just need some self tapping screws and my brothers help so I can get on with that. Must find out about foam and look into painting/doing something with his 'beige' kitchen.

I've a trip south next weekend (£107 flight - quidco 1.25%) not cheap, and again paid by switch as they charge you an extra £5 for CC transaction, but its out of my travel budget so I do feel OK about going - its my niece's 1st birthday and an opportunity to meet up with OH - who might actually pay for my flight as it saves him coming up here. We're looking at area's we mighit want to buy a house/small holding in Morayshire to see if its where we'd like to settle. Speaking of Quidco think its £40ish this month which is going into travel budget.

Im taking an empty suitcase and hitting the big Tesco's in Inverness for dishwasher tablets, dried bits and bobs, clingfilm and a few bits I've run short of in my stripeysocks shop (which I started last easter with a big six month shop - although some of it has lasted til now - so i need to look at the original list I saved on MYsupermarket and see what's lasted the year - and what's running low.) Man I know how to live!!

Tonight is a HM takeaway and more Dr Who from a box set on the projector.

I've started bodybalance again £3.10 a class - but need to buy a bunch of tickets 10's or 25's or 50's as I think this reduces the cost. But as its less than a bottle of wine (which I dont buy anymore) then I suppose I'm allowed a peedie indulgance.

DD has put her name down for a Skiing trip to Italy in early 2011 (£600) - Ex-hubby is happy to contribute half (not counting chickens as he's not always very good at remembering such promises but giving him a chance) - and OH will split my half with him so I might only need to find £150 + spending money for that.

DS trip to switzerland almost paid - phew and I've started an online saver for him which I deduct (£20 a month) as savings off before he gets his allowance. He's now got a toaster and a kettle in his room (if he kept it tidy I said he could have the spares) so he's like a very proper grown up toast making teenager).

Aside all this blabbering I'm OK - money is OK ish - the house move will make that difficult - but hoping to minimise the expenses of moving out - I'll miss the house, but its expensive to run.

I'm enjoying field work (although stuck in on a snow day today - data's done and I'm struggling to find the stuff I need to carry on as no-ones here - I'm workign over hte weekend so I don't feel so bad having a bit of a 'relax' for an hour now. (Early lunch!)

OOOh I do have some constructive 'work' news - I'm getting some training at work - outwith study to become an SVQ trainer and assessor for Horticulture - to help out here with our sister Hort Dept. It's a nice bonus - not much work yet, but its another 'feather' to the bow and takes me closer to compost and mud which is always good.

I've to finish up by Dec 2010 - OH and I think maybe the stripeysocks get your coat you've pulled welliefest should wait til after but its up for discussion next weekend when we get some 'us time'.

Phew I need a lie down now.

(If you've read this then blimey well done)

Karmacat

Wow! Now thats what I call an update. I'm just finishing my pottering-on-tinternet time, and this all sounds good. Just wondering tho, when do you *want* the you've pulled welliefest to be? I'm guessing these things aren't always practical ..... hugs, tho! Its great to look forward to it!

Pippilongstocking

I ken what you mean - (whoops all Scottish then) I'd prefer to do something in Autumn 2010 - as its mainly 'home-made' I think its going to take a fair bit of organising - even though its a peedie event - but maybe Feb/April 2011 is more realistic?

I dunno - never been one much for 'practical'........hugs KC ta for that - its blizzards here - so sticking by the puter for a bit yet.