A new start for Mooloo

minimoneysaver

I love the book idea! It should help get back some of that money. Fantastic idea!
Hope you are having a relaxing weekend Mooloo.

Savvy_Sue

I've had a little book for some time - or rather a page in my diary. It has In, Out and Balance columns for each DS. It's the ONLY way to keep track of what I've spent on each of them but said they've got to pay me for. Although it's really only DS3 who tries it on these days, the other two have learned to carry their own money!

But DS3 cuts our grass, and I pay for that, so I also write down when he does it. Then when he 'needs' another guitar (!), CD, or t-shirt, I can tell him how much he'll owe me!

When they were younger, it was a lot more complicated because I also used to 'pay' them for cooking the Sunday lunch (10p per person eating) and for jobs like vacuuming. Now they're bigger I expect them just to play their part in the running of the household!

Of course sometimes the older two will pick up milk and bread during the week, so I'll pay them for that, although they don't always ask me to. With DS3, I do have a horrible habit of asking to see the receipt. He has a horrible habit of forgetting to give me any change, if I've paid him up front!

Savvy_sewing

Hello all,
I havent been on line as I am at BF's in Oxford.
We came down together in his car on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately I started to get sick middle of Saturday night, and so was laid up all Sunday. Yesterday I got up, but still didnt eat that much. The tummy is a bit delicate. So I think that DGS must have had a bug!
Anyway I spent yesterday creating some things out of a couple of fabric samples and the old cover off of a canvas framed wardrobe!
I made a jewellry Roll, make up bag and a tote/duffle style bag. Been reading my sewing magazine from cover to cover as I forgot to bring a book here with me.
HAd the physiotherapist in JR hospital this morning. Whats at the top of my spine is starting to affect the similar vertibrae at the base of my spine, thats why the left side is all akilter somewhat!. So another course of physiotherapy is going to be needed.
Been sitting out in the garden here in Oxford, its been beautiful.
BF is trying to get his heating sorted out. Gas man has not been able to do it, and it will cost him nearly £600 to get the system Flushed out. (So he is trying to do it himself!). ITs getting a bit chilly now though.
Keep breaking needles on the sewing machine here, think they are a bit too cheap from Mr Wilk0, gone through 10 over the last couple of weekends here. So not creating anything today. Anyway, all I have available is more pink Canvas, and some of BF's old curtains. I might want to use them to line some of the curtains I have at my cottage, as warmfront is still delayed. Thats due to the landlord not responding to the request. I am eligable if he agrees to the work being done on his property.
He arrived with the chimney sweep on Saturday at 8.30am, and so I asked him again to look into it, and pointed out the gaps in the doors where you can see daylight through them! LEts hope he gets a move on.
I can get the logs delivered now.
(Well I can if I clear out the shed!) oops still not done that.
DS is sleeping at various different locations about his friends and his sisters. Hope he remembers to get his clothes washed!! Speaking to him on the phone and he seems fine.
SavvySue, re the money back off of people. Its a good idea, I used to do it, but got out of the habit.
It will be back on the agenda as soon as I get back from Holidays.
BF and two of his offspring are going to be going to Portugal with me next Week. Actually its me going with them this year. BF has organised it. Self Catering. All I need is my spending money.!! Ha ha, well I havent got much of that.
CSA still not paid up for over a month.
When I get home tomorrow I will have to make another phone call.
I think I will start to carry these numbers and my references with me. But at least the Child Benefit is back on.!

Savvy_Sue

Those needles, I'm sure you know as much about this as I do, if not more, but are they thick enough for the fabric / number of layers you are sewing? I know you can get various 'grades' and I found if I didn't use a thick enough one on heavy cotton it would break.

Also if it's your 'second' machine, does it need a service or a drop of oil? I know a service will have to wait until funds permit, but maybe on the Old Style board someone would know if there's anything simple you can do to stop this happening.

PS SO glad to hear the Child Benefit is back on!

Savvy_sewing

Think I am using the right needles!. Becomes second nature, unless I run out mid way through something and I wing and prayer it. Yes the machine is a second one. It slips a bit, and does need a service. I can do the oiling. Its the belt thats slipping. But the stitches are not always corresponding to the right bit on the dial now. But the things I make here are just experimenting or for keeping me occupied away from home.
However the needles I had are cheap ones, and they are not so good. Should get the reccommended ones but dont have enough things to order at the moment, to make it worth my while either sending for, or going to get them from stockists. Never mind. BF's DD went to Cowley and picked me up 4 packets of mixed needles when she went out yesterday, so I can still sew.
(mmm didnt get the change, bit like your son Savvy Sue!!),
Anyway today I shall be going back home, and can sew on my good machine, and use my overlocker. I miss that the most. It gives much better results then zig-sagging seams!. Much faster too.!
BF may be going Sailing this afternoon, so not sure what time that is going to be, he has gone out to the plumbing shop for bits, for the heating still. Hes going to see if he can get a spark plug for my DS's moped while he is out.
Its Biggest of Mooloo's 23rd Birthday tomorrow. Where do the years go?
She brought over her cousin of similar age to see me on Saturday morning before we came here. Havent seen him since he was about 11 as when my brother and his Mum split we as a family were not allowed to have contact!. It was good to see him. But it was a shock. Can see the family resemblence in him. But also a lot of his Mum. Think they were celebrating his birthday, as he was 23 on Saturday. They got back together via a famous Chat site. So some good comes out of these things.
Ds is doing ok, still turning up at Uni. Not used up all the money I gave him yet. Hopefully the EMA will come through soon.
Still no Maintenance in the bank though. Pity that would have helped with some spending money this week coming.
Quite chilled out here, as I dont have to do much. Nice relaxing time. But as I dont have a book I am getting a little lost. Love to read when I can.
Will have to remember to pack some books before I come back in a couple of days or so. Was thinking of coming back tomorrow, but may leave it till Friday, as I should catch up on some housework, and dig up some of the veg and get it frozen now that the frosts are starting to appear.
Today the sun is battling hard to come out, but its not as good as it was yesterday.
Right I am going to see about unpicking a really old evening dress I found in the drawer here, I think I might use it to make a pattern to make a shorter version as a summer dress. (For the weekend!), BF cannot complain if I make a new dress? As long as I reuse old stuff that is!.

Floss

Mooloo, what do you like to read? Are you a follower of certain authors, or a particular 'genre' like sci-fi or chick-lit, or a classics person? I've got all sorts on my shelves..... predominantly by particular authors who OH & I both follow, but am going through a phase of celeb autobiographies - I get them from Tesco straight away in paperback and then sell on Green Metropolis or Amazon to cover my costs!

Savvy_sewing

Floss, I tend to read things set in the turn of the century, forties, that sort of thing. No real particular author, chick lit I suppose sometimes. I have to confess that I like most books once I pick them up, but its usually books I get bought for my birthday, christmas,etc I Used to seek out Mary Jane Staples books too. But havent read any of them in a while.
I tried selling things on Green Metropolis, but not a single book I listed sold. So I now am using them here in the cottage to prop up the wardrobes as the floors are uneven!!!!
OH likes biographies I have noticed. So I may get something from the charity shop before I go.
All selling/making etc will have to be rethought when I get back from holidays.

DS is here at the cottage, he is not well. I picked him up from his sisters last night. He is full of the cold/flu? so is dosed up with paracetamol and in bed. It is the first day he has missed off of college.
BF has gone back to Oxford, after stopping last night. He tried to fix DS/s bike but its still evaiding being started. So Ex hub is going to have to take it and look at it again. I hope he will be bothered. Even if he can just use his works van to get it to a garage would be ahelp.!
Today I am going to gather my things together to pack. Which will mean doing some ironing. ( I hate ironing, so I dont tend to do much until I really have too!). Funny cos I will happily iron between sewing jobs. i.e. seams, and facings etc. But to iron the family wash. YUK.

CSA have sent me a useless letter to tell me that ex hub is in arrears, that they have asked him to pay, but that they cannot pay me unless he pays them! Great. So the spends for the holiday really are not there.
DS was suppose to be staying with one or other or both of his sisters, but now that he is not well, he wants to stay in the cottage. (He wont need to travel to college as they wont let him attend, until free of the cold/flu just incase its 'swine flu'. But that means I will have to get some different food into the freezer. the kind of stuff he can 'cook' for himself!. i.e. pizza, etc
I hadn't budgeted for that!. So the purse strings are going to be squeezed even further.
(Savvy sue, I will get my little note book, and talk to the family about what they "owe" me, and are prepared to pay! when I get back!).

Right I better just get my email checked and then get on and do. No good having a list if I dont actually start to do the things on it!!

floss2

Mooloo wrote: »

....DS is here at the cottage, he is not well. I picked him up from his sisters last night. He is full of the cold/flu? so is dosed up with paracetamol and in bed. It is the first day he has missed off of college.

Mooloo, get a sicknote for him - if the GP won't give you one then a self cert one should do to cover the fact that he is ill so his EMA doesn't get stopped because of failure to attend college.

Savvy_sewing

Thanks I will find out about that!. Never thought about that.

floss2

Mooloo wrote: »

Thanks I will find out about that!. Never thought about that.

We got told by a helpful administrator when DS2 was in 6th form college.... it means he won't miss his attendance bonus at the end of the year because of being ill