Carry on Questing

Souk08

Good news on the permananent contract lady. Have been having a bit of a carp time myself but will post (moan) about that on my diary later! X

Lula-Hula

Thank Souk,

hope you're ok sweetie ?

All good here in Lulaville; Gropey was out of the office all day so inspite of the hassle of trying to piece together his projects, with Grumpy at the helm there was humour & calm determination .

Gorgeous JohnnyDepp-alike was in today which left me all weak at the knees & peeking at the Fishing site :eek: in a vague attempt at finding something half human to amuse myself with ... no luck, still nothing but troglodytes in my area .

My car now has a full tummy at a cost of £45.45 & I need to think about booking a service & mot soon.

I had an appointment to donate some more blood but was yet again turned away due to low haemoglobin levels. Annoyingly this meant that we couldnt stock up on free tea, snacks & biccies so we had to stop off at the co op on the way home to get some essential bits for tea & packed lunch tomorrow.

Apparently DD is quite happy to have blue furry teddies, but not quite so keen on her sandwiches having the same consistency, no matter how much I call it free penicillin, she insists on labelling it as mould & refuses to eat it. :rotfl:

The rather pathetic fridge contents ( 2 eggs, one tomato, 2 lettuce, some cherries & 2 apples ) means that a trip to Waitrose is required & I am already missing the 2 days lost home-job wages as I have no spare cash at all; everything I did earn had to go towards the cash funds:

Trips & Treats = £ 180
DDs Clubs etc = £ 120 but £70 deposit for PGL trip due soon
Childcare = £ 60


I've already withdrawn £50 of the food budget fund & spent £6.41
I must must must stay within budget this month.

To stave off boredom & the urge to buy stuff I dont need, I will be spending my day off tomorrow doing washing, chores & gardening.

Oh joy :rotfl:

Lula-Hula

Oh yessy yes yes, what I say is true, there are now 26 weeks left of this year, which means that I now need to pay £158 each week in order to clear the debt before the year runs out.

Clearly this is a bit of a challenge :rotfl:, but I am determined to achieve this - although I am aware that I still have until April next year before the 0% runs out so the pressure is only set to 'mild' at the moment.

I'd just got back from my waitrose visit when dear Dad called with a proposition that has thrown everything out.

I cant give all the details but the basic outline is that he needs to head to Spain within the next few weeks to sort out some business. The 'business' does involve me & will eventually reward me in a roundabout sort of way but there is no specific requirement for me to accompany him. However, as he knows we are not going away this year, he has asked if we would like to. It will be an emotional trip for me & him & although it will only be for a few days it could be a holiday for DD.

I've explained that I already have my holiday & DDs childcare/playcamp booked so can only travel within certain dates, unfortunately the business has to be settled by 20th August so too late for my second batch of holiday ( I wouldnt even be debating it otherwise )

This leaves the week between the end of term & the start of playcamp for us to travel. I've already checked flights & can get them for under £300 ... however, I need to have the cat cared for which = £s, we'll need to eat while there = more £s & it's all before the next paydady so it will have to go on the ever dependable CC although I do have enough cash in the various funds to temporarily cover it.

I estimate a total cost of about £500 for a 4-5 day trip to the sun with free pool & accommodation

I estimate another 3-4 weeks added on to the debt free date

I absolutely will not be able to squish myself into any of my swimwear unless I can lose a stone in 3 weeks :rotfl:(note - I havent managed this in the last 18 months so it's unlikely)

I will have to take a week off home-job which could cost me another week of debt clearing

I could miss the work BBQ ( allowing Goblin to have all male attention :mad: ) & even more importantly the Riverbank Rave :eek::eek::eek:

My car needs a service & MOT by August 3rd latest.

DD is aware & quite happy that we are staying home this year & quite content to do daytrips & possibly even some camping.

My Dad doesnt know I have the debt & now that I'm working at a 'proper' job thinks I'm loaded, if I wasnt in debt, then I would happily wedge out £500, but it's a lot considering that I am in debt.

I was all enthusiastic when I spoke to him earlier & ready to hit the 'pay now' button but now going off the idea rapidly.

I feel that he needs my support in completing the business & want to be there for him, but that could just be me trying to do the right thing which led to mental meltdown 2 years ago.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this ...

Shoe_Gal

Call me shallow - but it's sunshine in a country that sells fab shoes - I say go for it :j

More seriously, time spent with your Dad and DD is far more worthwhile than being debt free 4 weeks sooner :A

Lula-Hula

Hello lovely Shoe Gal,

& thanks for your thoughts. I've just checked the website & flights have now gone up to £400 & I will be spending time with DD anyway as I'm off work that week ... & much as I love my dear Dad, the last time we went on hol together it was rather stressful & since then he's had another 2 years of living on his own & becoming even more stuck in his ways :think:.

I'm sure I mentioned on my original Quest that he went food shopping & returned with bags full of things such as chickens, joints of meat & expected full on cooked dinners every night :eek: & felt it necessary to have good old moan at breakfast time every morning. In fact, the more I think about it, the less appealing it seems .


I've just been to collect DD & have finally got to the bottom of her reluctance to stay overnight anywhere at all this year.
She's been turning down so many opportunities & trips & I really couldnt understand it as she's never been clingy at all & it was starting to get on my nerves .

Anyway, back in January she went on a Brownies weekend to Butlins & didnt really seem to have enjoyed it much. The weather was vile & the young leaders marched them all round the site getting lost & missing the activities. They were all in the Brown Owl/ Pack Leaders room one night watching a film when the fire alarm went off. She told them to go back to their rooms get their coats & shoes & then make their way out. The leaders in her room got their stuff & DD was the last one to get in & she panicked about the fire so just grabbed her coat & ran after the others without her shoes on.

As it was raining the young leader had to give DD a piggyback & moaned at her for not getting her shoes. She felt that everyone was staring at her & was really embarassed at having panicked. The Pack Leader/Brown Owl reassured her that she had done absolutely the right thing in getting out of the hotel but she still felt very very self conscious.

That happened 7 months ago & since then she has refused to stay anywhere away from home without me & also never told me the full story of what actually happened. She has missed out on 3 different overnight trips & was in tears about having to go on the PGL trip next summer.

My view is that she shouldnt have been left to fend for herself & I've reassured her that she was right to be more concerned about getting out quickly & safely rather than worrying about shoes, but I may well ask DD1 s boyfriend to speak to her too as he is a fab fireman so will hopefully restore her confidence in her decision making.

As to going away with my Dad; well he asked me to call him back this evening which I have ... no answer & it doesnt surprise me as when we arrived at his house at the agreed time on monday to take him out for his birthday meal, he wasnt there & didnt answer his mobile. He eventually turned up half an hour later having been out with a mate & forgetting the arrangement ( yet again) which meant that we were nearly an hour late for our reservation & had to make do with another far inferior table location all at a cost of £40 + time + fuel & having to complete home job at midnight due to gettng home so much later ... :wall:

Bo!!ocks to that, he can go as & when it suits him because I need to spend some time with my little girl who has been rather neglected during Project Stress .

Now I get why she's so happy being at home; she feels safe & confident here ... I can feel some camping in the garden coming on _pale_.

Other news is that I am bidding on some fab Faith shoes on ebay & of course this is totally vindicated as today I received £7.18 from Quidco . I now have enough in the Quidco Drip Funded Secret Savings account to buy DDs new bedroom furniture :j.

I have already spent £63.01p of the Grocery Budget but we now have lots of yummy stuff to eat & as I got most of the chores done today we can chill a bit over the weekend & maybe start hunting for a new bike for DD.

Wishing everyone a great weekend,

xx

museumworker

Thought I'd put my 2p worth in (although I'll want it back after! :rotfl:) I think trying to make 'a holiday' for DD out of what sounds like a business/emotional trip for you and Dad will be very stressful, and very draining. Plus trying to sort out all of the arrangements to make it happen is making me tired just reading about it. Much better putting yourself and dd first, and giving your dad whatever support you can after that.

Enjoy the weekend.

moo2moo

I get the impression theres something you're not saying. It doesn't sound like it can be both a business trip and a holiday. I'm sure you and DD can have an awful lot of fun with £400 without the headaches of a stressful week with your dad.

Lula-Hula

Museumworker - thanks for your 2p & you may now have it back Sound advice as ever :T & you're right, it wouldnt be much fun at all.

Moo - straight to the point as usual :A you are absolutely right in that it's not really possible for Dad to do his business ( I dont have any ) & me to try to make it into a hol for DD at the same time.

I dont want to go & it wouldnt have occurred to me to accompany him had he not mentioned it. He needs to go to get 'closure' on past events, I've done that & have no desire to reopen old wounds.

He called this morning & I said that it was nice idea but that the timing wasnt great for me & it would end up being a lot of money for a short break.

Being male, he didnt get what I was trying to say & we then had a rather stressful hour on the phone with him trying to find different flights at a cheaper rate. He managed to knock £100 off the price at which point I realised that even if it only cost £100 all in, I still didnt want to go but just couldnt bring myself to say that. I rejected flying at night, early in the morning & then mentioned that it was a week before payday ... at which point he offered to 'subsidise' the trip.

:think: now would that be the same variety of subsidising as the cambelt replacement that ended up costing me £500 on the CC as I hadnt saved up for it and he decided to forget all about his offer ?

I just ended up having to be rather awkward about the whole thing & when I then reminded him that I also needed to find someone to care for Catapuss he got very irritated & said he couldnt be bothered about that & he ow wished he hadnt mentioned it in the first place

Hurray, finally my cue to jump in & say how much easier it would be if he just went by himself & could then travel at his will. He agreed that would be easier all round & then dropped the bombshell that he intended to spend a couple of days visiting a friend which would have meant DD & I spending the best part of 2 days out of the 4 sat in a car :mad:.

The final outcome is that he gets to feel good about having offered & also to lay the blame for us not going purely on my being downright awkward. I get to not have to spend about £600 for a 2 day holiday & another 2 days sat in a car with some housekeeping duties thrown in for good measure.

Result :rotfl:

DD overheard the conversation so I had to explain what it was all about & while she initially looked a bit disappointed, she then said that she would actually much prefer to go & visit the relatives in Portugal anyway .

I do apolpogise for being a bit secretive about the details of the 'business', but I do have good reasons; it would make me immediately identifiable & there may also be some legal implications/consequences so I do need to keep it very vague at the moment.

Moving on rather swiftly, we've had a lovely day here today, - 2 loads of washing done, a small bit of decuttering & then a tirp out to do research on new bikes for DD.

It was very scary. I refuse to go to Halfords after the fiasco with DDs bike service & the part that I ended up having to superglu on after they damaged it & then twice managed to not repair it :mad:.

So, we went to a bike shop in nearby Chaikeytown ( yes, 'Chaikey' is an amalagamation of 2 words that very accurately describes the indigenous people of that place) & nearly passed out to discover that DDs recent growth spurt means a Starting Price of £240 :eek: on bikes, althought they only seemd to stock one brand. Oh that is the exact sum I have saved up for presents this year, but that was meant to be going towards all presents for everyone I need to buy for.

Although she did love one of them she declined to try it out & I know it's because she was very conscious of the price & I love her to bits for that although I did reassure her that price was not an issue. But she suggested we go to more bike shops & I gratefully agreed :A.

Having parked in the Tatco carpark it seemd a bit churlish to not buy the squash we needed so in we went, with me grumbling & feeing more murderous with every step & I ended up buying DD a couple of pairs of trousers for £3 each as well. It was worth it as they will go brilliantly with all the ebay dresses I got for her.

Home again & witha bit of googling I found another cycle shop in nearby town & the SP there was a mere £130 & they stock at least 5 different brands & hopefully not all with the 18 gripshift gears that I still havent managed to work out how to use properly on my bike . Explanations gratefully received ...

Next friday is an inset day so we plan to head there then I really want to keep the price under £200 if I can & have reminded her that it will be an early birthday present.

We fired up the barbecue this eveing & ate too much but it was ust lovely to be out on warm summer eveing & the scent of jasmine & honeysuckle was divine. We even dug the poi out of the shed & the cat thought it was a great game until he got whacked with one & then stalked off in a huff only to be later found exacting his revenge by having a very thorough grooming session all over the freshly hoovered rugs in my room :mad:

Plan for tomorrw is hit the allotment early & then start photographing stuff for ebay ...

bye for now
xx

moo2moo

Try Decathlon. They have a fab range of v. sensibly priced, v. good quality bikes and they'll deliver if you can't get to a store. Mind you the stores are well woth a visit. They're huge and v. cheap. As an example in the bargantastic enormous sales section we found jodphurs reduced from £16 to £3, t-shirts at 50p and trainers for a fiver. Even kids hiking boots start off under a tenner. They have sleeping bags for a fiver and tons and tons and tons of other stuff. Not entirely sure if encouraging you to go to Lakeside is the best idea I've ever come up with though.

Lula-Hula

I'm a bit late reporting in tonight, had a fair bit of home-job work to do & also had to calculate how many direct debits due out this week before I could make a payment to CCs.

My plans yesterday didnt go accordingly I got swept up in a car cleaning frenzy, spent far too long chatting with neighbours about camper vans, Quidco, ebay, barbecues, cars etc etc etc & never actually got to the allotment at all - whoops.

Grumpy texted me at 7.30 today to say I'd be on my own this morning & it was unusually busy so I didnt manage to sneak my way to online banking at all.

I have now paid another £100 to the co op CC so the balance on that is £300 & the overall total still outstanding is £4000 exactly .

Must go to bed now

night night
xx