So here's to you, Mrs R....

hypno06

Hmm....not sure what to suggest. I certainly can't help with the puppy stuff, only ever having had cats in the hypno household which thankfully have all been trained before we got them....

I understand the "boys" problem, though, and being surrounded by kit, muck, lack of thought etc.......and I don't have an answer for that one either other than to slog it out, reminding myself that it is mothers day in a couple of weeks, and there is a very slim (ok, read non-existant) chance that they might have a bit of consideration for me on the occasion.

It is not an easy journey, this MSE lark.....especially when you want, are used to, your peers already have, or your income suggests you should have loveliness. But you are making fab progress, and will be in a far better financial position in due course.

The boys and their hormones, though.......hmmmmm.......:rotfl:

In_my_dreams

You poor thing - have some (((((hugs)))))

Re the dog - how old is he? We have a 11 month old (currently in his cage fo eating cat food AND chewing the carpet.....) but he is house trained and has been for some time. We got him into a routine although it is only in the last six weeks that he actually tells us he needs a wee/poo by whining extremely loudly until we move.

I would get rid of the newspaper and let him out every 2 hours - gradually increasing the time. We tried newspaper but then he thought he could keep going in the house as the newspaper was there. Let him out as soon as you get up, once he's eaten, drunk etc and then every two hours. Our puppy also has a cage in which he sleeps in/hides in when naughty/hides from kids in/gets put in when he has eaten the cats food or chewed the carpet. As he classes it as his home he refuses to wee/poo in it so we have no accidents anymore. It is tiresome letting them out every couple of hours but then he will get it - praise him a lot when he is out, even if you have to go out with him, and then run back to the settee to lie down.

Hope that helps, still got the training pads if you want me to send them?

thrifty_fifty

Many hugs Mrs R.

Having to spend on the boring things is such a drag. New shoes for the car (something to do with the brakes I think) cost more than mine do. Good job it doesn't need a new handbag too!

Not well placed to advise on the puppy front, with boys, only that they tend to be very messy and don't like to clean anything. Could they have some chores given to them? It would free some time up so you could have nice relaxy time with wine and candles, and also provide them with essential survival skills if they go to Uni?

xx

mrs_robinson_3

A much much better day!

Thanks to all for hugs and kind words and puppy advice....perhaps more later in week.....

Thinking of being uncharacteristically (of late) splurge-y and having my car valeted tmw....not so showroom condition but so am not embarassed to take the French boy in it....guy said £40, Mrs R said can you do any better...he said £35 which think am happy with....with a few tweaks the budget can take it and it does need a spring clean....all that mud... it really gets a girl down

Mrs R

thrifty_fifty

Seriously considering a valet too. The outside is filthy but it's too cold and horrible to do it on a sunday, and you can't take the hoover out to do the inside for fear of getting electrocuted because it is so damp. The car wash took the aeriel (just discovered i don't know how to spell that word-oops) off last time. Ooh la la!!

Glad you had a better day today.

xx

In_my_dreams

I think if you can afford a valet then go for it but maybe see if you can get it cheaper? It's all very well cleaning your car yourself but they make the seats look nice and new and everything! You'll feel like you have a new car afterwards

mrs_robinson_3

Car done and it's fab, mud all gone! £35 well spent. Cleaned someone's lovely house today and put the £20 I earned towards it, so actually only cost me £15 anyway. And Mr R v pleased with me, so def worth it.

My good humour is restored

Mrs R

hypno06

Very pleased to see that good humour has been restored! Long may it continue!

In_my_dreams

Yay good humour restored due to a car valet -

mrs_robinson_3

Thanks IMD. It's been super sunny here too, which helps!

So, MSE progress.....Well, paid my RBS yesterday and so my balance is....£1000! Feeling v pleased with that as the Tesco one, once it was sub-£1000,seemed to get cleared up quickly...so the light at the end of that tunnel is glimmering away, so v pleased. Egg DD has not left a/c yet, so can't update my signature until then, but looking forward to that little psychological boost.

Had huge online food shop delivered last night - £210-worth. Is all basics for the month and should mean we can just top up as we go. Was free delivery so MSE points there. Just checked out joint a/c balance and looks like we need to take things steady there for the rest of the month....really need to re-do some things like try to get a better TV/broadband/phone package as we def need to make some cutbacks on our fixed outgoings. Hopeful that by the autumn we can stop paying Eon the massive £197 a month as the debit was not as big as might have been expected, given the winter, so we might get into credit in the next few months...and then I could swap again......

French exchange partner arriving today so whole house to clean and tidy - not too bad as generally all OK, but am a perfectionista....and just decided pillows are really beyond the pale, so more expense...though John Lewis has some v reasonable ones, so will pick up two of those in a bit

Really want to buy Just Kids, a new book by Patti Smith.....think it will be prefect reading for my Paris trip as she had a major Paris fascination in her early life, I recall....it's just been published and is book of the week on R4 at the mo - it is beautifully written and I will love it....it is £9-something on Amazon. This is v reasonable anyway IMHO, but to spice it up, am going to force myself to do surveys to get an Amazon voucher....just a mini challenge

Next few days set to be fairly costly as have put together an itinerary for the French boy, including bowling, going to an FA Cup match and out to eat on his last night, but will try to keep it as MSE as poss....and have done a meal plan for the week, another first.

A bientot

Mrs R