Getting out of my comfort zone

hypno06

Just catching up gilli as I seem to have missed your diary for a while!

Good to see that the new job is giving you something to get your teeth into - shame about the travel but it sounds like you are working out the best way to get where you and DS need to be.

savingholmes

Sorry the commute is the pits! will it improve in the school holidays do you think?

Very sensible to have a mortgage cushion and savings pot. Hope you are okay and that you have a good summer!

gilligansyle

No the commute won't be any better in the holidays, its because there are lots of roads which all converge on Runcorn Bridge, which is only 2 lanes so there is a natural bottleneck. Not helped by the fact that the likes of Tesco, Asda etc. all have distribution hubs in the area so there are lots of lorries.

I used some of the pot while out of work to keep the mortgage up to date, so keen to replenish that.

Have started to be a little bit more generous with the grocery budget, as a treat have just bought M&S Aberdeen Angus beef. I know its quite expensive, but it is really good quality. Still only spent £45 in total though, just need to get some fresh fruit at the farmers market tomorrow.

savingholmes

I know that area so yeah the Runcorn bridge can be a right pain!

Food wise - we all deserve a treat sometimes....

gilligansyle

macgirl wrote: »

Morning :hello: You sound busy, but it's good that you are still enjoying it.

When's the Race for Life? I've just got back from a run and have got a 10k in 2 weeks, then the dreaded Great North Run in September _pale_

Take care and don't work too hard

Race for Life is tomorrow - 5k is about all I can do at a brisk walk!

macgirl

Good luck - it's very emotional and there's a great feeling of togetherness, you'll be glad you've taken part

Double_Trouble

Good luck for tomorrow and yuck to the commute.

DTxx

gilligansyle

Thought my friend was going to back out of the Race for Life at first, as she managed to get a blister just walking to the start! Managed to persuade her that we could just walk at any pace she wanted to take the pressure off her foot. Walked the 5k in a fairly creditable 50 minutes, bearing in mind the amount of people taking part and the bottlenecks in some places which meant that we came to a standstill.

Then went to IKEA, why?! Sunday afternoon, I must have been mad. Managed to only spend £8 though, and the coffee in the cafe was free, not sure if thats a new thing. Bought some boxes to tidy stuff into so will now dutifully start sorting.

savingholmes

congrats on doing the walk and limiting the ikea spend. I find ikea temptation city!

gilligansyle

Have got aches in strange places today - my ribs are aching for some reason, didn't know you used them much for walking!
DS rang me in work 'bring some money home' - errr why???
'Oh xxx is here doing the gutters for you'

I know they needed doing, and it's local firm, so he won't rip me off, but I would have liked a bit of notice. they were doing guttering in the area anyway and decided to chance it. Of course DS could have said no, but just thought I'd have the money. Just as well I did really.

So, now I can get the plastering sorted once it all dries out, no point in having that done when damp still getting in from outside. Then there's paintwork, general decorating, and of course getting the windows replaced. Thats just for starters.

Reading DT's diary and issues with re-mortgage I am wondering if its worth my while downsizing when DS moves out. As I'm now technically self employed, it's going to be harder to get a mortgage and I'm already 50 so will be looking to get a mortgage for only 10 years so the repayments will cripple me.

Too much to think about at the moment, put it into the 'think about next year' pile.