Smart Mart - Health, wealth and happiness

WorriedofSurrey

Hi Smartmart

I have read through your diary and just wanted to add some support and encouragement, I think you are doing a great job trying to sort your life out.

Hope you manage to get the languages project finished soon - think of the £500!

You must miss your children terribly when you aren't with them, but from your posts you seem to be great dad and they clearly love their time with you (I'm a Mum to twins too).

Bes of luck with the debt busting.

WoS

Smart_Mart

WorriedofSurrey wrote: »

Hi Smartmart

I have read through your diary and just wanted to add some support and encouragement, I think you are doing a great job trying to sort your life out.

Hope you manage to get the languages project finished soon - think of the £500!

You must miss your children terribly when you aren't with them, but from your posts you seem to be great dad and they clearly love their time with you (I'm a Mum to twins too).

Bes of luck with the debt busting.

WoS

Thanks WoS, very kind words....

The twins have always been a huge part of my life even though I haven't lived with them conventionally since they were three months old and I haven't been seeing their mum for nearly five years now! She insists on introducing them to new men (they've met six in total since we split up) and I am determined that I will be in as steady a relationship as possible with someone before they meet whoever I'm seeing. They met my last g/f, two years ago, but I wish they hadn't as the girl cheated on me and I kept the relastionship going longer than I should just because they'd met her and I wanted it to work as a result. I've now written off any idea of having a girlfriend as I'd rather spend my weekends with them and give them my time. Nothing against people who take the opposite view but that mind pattern works for me.

Went to the football club today and put in my expense claim form (£123) so hopefully that will be settled soon. Spent £10 on petrol and £2 on lunch so having to think carefully how my remaining budget gets spent this week before payday on Monday.

Re the above, took my profile off Plentyoffish at the weekend as don't really see how I could have a relationship with someone at present. Best to be alone at the mo, methinks!:D

Smart_Mart

Finished stages one and two of the Languages project last night albeit one picture left. This gives me heart that I can actually do the job which is more than I had when I started it...:p. There are six stages in total and three different languages so in effect, I'm about a tenth of the way through but having done one and two in French, the Spanish and German efforts will be a lot quicker.

Been shopping this morning - lovely to not have to do much. Only spent £9.39 in total as I have so much left from last week....:T

If the rain stops, two paper rounds need to be done today before collecting the boys from school this weekend.

WorriedofSurrey

Well done, keep up the good work!

Must be horrible for you to see a string of new men in their lives. It sounds like you have the right idea about any future relationships for yourself.

Best wishes
WoS

Smart_Mart

WorriedofSurrey wrote: »

Well done, keep up the good work!

Must be horrible for you to see a string of new men in their lives. It sounds like you have the right idea about any future relationships for yourself.

Best wishes
WoS

Thanks again. I like you....:D:T

The first guy after we split up was a nightmare. Without going into details, he was an alcoholic who had been banned for three years for drink-driving. About a month after they met, he went on holiday with my ex and the boys and he drove them down from here to Weymouth (about 75 miles) even though he was banned. The older twin almost drowned on that holiday (he was saved by a lifeguard after he got into difficulties on his own in the pool - he was only four or five at the time) and the whole six months they were together was the worst six months of my life.

Whoops, that went on a bit too long then, sorry! How old are your twins, can I ask? I have identical boys aged nine....:D

WorriedofSurrey

Smart_Mart wrote: »

Thanks again. I like you....:D:T

The first guy after we split up was a nightmare. Without going into details, he was an alcoholic who had been banned for three years for drink-driving. About a month after they met, he went on holiday with my ex and the boys and he drove them down from here to Weymouth (about 75 miles) even though he was banned. The older twin almost drowned on that holiday (he was saved by a lifeguard after he got into difficulties on his own in the pool - he was only four or five at the time) and the whole six months they were together was the worst six months of my life.

Whoops, that went on a bit too long then, sorry! How old are your twins, can I ask? I have identical boys aged nine....:D

Jesus, what a nightmare! I have non ID boys of 5.

WoS

Smart_Mart

Good day today really. Shopping this morning as mentioned before and stuck £7 on the gas on the way home.

Now have about £18 to last the weekend of which £14 will go on petrol to get to the game tomorrow. Shouldn't need much for the quiz on Sunday evening as we have £22 left over from last week's winnings still.

Boys really well behaved tonight and a bit cuddly too - just put them off to bed happy little men. Hopefully they'll have a win tomorrow afternoon to keep them that way.:j

Smart_Mart

Great day today... the team won 2-1 in front of a decent crowd. The whole club seems a much happier place when the team win - seems daft to say so but it really does....:D

Met my best friend of years ago at the game, he supports the other side so a bit of banter after the game with him while he waited for the traffic to die down. I was the best man at his wedding in 1999 but he moved away and I've only seen him a handful of times in the last decade. Making a real effort to stay in touch now.

Total spend today was £15.70 - that's £14.00 of petrol and £1.70 on a drink.

Tomorrow sees a relaxing morning then taking the boys to their football match in the afternoon. Longest trip of the season tomorrow right over the other side of Bristol so will have to organise an early lunch for the twins.

Busy week ahead with only Monday looking quiet. Tuesday is an away game in Liverpool, Wednesday is papers and football training, Thursday is football club and a visit to my older two, Friday is papers and school run day, Saturday is another home game before the usual Sunday routine of football match and pub quiz. Phew....:)

Smart_Mart

Day of "almost but not quite" really.

Almost but not quite won the football match this afternoon and almost but not quite won the quiz tonight...:mad:. At the football, we lost 5-2 with my DS2 making the second goal but a highly dubious penalty wa awarded at 4-2 which threw the team completely. At the quiz, we tied in first place so went for the tiebreaker option to decide first and second but lost that too! There was a horrible atmosphere in the pub tonight due to a bloke who was barred going in there but at one point refusing to leave but there you go - can't see why people get so obsessed with drink myself.

Spent a tenner on petrol tonight plus a couple of quid on some comfort food which has now all been polished off.

Off to bed now as up early for the courier job at 7.00am tomorrow. Going to buy a unit from gumtree.com tomorrow morning that will help me get a little more organised. Courier job in the evening too plus I have to make a start on the next football programme too.

Smart_Mart

Time to make a list today, I think. So much to do, I'd be happy with completing 75% of it, I think....:p

Morning courier job DONE
Evening courier job
Drop badge back to twins house DONE
Do the weekly shop
Buy some gas on card
Two loads of washing
Pick shelving unit up (11am)
Update boys' football site
Write preview of tomorrow night's game
Finish Lesson 3 in French project
Set up interview with ex-player (and actually do the interview if available)
Pay rent to landlord
Pay a debt to creditor
Write 1,000 word article for programme
Proof-read the pages already sent for programme
Clean football boots x 3 pairs
Check emails and act upon them.