little_h's big dreams :)

choogirl

Hi little_h

Fingers crossed that your viewing goes well:)

Well done for getting up so early that takes motivation I really stuggle to get out of bed on dark mornings hence why I am always in a rush on a morning.
I must start doing some exercise maybe in the Spring I will get my bike out and take the kids to school on it.:o

Have a good weekend xx

beanielou

Keep ploddinh h

little_h_2

thanks both

just watched the Pete Postlethwaite tribute on BBC2, was so sad to hear he had died a couple of weeks back. He was one of my very favourite actors. I think most people's favourite was Brassed Off which I did enjoy, but for me In the Name of the Father was a truly amazing film and he was astonishing in it. nothing overpowering but just incredible.

I didn't realise Julie Walters was with him in a relationship for a while. I started reading her autobiography while waiting for a concert last year (free book to read in a cafe) so will have to have another look so I can read the rest.

Shoe_Gal

I think 'In the name of the Father' is an amazing film too

mineallmine

Hope everything is ok - hope the viewing goes well

little_h_2

evening all

no definite feedback from the viewing yet, although the agent mentioned that while the viewers were looking round they mentioned it wasn't worth the asking price and wasn't worth more than 210k (25k below the current asking price!)

I have worked out that I can drop a little below 235 but not to 210. I would be better hanging on, paying the mortgage down, paying my debt down and continuing to tart it up.

had a good weekend, a little too much drinking for my liking (sounds weird but hope you know what i mean) but quite productive and relaxed too.

ex fiance (who texted me on Saturday to say that he wasn't wanting to move in just after i had posted on here!) came over on Saturday night and then stayed until this morning. I know he reads from time to time but he knows I won't change what I post because I know he reads. It is his choice! We avoided talking about any heavy stuff and just enjoyed each other's company. We popped out while the people came to look at the house, into town. Never mind the clothing challenge, my current toiletries spend is ridiculous! Everything has run out at once! Plus I bought a couple of make up bits too, plus 2 CDs in the HMV sale.

Got home on time from work tonight and the difference it makes is astonishing - the traffic has been shocking lately. And I even left work late! Maybe I am stuck in a timewarp

Looked at the card balances today, by September I could well be under the £20k mark on the debt if I have a good summer on the harp (by May I will be able to use more of my leftover spends each month as I will have paid the balance off the harp) and keep on the minimalist spending track, and this really has lifted me a bit.

This is all a real rollercoaster but just got to ride it as the song goes (not one of my favourites but there we are!)

little_h_2

back again done a shred - convinced myself to do Level 2 again and it was actually OK today! the last few times I have done it it has been torture! I find the cardio on level 1 suits me best, seems pacier somehow, and the strength stuff on level 2 is murder on my thighs. I plan to do another couple of runs this week and try and get to Level 3 over the weekend.

Can't believe it's been 3 weeks already! my fitness levels and muscle tone is much better although the weight is still proving tricky to shift. I could have been much stricter on the diet though, so plan to be really focussed this week.

Been on the phone and sorted a 15 month 0% balance transfer to replace the Mint one which expires in Feb. That should help in June when the BOS one runs out, as I find Mint are quite good at giving me balance transfers if the account balance is zero and I say I want to close the account, so hopefully they will come up trumps again in June.

couple of other harp things to mention - I set up a myspace profile on Saturday - I plan to use this instead of a website for a little while. I haven't added much yet but can build on it.

I have booked my studio date with my lovely photographer for 30th Jan - studio time is free so I just need to pay for pictures (will probably mostly have digital ones anyway for website etc although parents and grannies may like a proper one)

I am playing for a wedding in March and the couple have just asked me to play for their meal as well as ceremony and drinks so this will be some useful extra money. Hopefully I can use this towards some demo tracks and put it in the pot for the website.

Lastly (for now!) I am thrilled that I have now already got bookings for over a third of what I had targeted myself for harp income this year. I need to work out all the costs etc so I am putting enough away for tax etc but there are a fair few expenses so this should be ok.

I want to keep track of my achievements for myself hence all the rambling! Oh and have updated signature too, although this will sadly go up soon as I need to BT the heating oil/vet bills cross about this but will be re-planning so I am better prepared this year.

Oh - and I had promised myself a GnT tonight but the shred bribery has worked again and now I don't want one! :j

little_h_2

evening all

well, I am all out of positivity today. So I have just had pizza for tea, plus the GnT I resisted last night. At this rate, the belated Christmas present box of chocs (from my harp pupil) don't stand much of a chance of remaining in the cupboard!

had a monster drive into work, floods everywhere and it took me 3 1/2 hours to get to work. The last 5 miles took 2 of those hours, just ridiculous.

I now have the greyhound staying and he was pleased to see me when I arrived at my ex hubby's house to pick him up.

I have planned a busy mixed day for my work from home days (tomorrow and Thurs) and today I have ticked off 2 things I had been avoiding most of last week

So now, I think it will be jammies time, a little light wallowing and then hopefully an early night and a prompt non-lazy start to the day tomorrow!

Souk08

Light wallowing sounds fun! Take care X

little_h_2

another toughie today, almost hit the bottle but managed to keep going past the turning for Mr Ts on the way home from teaching my harp pupil. He was very tired and a bit loopy with it tonight (only 8!) so concentration levels weren't what they normally are. We turned it around though and I felt proud of myself.

I'm trying all the CBT techniques of rationalising (or giving myself a good talking to as I prefer to call it!) when I am beating myself over the head but it's exhausting!

I read about people who are in many worse situations than me, so I know I should be thankful things aren't worse than they are. I am trying to focus on the little things, but can't help thinking about big nice things like holidays. This will be one of the first things I do when I move, and when I am debt free (hopefully there won't be too big a gap between the two, although this depends on if i sell and how much i sell mine for.

My car had its service today. This was budgeted. It needs 2 new tyres, also budgeted across a year although there is nothing left of this due to the unexpected costs before christmas! Plus I will need new brake discs and pads soon, not unexpected but I asked today if there was anything else that would be coming up so I could budget. The garage boss says they should be ok to hang on until the next service as I am obviously v careful/light on the brakes no real surprise I was last so much when I was racing!

Once I have cleared the extra off the harp balance, I had been planning to revamp the downstairs loo, but I think I will put some money toward clearing down my overdraft first. This will hopefully help me feel that I do have some emergency cash if I need to pay a big unplanned bill, rather than putting it on a card as I do at the moment. I have started on the new SOA and will be putting a bit more aside for heating oil, house insurance and vet bills!

I have booked a week off work, for the week after the spa trip with my mum. Hopefully I can make good use of the time to do some stuff at home, some good practice and get up to see my granny.

I am feeling sad about not having a nice holiday to look forward to though. I have happy memories of holidays with my ex hubby, and haven't had a proper week away since a trip to Skye with my ex fiance (sounds complicated doesn't it!). This was a nice break but was a lot of driving and the weather was a bit restrictive. I think I need some sunshine! Single friends are pretty much non-existent, and tonight I am feeling lonely in a way I haven't for a while.

I'm sure it will pass. I am glad of the company of an elderly greyhound but while I am sure he would love to sleep on my bed, like Mariah Carey he doesn't do stairs and I am not carrying him! :rotfl:

Food wise, I cooked a fab dinner and really enjoyed it :T

But I have almost finished the belated xmas chocolates

I have stayed off the alcohol though, and that was looking impossible earlier today! :j

No shred today either, I am just too tired so am off to bed in a little while. I got up at 7.30 today which was good, but I went to bed at 10.30 so shouldnt have felt tired really. Hopefully I will be up at 7 tomorrow, and will feel a bit brighter