The Ultimate Incentive to have an amazing 2010.

Dinah93

Swinstie, it's no secret we're back in debt so I'm planning to start a new thread in the next few days as we need to start the process all over again! But its not a prescribed formula, it depends what's worth doing at any one time, last time it was ebay, amazon, surveys, lots of mystery shopping, quidco offers, babysitting, there was some bingo stuff going on, this time it will still be ebay, but then the new second best is matched betting for us, bit of mystery shopping, still focussed on quidco whenever there are freebies, and maybe a second job this time. Its about finding what works for you.

Day off today, so far I've made brownies and two pies to freeze, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom and I need to tidy the bedroom a bit. I'm also doing a bit of research into our new car. No idea what we're going to get yet, I'm going to get NIM to set up the spreadsheet so I can work out the cost over 3 years, try to work out if we're better with something cheaper and less economical, or a more expensive diesel.

I've decided people who I'd usually give a bottle of wine to for Christmas are going to get homemade jams and chutneys, there was a huge box of apples in work this week, so I've bought some dates and am going to make some apple and date chutney in the next few days to start the process off.

Better stop yapping go finish tidying - my '30 min' bake brownies are in a too small tin so have now been baking 50 mins and are still gooey - I'm loathed to leave the kitchen until they come out the oven as I know I'll forget them and they'll burn!

Lara44

Hey Everyone from Kampala!!

I arrived on Sunday last week, so nearly a week here already. So far I have settled in well. My guesthouse is really nice - laid back and friendly with lots of different people. It's a bit further from the uni than I had hoped so I'll move into a guest house on campus in 2 weeks. I have been getting boda boda motorbike taxis everywhere :eek: I had a great welcome at the university and I have a lovely desk in a shared office with this super interesting lecturer guy.

I haven't done any fieldwork yet, but I have made some really good connections. I have 3 connections to follow up next week, so I am really hoping that the repair shop people will let me hang around. Also I'll get my introduction letter so I will be able to approach shops myself. So I guess it's all going well. I'm looking forward to having some observations and interviews under my belt. It's great to be online - I hadn't quite realised how addicted I am!!!

clearmydebts

Lara44 wrote: »

Hey Everyone from Kampala!!

I arrived on Sunday last week, so nearly a week here already. So far I have settled in well. My guesthouse is really nice - laid back and friendly with lots of different people. It's a bit further from the uni than I had hoped so I'll move into a guest house on campus in 2 weeks. I have been getting boda boda motorbike taxis everywhere :eek: I had a great welcome at the university and I have a lovely desk in a shared office with this super interesting lecturer guy.

I haven't done any fieldwork yet, but I have made some really good connections. I have 3 connections to follow up next week, so I am really hoping that the repair shop people will let me hang around. Also I'll get my introduction letter so I will be able to approach shops myself. So I guess it's all going well. I'm looking forward to having some observations and interviews under my belt. It's great to be online - I hadn't quite realised how addicted I am!!!

Hi Lara,

Wow - sounds amazing and it sounds like you have settled in really well. Do you have to work weekends or do you get free time then?

When will you see your OH next?

Lara44

Hey CMD

So far I have free time. I had a nice day with some people from the guest house, which was cool as I thought it might be a bit lonely. Perhaps I'll have to work some weekends later on. I deliberately chose a really long period of fieldwork so it wouldn't be too stressful if everything went wrong and I didn't make any contacts. So I am here until beginning of December and then back in Kampala January and February.

My OH comes over on 31st October - hooooooray!!!! I am so excited.

How is little Max?

Tete_en_l'Air

Hi Lara! Wow- you're there - hope you're enjoying it! Hope everyone is well and has had a good weekend!

poddle911

Well, hello Kampala! Lara, sounds like you'll have a brilliant time, and super nice that your OH is visiting in a few weeks.

Hope everyone else is good! Birdie, I gather that your hen plans are well under way

Dinah, are your work still being awful? Hope all the house stuff as well isn't getting too stressful; it still sounds you're being a domestic goddess and Mrs NIM!

I'm on the job hunt again, it's so frustrating! I had an interview last week for a job I liked the sound of and they said they'd get in touch with everyone last Thursday, but not heard a PEEP. It's so lame - makes you wonder why you put so much effort into applying. Ah well, onwards and upwards!
How are you getting on in your office Birdie?

clearmydebts

Lara44 wrote: »

Hey CMD

So far I have free time. I had a nice day with some people from the guest house, which was cool as I thought it might be a bit lonely. Perhaps I'll have to work some weekends later on. I deliberately chose a really long period of fieldwork so it wouldn't be too stressful if everything went wrong and I didn't make any contacts. So I am here until beginning of December and then back in Kampala January and February.

My OH comes over on 31st October - hooooooray!!!! I am so excited.

How is little Max?

It sounds great Lara and how wonderful that you have met up with friendly people. Makes all the difference!

Max is great, has started to say Mama which is very very cute. He is very smiley

Dinah93

Evening all. In case anyone has missed it, today is the start of National Chocolate Week. I'm celebrating my new favourite holiday by baking every day. Today was chocolate chip cookie dough traybake. This may not be the week to start the diet I had hoped it would be!

Aye work is better thanks Poddle, it seems HR is the issue not my boss, I have it on good authority she's actually been sticking up for me, which I find very reassuring to learn.

Physio has gotten a bit hardcore. I have to take painkillers now and just power through. This is all in aid of driving quicker and not loosing my job. Which isn't so bad once you get past the screaming, but my knee is making such a godawful noise when I bend it, sort of like there are rice crispies in there... I think I may need to check with the physio I'm not doing permenant damage!

House is progressing a bit. Upstairs the guest room is nearly there, just needs some shelves putting up and the curtains hanging (and lots of boxes clearing out!). Study needs a bit more paint and curtains hanging, and dad is hoping to start plastering the lounge this week. It'll be wierd to start having a home rather than the dusty shack it resembles now!

Car 'shortlist' contains about 20 cars. I'm tempted to just throw a dart at the list, decide that way.

Tete_en_l'Air

poddle911 wrote: »

I'm on the job hunt again, it's so frustrating! I had an interview last week for a job I liked the sound of and they said they'd get in touch with everyone last Thursday, but not heard a PEEP. It's so lame - makes you wonder why you put so much effort into applying. Ah well, onwards and upwards!

Has your contract finished? Oh woe, seems like yesterday that you got that job! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Rice krispies sounds bad Dinah tho I have to say, my knees crackle sometimes when you listen hard - I just try not to excercise them too much!

I HAD heard it's National Chocolate Week - totally can't afford to go buying baking ingredients all I have in is the stuff for a carrot cake. Will have to make do with a Wispa or something.

Right best go and do some work, so busy

Birdie85

Hello Lara in Kampala! Do I have to shout louder so you hear me all that way away?! Good to hear that you're settling in well, although the taxis sound scary!

I can't believe Max is starting to talk CMD! They grow so fast! I'm trying really really hard to beat the broodiness that has hit big time but it's so hard! I was trying to convice OH at the weekend that I need a baby to fit in at the Rugby Club now, it's like a big baby club now, I had to borrow someone's dog so I didn't look like too much of a lonely childless saddo!

Physio sounds nasty Dinah, especially the odd noises! I'm a bit creaky today as we went on a 2 hour walk to and around Studley Deer Park, I was worn out by the time we'd actually got there since we walked from home and OH had marched there! He also thought it'd be a great idea to climb up a really steep hill to see some little old stone building thing with nice views but I didn't really enjoy the view as I was too busy trying not to keel over, I'm so unfit I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest by the time we got to the top! Now my knees and bum ache like mad!

My work is OK, I was off last week and yesterday and they've moved my desk again so I'm nearer general population, not great but not too bad right now, but not everyone is in yet so I'll have to see how hectic it gets when there are 2 more people in the office!

Sorry to hear about the job hunt Poddle, I hate the whole job application process, I've had a fair few bad interviews that went nowhere that I've been put off the whole process! The only one that went well was for a job that would have been a £4k drop in pay!

The date of my hen party has been sorted, it's the 14th-16th January but that's all I know! I got a call from one of my friends on Sunday asking me to meet her at the pub so I went down and all of my 'Hens' were there, including 2 from Leeds, which was a lovely surprise! They'd met up to make plans and discuss details expecting it to take ages but apparently took a whole 19 minutes, I don't know if I should be impressed or worried! LOL! I can't wait now, only 13 and a half weeks till my Hen Party and 17 and a half till we fly off! Argh, so soon! I don't know if I should be giddy with excitement or pale with panic!