Further financial faux pas and even more disasterous decisions

moo2moo

We're in the very fortunate position that our remaining debt is mortgage debt due to adding stuff to the mortgage rather than high interest debt. When the debt is cleared we'll own the house outright which is why the interest payments equate to £1 per day. Once we've shifted this final 10K we won't have to pay anything for accomodation which means all our bills are living expenses. I supose I should really be banished to the MFW board but I kinda like it here. The bank will generously allow us to keep paying interest until 2029 but I'd really rather not thank you very much. We had a bit of a blip several years back which saw us spending considerably more than we were earning each month. Now that thats under control we have a much better quality of life at about a third of what we were spending each month. We could manage if OH were to quit in the immediate future, it wouldn't come as quite as big a shock as it would have done three years ago.

The mere suggestion of giving up the landies would be the end of his world. All his dreams and future plans are hinged on them. Still if he had more time he could get project landie completed and all the surplus bits sold off which would help tidy up the house and fund the thing in the first place.

Hes clearly very unhappy at work. Turns out the meeting to which he has been summonsed is a meet and greet of the new european head honcho to take part in the arrivals lounge of the airport between flights. Since the company is family orientated yahdee yahdee yah the guy is going to be lucky enough to meet DD2 (who is v. excited about going to see the planes). Perhaps then his boss will get some idea of how much disruption these things cause. Fella in question is scheduled to perform the same meet and greet at three locations each day for a week so won't have a clue who he has or hasn't met. Better still she won't be the only child there as several of the others are taking their children along too.

Anyhoooo enough of the duller than dull stuff.

I collected my new glasses today and they are fab. The world no longer has scratches or blobs of paint distorting it. Took ages to get them fitted as apparently my ears aren't symetrical and an old break in my nose meant they sat wonky. Eventually got them sorted so that they look square on although the frames had to be twisted so much that they don't fit in a case, no matter really as they spend the majority of the day wedged on my nose.

Ventured into the clothing section of Mr Ts and discovered that the t-shirts all have shoulder pads.Yeuch. Remember that the last time round when Dynasty was the thing to watch on the telly box.

More scary was the shampoo section where I gravitated towards hair dye but then thought better of it. Purple hair is only one step away from a blue rinse. May well give in before the end of the hols though.

moo2moo

cherisong wrote: »

Evening Moo,
Glad no alarming post arrived today. Perhaps sleeping is the new way of dealing with being stressed. Wish I was there to see pup launch herself at the kitten. I can just imagine the cuffuffle. Laughing at the thought. I love the sound of your job, it sounds quite physical but at the same time therapeutic. But then I guess the grass is always greener.

Thanks for the suggestion on my diary re the envelopes. Why didnt I think of that?

I used to love having a dishwasher because it could hide a multitude of sins. I also love the picture you paint of wandering down the lane eating blackberries. That is my big bug bear here, there are no blacberries. I moved from the middle of a town and I used to get loads of blackberries up there by the allotments and made lots of jam and pies. None here whatsoever. Although shush dont tell anybody, there is an apple tree at the garage in the village that has shed a load of apples the last couple of days, so, during my PJ walks in the middle of the night last night I filled two carrier bags full! Not sure what kind they are definitely not crab apples. I am going to make apple sauce for my bran muffins and I might look up some other recipes too. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

Have to be careful though, I've wrecked more than one pair of pale PJs by wiping my sticky fingers on the thigh, although its usually the DDs that manage to smear juice all down me.

I've had lots of apples from schools garden. The maggoty ones kept the chooks happy, the others have been crumbled, caked, pie'd and slow-cooked and then frozen so that I can whip out a box of stewed apple laterin the year and transform it into something else on a whim. Even planned to make blackberry and apple crumble but have munched too many whilst collecting them to make it worthwhile so far.

Job is fab, salary is worse than lousy. On the days I have to pay childcare I end up out of pocket so I avoid doing that unless its an absolute last resort as it seems rather daft to pay to work.

MrsMoo2U

We cross posted but I HAD to comment on purple hair. I had purple hair in the 80s!!!!!!!! really, and shoulder pads............ I just bought a girls cardi in anglesey last week from Mr T with shoulder pads, no VAT and only £6.00. Very Alexis it is too!

I say, if hubby is this stressed and upset is work really worth that upset. If you can manage and it will make things better then let him give up work. If he can do the odd bit of consultancy work that will keep you going it is surely worth giving it a go. Life is just too short for all of the upset and worry that you are going through. Only thing is - him finishing doesnt guarantee he will feel any better. My OH got worse (ie depressed and nowty not violent) when his contract finished. But hey, I love him so I am in it for the long haul and it is just too easy to walk away when the going gets tough. However I have also been in an abusive relationship so I know when it is the right time to walk away too.

moo2moo

Whoop whoop its Friday! Ok so its raining which means I won't be getting any painting done and will have to revert to the tediously mundane cleaning of the classrooms but thats no bad thing really as I have a dozen teachers who will roll into school a week on wednesday to start the new term and be confronted with the detritus from the last one. I have already finished half of them, two were left in such a state that the boss has threatened me with the sack if I even venture in the door. Teachers in question have had 6 weeks to come in and do something about their rooms so that I can then deep clean but if they can't be bothered with the superficial then apparently they'll be cleaning their own classrooms on teacher training day. Means I just have to finish the remaining five rooms which shouldn't take too long as a quick vac followed by throwing the mechanical scrubber across the floors should sort them in a couple of hours thus gaining killer stomach muscles in the process although after Just Dancing for far too long last night my stomach muscles already ache. Rather surprisingly OH didn't need to be harassed to join it, in fact he was the instigator, me thinks the boy likes it which is just as well because DD1 would like Just Dance 2 for her birthday.

Shuffled accounts around last night and came up with a surplus £300 or at least I couldn't forsee a need for it within the next 25 days so have sent that winging its way to reduce the overall debt. Of course having done that I then remembered the house insurance is due and I haven't ordered the winters logs both of which will eat up a fair whack more than £300. At least they can both wait until after next months payday.

Have two large pallets languishing at school which need transporting home in order to replace the rotten ones that we're currently using for a log store. Also need to locate enough scrap timber or plastic or both to make a water tight roof and still need to reroof both the chicken shed and OHs shed. All projects that I can tackle next week once I've obtained the necessary materials. Not much point ordering dry logs if they're going to get rained on.

moo2moo

Managed to get another four classrooms finished and the science prep area (aka as a wide section of corridor with cupboards) then made a start polishing the hall floor. Need to go back later to spread a second coat. Looks fab already. Sadly all the enthusiasm I had for clening when I wke up has been used up at school. I'd quite happily spend the afternoon vegging on the sofa with a book but I know I'll regret it tomorrow when another days dross has been added to the current levels.

Going to annoy the DDs by plonking the laundry into piles and insisting they transport it out of sight in the hopes that spurs me into action. Somehow I doubt it though.

Finally got DD2 to try on the year before lasts school uniform. Much to her annoyance it all fits so I won't need to buy anything else this year which is rather spiffing really. Poor DD2 clearly takes after me. She needs age 9 trousers in order for them to reach the floor but anything bigger than an age 4-5 is ginormous around the waist.

moo2moo

Tis free to list on flea bay all weekend. Must get my bum in gear and shift some more tat. Although I really really really can't be bothered. Definately a meh day.

moo2moo

Ironing done. Didn't find my mojo at the bottom of the pile though. Going to tackle my bedroom on the basis that its really not too bad so a little effort will have dramatic results unlike the DDs bedrooms where it may take some time before the doors will open fully.

MrsMoo2U

Hey Moo you are having a mad busy day there. Slow down and have a cuppa!
I have lost my mojo too so if you find a spare one send it this way.
Typical free listing and I am away from home. PAH.

moo2moo

It might be Saturday but that didn't stop DD2 using my bed as a trampoline at 5:30. Wish the kid would look at a clock before waking me up rather than after. Conversation went:

Hello mummy! I'm wide awake
Neugh
Its..... five dot dot thirty.... ohhh thats really early isn't it. Has daddy gone to work yet? Shall I go and find out? Shall I go and let puppy out
Neugh (with head firmly wedged under pillow)
Cue one set of stompy footsteps going downstairs and two rapily approaching sets heading upstairs before puppy joined DD2 on my head. Bleugh. So much for a lie in.

Plans for the day involve caffeine by intravenous drip in the hopes of kick starting my anatomy which is clearly in winter hibernation mode. Also need to bath the cat to get rid of all the loose fur before todays trip to the vets so as to avoid hairballs when the collar comes off, however briefly, otherwise we'll be back there again.

Last weeks mad FlyLady was both a mahoosive failure (in that I only completed half of the list) and a huge success (in that I did jobs I would previously not have got round to) so with that in mind I'm going to have another go this week since I'm not officially supposed to be at work, wlthough I'll need to go in a few times to gloss gates and spread more liquid polish on floors. I'm not tied to any set days or times so I can do pretty much what I fancy as and when it fits.

OHs friend is due at some point between Wednesday and Thursday lunchtimes which will seriously curtail things although it will give me the impetus necessary to tackle the DDs rooms as he and his mad puppy will be occupying one of them.

moo2moo

This weeks farcical FlyLady challenge..... think FlyLady must be feeling ill because it seems far more achievable than normal. Perhaps I will manage to get it all done this week... although I'm not holding out much hope for oven cleaning.....

Manic Monday - Kitchen and Dining Room
Level One
Clean floors
Level Two
Clear and wipe kitchen surfaces
Clean cupboard door fronts and the front of appliances
Sort fridge bringing what needs using soon to the front
Wipe dining table
Level Three
Dust any extra furniture in dining room, checking for cobwebs on way round
Wipe window sills, clean any marks off windows
Wash the washer drawer out if it's gunky
Extra Mission
Choose one or more of:

• Clean oven (if it needs it)
• Clean under small appliances
• Give pans a good thorough clean (and where they are stored)

Tuesday Living Room, Hall and Stairs

Level 1
Remove clutter making sure stairs especially are safe
Level 2
Vacuum floors and sofas
Dusting, even if it is around things
Clean TV, other electricals and cabinets
Level 3
Wipe door handles and banister
Move objects so dusting is more thorough, dust them before putting back
Vacuum under furniture
Extra Mission:
Pick one or more of the following tasks –

• Polish any furniture that is feeling a little neglected, of course if it's cluttered up then you might need to do some clearing first
• Sort through shoes, coats and bags
• Clean any glass items in this room
• Sort through any books or magazines lying around, put them where they should be

Wednesday, Master Bedroom & Landing

Level 1
Check fire alarms are working
Vacuum floor in bedroom and on landing
Level 2
Remove bed linen and replace with fresh linen
Dust surfaces & make sure no cobwebs
Level 3
Vacuum mattress before replacing with fresh linen
Extra tasks list, as usual choose one or more

• 27 fling boogie time, time for that midweek fling, go on grab a bag and clear that clutter
• Sort one drawer, making sure only what should be in there is, anything that's had it's day or doesn't belong there is removed
• Clean windows in these rooms
• Clear any one hotspot

Thursday Bathroom and Study/Pc Area
Level One
Vacuum/sweep & mop floors in these rooms
Level Two
Clear clutter from desk
Clean bath, toilet and sink
Dust PC and desk
Level Three
Wipe keyboard and mouse (these usually have more germs on than your toilet)
Extra mission:

• Clean windows in today's rooms
• Clean shower screen
• Wash your bathroom mats
• 15 minutes paperwork sorting, deal with anything urgent today, why put it off, it won't take you long

Friday - those frightning Friday kids rooms and spare rooms

Level One
Vacuum the floor, even if it's just where you can get to
Level Two
Dusting - try to get the tops of drawers/wardrobes
Strip beds and replace with fresh linen
Level Three
Put anything that isn't in it's place where it should be
Vacuum Floor (even if it's just where you can see)
Wipe any sticky marks off walls and doors
Extra Task List

As usual pick any one or more of the following if you fancy an extra challenge today and are still alive after entering the kids rooms!!

• Catch up with laundry, lets see how many have an empty washing basket today (and hope for good weather)
• Time for the Friday Flylady Fling, aim for 27, if you can't find that many, well done, you are obviously making a difference
• Storage area sort, sort through any one neglected dumping ground
• Clean any one (or more) window that needs doing