greent's mfw journey

newgirly

Congrats getting the clothes sorted and getting down to the next stone, hope the interview goes well for your dd 🙂

Karmacat

Brilliant ticks in the boxes there!  I hope her interview goes really well, and you both recover quickly from the horrors of shopping.  Which I also feel

greent

Well DD's interview turned out to be an assessment centre! They'd sent everyone the incorrect info - so around 20 or so people turned up, expecting an interview and instead had an assessment for 90 mins (with no apology about having received the wrong info!) - in a room with no clock, so no idea of time. Poor on all counts there, really! She wasn't massively upset to have not got through the assessment (found out yesterday) after the poor efforts! All good practice, anyway - and she now has clothes for any future similar events

On a more positive note, DH got a (well deserved) grade rise and pay rise (effective from 1st Oct) yesterday - unexpected good news We celebrated with icecreams from the local farm (handmade on site) and a visit to Nand0s (first time we've been out to eat as a family since the start of C0vid) and he bought me a big bouquet

Evening was slightly dampened by an email received whilst we were there from DS2's school - his whole year are now in isolation as one student has had a positive test (said student is now feeling ok) - bit of a shock when they've only just gone back, but that's what PHE said to do. Today's update is that they hope to have some of the year in end of this week/ start of next - I think it's those who don't share any lessons/ form time / bus with the student - but that's quite a task for the school to identify and check and ensure data is robust.  DS2 would much rather be in school but shares 1 subject with the student - he can't remember if they were in that lesson last week or if they'd gone home by then. Still, it could be worse....

Both our cars went in for MOTs and services last week - both passed. Bill was still almost £600 for the 2, though, with servicing costs. DH's also had some advisories (around £450) so he will book his back in for next month to ensure all is ok for Winter months - not that he does much travelling now....

I'm working Weds/ Thurs/ Fri mornings this week - all extra money is being thrown towards Xmas, I think. And then to house repairs/ refurb fund - we have 'Plans' - just need to see if we can get workmen in and if some of them are viable plans!  

apple_muncher

Well done to dh!

And yah boo hiss to the 'organisers' of dd's non-interview!

South_coast

Excellent news for DH 😀

Tahlullah.H

Good luck with the workmen.  Still struggling to get someone.  No-one wants small jobs!

newgirly

Great news and well done to your dh 😊

Hazelnutty

I feel your pain on clothes shopping. We're about 2 miles from the town centre so having to try things on at home then return them is a real hassle. DD is on the cusp between kids' and adults' sizes so it really is a lottery getting stuff to fit.

f0xh0les

Well done Mr gt on his payrise!

greent

Whoops - not been in here for a while!

Latest happenings - DS2 returned to school after just after a fortnight off, as there was another case in his year (and several subsequent ones in other years) but the home learning was so much better this time around than in the Summer - the timetable was followed and students had to log in to each lesson throughout the day and most were delivered live via Z00m (or Te@ms or whatever medium they were using...) so a far less stressful experience for everyone at this end! Several local secondary schools have had whole year groups off since due to positive cases - it's just something they're all having to deal with in these times - seems to have been handled well everywhere, from what I've seen & heard, though - hats off to the staff concerned

DS1 came back briefly (2 nights) after taking his GAMSAT in London (entrance test for Graduate entry medicine) - OH took him and they had a night in a hotel there - He went back to west Wales last weekend with more food and supplies - I figure it helps to keep him out of the shops (and the crumbles used some of the fruit glut from the freezers)  He's in west Wales now until the Xmas hols. 

It would seem that OH was too close to a since-positive-for-C0vid person whilst in London, as the NHS app has identified him as needing to self isolate - not a problem for work, as he is wfh 99% of the time. I've banished him to DS1's bedroom/ bathroom for sleeping etc until the time period is over The time period ends the day after his birthday next week!

We've had all of the fence/ gate work finished now - looks fab   We've also had the survey undertaken for our new gas fire (old one condemned) - went to the showroom expecting to choose a woodburner but walked away having chosen a gas fire instead from a practical point of view. And today we had the boiler and heating serviced - appears tickety-boo, just DS3's rad to check when heating kicks in that the valve managed to get released ok - was stuck externally but can't tell if ok internally - will need changing is not as everything else ok.  And the lovely engineer gave us a name and number for a plasterer (trying to get one organised since Feb.... sigh...) Servicing costs covered from monthly cashflow, fencing from the slush fund (has money going into it monthly with no specific purpose, just any more expensive jobs which need doing/ big appliances which need replacing etc - fire costs will be met from this pot )

In other news I've had a few days work this month and am working 10 more days before half term - I think all the money I get paid in Oct/ Nov (and any in Dec if I get any late Nov/ early Dec work) can finance Xmas - should be totally achievable from Oct/ Nov, I think, with the hours I've already been allocated! (assuming there are no C0vid issues...) Not that I've made much progress on the Xmas prep front yet - I really need to get some of that underway in half term, I think! 

DD is super stressed about her dissertation - now due in Mon 19th Oct - although she has a job interview that day, so really it's due in 18th Oct.... Fingers crossed all comes good - she still seems to have loads to do to me, but hopefully it's all under control......

BTL sale news - there is none - in fact I should probably email the Est agent or sols for an update on it - I can see this easily dragging past Xmas  

And the insurance company (C00p) are dragging their heels over the claim I've put in for the Fl0rida hol - I'm only claiming just over £700 (we are out of pocket way more than that but not things which are necessarily covered) on a policy which cost over £500.....  If it ever pays out I will put it with the rest of the holiday fund in PSB - it's out of sight and mind there