greent's mfw journey

greent

Am being rather rubbish at updates at the mo! Just tired when I get in from work - nothing exciting to say, really. Work is going well, though - in just over a week I start a solid 4 week stretch of internal exams that I've organised - I miss just being an invigilator!! I do have (most of) a day off on Monday, though - I'm owed hours and wasn't getting in until mid morning on Monday due to dentist& hygienist appt, so my LM said to take the day off (except to check and reply to emails first thing and again in the afternoon - hence why it's 'most of' a day off!) I have the dentist appt, will nip to a shop or 2 for more cold weather work clothes (If I can find any!) and will also catch up on some housework and admin - such excitement! It's not like I get a lie-in, either, as I'll still need to be up to sort the youngest 2 - but it will still make a nice change   

DD is a star when WFH - I put the wm and dw on and she empties both and puts the washing over the airers and then changes it over later - we would be seriously behind without her help. DH is moaning about the impact of my job on the state of the house and my energy levels - I did warn him - I wasn't  keen on applying but he thought I should. And he hasn't seen anything yet - 4 weeks of exams (even if only internals) will test him......!!

Karmacat

Hiya!  Happy Christmas!  You popped onto my diary, so I thought I'd come and say hi  

CathT

Hope you're okay greent and managing to balance work and home. 

Hope you've all had a lovely Christmas. 

Suffolk_lass

Happy New Year to all the greents

killerpeaty

Hope you had a brilliant Christmas greent!

greent

OOOf - my poor, poor neglected diary!   Thank you for the Christmas wishes, everyone  - much appreciated! xx

We had friends here for Xmas day - their plans fell through so they invited themselves. Wasn't too bad - and they originally planned to stay over, but one ended up not drinking other than a couple of small glasses of 8.5% fizz with lunch, so drove home at 11.30pm - meaning our following morning was much more relaxed than if we'd still had guests

Many presents received - mine mostly fell into the toiletries/ face products/ more candles/ edible treats/ gift 'experience' (night/ afternoon out) categories - which is good, as I'm not a fan of excessive 'stuff' - I did get a pair of earrings from DH (the type I can put in and leave in for months at a time) - totally not needed, but I think he's fed up of me wearing the same pair every day for the last few years!! I also got an Anc35try DNA kit - I'm not expecting any surprises, but one of my Nan's brothers moved to the Americas and no-one knows what happened (except he had loads of kids!) - so maybe it'll throw up a link there? (my Nan (Mum's mum) was one of 11 and my Dad's dad was 1 of a similar number, so you never know!)

I am very much enjoying the time off work - 4 solid weeks of mocks/ catch ups before we broke up was a killer (and I go back to another week of catch ups) - when I took the job the timetable was for less than 2 weeks of mocks/ catch ups - but the uncertainty about Summer 2022 exams and the possibility of TAGs again means things were re-thought. It has been a steep learning curve at times - with (if I'm truly honest) very little help from my exams LM (I have 2 LM - 1 for each part of the job) - I've found my own way around things - meaning some long days/ weeks (I need to calculate just how many hours work 'owes' me whilst I'm off) I certainly couldn't have coped without having invigilated there for years (and being an invigilator who got involved in other bits, too - which has proved most handy!) I'm really not sure the money is worth it - despite it being Xmas (and therefore a bit crazy) the house is much cleaner and tidier and I am definitely less grumpy! Ah well - I'll stick it for a couple of years at least - but if I can't manage a clear 3 week holiday in the Summer when we do Florida (maybe 2023) (I need to be around for exams results) that will be my time to jump - I don't need the money (and by then DS1 should be earning, so we won't be paying for uni rent/ food and he may even be contributing if he still lives here) 

Despite all of that moaning (oops!) overall I like the job and it has been fun at times getting the brain cells to work on something more demanding than family related items. Plus I have lovely, lovely colleagues.

I will review 2021 later - I don't think much was achieved from my list (more oops) - will try harder next year to be more focussed!

killerpeaty

I can see that it's difficult to motivate yourself to work when you don't need to. 

Glad you had a good Christmas!!

Karmacat

Hiya greent!  Erm, your friends invited themselves to Christmas Day?  I suppose close friends do that sometimes ... but I'm glad for your sake they went home the same day.  Plus your work sounds *so* intense, dear me.  I'm glad you're going to calculate how much time you're owed, well done you.

AncestryDNA sounds fascinating - I decided to finally go for mine earlier this year, and because I knew of my distant American cousin already (we share an Irish great-great grandfather) I expected the crowd of Americans.  Quite a few of my first cousins too.  But the peach was the distant cousin on my dad's side - I only have one set of present day relatives on his side, and they're not interested in keeping in touch.  I've messaged this new connection, but no news yet.  I keep hoping!  Good luck with yours.

greent

greent said:

Looking forward to 2021........ Some goals/ plans for the year (very much influenced by previous years' plans, which themselves are influenced by @apple_muncher's 'Health, wealth, a life well lived'

Firstly (again!), it has to be to post on here more regularly - I've been posting elsewhere, but have been a bit rubbish about posting on here and other MFW diaries.  FAIL!!! :j:joy:

FAMILY
* Make Memories - the perennial favourite! No idea if we will have any holidays in 2021 - am very unwilling to book anything abroad until C0vid is much more controlled - maybe we can manage a week in Oct half term? Events happening - hopefully some wider family meet-ups once we are allowed to mingle - there are new babies to meet for the first time and lots of face-to-face catching up to do (skype and messenger only go so far) Plus the plan is to scatter my Nan's ashes at some point (March? - her bday month) and also DH's mum's ashes (she died in 2015 - planning on hopefully end of March - what would have been her 70th bday) which will involve some family meet ups The big news should be 2 graduation ceremonies in the Summer - DD's for her MA and DS1's for his BSc - fingers crossed they are not on the same day, as they are not at the same unis!! - we had a few days in London in the Summer and an overnight stay in DS1's uni seaside -city in Oct half term. We rightly (sadly) chose not to book anything more exciting. DD managed a couple of UK weekends with her boyf. Very few wider family meet ups - a couple of afternoon teas when it was more under control in the Summer and scattering of my Nan's ashes back in the Summer. Did not do DH's mum's ashes, as we were in lockdown for then - no plans for that at the mo - fed up of arranging and then cancelling. No family babies met - didn't get to see those areas of the family. No Summer graduation cermonies - hopefully Summer 2022!!
Definitely some day trips to various places at the very least - couple of things like days out in the Forest, Xmas lights in a local stately home's gardens, trip to Blenheim palace in the Summer.
* Family Events - wider family are planning some get togethers if we are allowed!  And see above re: graduation ceremonies. - only things were as above
* Continue to support  DS1 whilst at uni (financially and otherwise!!), DS2 in y10/11 (GCSE years!), DS3 Y7/8 - and DD in starting her first 'proper' job   DS1 may do either another degree (post grad med) or a MSc, so the support won't be stopping!  - DS1 is doing a MSc, so several thousand pounds per year still required...  DD is loving her job
* Weekends - one a month to be DIY/ decluttering/ garden project based. 2 to family and 1 floating to whatever - will attempt this again, seeing as it was a non-starter in 2020! - pretty much a non starter in 2021 gtoo - going into lockdown straight off and lack of diy/ building materials to be found...

HOME
* The House - update the spreadsheet of jobs to be done around the house . Aim to achieve something each month from there, especially if little/ no cost, just time.! Big jobs (time and/ or money) = family room and office, boys bathroom. More Fencing. Internal doors. Lots of electrical work (outside lights and sockets, new consumer unit, new lights in most of downstairs, maybe CCTV)  Update DS2's room - hardly changed since he was 4... he is 15 in 8 days!!! Mostly c/f from 2020 - mostly being c/f to 2022!! - did achieve new fencing and professional patio clean, new consumer unit and a few new internal lights.
* Garden - finish removing 2 fruit trees and offer wood on freegle. Get front strawberry bed under control. Possible railings to be made and fitted to edges, separating from neighbours. More new pretty lights. WOuld love to re-do back garden hard landscaping and new driveway but suspect not enough money to do everything I want, so will have patio professionally cleaned. New fencing along 1 front border (at least 3 rotten fence posts) Redo front lawn where caravan was. Probably only looking to grow fruit (already in garden) and tomatoes. -  someone took down the 2 fruit trees and took the wood away for their burner. Still to remove stumps. Bought lots of pretty lights. Front lawn ok now Grew tomatoes, potatoes, fruit (already in garden - rhubarb, cherries, apples, pears, strawberries), carrots, courgettes
* Maintain decluttering - loads of stuff gone in 2020. Just need to get rid of some other stuff in 2021 - like 2 caravan awnings found in the garage loft...... Will put any funds received to BTL until it is sold (fingers crossed) and then to ISA (have set net £500 target for the year, which includes selling things of the kids which they then get the money for, so am not expecting a lot!) Am also volunteering in local CS, so will be taking things there -  got rid of lots more stuff, although lockdown did slow it a bit. Exceeded £500 target (signature not updated) - and took masses of stuff to CS
* Sort photos out and finish off the frame sets we have for various rooms - 2 multi frames done. 1 still to do. Photos not sorted.

FINANCES
* Pensions - need to increase DH's monthly contrib to e'er scheme. Also investigate how much to put in as lump sum to SIPP(s) - added to both SiPPs, but not e'er scheme - he is at max e'er rate
* Do tax returns quickly after April - ideally by mid June. - done, bills paid (inc Cap Gains from BTL) and I no longer have to do a return foe me - whoop!
* Extra funds (sales of items, surveys, cashback, £2 coins, invigilating money) to be paid to BTL - and then added to ISA if BTL sale goes through - after sale of BTL extra funds went into uni-funding account (will keep this account going for DS2(3) after DS1 finishes - but just a monthly sto, not also the irregular funds going forward)
* Hopefully get BTL sold! - once we have sale proceeds can revisit works planned on house. Add lumps to ISA and SIPPs - done, done, done
* Make our money work harder (eg: e'er scheme vouchers for shopping, look at switching a couple of old accounts for easy cash, look at CCs, look at savings rates) Plan on getting £300 Tesc0 and £100 Sainz discounted vouchers at start of month and use A1di/ L1d1 more than I have been doing of late (partly down to pandemic, I don't want to go to lots of shops) - will review amount of discounted vouchers on an ongoing monthly basis. Need to get rid of Debnums CC after next bill and I think I have an old Amaz0n one technically still live...... - mostly achieved, although could still do better with vouchers
* Make sure all insurances are reviewed and switch energy suppliers at end of fix. - will look at multi policy providers - done
* OH has 2 old 're: ……..' bank accounts which are very likely dormant (re family members who are now both in their 20s!) - get these closed off and money sent to the respective family members (one of whom is the cousin expecting a baby) - CF from 2020! = done
* Look at kids' stuff - made a start on this in 2020, but need to investigate S&S ISAs for youngest 2 - still to do (S&S ISAs) - CTFs have been transferred to 'normal' ISAs, so easy enough to do - just need to do it....

HEALTH
* My fitness levels to be improved - plan= walking, Zumba, c25k, using gym equipment which we have here and going to the gym (seeing as I've paid to join!).... - fitness back down - can't Zumba, row, run (it jolts) or use weights (other than legs) with shoulder
* Lose weight/ reduce dress sizes - would love another 2 stone off in 2021. At the very least minimum another stone - Bwahahaha! Reversal of weight loss, which is quite sad (although managed to not go back to quite the same dress size - clearly the weight is hiding in different places!)
* Get family more active - esp DS2 for his DofE Silver! - smalls noticeably less fit after lockdown...... - we were quite good in the SUmmer with family walks and DS2 spent the first few months doing a rowing challenge. He is much slimmer than he was

Hmmm - maybe a C- if I'm being generous??!

greent

Karmacat said:

Hiya greent!  Erm, your friends invited themselves to Christmas Day?  I suppose close friends do that sometimes ... but I'm glad for your sake they went home the same day.  Plus your work sounds *so* intense, dear me.  I'm glad you're going to calculate how much time you're owed, well done you.

AncestryDNA sounds fascinating - I decided to finally go for mine earlier this year, and because I knew of my distant American cousin already (we share an Irish great-great grandfather) I expected the crowd of Americans.  Quite a few of my first cousins too.  But the peach was the distant cousin on my dad's side - I only have one set of present day relatives on his side, and they're not interested in keeping in touch.  I've messaged this new connection, but no news yet.  I keep hoping!  Good luck with yours.

Yes - oldest friend and hubby - my boss thought we were mad agreeing to it - but in reality we had little choice without being really mean or C-19 striking someone down. It did upset the  status quo a bit, but not too bad.

I'm looking forward to the Ance5tryDNA thing - I'm figuring that most people who do it surely would be interested in being in touch with others? - so it's sad that you haven't heard back from your dad's relative yet