museumworker's quest to consign mortgage to history!

museumworker

Thanks CathT and tootallulah, I drank a litre of water so far today, and am planning to get up to 2 litres by end of day. No headache so far, although due to unusual work job today did end up eating late... had packed meze but had nothing to eat it with, so ended up buying fork for 49p from wilkinsons , plus had taken a bottle of water with me but drank that and had to spend 50p on another one :mad:. Coupled with the £4 i spent on breakfast, feels like it has really added up today!

Also got 2 x batiste dry shampoo sprays, they are 99p at superdrug at the minute. I think these are great for days when your fringe is a bit squiffy, but you don't have the time or the need to do the rest of your hair. I'm sure not having to wash it as much must save money in the long run too :rotfl:.

Tried researching some handmade xmas gifts last night with OH, as we would like to make many this year. Showed him the ideas I'd had so far... he was so tired and just moaned about everything :mad:, if he'd told me he didn't want to talk about it then I would have dropped it. Would like to make some glove puppies, anyone know a decent cheap supplier of wool gloves??

museumworker

Just ordered some brown felt from ebay for our first agreed project as xmas presents... Had enough from surveys in there that didn't need to take any money out of our accounts . Still need some white scraps, but hoping I can scrounge some off a friend... I just went for acrylic felt, I don't know much about it but have heard that wool felt is far superior - and twice the price. We are just making ornaments for xmas trees, so think we can get away with just acrylic. Have probably committed some craft crime now :rotfl:!

Wool glove supplier conundrum continues, tried local charity shop today but to no avail.

Have work trip tomorrow, 5 hours on a train... Am planning to go swimming in the evening for the first time since July :eek: to counteract the general sitting around.

OH did the shred with me today which was hilarious :rotfl:, he made sure all the curtains were shut first! I must be on about day 7 so far, not quite everyday but doing well, am preparing to go to level 2 which looks absolutely :eek::eek::eek:! Done my comps, but not much more managed after researching felt suppliers! Off to bedfordshire in a minute I think.

museumworker

Managed the swimming, 24 lengths which considering I have not been since July was very impressed by! Fell fast asleep quite quickly after!

Tried to book free mini facial for this evening, but no appointments available, am meeting friend this evening so will pick another date we can both do and book ahead.

Texted DD's friend's parents about her bday, one can come, another can't :eek:, but DD is going to ask another friend, need to facebook her mum with info.

Heard back from acupuncture clinic, it is £17 for 1 1/2 hour session, plus they do weekends , am hoping to make an appointment for a week sun. OH thinks I should wait to see if other changes are making an impact, but I think I have waited long enough and my health is too important to skimp on. Will pay out of pocket money if needs be. Thanks again tyo for your advice here, very useful.

Did drink 2.5 litres of water yesterday, and eat regularly so no headache. Had to spend another £1 on water though as drank everything I had by about 11am. Today am back staring at a screen so that'll be the real test.

Need to post RISI books today, and am meeting a friend this evening. Also hoping to pop to M&S to pick up some non-bobbly winter tights to see me through til spring. Since my clearout on Sat, my legs are quite bare!

I've also looked at Caths' SOA, but still have to do my own .

museumworker

Just about managed to bypass a headache, although was a bit twingy at the end of the day after so much screen time. Just a short day in the office tomorrow, have day off on Fri for wedding in Norwich , there all weekend - it is our European break this year so is now known as 'L'Nor-eech' *said with French accent*.

Had to stop off to get some oat cakes en route to meet friend after work, as have heard these are best snacks for blood sugar - 99p

Went to Shoreditch Town Hall after work to meet friend - had underground art installations http://www.illuminievent.co.uk/ - not sure about the art, but was fascinating to see this semi derelict space in a part of London I feel I know quite well. Headed back home for a couple of drinks and a take in in the local pub - £8.00 spent. Had white wine and spritzer, two in two hours along with a large bit of falafel wrap. Great to catch up and have ended day without a headache - result.

Facebooked DD's friend's mum about bday party, sent 2 x RISI, and bought 2 x 3pairs of M&S basic black tights = £7 for the two packs. Anything which means I do not put on a pair of tights with a hole (that you *could* get away with with boots, but absolutely not with shoes!) is a plus with me. I am rubbish at mornings, so saving time with tights faffing is a must!

Started SOA via budgetbrain, will be online vv shortly I promise

Off to bed before early start tomorrow. Night all!

museumworker

Clearly I spoke to soon in my plans for the next day - woke at 1.30AM with pains in stomach, temperature, feeling sick, and more effects I don't want to describe. Either food poisoning (unlikely) or some sort of stomach bug. Have been up most of the night in agony, still not cleared so have had to call in sick today

Exhausted - going to try and get some rest, if the pain will let me.

This is turning into more of a catalogue of medical issues than a MFW diary - I would do a laughy smiley here, but seem to have a sense of humour failure.

[Deleted User]

Aw mw
sorry you are feeling so poorly...
having had the last year at least with various random health issues (luckily nothing serious but enough to be off work) I can understand the frustration when it seems like it never stops
I think accupuncture should be good- they may have ideas on triggers etc.. for the migranes and it works on the whole mind-body connection too, I have found it invaluable for stuff which drs cant get a handle on medically but which can be very debilitating for me. There arent any training orgs near me without going to London so its almost double to pay but frankly I think its worth it as without health nothing else gets done or matters!

I wonder if it could be a sign too that you are pushing yourself too hard? forgive me if Im totally off base here, and I only say it because I know how driven I am! but holding down a full time job, mortgage and child ..on top of trying to get everything cleared out, raise funds etc.. can be exhausting ... now obviously the job, the mortgage the child cant be eliminated from the equation! but after burning myself out well and truly this year trying to do "everything" all the time (and nothing spectacular, just always planning and overthinking day to day life- "has the cleaning been done, when do I need to go shopping again, how much money can I make/save/OP ") .... I do wonder whether illness is sometimes a way of our body just saying "stop" ....for me, it was about doing "too much" mentally as much as physically - constantly worrying , planning, overthinking everything... whilst off sick even I cleared out our entire flat, sorted all my stuff I didnt want or need to send to charity/sell /give to friends etc.. my life and brain was constant "go, go , go" and I never relaxed and never really got much better! still learning on this one, but sometimes reading your diary (and others) and writing mine, I think we set ourselves massive to-do lists and maybe we need a moment to sit back..

Im sure the very fact that any of us here are actually thinking of OPing the mortgage means that we are thinking more than average and just being content to let the 25yr (or whatever) term run its course ... but I wonder sometimes whether this taps into my perfectionist streak of nothing ever being quite enough and always pushing myself more and more (am thinking of the thread somewhere where people are feeling guilty if they dont OP 1K a month)

anyway, feel free to disregard the essay above and as I say may be totally off the mark, but having really realised how much stressing myself out over things (and not even really consciously feeling I was stressed) has effected my body , I am now trying to practice what I preach!

hope you feel better soon

tyo

museumworker

So, blinking awful tummy bug. Could not eat a thing Thurs - but OH really really wanted me to go to the wedding on Fri. I reluctantly agreed, but am glad I did. It was just an afternoon tea thing, so not too full on. I still could not eat, but thanks to a branded overthecounter medication I did manage to sit in the car and through the day! I did manage to eat something on Sat (managed to score a free breakfast at the hotel, saving £30 off the advertised upgrade price! :money:), and starting to feel better we had a great day exploring l'Noreech. Saw the Cathedral, did the battlements and dungeon tours at the Castle museum, great views of the city. Looked in lots of little crafty boutiques, found not one but two necklaces OH bought me for my upcoming bday :j! Back to hotel and bed by 8.30pm, but obviously wore myself out because yesterday was quite exhausted. Had long lazy brunch I managed to eat some of at a little artisan bakery, and then went to see the Sainsbury centre at the UEA. Looked good from the floor (where I sat down a long time!). Great to have so much quality time with OH, just talking, strolling, and exploring. And compared to a European break, much, much cheaper - it is just the attiutude of 'I'm on holiday' you need, rather than an expensive flight.

At home we started on a joint craft project together - making DD a stuffed bunny, from a preprinted pattern I picked up from a charity shop a few months back. We managed to get most of it done, just need more stuffing for the body. Was good to do it together, had the radio on and just got absorbed in the work. Learnt quite a lot about toy construction from it - was a bit of unpicking happening! But looks quite good, and she will be delighted - it is one of her bday presents, as her bday is in 3 weeks :eek:!

Also, came home to find I had won £25 on my premium bonds :j! Need to cash them in soon, but glad to get another few quid out of them. According to Martin's calculator, I have better than average luck with them :rotfl:.


Anyway, not so much a to do list as I'd like to do list (I can't give up my lists altogether, they comfort me as well as compel me!):

• [STRIKE]order stuffing for dd's bunny online[/STRIKE] done - good deal on fleabay, worked out 1/2 the price including postage compared to when bought in john lewis
• buy DD a swimsuit for swimming class tried, but couldn't find one
  [STRIKE]
• unpack case[/STRIKE]
  [STRIKE]
• put away clean washing[/STRIKE]
• yoga at home, rather than shred
• early night to get strength back up had flaming row with OH instead, not a good call
• open halifax account with tcb

[Deleted User]

hey mw glad your feeling a bit better
hope i didnt offend with my last post - there is nothing at all wrong with to do lists ( I am the queen of them! )
glad you had a good weekend away , I agree it is the holiday attitude that is important- we are in desperate need of a holiday so may see if we can book in a weekend away with clubcard vouchers or something!
well done on crafty present for dd , I am looking for any ideas for a crafty/cheap xmas this year so seeing what I can find
and well done on the premium bonds win too! I have had one for 27 yrs and never one a thing...still...I can but hope ...

museumworker

No offence taken tyo, I am really aware of my tendency to overdo things and need to 'learn' to do less. I am thinking about learning more about mindfulness, I hear this is also good for people prone to depression. Anyone read any good books/listened to any good cd's/podcasts about this? Meditation is also a possibility, but am keen to not add them to any to do list as not trying to pressurise myself to do more in the pursuit of doing less :rotfl:!

Feeling very strung out, whilst a great weekend my body has not had time to recover from the virus. Coupled with that, DD is on and off ill, getting calls to pick her up from school, and when drop everything and race across London find her fine and dandy and insisting on going to swimming class! Had major row with OH on Monday, totally unusual for us, and I think the reason is because we have so much on and I am not coping very well with it.

Did have an early night last night, and am planning to keep this going. Have not drunk for a week, and also planning to stay off drink for as long as possible, and avoid unhealthy food. Am still drinking the water.

In terms of spending, I have had a lot of little spends, aside from the weekend away. Am now the proud owner of an £8 pair of running tights from Lidl, and some nifty looking running socks for £2.50! I started the couch to 5k running blog this summer, and want to carry in on the winter, hence the need for appropriate attire! Normally the tights cost £20+, so am pleased with this. Also bought one pack of 'illusion' tights from M&S, 5 for £3.50 which should do me a few months if laundered properly.

DD wants to take up guitar lessons, these are £55 per term, plus £2 a month hiring fee :eek:, I have spoken to her and she has promised me she will practice, so I have agreed she can do these.

I have done a draft of my SOA, on the budgetbrain, but need to check against some bills at home - plan to do that this weekend and then publish. I have a copy deadline for an article for work this Friday, so need to focus on that first.

Been given some quinces from next door neighbour's tree, plan to make some quince brandy a la Nigella to give back to them for Xmas (and should have enough for a bottle for us too ). Have also been offered a tree full of medlars, which apparently I need to blett :rotfl:??? Any suggestions on what to do with these gratefully accepted .

[Deleted User]

Hey mw
glad no offence taken! it only struck me because your to do lists sound very much like mine!! and I have a tendencey to press on when exhausted and end up ill as a result- am learning (slowly mind you!) to slow down...
interesting you talk about mindfulness as I was given some info on it and got quite interested in it this summer - have also been listening to a hypnosis tape on controlling stress (as I tend to worry in circles about anything I can find! ) both of which I have found really helpful- with the meditation/mindfulness I was amazed at how fast my brain was going and in so many different directions (whilst at the same time trying to focus on one thing and be mindful of the present)... certainly an eye opener of how "stressed" my brain can be underneath the surface I shall PM you re: the book I have if you like?

sorry things with OH are difficult- I think when theres so much going on in life thats prime time for arguments..I know it is for me anyway!
well done / good luck on the running, I have been trying to exercise more now I am feeling a lot better , but it is hit and miss some days....not at the running stage yet tho (and cower in fear anytime someone on here mentions "shred") ...one day tho , I have done a couple of 5k races and really enjoyed them, and back in the day when I was sporty I used to run and be able to breathe enough to enjoy it and relax! - oh to be back in that state of fitness again!

re: the fruit (assume thats what quinces and meddlars are??) no idea Im afraid! I have heard of quince jam I think, but never even heard of the other things!

hope ya feel better soon

tyo