Coffee and chocolate

miggy

I managed to stay up till about 2.30 this morning trying to make progress on my NVQ and have a few more points covered: I really need to press on with it and get it out of the way. Money-wise it will mean a small pay increase and I'm not going to get one otherwise! However even without that in mind, it would be good to get it over and done with.

I also shuffled some money around so hopefully the relevant account will pay me a fiver this month (for the first time). I also discovered they haven't changed the amount on our mortgage payments as requested so I'll sort that out when I have the figures to hand.

Today has been one of those days where I got a bit worn out and don't have too much to show for it: I had a work meeting this morning, then did some shopping (great big bag of healthy stuff from Mr A for about £5.50 and some nice mini dips - discounted - from Mr M to take to work). Food money is feeling a bit lean but hasn't run out yet and I'm having to choose slightly different things while DH is under the weather.

I haven't planted any more seeds today, or done anything with the jungle and even the laundry hasn't been done. I did hear a riddle from Mum's neighbour's husband though which I think dates back to the 1940s:

"You are stranded on a desert island, the beach beneath your feet and the sea before you. In your pocket is a packet of 20 cigarettes. How do you make a cigarette lighter?"

I'm very pleased to say that although Mum came up with an ingenious solution and the staff were all baffled, amid great hilarity I was the one who came up with the closest to the correct solution.

So my worries about this visit being a struggle came to nothing.

miggy

Another rainy day! I know we need the rain and the grass is amazingly green, but it was nice to have a break from it yesterday.

DS1 (hardy soul) is off to a theme park with his mates. DH and DD are at work, DS2 is still in bed and I'm working tonight from 6pm. If the rain eases I'm hoping to do a bit of the garden, other than that the plans are to get my exercise DVD out and do some cardio/strength (ulp), plant some more seeds and maybe do some more baking. I made a batch of raspberry buns last night and there are three left. Bread is getting low but there are bread mixes to be used up so if I organise myself that's what will be happening.

Erme

miggy wrote: »

Erme - oh no! I sort of disappear for a bit when I'm working and I hadn't realised you weren't so good. I hope you're feeling better now? And as for £225 on the bike :eek: :D! But you need a decent bike to get around and I am sure it will pay you back in terms of being able to get out, keep fit and not have to catch buses etc.

I am briefly emerging from work for a couple of days but I'm tired so I'll try to sleep soon.

On an MS note - added 74 points to my clubcard from one abandoned receipt, plus a penny from another! How can someone spend all that money and not use the points? Well, if they don't want them, I do.

It said p. 52 on textedit so that's where I started LOL....I am having a PJ day cos finally (wish I'd gotten it in january and not gotten the playbook :eek:) I got the bike....the £225 one. Way back in January they said they'd all be sold by March...they weren't So just sitting here listening to the public square.

Am so sore from cycling so much the past few days. But you're right Miggy...my back is not so sore and the gears and brakes work a lot better....

So yeah will catch up more with posts in a sec. Lovely to see the sun finally out after all these wet days of late (when i was cycling. In fact if it was sunny two minutes on the bike would almost guarantee a shower)...

E

miggy

Good to have you back Erme, I was thinking you'd gone off us.

So is the rain your doing? All this healthy outdoor exercise... Great that you have the bike though, especially coming up to summer when you'll get the most use out of it.

As for me, I've done 40 minutes of exercise this morning, counterbalanced it nicely with fish and chips and am now going to restart the rain by hanging out the washing.

Erme

And the day I'm not on it it's sunshine...go figure :mad:

miggy

Sorry to be away for a few days. Now back in daylight hours and guess what? It's rainy again! I did manage to get some washing on the line for an hour or so but now it's back indoors with at least one more load to be done today...

Got some great food savings on the way back form work yesterday - two large packs of burgers for £1 each so we will be having burgers tonight. I want to make them look 'nice' as DS1's g/f may be coming round so there will also be green salad and each burger gets a slice of tomato on top then a bit of cheese... hoping that looks as though I've catered not just got a job lot of burgers!

Yesterday's shopping total was £5.90. Was originally £18.20, so I've saved £12.30.

That includes lots of other things besides the burgers of course - and one non-MSE sandwich because I didn't really have a lot of time to get any food ready before work.

Today I need various things from the shops so I'm not expecting it to be cheap, though it's mostly cleaning stuff and coffee from the food budget and fitted sheets from the general money. DD's shelf collapsed on her bed - brick dust everywhere - good job she wasn't there at the time! Actually, the house is generally in need of repair. I thought when DS1 did his plastering course that he would be patching up raddled plaster all over the place but that hasn't happened. The latest of that saga is that a tile came off the kitchen wall and when inspected, we found the brickwork under the kitchen window is in need of repointing since we had the modern door fitted! The door slams unless we're very careful (which we rarely are) and the brickwork is literally suffering for it!

Oh, and I'm sort of getting used to DD's laptop but I miss the keyboard on the old PC. The PC isn't repairable but our friend thinks he can salvage stuff from it and make us another for about £50 but DH wants to invest in a laptop which is obviously far more portable. I'm trying to give this a fair go but the flat keyboard is still causing me problems. I guess I'll have to see if I can plug the old keyboard in.

miggy

Today I am worn out from being a ladies wot lunch. Not used to this high life!

I met a friend for coffee this morning: she starts a new job next week so it's likely to be the last chance for a good catch-up for a while. We stayed for a second cup too.

After that I went straight on to meet two other friends at the ice cream place. By then I knew I needed to eat or suffer for it later so I got a sandwich and cappuccino - turns out the cappuccinos are served with a mini mini ice cream cornet on the side! My surprise ice cream was ginger and delicious - I think they have silently talked me into buying a full sized one some time in the future!

After that, shopping. My old purse was coming to pieces so I now have a new one, plus some bits for tea... I need to have a good look at where the food money went as there is very little left and it's only Wednesday! The purse and eating out came out of a separate budget so they aren't to blame.

I now have thousands of receipts and sundry papers to sort: too big a task for my head so I am going to get paperclips and begin by putting them in date order... better something than nothing.

miggy

I got my receipts into date order, so that's a start. Hate doing accounts.

The 'missing' food money hasn't shown up yet and I'm wondering if I've lost it? If so, I hope it's gone to someone who needs it. DH and I have agreed another £10 out of the main bank account to keep us fed though I suspect that will go higher by Sunday.

Yesterday's personal spending was £14 give or take a few pence.

We had a bit of a drama last night which has left me short of sleep for tonight's shift. When we got in from homegroup, DD was nursing a burnt hand. She'd put a cup of milk in the microwave and the cup overheated, then she picked it up without knowing how hot it was. Her hand was blistered despite the 10 mins in cold water treatment and subsequent ice from the freezer. She went to bed with her hand in a jug of cold water and says she fell asleep at about 2am with it still in there! Even with painkillers it was too painful to take it out. This morning, thankfully, there are only two blisters left, and no reddening. Good job it's not her dominant hand as she's got an Art exam all day.

So... I'm short of sleep: I'm going to try to get jobs done this morning and sleep after lunch.

miggy

This is turning ionto one of those days when not a lot gets done. The second load is in the washer (saved on dry cleaning by putting my two battered comfy old coats through the machine - it doesn't seem to have ruined them...)

I texted the builder who's doing Mum's house and things seem to be on track. I am debating whether to try to fit in a trip to inspect, just in case there's anything to add or the work isn't satisfactory. Obviously I ought to do this quite soon anyway, it's more a case of when... meanwhile I know the neighbours would flag it up if there were any serious concerns. (Just rang them - they are very pleased with the job so far).

I have discovered the upside of not having a desktop computer - I can use the computer table for seedlings! Yay! I had better get them all planted in a hurry before anyone stops me! (Dare I?)

Really, there's nothing I feel inclined to do except rest and I'm not tired enough to sleep. Darn. Will have to do something, without wearing myself out before work. Wish I''d had a good night's sleep last night, but wasting time now won't cure that.

Second load of washing has just finished and I've done some tidying in the kitchen. Not very impressive but a start.

MuffinTops

Hello Miggy,

Your poor daughter! How awful. I can't take anything out of the microwave without using a tea towel as containers seem to get so hot. I hope her art exam went well.

You sound like you were decently productive with getting washing done and some tidying up sorted today. Sometimes it's good to know when you need an easier day. Despite the lack of sleep you had quite a mental trauma dealing with your daughter's mishap. I hope you got lots of rest.

I'm sorry to hear the missing funds haven't turned up. I really do hope that either a small folded note turns up somewhere or you suddenly remember something else you bought and haven't yet accounted for. But, what a lovely way to think that you hope someone who needed it found it, if it was physically lost.

Well, hopefully your shift went well and you're feeling in brighter spirits by the time you read this. Take care.