Coffee and chocolate

miggy

Ani, I wonder if music is one of those things that works better if either discovered for oneself or that one has to fight for against disapproval or prohibition?

miggy

Another family birthday today, the last for months and months in the immediate family though Grandpa's birthday is in the summer and my brother's would have been in a few weeks' time.

We have had some wonderful birthdays recently, helped by the fabulous weather and a party mood among the kids. I still have a couple of lurking worries (along the lines of last year) but maybe I'm facing crises that will never happen. Must keep taking the vitamins and getting fresh air and sunshine!

Yes, a beautiful day, though I did spend a bit much. I ran out of time and energy for a birthday cake despite having promised the traditional chocolate one, so I bought one - score in that it was beautifuly presented and yummy, and I garnished it with strawberries. Then there was a birthday tea, the sort where everyone squashes round the table and eats lots of pizza and we get a bit loud so I wonder if our quieter guest might feel left out. We got out the marker pen and measured everyone against the kitchen door afterwards - as DH says, we'll never be able to paint that door! The tallest person only just fitted on it, LOL.

Younger DS and I have sorted out the rabbit hutches to the extent that the animals are now moved into the biggest one and there are two empty ones on the lawn, which I will have to clean up and make decisions on. I've also sorted out Mum's finances, at least the spends over the past few weeks.

Yesterday was my last piano lesson for a few weeks so I took the money I would have paid for lessons and added it to savings for holiday and white goods, making both look suddenly fatter.

I didn't update yesterday so you won't know I did some detailed cleaning in the kitchen - great for the inside of the fridge door and the underside of the wall cabinets but unfortunately I set off an old injury and by bed time could hardly lift one arm. It eased this morning, though, and is pretty good now. So is the fridge door - and I really ought to be a bit more realistic with salad dressings - if it went out of date in 2006, I'm sure I won't miss it if I ditch it now!

So... a bit of a hotch potch of things today, which we rounded off with a walk through the woods: the bluebells are very early and there are pink and white campion as well as wild anemones. The balance of the trees are green, already: so much sunshine and so many warm days have made it like May already. Glorious. I am relishing being at home and doing home things, even if this morning I didn't know where to start.

miggy

Spent plenty of money today :eek::D - but on mum's behalf so I shall claim it back from her . Other than that I bought some vaccuum cleaner bags (aren't they a rip-off?!) and treated mum and myself to a couple of Costas - very nice too.

Somehow I haven't got much else done: I really must clean out the goldfish!

Investigated the freezer for tea and found I had lots of smoked fish but no other fish so bang goes my idea of fish pie and as DH doesn't like smoked fish on its own, he went out and bought some fresh fish, which has the added bonus that he's cooking tea. Tomorrow I think I'll buy some frozen white fish, defrost some of the smoked stuff and make that pie.

The freezers are looking slightly less burgeoning than they were, but got filled up by DD buying discounted food from work at the end of the day. A nice problem to have, of course. Then yesterday I went looking for olives in a wall cupboard - where oh where did all those tins and packets come from?! I wonder if DH unpacks my shopping when I'm weary and puts it away where he thinks best, i.e. somewhere I wouldn't think of? When I've had tea I might unpack those cupboards and make some plans for the contents. Suggestions on a postcard please for a meal containing three tins of tomatoes, seven jellies, a little jar of anchovies and two cuppa soups? Or gravy granules, chocolate spread and a jar of Korma sauce? Or then again, four sachets of chocolate porridge, half a large tomato ketchup and two tubs of curry powder?

Do you wonder I take the easy route and get something off the shelf at the supermarket? (The next item may be indigestion tablets).

miggy

miggy wrote: »

Somehow I haven't got much else done: I really must clean out the goldfish!

Investigated the freezer for tea and found I had lots of smoked fish but no other fish

Queen of the unfortunate juxtaposition, that's me!

miggy

I haven't updated for a week, but there's not been a huge amount to say (when has that ever stopped me?)

We had a trip over to a big family gathering, which was expensive but lovely, and I managed to combine it with a trip to mum's old place to collect some of her things for her. My husband discovered the ivy damage to the house is much worse than I'd realised so at some point there will be a lot of sorting out to do there, but for now he's cut off the ivy before the damaged bit so it can't grow any more. (It's got in one side of a porch roof, via the window frame. It's a modern double glazed unit and the ivy has grown up inside the frame, then re-emerged inside the house but tucked away behind a curtain - from memory I'd say it's an inch thick stem. It comes out the other side of the porch roof but just as an innocent-looking little branch: it's only when you look closely that you can see how bad it is).

At home, Dh has saved us IRO £500, bless him, by replacing the guttering and downpipe on one side of the house. There have been expenses for materials but nothing like the quotes we've had for work.

We start May with a cash budget based on the stewardship couse figures from the course Dh attended. This is based on his calculations which didn't add up (LOL) so it will be interesting to see how we cope with the budget. Lentils are at the ready.

miggy

So much for cash budget: we didn't manage to record the first few days and before we knew it, it got to the stage where we weren't sure what we'd spent (I bought stuff on the market which doesn't give receipts and I lost track). Anyway we're going to try again next week.

Yesterday and today I treated myself to a few not really necessary things - a plant, a Morrisons salad bar lunch and a plant pot holder. That's how to get rid of £6.50 quite easily.

Food shopping has looked quite healthy as people haven't always been in for meals! Also the only big meal I've done, a lasagne, was mostly things we already had in, and bulked out with veg and lentils, which not only saved money but prevented the veg from going to waste. Three of the five of us love lasagne so although I made two, there's was none left at the end!
(Edit: there were five of us to eat the meal, then DD had some after work and DS had seconds for supper - we did NOT eat two lasagnes between three of us!)

I finally got mum's invoice sorted out so she was able to pay me my expenses which we've decided is effectively money set aside so it's going into the savings account towards the holiday (or any emergencies). Flights are paid for and accommodation is free as we're staying with people we know but we will need spending money.

I'm working again tomorrow evening and night so I'm off to bed soon.

miggy

For the record: I'm still not in a position to deal with mum's finances directly (need to ring the solicitor next week and see why I haven't heard anything when the dates they gave have been gone a couple of weeks). However, I've filed a few statements so I can keep track of her DDs, I've paid a couple of cheques for magazine subs and... uh oh... there's a cheque arrived for her that I need to pay in. Another job for mid-week.

miggy

And a memo to self - get one of the new Superdrug loyalty cards when they come out which I think is also next week. I spend money in there most weeks and prefer it to Boots though the loyalty points aren't as good.

Oh, and find out if I need to spend the accrued points on my Costa card! I've had it nearly a year and the freebie points must me getting short-dated. I love my Costas but don't often treat myself and when I have it's not always been at a shop that offers the points. Still half a free Costa - can I resist?!

And... (blushes and looks round furtively) I've discovered that I shouldn't be putting mum's shopping on my Clubcard! Apparently it looks like financial abuse even though I buy her treats with my own money to pay her back. Strictly I should be using her Clubcard, but at least I keep receipts so I'll set aside time this week and see how many points I've had at her expense, pay them back and write it into the accounts, then start up a separate purse for her Clubcard and any other cards I eventually end up handling for her. It's the only way, and only hasn't been necessary so far because I've been paying for things for her and she reimburses me.

This has turned into a To Do list but now I need to remember to come back to it and make sure I get everything done.

ani_26

miggy wrote: »

Ani, I wonder if music is one of those things that works better if either discovered for oneself or that one has to fight for against disapproval or prohibition?

Hmmm, probably....................................

ani_26

Since as you know, i don't drink coffee, but i still love those ice drinks you get from cost*' s. Mmmmmm.The ones you get in berry or mango flavours. Quite money saving, because they can last an afternoon, as you wait for them to melt. Its such a long time since i've had one. I can't remember, maybe the year before last? (bought for me, at work ). But it always surprises me, the amount of people you see sat in places like these, ( well, anywhere, to be honest ), or walking around with a drink in their hand. I always wonder how many of them are in debt. Is that too cynical? Or maybe i'm just immersed in money, ( or the lack of it ). I must be missing something. I have'nt re entered the stratosphere, yet. And very probably alot of people who are in debt, would'nt think twice about buying themself a drink, if they wanted one. Enjoy your half a cup


What happened to Maty?