Week 2 - There's so much we can do.

moo2moo

I've found the best way to deal with the "must have moments" is to write them down and then do nothing for 30 days. I mean 30 days isn't long at all but in I want world its enough time to completely forget the fabulous whatever it was that I saw and immediately fancied. Take the last Joe Brown catalogue that came through the door.... it contained an awesome coat. So awesome that I destroyed the catalogue to prevent myself ordering it. Several weeks later the nice people at Joe Browns sent me the self same catalogue which I opened and flicked through twice but couldn't actually identify the coat in question. What was nice on a drab wet winters day didn't appeal once the weather had brightened up.

Why not start up an "I want pot" and chuck in a little bit each week. You treat your children to things so why shouldn't you have the same? Then instead of the chocolate bar you fancy because you're passing the shop you could stick the 40p in the pot towards whatever it is. If its inmportant enough to you its worth waiting for.

The holidays is the ideal time to declutter. Start with your own bedroom. Decadent I know but its the one place in your house thats truly selfishly yours. Empty it completely. Clean it top to bottom and then only put back the things that make you feel good about yourself. If the furniture annoys you treat it to a lick of paint. A can of gloss won't break the bank. Dig out your lovely things and have them around where you can see them. Chuck out all the stuff that makes you feel pants. The happier you feel the less junk you'll eat and the easier it will be to lose the weight.

Lecture over. Will resume sitting on my bum scoffing crisps and avoiding doing the above on account of an OH occupying the bed, the dogs chomping on bones, the cats being sound asleep and the DDs watching a film about King Arthur. Its the most peaceful the house has been in weeks and I'm making the most of it even if I do have a washing machine full of laundry, a sink full of dirty dishes and a my parents visiting in 24 hours.

RubySewSew

At least I'm not the only one living in complete and utter chaos! NorthernLas, thank you for your thoughts on weightwatchers and I quite agree with you! In my early 20's I was a perfectly healthy 11 stone when I started dieting (Weightwatchers, Slimming World, etc) and so began the constant cycle of losing half a stone putting a stone back on. Post babies that weight increase was an extra 2 and a half stone I don't think I'd have ever gained if I'd concentrated on toning up and being more active. I resolved never to diet again and have had hypnotherapy in the past and seen a nutritionist in order to try and sort out my relationship with food. The decision to join weightwatchers has been an informed decision to help regain control of my eating, appetite and activity. The new system is much more focused on eating healthy, nutritious foods and making informed choices about what you eat rather than depriving yourself. Its also helping me understand how to balance food and exercise. I haven't fallen into any of the old behaviours and mentalities that always seem to come with diet clubs. I'm keeping an open mind though!

I really want to do my bedroom I really, really do! The problem there is that I swapped rooms with the boys last summer so that they weren't on top of each other. The bedroom is quite small and has wardrobes fitted into the alcoves along one wall. My bed was 4 cms too big for the room so I had to sell my bed and put my mattress on the floor. So I don't have a proper bed! I'd need to pull out the wardrobes, buy a new bed, new wardrobes AND decorate! And replace the blind. What I really need to do is declutter and get a whole load of stuff on ebay and then I would have both the money and the space to sort it all out! Unfortunately, I can't motivate myself. I did have a fab day on Monday sorting out my garden, my little sanctuary, potting and mowing and tidying and planting. Heaven! And without spending any money.

I just popped in, didn't mean to still be rambling away! 2 things I need help with though - DS2 is going to be 8 in a month and I have no idea what to get him! I was trying to look for the hampers thread to see if I could find any ideas. Problem no 2 I have loads of eggs and no egg boxes - I need to sell some eggs but have no way of distributing them. Any ideas?

NorthernLas

Ask people at work for empty egg boxes? Ask people who want to buy to bring an egg box?

Really glad it is an informed choice ... if you want to join the dark side PM me or google Beyond Chocolate (fabulous support, try before you buy and cheaper than WW)

moo2moo

Eggs transport very well in the bottom of cereal boxes if you alternate the fat and thin ends. Cut down the box Blue Peter style and secure with selotape.

How about spending five minutes photographing the things for E-bay and then listing a thing a day. That should give you a slow steady trickle of sales plus it won't be too much hassle.

Pottering about in the garden sounds like loads of fun. I spent yesterday building a cold frame for schools gardening club from a couple of broken fence panels, a pallet and the door from a greenhouse. Not quite what I was supposed to be doing but it was tons of fun and far easier than expected. Am now glowing like a cherry tomato which reminds me I have a packet of those to bung in pots in anticipation of lots of tomatoes this year. Just need to work out where the pots ended up after last sumer.

RubySewSew

I am possibly the happiest person in the world today. Very briefly:

Received letter from ta credits - paymetns gone up £100 a month
Phoned gas/electric - put my payments down £20 a month and are fitting a new meter as they noticed I'm on a ridiculous economy 7 tariff which is way more expensive than it needs to be
Got home insurance renewal down from £45 a month to £25 a month match for match and think I have enough saved to pay annually not monthly saving another 50 quid
Phoned all creditors today and set up all direct debits on new bank account
It is really sunny!! Had a swim and then walked along the beach to my friends beach hut for cup of tea and then back again for ice cream.

Now eating yummy houmous before going out for friends birthday!

Toilet rolls make really good seedling pots. And I got a great little press for my Dad from Cox and Cox so you can make them out of newspaper and then plant them out directly. Cold frame sounds great! I'm starting the schools garden after Easter - can't wait.

Off to have some fun! Lots of love to everyone!!

Eager_Elephant

Oh Ruby, where thou art you?

Hope things are going ok and you are managing to sell your eggs!!

EE

RubySewSew

I kind of disappeared for a bit didn't I? I can't really explain why, I have just been so consumed by work, and kids, and housework and birthdays and financial worries that I haven't really had any head space or energy to contribute. You have all been missed though.

It's the last day of half term today before nose is back to the grindstone tomorrow. We went away to my Dad's for a few days which was relaxing and restorative. Despite keeping spend to an absolute minimum the petrol cost £170 plus a budget of £100 for pocket money, days out, thank you presents, shopping etc. It has been a really expensive month with new tyres and car tax and a birthday all to pay for so I'm feeling a little bit vulnerable now, particularly as I have some large expenses coming up.

I have managed to generate a bit of extra cash, making a start on selling my vinyl. Sold one lp for 90 quid!! Keeping on top of ebay has been really time consuming though so I have dropped the rest off with my dad who is an expert seller, has all the equipment to clean and check not to mention the time to do it. I've asked him, to just to plough through and hand me a little stash at the end.

Whilst I was away, my lovely beautiful new friend was looking after the animals for me and went to all the trouble of cleaning and reorganising my house. Literally from top to bottom, inside and out. It has given me the space and time to check back in with you and my home feels like my own again. I can't tell you how grateful and blessed I feel.

So, this is just a little hello so you don't worry. I'm trying really hard to get my head together. I don't feel very positive. I feel ground down by the relentlessness of work, single parenting, budgets and debts. So I need to go and have a look for some of that old Ruby sparkle. Now, where did I leave it?...

RubySewSew

Oh, one little egg related thing that I thought I'd share with you. We hatched 3 little chicks at school for the kids and they needed a home after half term (the chicks not the kids!). I happen to have a broody little bantam so we thought we would try them under her and now I have a happy mummy hen and 3 little chicky lickies running around my garden. Could get used to it!

Eager_Elephant

Hi Ruby :wave:

Nice to see you back.

Half terms are always expensive aren't they? But surely it was cheaper than paying a cleaner to clean the house?!?!?! which you wouldn't probably have got if you had stayed at home.

What a lovely friend to have - I am so jealous . Actually I do have a lovely friend who would do that for me, she even plucked my eyebrows when I was poorly with a bad eye and unable to see to do them :eek:

I love hens with chicks - I have a turkey which has hatched some chicks and she is doing amazingly :T. We have two more on 30 eggs between them :eek: so goodness knows what we will come away with?!!?

EE

RubySewSew

30 turkey chicks?!! Blimey o'reilly!! The mind boggles at the mere thought of it.

The friend has been a true lifesaving angel. She has altered all my dresses, rescued shelves from my shed for the boys room and is coming round on Friday to sew boy bunting to jolly them up. Oh and she found me a table/desk for their room that her neighbour was chucking out. I am sure the universe has sent her just to keep me sane!

I logged in because I was having a little panic because my brand new shiny basic bank account has gone 20 quid overdrawn - feeling really miserable about it. I phoned them up (co-op) and they were lovely and said as long as it comes back into credit in the next couple of days it would be fine. We don't have any toilet roll, cat food or guinea pig food and I don't have a penny in my purse to fix it. Is it a bit much to ask the boys to save all their poos for school?!

Not going to stay glum though. My lovely DS1 has taken it upon himself to clean my kitchen, load the dishwasher and even put his brothers wet sheets in the washing machine. I think he realised that I was really struggling today - first day back at work (where I was bitten, kicked, scratched and spat at), got home, had rubbish tea and then fell asleep on sofa. I gave him a big old hug to say thank you and tell him how proud I was before he announced that he thinks he's got nits! One nit check later and he is absolutely right! Now I'm scratching like mad!! Work was a struggle today - getting back into the routine, having paperwork and appointments looming over me, lacking in time, energy and motivation to do anything about it. I have been vacillating wildly over work issues the last few weeks. I had decided to leave at the end of term to do a mixture of self employed bits and pieces - teaching, cleaning, childminding. Then, I had the prospect of a more interesting, less tiring, better paid position dangled in front of me only for that to disappear today having talked it over with the head. Completely agree with reasons why but feel disappointed nonetheless. So now, I'm back to square one struggling in a job that I basically enjoy and just about covers the essentials financially but exhausts me and takes me away from my own home, relationship and children. I am skilled and qualified at an alternative well paid trade but am too scared to launch myself straight into it. Oh flip. And fiddledy dee. Have thought about childminding - anybody know anything about this?! Figured it could be a good way to work from home and be more flexible. I have said now that I will stay on at school but am really doubting if that is the best option. Dagnamit! Help! Someone tell me what to do!

PS Santander still being complete and utter ratmongous beast faces. Need a day just to sit down and go through all creditors letters