Juggling, Organising, and Holding it All Together - 2011

Triggles

Day 3. So far so good.

No point doing laundry this morning as it's overcast and going to rain. Weather report saying rainy for the next 3 days, not sunny again until Monday, so I'll probably only wash what's absolutely necessary and do a few loads on Monday and take advantage of the sunshine!

I bought a secondhand book for DH through Amazon recently, which just came in the post yesterday. Excellent book that I read years ago (published in 91, and I think I read it right after it came out) called Dawn of the Vampire. I like creepy books, and so does DH. It has a very creepy picture on the cover, and it just seems to funny to see this book that I haven't read in years - I'm rather looking forward to reading it again. I'm definitely going to hold onto it this time! I think it was one of the books I sold when preparing to move from the states to the UK. There are a few other books I'd like to get (some specifically for DS2 & DS3 when they get older) but they are really hard to find. They're books I remember reading when I was a child/teenager and were personal favourites. I'll have to source them either here or in the states at some point. :cool:

Finally got our wills sorted. We've been sending draft copies with corrections and updates back and forth for about a month and a half now. But finally reached the point where it's all the way we want it, so we're just awaiting the final copies to sign and have witnessed, and then we're all set again. It's something that's been preying on my mind for quite some time. It's an expense, I grant that, but with children it's an absolute necessary to have arrangements sorted and on paper officially. Our previous wills were out of date - we should have done these updates ages ago (right after DS3 was born) but we put it off. Thankfully, it's almost all done now, except for signing. :j

Mobile phone company agreed to just send me the missing battery for my phone, rather than hassle with phone delivery - mainly because I waited at home all day the other day and they didn't show up and didn't let us know it wasn't going to be delivered! :mad: So, fine, they will ship battery - we don't need to be home for delivery. And what shows up last evening? UPS with another mobile! Colour me puzzled.... as they told me they weren't going to send the phone. Now I have to call them and give them the new IMEI number and then call my insurance and update the IMEI number on that one as well - which will delay the policy again. grrrrrrr hassles..... wish they'd have just sent the battery as agreed. Wanna bet it's a mix up and the battery shows up in the next few days as well? :rotfl: Oh well, at least the phone they sent me has a battery, which is a huge improvement on the other one! I checked before I signed for UPS - just in case! :rotfl:

I've been quite chilly lately - everyone else seems to be fine, so I'm not quite sure why I've just been so cold lately. Must be getting old - circulation problems! :rotfl: Just means I bundle up in a jumper a lot!

I almost gave in and bought our roast pack from the butcher today but remembered at the last minute that we do have a small turkey roast in the freezer - so we don't need to buy one for this weekend! :j Yay! Put off that expense for one more week! And I've managed to get by on barely using the car as well - we'll wait to fill up the car with petrol next week. We've been doing more walking - healthier anyway!

Ooops... DS3 just woke up from his nap. I can hear him shouting "mummy" from his room. Subtle. :rotfl: So off to put together a lunch of tuna mayo sandwich and a sliced apple so he can munch on that in his high chair.

Triggles

OOops!! Meant to update on the debts.

One creditor recently sent us a falsified CCA. Interesting, as the figures are not even correct!! We're just sitting on that one for the moment to see what they do next.

Another creditor sent us a supposed CCA from 6-7 years ago, however, it has our current address, which we moved to within the last 3 years. So again, hmmmmm.....

Still happily paying monthly for our overdraft - they're happy, we're happy - no interest or fees and a reasonable payment to the DCA. Works for us.

And we're going to chase up the PPI reimbursement request from the creditor that was putting it off (I presume waiting for that recent court decision), basically telling them it's been delayed long enough and we'd like payment now.

Triggles

Things still going well so far. We feel that we're taking better control of our finances at this point. We've been much more careful about thinking/saying "do we REALLY need this?" before we spend money, and we've put off an impromptu trip to the supermarket twice this way. :j
It does mean that we (DH & I) had Ramen noodles for tea tonight, however, they needed to be used and it was cheap and easy. Anyway, we're working through the freezer and cupboards at this point.

Friday is D-day though. We take out cash for the grocery budget and other specific spends, portion them out, and that's that! I'm looking forward to it actually.

I notice, however, that just when things look up financially you do get his with something else. We're going to have to purchase a Maclaren Major for DS2, at the expense of £250, plus more for accessories to go with it, including a buggy board for DS3. It's a huge expense, and if we get the accessories, that's another £250. :eek: The problem is we probably will need at least 3 of the accessories, so it's actually cheaper to buy the package accessories as opposed to buying them separate. :mad: I can't believe how much they mark up the accessories of the special needs pushchair in comparison to the other pushchairs. Unbelievable - it's like they're profiting from disabilities. DS2 is finally getting in to see the OT soon, and they sometimes do make arrangements for a Major at no charge, but it could take months and it's really needed now. A bit frustrating, as he should have been seen at OT months ago, but what can you do, really? If his appointment is in the beginning of June at the latest, then we will wait and speak to them about it. The SNs stuff (appointments, equipment and such) can be like walking through an obstacle course with a blindfold on!

Trying to get on top of the household cleaning, but it can be a bit difficult sometimes. I'm going to browse the fly-lady thread, but I just don't seem to be able to keep up with it all. I'll look at it though, maybe I can trim down some of it.

Triggles

After browsing at the bookstore with DD yesterday, we went to the library and checked out a few books. As it's obviously cheaper to use the library than buy books, I figured it was the better option. I also have a kindle app on my laptop and have downloaded a few free books that way.

Cottage pie tonight for tea. We're going through the freezer tonight after the boys are in bed to see what we can use up this week on meals, and empty out the freezer and cupboards a bit more. I'm got some tinned peaches as well, so may make a peach crumble this evening.

DH & I are discussing using our open fire for more heating purposes in the winter here and there. We have a few instant light logs (poundland - much cheaper than £3.50 at other shops) but have been discussing some coal and perhaps paper logs for winter coming up. Our living room is so much colder than the rest of the house in the winter (double glazed window but last tenant put it in himself, council won't replace it, and we can't really afford to right now). Anyway, the upstairs stays fairly warm in winter even with the heater on a lower setting, so we thought perhaps we will keep the downstairs radiators down a bit and just have a coal fire in there on really cold evenings after the boys are in bed - just to warm up the living room a bit. Otherwise we really have to turn the heat up and pile on blankets to get comfortable. Still mulling this over. It would mean an extra chimney sweep a year for safety, and so obviously not sure if the cost of that would then negate the savings. Still up in the air over it all. But something to consider anyway.

DH has an electricity monitor on, so we are watching the usage to see what spikes it and what doesn't. Remoska is soooo much lower than the oven - so will probably cook the cottage pie in the Remoska tonight instead of heating up the oven - same for peach crumble. We noticed it obviously goes up for washing machine, but we have to wash clothes. Can't really avoid that or people would be avoiding us!:rotfl: But we also noticed a massive spike when using the kettle, so we are considering following the advice of others on MSE and heating up a full kettle in the morning and then pouring excess into a thermos to use later in the morning, rather than using kettle extra times.

School friend's birthday party coming up soon, and we'll have to organise a present. I was thinking perhaps a £5 gift certificate to a book shop in town. Not sure yet though. Otherwise it's just too difficult to select something for a gift.

Electric and gas was roughly £200 for this quarter. Not too bad, really. It's about £30 cheaper than last year, so I'm happy with that. Obviously we'd like it to be cheaper even still, but that's an ongoing goal. I think we're nervous mostly about those articles saying there's going to be approximately 15% rise in heating costs next winter. :eek:

DS2 has his OT appointment in 2 weeks, so we're waiting to purchase the Maclaren until we've spoken to them. If OT will provide it, then we will breathe a bit easier, as it would really stretch our budget to purchase it ourselves.

Also worried about the cost of school clothing next year - DS2 is very skinny, but tall! The size trousers he is in now is getting too short, but still a bit baggy. He'll need longer, so a bigger size, but automatically means bigger as well! We may need to get them fitted a bit. I am debating purchasing one cheap pair and trying it myself (some sewing skill, but not loads) to see how I do. If I can manage it, then wonderful! If not, we'll have to get it done, which will cost money. I will speak to MIL, and see if it's something she can do or show me how to do. Obviously we'd rather do it ourselves, but it also needs to look presentable.

Triggles

I've spoken to the OT person, and she will be checking into the Maclaren Major and see if it's appropriate for DS2. We will be seeing her next week, so she'll let us know then. Fingers crossed, as it would certainly solve a few mobility issues.

A food breakthrough for DS2 - he will eat raw carrots!!!! :j Yup, sounds silly to be so excited, but vegetables are a hard sell for him. He will eat (with encouragement) peas, and now raw carrots. Sometimes he will take a bite of green beans, so we're hoping that's going to get better as well. He has a lot of food issues, so any progress is big news in our house! :cool:

Received DS2's statement finally. We need to speak to them about the hours, and I need to go over it in more detail with the senco, so I'll be meeting with her tomorrow. It'll be nice to get it all sorted and done. One less bit of paperwork to deal with.

I got a letter in the post saying I needed to do a tax return for this last year (not right away, but eventually before deadline) due to self-employment. But I stopped self-employment just prior to tax year starting, and I notified them of it, so I guess I need to contact them again and mention it. If it's an issue, I'll just fill out the tax return paperwork saying zero income made.

I've got a few bits and bobs of paperwork to do yet. Some things will have to go on the back burner, but others absolutely need to be done. And a few are 2 minute jobs that I put aside when I simply didn't have 2 minutes! :rotfl: But I'll get them done this afternoon as then they're out of the way. I must get that letter written to the creditor delaying on the PPI by Wednesday morning, as DH is going into town for a dental appointment and can post the letter that morning (has to be so they sign it, so can't just put it in the post box :mad:). I hate that all this "cover your bum" technique involves more expensive postage!

I've washed a large teddy bear of DS3's that managed to get food on it (all by itself, I'm sure! ), so now I've got a damp fuzzy bear sitting here looking at me! :rotfl: But at least he's clean! I hate putting stuffed toys in the wash as you never really know (despite directions on the tag) how it's going to turn out, even if you wash it in a pillowcase to protect it a bit (my mum's trick).

I posted a letter and some pictures of the boys to my mum in the states. It really reminds me how much I rely on the internet to contact most people I know, as my mum is just not up on the internet or email. She can do it, but she hates it and she is a huge technophobe. So it's easier for her to just send letters or ring her (on a discount calling plan, thank goodness!).

Well, off to post a few discount codes on the forum for others to use. :cool:And then off to get a few things done.

Triggles

Whooops! Busy busy few days!!

I took DS2 to his classmate's birthday party today. It was brilliant! The mum was great, and DS2 had a lovely time. First time I've been able to relax a bit and chat with other mums at a get together as the room set-up was pretty "DS2-proof". Great day!

Slowly working on the garden. We've planted some various veg so DS2 can help DH with it - cucumbers, peppers, carrots, lettuce, pumpkin, tomatoes, onions, and strawberries. Only a couple of each, but DS2 is quite pleased with it. We're not huge gardeners, so we figured starting small is a good idea. We were actually offered an allotment locally, however, after discussion, we decided to decline it and take our name off the list, as it would be too difficult to keep up the allotment with the two boys. I couldn't get anything done taking both of them, and DS3 would have to be in a pushchair while we were there to keep him contained - and his favourite phrase right now is "I want to walk!" so there would probably be a very loud protest from him!! :rotfl: But we'll see what grows well in our small pots and go from there. If the plants do well, we may add a few wooden raised garden beds for next year. There are a few spots that are ideal in our garden.

Finally took out our last pork roast for tomorrow, so Friday went to the butcher and picked up another joint pack (joint of beef, lamb, gammon, pork, and 2 whole chickens for £25) and bagged it all up separately and put in the freezer. We cooked the chicken yesterday for roast meal, and had chicken curry tonight with some of the meat, and tomorrow I'll be making some stock out of the carcass and freezing it. :cool:

Triggles

Used our left over pork roast for sweet and sour pork with rice tonight. We use the basics sweet and sour sauce, which is 23p per jar, and basics pineapple for 13p (approx) per tin. Yummmmmmm

Let's see - garden wise - our onions are coming up, tomato plant growing well, pumpkin has a couple small pumpkins growing that are still small and green yet, strawberries are showing - one red and the rest green, and the rest of the plants are still just growing along. :j

I'm trying to figure out what to do with DS3's highchair straps. I've sprayed them with bleach to clean them previously, but I think I'm going to need to take them completely off the chair to clean them this time. How can one child get a highchair soooo dirty?!?! :eek:

Still feel a bit overwhelmed with the flylady thing, so just going to try to catch up with things a room at a time. This week's extra project is the upstairs bathroom, cleaning it all really well, glueing down the wallpaper that has lifted just a bit at the edges. And then going through the medicine cabinet and supplies of shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc. We bought a new shower curtain at poundland, so that will be going up this week as well.

I put some money into savings, so we're not tempted to spend it. It's far too easy when it's sitting in the regular account. Harder to access in savings, so safer there. :cool: The plan is to do that every month so that we don't miss it - it's already gone from the budget.

We have a number of things to do this week with DS2 off of school for term break, so we are trying to combine things as much as possible to save on petrol as well as parking fees (not to mention time!). I'd really like to do more walking, but until we sort out the pushchair thing with OT, it's become more and more difficult. My shoulder and back can't take carrying a child in full meltdown mode, and I simply can't risk injuring my back.

Still awaiting more info on the PPI reimbursement. And going round in circles on a couple unenforceable debts. One of them we just want to use that it's unenforceable to negotiate the lowest F&F that we can. The other sent us fraudulent paperwork claiming it was the CCA, which it wasn't. :mad: So we're still up in the air on that one.

DH finally got the curtain rod in the living up - it was quite a job!! The wall is really horrible - crumbly and really would benefit from being completely redone. But since that's not an option, he had to put a piece of wood up along behind the rod, bolt it to the wall in numerous places, paint the wood to match the wall (so it blends in better) and then put the curtain rod up on that. It's actually nice now, as we can open the curtains wider than before (with pressure rod in window) and it lets more light in the room. Saves electricity as we don't have to use the light as much.

Well, off to finish the budget updating. I've done most of it, but have a few more things to update.

Triggles

Good grief - busy busy week! Between trying to keep up with housework and appointments and such, I don't know whether I'm coming or going half the time!

Another appointment tomorrow morning, quite early. yawn... I think that's it for a week.. maybe... sigh, but I could be wrong. It's late and dark and I don't want to wake up DH by using the light to check my diary.

Still struggling with a few bits of correspondence with debts, but working slowly through it. A couple letters to put together in the next 24-48 hours and then to post.

MUST get library books back in the next 2 days. Argh. I keep forgetting! But due the 10th, so I have just a few days left. (still reading one, blast it! will have to hurry up tomorrow and finish it)

Grocery shopping is an interesting thing. Prices cheaper if we go to supermarket, but if we go to supermarket, we spend more total. So we're trying to make do with picking up at the shop near our house (Farm Foods, Coop) if something needed, so no extra temptations. Seems to be helping. We figured if the item is 5p or 10p more, it still saves us if we're not buying other things. LOL

Triggles

Ah! Lovely Maclaren Major delivered to our house today, via the OT/NHS. Thank goodness! We will get the accessories needed (and can afford it thankfully as NHS covered the pushchair) through ebay. What a huge relief! My shoulder is so sore after having to carry DS2 a couple times recently.

We have a DCA that is offering us 50% off our total debt balance. So I am putting together a full and final for 20% and going from there. It's not a huge debt, but 20% is about all we can manage (with help). I've never done the whole "F&F" thing, so am a bit edgy about it, but hoping it will mean one more debt cleared. We're still going around in circles with 2 that are unenforceable.

Yearly tax credits paperwork due at the end of July!! Must make sure that's done this weekend - I don't like to wait until the last minute.

Birthdays coming up next month. Already have DS2's purchased (on sale) a month ago. Still thinking about DS3's. And have a few ideas for DD's and DGS1's. Busy busy month! :rotfl: The plan is to have a family barbeque towards the end of the month and celebrate the birthdays all together - much less expensive and easier that way. And the boys are young, so not fussed about it, and DD is an adult, so she's cooperative. :j We have £20 in Iceland vouchers from the online bingo draws, which will go a long way to some barbeque food. :cool:

We have decided that we are going to monitor our grocery shopping a bit closer - as we had some food waste we weren't happy with this month. Some things we need to adjust - buying larger seedless oranges, as boys will otherwise try to eat the seeds, and won't eat the oranges once they have been "mutilated" to get the seeds out first. (keeping in mind, of course, that DS2 has food issues and DS3 is 1yo) This way no waste as they eat them with no problems. We were buying thicker cut bread, but recently went to medium slices. More slices, longer to go through loaf of same size. Small things, but could add up.

Made a lovely peach crumble last night. It's looking delicious in the fridge getting cool for tonight after tea. Yummmm! I used basics tinned peach slices at Sainsburys, and then just the "oatmeal, butter, brown sugar, flour, with a bit of water" mixture for the crumble. Easy, tastes good, and inexpensive! Works for me!

Off to go over the budget to make sure of where we're at (yup, paranoid checking on a regular basis, but I don't really like surprises!).

Triggles

DCA sent sneaky card in post saying simply "please call, it's important" with phone number. No account info or anything. I hate that. Not calling them - I hate underhanded stuff like that.

Other DCA says they believe account is enforceable, but since the CCA they sent us doesn't even have the correct loan figures in it, I can't imagine it would fly in court. They stalled for months, refusing to send us the CCA without a signature, saying it was against privacy laws, then suddenly decided it wasn't and sent it, but it was one they'd put together with incorrect info. It is definitely NOT the original. Interesting.

Another DCA sent us a CCA with our current address on it, when it was taken out prior to us moving here. So obviously there are some issues there as well.

What a muddle this all is!!

DS2 has been playing the piano for about 5-10 minutes each day, just letting him play randomly on the keys. We're focusing on where the lower sounds are (left side) and where the higher sounds are (right side) and playing gently (not banging on the keys) but firmly so you can hear it. We're just starting to count the numbers of the black key groups (2s and 3s). Slowly slowly we'll get there. At least he is enjoying it and interested in it.

I sent a huge bag of baby clothing to a friend whose son is just growing into it. :j Another pile of stuff out of the dining room! And someone else benefits from it, so that works out well for everyone.

We would like to do some DIY work on the diningroom, but it simply isn't going to happen. We are, however, going to steam the wallpaper off the fireplace wall (it's plastered), and paint that a neutral colour, and hang some pictures up. It will make such a huge difference in the room, as the wall is rather a focal point. We also moved the sideboard into the dining room (yup, we had to be creative!) but it opens up the hallway/entryway so much! The dining room has a lot of stuff in it, so we had to be careful how we arranged things - it has the piano, the sideboard, plus a large dining room table with 6 chairs, and my craft bins. Thankfully, it's not too bad at all! We've found an arrangement that seems to suit the room well and leaves it not seeming crowded.

Now if the weather would cooperate so I could catch up on the washing - have got quite a bit to do! At least I managed to get towels done the other day - towels and sheets are the worst!! Have to keep a close eye out for a sunny day!!

We have a large parasol (the kind that has a huge base and shades from the side instead of up through the table) in the rear garden, but the hard plastic ring that holds it up and in position snapped! DH glued it, but it's just not as strong, and so we're going to get a pipe clamp from B&Q in the plumbing section to use instead. Cheap and easy, and it doesn't show anyway, so not a problem in looks on the parasol. (We bought it last year on clearance, so we're quite pleased with it!)

Well, off to read some of the MSE Latest News to see what's up recently.