Improving my life in 2011

Mags30

My census form was collected this evening.

The free pilates class was very pleasant, very gentle and relaxing. The relaxation and mind/body aspect seems to overlap a little with yoga but without the sun salutes. It's all about core muscles apparently. Not signing up for the paid classes, can't afford to anyway but even if I could afford it I think I'd prefer something that works up a sweat.

When I got home I watched the Valentines Day dvd, was ok, nothing amazing but it could be very enjoyable to watch on Valentines day. I really liked the bit where the "I hate valentines day" party and the wedding party blended into the same party.

Best thing about it was that it provided a nice distraction from the endless "to do" lists and money calculations going round and round in my head. Feeling a bit overwhelmed with things to do again.

But for now it's bedtime. Night x

vasseur

How do you feel this morning after pilates Mags? The day after the first time I did it I ached everywhere - even my fingers hurt! Very good for core strength though which has a knock on effect on everything else. Maybe you could get a DVD and do it in the comfort of your own home?

Shoe_Gal

Sorry you're feeling a bit out of sorts - money stuff is going around in my head too

Mags30

polesalot wrote: »

How do you feel this morning after pilates Mags?

I'm not sore at all, not even a little bit, could I have been not doing it properly? :undecided but I have been feeling absolutely exhausted all morning. Can't really see how that could be from pilates, it was very gentle and didn't feel tiring at the time.

vasseur

Mags30 wrote: »

I'm not sore at all, not even a little bit, could I have been not doing it properly? :undecided but I have been feeling absolutely exhausted all morning. Can't really see how that could be from pilates, it was very gentle and didn't feel tiring at the time.

I always found it really gentle, just felt really loosened up afterwards. i too didn't think it would be benificial without working up a sweat but I really enjoyed it - no pain no gain!

Mags30

Somebody told me today that pilates was one of the most difficult exercise classes they ever did, I'm convinced I must have missed something fundamental to it

Another busy day, sometimes I think I'm so busy because I'm disorganised, easily distracted and lacking discipline. Today I got lost looking for an old school building where I had a meeting about advertising. The building is now used for adult education and while there I stumbled upon a cookery demonstration. The scones were almost ready so I got invited to stay for tea :T

The lady doing the demonstration was so "old style MSE" and I was fascinated. She was all "no mixing bowl, use a saucepan" "no rolling pin, use a bottle". She didn't use a weighing scales or scone cutters or gadgets of any kind.

I was thinking "if I didn't have a mixing bowl/rolling pin and I wanted to bake I'd buy the mixing bowl because a basic plastic bowl is really cheap"

Her ingredients were mostly T*sco value and clearance items. The milk was low fat and she had low fat spread instead of butter. She said she prefers the full fat but bought the low fat because they were reduced. I was thinking "I only buy clearance if I like the things that are reduced--is this why I'm in debt?"

So much as I enjoyed it, see how she was wrecking my head? But I'm not complaining because I left with some scones and a 1kg block of cheese :rotfl:The cheese is the stuff that the Irish government got ridiculed for offering as assistance to unemployed people.

As a community group they have a fridge full but she said lots of people won't take it. Either they don't like cheese or there's some stigma attached to accepting charity but I shamelessly took it and was delighted to get it. That's so unprofessional isn't it, leaving with food intended for unemployed people but honestly I really was more than welcome, they were so nice :A

The cheese is delicious too, really high quality cheddar, best freebie in ages!

Did a mystery shop at T*sco on the way home and I watched the latest of my screenclick dvd's "The Notebook", such a beautiful film, I was in tears at the end. I highly recommend this free trial, lovefilm appears to be the UK version. @Souk has mentioned Lovefilm DVD's on her diary, it's such a great idea.

Did lots of onepoll surveys and spent almost nothing today

vasseur

Mags30 wrote: »

The lady doing the demonstration was so "old style MSE" and I was fascinated. She was all "no mixing bowl, use a saucepan" "no rolling pin, use a bottle". She didn't use a weighing scales or scone cutters or gadgets of any kind.

I was thinking "if I didn't have a mixing bowl/rolling pin and I wanted to bake I'd buy the mixing bowl because a basic plastic bowl is really cheap"

Her ingredients were mostly T*sco value and clearance items. The milk was low fat and she had low fat spread instead of butter. She said she prefers the full fat but bought the low fat because they were reduced. I was thinking "I only buy clearance if I like the things that are reduced--is this why I'm in debt?"

So much as I enjoyed it, see how she was wrecking my head? But I'm not complaining because I left with some scones and a 1kg block of cheese :rotfl:The cheese is the stuff that the Irish government got ridiculed for offering as assistance to unemployed people.

As a community group they have a fridge full but she said lots of people won't take it. Either they don't like cheese or there's some stigma attached to accepting charity but I shamelessly took it and was delighted to get it. That's so unprofessional isn't it, leaving with food intended for unemployed people but honestly I really was more than welcome, they were so nice :A

The cheese is delicious too, really high quality cheddar, best freebie in ages!

I sometimes think if I was a better cook I would be able to save more money because I would know how to whip up a meal from basics. I would never think to use a saucepan as a mixing bowl! Maybe I'm just not as resourceful as I thought I was.

Don't feel guilty about accepting the cheese! I love cheese, think of all the delicious things you could do with it

OnePoll very generous yesterday. I haven't checked today yet.

Mags30

Came home this evening to a note in my letterbox from one of the neighbours. A drain is blocked somewhere on our line of houses and needs to be sorted out urgently. I wasn't even aware of this. They think it's not from my house but maybe the one next to me where nobody will answer the door. These are the sort of unexpected maintenance expenses I live in fear of It hopefully won't cost too much because the cost will need to be split between the houses but who knows.

Shoe_Gal

Ouch! Fingers crossed it's not too bad This is when I love renting!

Mags30

Shoe_Gal wrote: »

Ouch! Fingers crossed it's not too bad This is when I love renting!

It's fixed, could have been much worse. It was €120 split between 3 houses so we paid €40 each. I'm feeling really stressed though, clearly someone who is barely in a financial position to cover such small bills should not be a homeowner.

For so long I wanted to be a homeowner and it was the right choice at the time but I don't really want it anymore.

Give it a few days, I'm sure I'll have forgotten and cheered up again