The Ultimate Hard and Fast debt clearing mission

Birdie85

It is weird that I saw your name on the last poster bit on my subscriptions and said 'Yay, Poddle!' Lovely to hear from you and well done on the job! :j

I had my parents round last night and we were watching the swimming (Well done Michael Jamieson for the silver medal, he was so close to Gold, a couple more metres and he'd have caught up!), my Mum bless her was getting so confused about the gender of the swimmers! She was only half paying attention when the ladies were coming out then would refer to them as 'him' when discussing what they were wearing (which is about as far as her Olympic critique goes, along with saying 'No wonder Willis didn't get a medal, look at his body compared to Jamieson's, he's not half as chisled!' :rotfl: ). I can imagine that the gender confusion will be just as bad at the women's wrestling! My friend has been to a few events and she keeps tweeting photos from the volleyball and gymnastics, feeling very jealous!

I can't believe what went down at the ladies badminton though! :eek: Our little badminton crew at work (which is actually growing, we have to book out 3 or 4 courts each session now!) were all disgusted, when we serve into the net it's by accident and the air turns blue! Playing today actually, hope I have a good game.

poddle911

Aw no, it's sweet! I love catching up with the thread and it's always nice to hear from everyone, especially at the moment when we're all busy parenting/ working/ travelling/ blogging/ watching the Olympics...

Ha, bless your mum! It is difficult to tell though! Especially when all they're all goggled up

So you're still playing badminton? That's cool, I'm glad you weren't completely put off by the bully boys. I'm yet to find a sport that I enjoy *sigh*, but trying to get tickets to see the Brighton Rockers at their next home roller derby!

ruby_eskimo

I would love to try Roller Derby, but I think I'm too chicken.

Day 2 of being on my own and I am being besieged by the new Junior Doctors. Think someone is playing a prank on me and has given them my extension number rather than the IT helpdesk. My department is about as far from IT as you could get. I just deal with numbers! Keeping calm and trying to do my work but it's not really working!

Birdie85

Oh I'd love to watch a Roller Derby match! Looks brutal but awesome!

I'm only playing badminton with nice people from work, not horrid people from the proper club, I never went back there! There are a couple of guys in the work group that seem to think that all they have to do is smash the shuttle at people and don't play 'properly' in my eyes (i.e. getting into rallies since we're supposed to be playing for *fun*), I got so cross last week after the 3rd time I got hit by a direct smash (despite the fact that everyone knows I don't like being hit due to PTSD from that fateful night when I got smacked and they tend to adjust how they play against me accordingly!;) Doesn't stop me from getting hit by the shuttle at least 3 times a session... and I usually hit myself with my own racket too! ) I went off on a bit of a rant saying, 'Oh this is a REALLY FUN game isn't it?! Smash, point, switch, serve, smash, point, switch! Would you rather we just concede now and save you the trouble of hitting it straight at me again?!':mad: They were suitably shamed and toned it down a bit after that.

ETA: You're having a crummy week aren't you Ruby? Just don't answer the phone and take extra long coffee breaks today, you need to get away from your desk!

shrimpy_80

poddle911 wrote: »

All is ok here in the South - I finally got a new job! It's been quite stressful working on a freelance basis since wedding in May, so looking forward to a permanent job starting in September Congrats also to Shrimpy on your job - it's a great feeling isn't it?

Thanks Poddle and huge congrats to you too! It is great to have that security again, and means we can start thinking properly about buying a house

I am another one getting Olympomania! I had a little sniffle at my desk watching our ladies get the first gold yesterday and I hate sport usually!

Birdie - your badminton story reminds me of the first and only time I played with OH (in fact the first and only time I've ever played!) Never again! I'm only a titch and he is 6ft3, it was like playing against Stretch Armstrong!

I would also be way too scared for Roller Derby, but I love roller skating, wish they did roller discos for grown ups!

Hope your work gets better Ruby, it sucks being new and expected to know everything, especially when its usually people who've been there years who don't know themselves but expect you to have all the answers. Agree that a tea/coffee/biscuit break is called for.

I am scared today because I've got to drive on the motorway for the first time tomorrow and I'm a baby, but also super excited because I'm going to the Harry Potter studio tour, yay!

ruby_eskimo

Keep meaning to say Congratulations Poddle!

Thanks Shrimpy, I'm currently munching on a Canadian maple natures valley bar I got free at the station this morning to make myself feel better. Good luck with the motorway driving. The first time i drove on a motorway was the M25 in the middle of the poring rain. Scared the living daylights out of me but I don't mind it now.

Dinah93

Sorry for going awol, MSE didn't email to tell me there were new posts. Grrr.

Grace is doing well, pink, happy, alert. Decided to learn to roll this morning, not front to back like a normal baby starts off, but back to front.

Her checkup at the hospital on Wednesday was okay, her co2 is up a bit but the consultant says its an acceptable level, so going back again this coming Wedneday to see if she's still okay.

Grandad's funeral yesterday, it went as well as could be hoped, emotional but positive too in a way. He had a good turn out, and everyone had such nice things to say about him. They played My Way at the end (he loved Sinatra) and listening to the words it just kind of summed him up completely. He was one of those people everyone loved, always looked on the bright side and would do anything for anyone. Mum did the speech, she stayed so strong for him, me, my dad, brother, NIM, brothers girlfriend and most of the congregation were blubbing away, but she was amazing. She put it perfectly, he was 79 but never got old. He'd call her up to say he was taking an old bloke from the club to hospital so he didn't have to get a bus, then he'd call her up later completely perplexed because that 'old bloke' was years younger than he was! Bit of a technology fail in that the funeral directors came out when we were stood outside with the coffin to say the cd didn't work for the music... you'd really think they'd have checked that beforehand - your funeral and wedding are the times you pay a lot of money and a lot of emotions are riding on the fact that things should go smoothly. They didn't have either of the other songs mum wanted, so we just had My Way and sang the hymn, but it was just right none the less. I think it has to say good things about your character when the chapel is packed, all the seats in the overflow room are taken and there were about a further 20 people stood in there too. The thing I took away from it though is that he was always so positive, and he had a really sunny disposition, he wasn't rich, he didn't go into any record books for achieving anything great, but everyone who knew him loved him, and isn't that the greatest achievement of all, to be universally loved and respected? I hope to remember that and take some of his attitude to life on with me because the world needs more people like him.

To that end, I want to enjoy my life. I'm sick to the back teeth of worrying about money. So my mission for the next few weeks is to do something each day to clear 1% of it (about £90 as I'm excluding the car loan since that will be paid off save for about £280 when I get the £5,000 grandad left me in his will). Some days 1% will be quick and easy, as I have a few big items to sell. Other days it's going to take more time and effort. I'm actually going to start with some misery and list some furniture which will sell for next to nothing but clear a load of space on ebay tomorrow. I'm looking forward to when ebay is over and I can swap to matched betting and the like.

I'm taking time with Grace every day too, rather than just staying home. I won't and don't want to miss out on this precious time with her just to plug away at the debt.We go for a walk everyday if it's not bucketing down, and in September if she's stayed well I'm going to try joining a mother and baby group or two.

Dinah93

The universe rewards positive thinking. Just got a completely unexpected cheque in the post for £110 from my other granddad - apparently he set aside £1000 for each grandchild's wedding gift and our furniture came to £110, so this is the balance. Considering it's been 2 years I think it's more likely he just decided £1000 is what he would give each of us given the second one is getting married in a month, but for whatever reason I am grateful for it. 99% to go.

Dinah93

The universe does not reward blind people. Just realised the two blood pressure tablets I took an hour ago were in fact codeine. No wonder I feel spacey. Buggr.

Birdie85

Oops to the codeine mix up! :eek:

Really glad your Grandad has such a good send-off, sounds like he was wonderful and much loved.

It sounds like your head is definitely back in the right place now. The old tenacious Dinah is back! I'm sure you'll blast through the debt. I wonder if you can sell Gracie's 'Miracle Baby' story to a magazine for a little extra cash?!

It's wonderful to hear that Gracie's doing so well too and that you're having quality time with her.

Shrimpy, hope the motorway driving has gone well! It's a doddle really! So jealous of you going on the Harry Potter Studio tour, I WANT TO GO!!!

It's so nearly the weekend! In fact, I might just head off now, there's no one left to see me leave early! Hope everyone has lovely things planned!