MG - The Matrix Re-wired

Horace

Slinks in thinking no-one will notice....

Morning peeps (or should that be afternoon?). I have had a pretty distasterous weekend as my fridge packed up and everything went off - nearly poisoned myself by eating ice cream that was softer than normal which after eating it (it did taste a bit odd) I then smelt and realised it was off, my cold meats had also gone off - the only edible things were the butter and the eggs and a small lump of cheese that hadn't grown a fur coat. I was without a fridge all weekend and didn't get a replacement until Tuesday. Still waiting for my loo to be fixed.

Nipped to tatco too - stocked up with veg from their whoopsie shelf as well as meat (box of chicken drumsticks) also from the whoopsie shelf. Total cost of shop £28 but then I used some of my vouchers thus saving myself £8:cool:

My flat is a lot tidier than before as today is the first time I have switched my computer on since Friday:eek: Tons of emails either selling spam or knock backs for jobs.

Feeling grumpy and scared because my credit card has been stopped and I cannot pay for my car tax although I am hoping to have money going into my account next week to bring it back into credit (JSA & HB) then I will be able to tax car. The not so friendly First Direct have told me that I must keep my account in credit for 6-12 months before they will re-consider letting me use my credit card. They are miffed that I had two returned payments so therefore I cannot be trusted with my account and after all they are responsible lenders:mad: Alas, I do not have enough money in my credit union to pay for road tax - so I shall be liquidising some assets namely stuff I can flog on the free equivalent to Ebay - my watch may also go (no point in keeping it when I have so much debt)

Made a nice decoration today using a pillar candle that I won (one of 6 varying sizes and colours) which I put on a white dinner plate and then used a sparkly candle ring (this was sent to me instead of a sparkly garland that I had ordered from the place where I get my bomboniere stuff from). It is plain and very simple.

Tomorrow I am off out - (a meal that I haven't paid for - don't have to pay) but I am already getting wobbly about buying drinks as I know the chap and his wife who are giving me a lift will be expecting me to buy them a drink as payment for the lift. I have £4 in my purse which I had planned to use to buy some 2nd class stamps so that I can send my christmas cards), I guess it means that I will have to break into the £2 jar which has £14 sitting in it that I had hoped to put into the credit union.

Marru - stick with what the court have said, that way you are seen to be abiding by their orders.

Crickett - hope everything went well at the meeting?

Sending thoughts to folks in need.

robsmum_2

Horace:
Sorry you have had such a hard time and hope you didn't poison yourself too much:eek:
Use the £4 to post your cards and maybe break into your £2 pot to get yourself a drink. Could you not explain that you have an extreme cash flow at moment and not buy lift people a drink or have you a little gift you could wrap up and give them as thanks.

Hang in there as it's on it's way. Big Hugs also.

Horace

I will explain the extreme cash flow situation - thinking about it, I may have something that I can wrap up for them, I have some mini bottles of wine in my store cupboard so I could box them up.

Thankfully I managed not to poison myself too much - I never realised there as a problem with the fridge until I helped myself to a slice of cooked chicken which as soon as it entered my mouth tasted vile - this was after I had eaten the ice cream. I salvaged the small lump of cheese and put that in the mini cheese bell that I bought in a flea market ages ago but never used.

Using items purchased from the whoopsie shelf - I made myself some french bread pizzas (half a large ciabatta which cost me 45p - half of it is in the freezer) cut in half, smothered with leftover chopped tomato with onion & basil (I had frozen it as it was leftover from the last time I did the pizzas - it is Morrison's best and was a free gift from mum). The lump of cheese got grated and split between the two slices and voila some yummy french bread pizzas.

My fridge now contains - eye drops (must get some more), 2 eggs, a lump of cheese (reduced price that I had put in freezer and then removed), a lump of spam, milk, veg (from the whoopsie shelf), a tube of tomato puree, a bottle of apple juice, a bottle of ribena and a small jar of cranberry sauce (small as in minature sized) and my cheap Norpack butter (an Aldi special).

Xmas dinner might be chicken legs (from whoopsie shelf) or I may just thaw out my remaining lamb shank and stick it in the slow cooker with the lamb stock that was leftover from the last time I cooked lamb shank. I am all planned - I may even make some cake or mince pies (will substitute jam) as I already have some frozen puff pastry.

clairewop

Good afternoon

None of us are very well today think there must be a sickness bug going around

greenbee

Robsmum - thanks for the ideas. I put celeriac, leek, garlic, onion, potato and pheasant stock in the SC this morning, so will see what it's like a bit later.

Tree is up and decorated, with presents sitting underneath it Delivery arrived today so that's all the presents done.

OH took me out to lunch, and then we sorted out my mother's present - a photo album full of photos of me, which is what she wanted, as she hardly has any (I hate having my photo taken, but OH ignores that). OH had a whole lot of pictures printed and they're not as bad as I'd anticipated! OH's mum's presents offloaded onto him, and he's also taken his present and left me mine (well, I've already had the microwave, but I have some bits to open) in case the snow prevents him coming over again before I go to my parents.

DIY bits haven't been done, but he know about them for next time and has volunteered to help because he saw the list

Handyman has cleared the rubbish bag from the garden, and taken a sample of worktop to find a piece that looks similar to finish off the utility room work surface with. Trees will be done in January. So progress is continuing.

Lots of stuff on the list still, but I have tomorrow off too, and only Saturday afternoon is busy, so hopefully I'll manage to get it all done. Including the baking ... First batch of Florentines is done (with white chocolate and cranberries) so need to get more almonds to do a dark batch. And chocolates need making too... And tree biscuits... And maybe shortbread... Not sure who's going to eat it all though

ETA ... Tommorrow will have to be a paperwork day, as I can't find my hospital letter and although I know the date I hadn't put the time in my diary it will be nice when the house is back to normal and I have no excuse for being disorganised!

Gemmzie

It's very quiet in here this evening, must all be out partying!

I had my last day at the school today - got a lovely bunch of flowers (had two last week from line manager too) and some wine, so stuck that in the Christmas pile as it's a bit dry for me so that'll do for a token for someone who's feeding us. We are doing six stops through Christmas/Boxing day! :eek:

groatie_queen

Today has been a day of synchronicity for me.... a realisation first of all, which is pretty fundamental to how I move forward with the rest of my life; then a 'chance' meeting with a friend, with whom to share the realisation which resonated for her too.

This resulted in me being invited to her neighbours' house this evening for a meditation held in darkness save for three candles, as we reflected on the theme of light. It was simply enchanting. The tea, cake and chat afterwards was pretty good too.

I've been visualising for such a group to manifest so here it is! I met some lovely people who are on the same wavelength, and encountered much kindliness and warmth, which for me is the essence of not just Christmas, but life itself. My host remembered me from a women's group we were both in several years before, and it's lovely to have re-connected. I had no idea she lived near my friend or that they knew each other.

Then, when I got home there was an email from Mike, the father of the young man who married my cousin's daughter earlier this year. I had sent him a book after the wedding, simply because I felt prompted to do so, about a young man who travels by boat around Scotland. The book is called Adrift in Caledonia and is a good read, by the way. It turns out that Mike knows the author, and what he didn't realise till he read it, is that he is mentioned in the book!

I have been asking more synchronicity to come into my life, so that's 3 hits today! So I'm getting loud and clear to keep doing things 'simply because' and wait for the magic to happen.

teapot2

How lovely GQ - its such a joy when synchronicity happens. Glad you have reconnected with your friend from before and found some like minded souls .

teapot2

It was my godson's funeral service yesterday. A real celebration of his life and its not often I've heard so much laughter at a service. Felt exhausted today and still very reflective - hope to get a good sleep tonight....

Dorastar

Glad it was a positive experience out of such a sad time for everyone Teapot.

1 more get up and very tired. Went to see Russell Howard tonight so will spend most of day tomorrow grinning quietly but can't repeat most of what he said!