Keeping up appearances.......

HappyNow

Dolphin1 wrote: »

Whatever turns you on! :rotfl:

Absolutely! (and I do quite fancy a glue gun now, don't know about you!)

HappyNow

.Fab Feb Day 13.....

• Managed to get through £19 today. £10 was on two new Tshirts for work which were absolutely essential, £3 was the office lottery syndicate (I know, I know - but I can't risk not doing it!), £2 on a colleague birthday collection. Then I bought a Book Club book for £4 called Tricks and Games to Teach Your Dog. That's a bit wasty really, but I don't regret it
• YNAB up to date, although disappointingly Mr Happy's wage hasn't come in yet so it was nowhere near as much fun as I'd hoped. It might come in overnight.
• No alcohol
• Breakfast:porridge. Snack: Greek yogurt and apricots. Lunch: Vegetable chilli. Snack: Go Ahead bar (seriously, it apparently contains one portion of fruit, albeit very heavily processed). Tea:Quiche, oven chips and mushy peas, glass of orange juice, an apple, one biscuit. Ooh, six, although I really can't count the Go Ahead.
• Three glasses of water
• Whoopsy, seem to have forgotten to clean again!
• Late night, but I will stay in bed until seven am, so that's the seven hours
• No Candy Crush!

Honey_Bear

I suppose I should have said I've wanted a glue gun for about 15 years when I first heard about them, but I've never allowed myself to spend the money. The only reason the lady in the old fashioned hardware shop said what she said was that she was telling me about the things she makes and does with hers. It's one of those lovely old family-owned businesses, 110 years old this year, several shops in south west Devon, staffed by older people who use the things they sell. The kind of shops the internet has largely seen off, and I just love going there but can't afford (or allow myself) to buy everything I want when I do. My birthday is in a couple of months time, and Mr HB did offer to let me have the present early but I'm going to hold off - I've waited this long, I can wait a bit more. Besides which, I bought myself a tube of proper solvent-based glue and I'm rather enjoying working with it.

1. No money spent, although I was supposed to go to the handmade chocolate shop at the end of the lane to buy some for Mr HB as I'd scoffed the last ones he bought. Today's spending is, therefore, planned.
2. SS up to date and looking rather ill. Money transferred.
3. I really, really hope you like the BB. There are several other brands of alcohol-free beers (some seem acceptable) and wines (none are). Sainsbobs do an AF sparkling that I can tolerate on high days and holidays so as not to seem the only sad sack in the room, but I actually enjoy drinking Becks and look forward to having one sometimes.
4. Porridge for breakfast, curried carrot and lentil soup for lunch, fish, chips and peas for supper with apple pie and cream. Fourish, but if you're going to count a snack bar as F&V, can I count two tubes of Rowntree's fruit pastilles?
5. Fail. I'll rev up F&V today.
6. Achieved.
7. Swept the kitchen floor and more tidying. Turned out a couple of drawers, vacuumed half of one of them and then forgot to do the other half. I'm not sure how that's possible - the thing was standing right next to me, but there you go. Half of it got done, so that's better than nothing.
8. Achieved.
9. Success on the Spider front, in that each session only lasted two or three games. Again.

HappyNow

Honey_Bear wrote: »

I suppose I should have said I've wanted a glue gun for about 15 years when I first heard about them, but I've never allowed myself to spend the money. The only reason the lady in the old fashioned hardware shop said what she said was that she was telling me about the things she makes and does with hers. It's one of those lovely old family-owned businesses, 110 years old this year, several shops in south west Devon, staffed by older people who use the things they sell. The kind of shops the internet has largely seen off, and I just love going there but can't afford (or allow myself) to buy everything I want when I do. My birthday is in a couple of months time, and Mr HB did offer to let me have the present early but I'm going to hold off - I've waited this long, I can wait a bit more. Besides which, I bought myself a tube of proper solvent-based glue and I'm rather enjoying working with it.
There's a similar shop in my village. The village is quite touristy and you look at this hardware store amongst all the coffee & gift shops and wonder how it keeps going. But the owner knows his market and stocks all the little things that customers would otherwise have to drive to the bigger towns for and actually there is always someone in there, spending. Plus he owns the building and has done for years - long before the property boom - so his overheads will be low. I love it.
1. No money spent, although I was supposed to go to the handmade chocolate shop at the end of the lane to buy some for Mr HB as I'd scoffed the last ones he bought. Today's spending is, therefore, planned.
2. SS up to date and looking rather ill. Money transferred.
3. I really, really hope you like the BB. There are several other brands of alcohol-free beers (some seem acceptable) and wines (none are). Sainsbobs do an AF sparkling that I can tolerate on high days and holidays so as not to seem the only sad sack in the room, but I actually enjoy drinking Becks and look forward to having one sometimes. I didn't buy it. I was in T*sco, and when I checked mysupermarket.com the BB is on offer in Asd*, so I will either go there for it or plan a Price Promise shop against Asd*
4. Porridge for breakfast, curried carrot and lentil soup for lunch, fish, chips and peas for supper with apple pie and cream. Fourish, but if you're going to count a snack bar as F&V, can I count two tubes of Rowntree's fruit pastilles? Nope, sorry, not unless it says so on the label like mine did!
5. Fail. I'll rev up F&V today.
6. Achieved.
7. Swept the kitchen floor and more tidying. Turned out a couple of drawers, vacuumed half of one of them and then forgot to do the other half. I'm not sure how that's possible - the thing was standing right next to me, but there you go. Half of it got done, so that's better than nothing.
8. Achieved.
9. Success on the Spider front, in that each session only lasted two or three games. Again.

Well done HB, and yesterday was 14th which means we're half way there.

• Spent £56 in Tesco but no waste or frivolous spending.
• YNAB updated with Mr H's salary paid in. We will manage our usual £1100 debt payments this month (which is good because I updated my sig over a week ago!)
• No alcohol
• Five portions consumed, although I did have to eat a late-night banana to fit everything in. All healthy food except for three biscuits
• Totally awash with water, lost count but drank loads
• I cleaned! Did the general dusting/sweeping/hovering, but had to stop when the hoover broke and Mr H wasn't home to mend it. He will do so today (fingers crossed). I also emptied, decluttered and cleaned the cupboard under the kitchen sink, which is supposed to be for cleaning stuff, lightbulbs, shoe cleaning gear etc, but was actually full of crap.
• 8 hours in bed, slept quite well.
• One session of Candy Crush

Aaleigha

Good morning

the book about tricks and games to teach you dog - you will never regret and that was a bargain price - I thought a saluki girl to play hide and seek - me hiding all over the house and her finding then we did it in the woods - one day in the woods I lost her completely (now when I hide I would call her gently) when I finally found her after calling and calling she oh so gently walked out from behind a tree wagging her tail and gave me a gentle kiss on my hand - after that I used to tell her to go hide - once I knew she understood the game that well and knew I had to look for her it was more fun - I have bought the childrens stacking cups (charity shop 50p) and hid a treat under one starting with dog watching then adding more and more cups - then with the dog out of the room - loads and loads and you will find them so mentally tired they sleep well for the rest of the day - bargain

sorry I did not visit yesterday but had a really bad day and did not even get to read some diaries -

many of you talk about YNAB but can you tell me what this is (so many posts have initials and I have to guess what things mean - this one truely escapes me apart from the word budget that is usually in the same sentence.

hope today is a good one and you an acheive all that is on the list

Honey_Bear

1. Lovely handmade chocolates bought. There was no escaping that, it was my turn and unbelievably, it is the shop closest to our front door.
2. SS up to date.
3. Morribunds had the box of 15 on offer for £6 which is the cheapest I've ever seen it, but that offer has ended. It is at its best well chilled, which at the moment means I usually have a few outside the back door.
4. Full English brekkers at Wevverspoons for a Valentine's treat (oh the romance of it!), snack lunch and pizza for Saturday in front of the TV for the last two episodes of Spiral. (Mean about the fruit pastilles, I think.)
5. Beans, tomatoes, prunes, beetroot juice, lettuce.
6. Four mugs of fruit tea. I will admit to having the second one each time rather having to force them down even though I like them, because of posting here. New mantra: 'This is good for me, this is doing me good, I've said I will so I must.' It's going to be wearing thin by the end of the month.
7. Washed the bits of the kitchen floor that were easy to do and cleaned the hob. Tidying.
8. Failed due to dog-walking after Spiral. It was Saturday, so I'm cutting myself some slack.
9. Success on the Spider front, in that each session only lasted two or three games. I think I'm managing it because rather than trying to make myself do things I should do, I'm allowing myself to do things I want to do and using a bit of Spider to give myself thinking time for how to solve a problem.


Unlike you, I'm not half way through, I'm about four days in but knowing I'm going to have to post on here is keeping me on the straighter and narrower than I would otherwise be, so thanks for that.


Well done on sorting out the cupboard under the sink. I did mine again a couple of weeks ago - why does it attract such crud? Bonus, that your vacuum cleaner gave up the ghost!

HappyNow

Aaleigha wrote: »

Good morning

the book about tricks and games to teach you dog - you will never regret and that was a bargain price - I thought a saluki girl to play hide and seek - me hiding all over the house and her finding then we did it in the woods - one day in the woods I lost her completely (now when I hide I would call her gently) when I finally found her after calling and calling she oh so gently walked out from behind a tree wagging her tail and gave me a gentle kiss on my hand - after that I used to tell her to go hide - once I knew she understood the game that well and knew I had to look for her it was more fun - I have bought the childrens stacking cups (charity shop 50p) and hid a treat under one starting with dog watching then adding more and more cups - then with the dog out of the room - loads and loads and you will find them so mentally tired they sleep well for the rest of the day - bargain

many of you talk about YNAB but can you tell me what this is (so many posts have initials and I have to guess what things mean - this one truely escapes me apart from the word budget that is usually in the same sentence.

hope today is a good one and you an acheive all that is on the list

I think you're right, the book will be good value and give us hours of fun . My dog is a GSD (half-working/half show lines) so very quick on the uptake and loves to be kept occupied. She has quite a good repertoire of tricks already, but we always tend to do the same ones so I think it will brighten up her days if we get some fresh ideas. I will also nick your stacking cup idea and try that today . I have some plastic (non-transparent) glasses that should work.

Sorry to hear you had a rubbish day. I will read your diary this evening to find out what happened.

YNAB is budgeting software. Have a look at www.youneedabudget.com . It is seriously brilliant. I've been using it since last May and it has truly revolutionised my finances. It's not free (cost me £22.50 but it does come on sale via Steam from time to time) but you have a free month's trial before you decide whether to buy. It takes a couple of hours to set up how you want it, and I found I was tweaking it for a few months after set-up, but now I would not be without it as it gives absolute clarity on where I stand financially. If you have a smartphone you can download their app to use as a spending diary, which automatically syncs (using Dropbox) all transactions to your PC. I've probably made that sound more complicated than it is, but have a look at the website and all will become clear!

HappyNow

Honey_Bear wrote: »

1. Lovely handmade chocolates bought. There was no escaping that, it was my turn and unbelievably, it is the shop closest to our front door.
Yum
2. SS up to date.
3. Morribunds had the box of 15 on offer for £6 which is the cheapest I've ever seen it, but that offer has ended. It is at its best well chilled, which at the moment means I usually have a few outside the back door. I'm going to start with the 6 pack in case I'm not keen - £2.50 at Asd* just now
4. Full English brekkers at Wevverspoons for a Valentine's treat (oh the romance of it!), snack lunch and pizza for Saturday in front of the TV for the last two episodes of Spiral.
More romantic than mine, which involved Mr H leaving home at 5:30 to mechanic at a race meeting (paid), returning home at 8pm and going straight to bed (alone!)
(Mean about the fruit pastilles, I think.)
Just tryin' to help you
5. Beans, tomatoes, prunes, beetroot juice, lettuce.
6. Four mugs of fruit tea. I will admit to having the second one each time rather having to force them down even though I like them, because of posting here. New mantra: 'This is good for me, this is doing me good, I've said I will so I must.' It's going to be wearing thin by the end of the month.
There you go, the system works!
7. Washed the bits of the kitchen floor that were easy to do and cleaned the hob. Tidying.
8. Failed due to dog-walking after Spiral. It was Saturday, so I'm cutting myself some slack.
9. Success on the Spider front, in that each session only lasted two or three games. I think I'm managing it because rather than trying to make myself do things I should do, I'm allowing myself to do things I want to do and using a bit of Spider to give myself thinking time for how to solve a problem.


Unlike you, I'm not half way through, I'm about four days in but knowing I'm going to have to post on here is keeping me on the straighter and narrower than I would otherwise be, so thanks for that.
Well there's always 'Marvellous March' :rotfl:

Well done on sorting out the cupboard under the sink. I did mine again a couple of weeks ago - why does it attract such crud? Bonus, that your vacuum cleaner gave up the ghost!
He's fixing it as we speak

Mr H has just left his vac-mending shed for long enough to suggest we go out for lunch and blow half of his yesterday's earnings. I've agreed! Yay! I'm justifying it by doing some errands while we're out but basically I just want to, and will keep it cheap :o:D

FlacosFloozie

Hope you have a nice lunch- you deserve a treat after all your hard work this month

Honey_Bear

I hope lunch was lovely.


1. Coffee out with a friend who I haven't had a proper chat with for months. Spendy, though.
2. SS up to date.
3. All good on the not boozing front.
4. Rubbish day, food wise. Sort of oaty breakfast, but Twink's as opposed to porridge, cold pizza for lunch, two tubes of fruit pastilles for tea and proper meal in the evening. Weighed myself this morning and although I'm about a kilo lighter than I was this time last week, it's still up from my lowest point recently. The hobnobs, fruit pastilles and chips were to blame and I will have to tackle them.
5. Err, M&S four veggie thing with dinner but tiny portions of each so only two portions really, and apple pie.
6. Two mugs of fruit tea. Fail.
7. Bathroom sink swish and swiped, and vacuumed the top wo layers and stairs. Tidying. I also realised that because I'm using the microwave a lot to cook the dog's food which boils over monotonously regularly, that I clean that every day too at the moment, so doing a bit more than I realised.
8. Really, really didn't want to go to bed last night and slept badly as a result. I must allow myself to stay up and do stuff if that's what I feel like sometimes. I blame the coffees I had out with S in the morning.
9. Success!


Are you going to carry on in March? If you do I'd join you because you're definitely making me mindful about what I'm doing.