Keeping up appearances.......

Muddy_Walker

Helloooooo!
OH and I are hopefully coming to the end of the lurgy.....interestingly the chemist said NO to L3msip and B33chams cos of the medication we are on. No wonder we felt rough - so if any of you are on some form of beta blocker you can only take parrots.
I have slept a lot so must have needed it.....managed some walking the past few days and had a good think about 20 things I want to achieve next year. So far I have:
20 x 10 mile walks
20 hours in the attic
20 short stories to try and publish
Lose 20 pounds

There was another but I can’t remember what that was....
Anyway take care all and enjoy NYE if you celebrate!!
MW x

HappyNow

milann wrote: »

You have come such a long way in the time since you started your diaries. The pressure of not telling your family must have been immense....and here you are now discussing things together.

Hi Milann, quite honestly I didn't feel under pressure keeping the debt numbers to myself. It would only have worried Mr H, and his angst would have just been another thing for me to cope with! Nowadays we talk completely openly about money, but I bet if I asked him how much we owe he wouldn't know to the nearest £10K. This diary is still a secret though because if he read it he'd be hurt that I hadn't shared with him in the past.

Muddy_Walker wrote: »

Helloooooo!
OH and I are hopefully coming to the end of the lurgy.....interestingly the chemist said NO to L3msip and B33chams cos of the medication we are on. No wonder we felt rough - so if any of you are on some form of beta blocker you can only take parrots.
I have slept a lot so must have needed it.....managed some walking the past few days and had a good think about 20 things I want to achieve next year. So far I have:
20 x 10 mile walks
20 hours in the attic
20 short stories to try and publish
Lose 20 pounds

There was another but I can’t remember what that was....
Anyway take care all and enjoy NYE if you celebrate!!
MW x

Hi MW, good to hear that you're on the mend.

I've heard a lot of people talking about doing 20 things for 2020 so I've decided to commit to trying 20 new recipes during the year. Not as ambitious as your list and I hope you manage them all. The 20 short stories sounds particularly intriguing - keep us updated

NYE here will be a quiet night in front of the telly, just like always. Up until a few years ago we've always stayed close to home in case there were any local fireworks to upset the horses. We've no horses now but the habit has stuck! Hope yours is a good one though if you do it

Honey_Bear

Happy New Year to
Happy Now and the Happy Band!

If I may, I'd like to join up again in the next day or two. Still recovering from the excesses of the past few weeks.

Seasidegal58

Belated Christmas wishes to alll Happy posters!

Sorry I've been absent again - one NY resolution is TO POST REGULARLY!:eek:

Another one here who thinks you've come a tremendous long way since starting your diary. And it was reading your diary back in 2016 that gave me the impetus to start my own as the fact you were keeping mum with your family about trying to clear your debt resonated with me. I finally told my DD about my debt eventually and I even confessed up to my DSis once I cleared it - I always kept it from her as she can't keep a secret so probably everyone we know knows about it now!:rotfl:

But like you Happy my diary and postings are still a secret - DSis would be very hurt if she knew what I wrote above about her!:rotfl:

I hope everyone has a very happy NYE - whether you're indoors with loved ones or out on the razzle celebrating!

And here's to a prosperous, peaceful and healthy 2020 to all!:beer:

HappyNow

Tomorrow is the start of not only a new year but also a new decade. How exciting!

The 'teenies' have dished out some terrible times (my dad dying, Little Miss H spending months in a wheelchair, losing several pets including our last horses, realising that I was financially screwed ) but there've been plenty of brilliant times too, and on balance there's not too much I'd want to change about the last ten years.

So, it's onwards into the twenties, and without getting all soppy I would like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, everyone who has contributed to - or just read - this diary. You have all been a MASSIVE, MASSIVE help and support to me with your wise words and kindness.

Oops, I said I wasn't going to get soppy, so instead I will just nick a bit of Honey's green paint which she's 'forgotten' to tidy away and wish each and every one of us:

A very Happy New Year and a wonderful 2020!!

Back tomorrow with January's targets. Self-improvement must go on!

Dolphin1

That green paint has got everywhere...

Happy New Year!!!

...don't expect me to clean it all up!

Honey_Bear

Everyone is very welcome to use my tin of green paint - it's a leftover and using it up would be both thrifty, contribute to decluttering and also helpful because I can take the empty tin to the tip the next time I'm going that way. *fling*

I have my three Good Intentions:

1. Lose a pound (lb type, not £ type) a month for twelve months. That should, surely, be do-able?
2. Be realistic about how few £s I have and put the brakes on spending for two and a half years when all will be well again. Stick to the budget - I've even done a proper cashflow!
3. Accept that I don't want to feel run ragged all the time and that there are only so many hours in a day when I'm likely to get 'listy stuff' done. Learn to find a way of being satisfied I've done Enough and just stop.
4. Keeping reading and post daily on the MSE threads that have turned my life around in the last seven years. Without them I'd still be lost and I rather like this life where the possibility of being in control of the house now seems like a possibility. It's just that it's always slightly out of reach.

I'll now go back and read and catch up. I may be some time.

EchoB

Hi HappyNow, I followed your diary as a
“Lurker” and it really helped me with my LBM. Hopefully I can use some of the tips I’ve picked up from your journey.

Your keeping up appearances approach struck a chord with me as my friends and family don’t know I’m in debt.

Happy new year!

HappyNow

Dolphin1 wrote: »

That green paint has got everywhere...

Happy New Year!!!

...don't expect me to clean it all up!

Meh, don't worry about it. A bit of mess is the sign of a good party. I'll nip over to the DIY board later and borrow some rags & white spirit

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Everyone is very welcome to use my tin of green paint - it's a leftover and using it up would be both thrifty, contribute to decluttering and also helpful because I can take the empty tin to the tip the next time I'm going that way. *fling*
Aww thanks. I was going to crack open the red but I'll finish off yours below.

I have my three Good Intentions:

1. Lose a pound (lb type, not £ type) a month for twelve months. That should, surely, be do-able?
It should definitely be do-able. In theory losing weight is easy because it's just simple maths, and of course we all know the benefits of being a healthy weight. One of my aims is to get to 8st 7lb and STAY there, and I am turning to my old friend the Fitbit for help. Do you think one might work for you? I know they're not cheap which goes against your second Good Intention but you might find it a worthy investment. I know they're not for everyone, but I find it helps me with the maths and gives me a good dose of common sense and accountability.
2. Be realistic about how few £s I have and put the brakes on spending for two and a half years when all will be well again. Stick to the budget - I've even done a proper cashflow! Do you know, I always think of you as being in a good place financially. Probably because you don't discuss it much - or have a glaring signature like mine! Is there a milestone coming up in 2.5 years? A pension or something?
3. Accept that I don't want to feel run ragged all the time and that there are only so many hours in a day when I'm likely to get 'listy stuff' done. Learn to find a way of being satisfied I've done Enough and just stop. Ooh yes, definitely this one.
4. Keeping reading and post daily on the MSE threads that have turned my life around in the last seven years. Without them I'd still be lost and I rather like this life where the possibility of being in control of the house now seems like a possibility. It's just that it's always slightly out of reach. Slightly out of reach is Good Enough in my opinion. It means that if push absolutely came to shove you could get there and to most visitors it will look like you're already there

Excellent Good Intentions Honey (although you might want to work on your basic counting because that's four not three).

HappyNow

EchoB wrote: »

Hi HappyNow, I followed your diary as a
“Lurker” and it really helped me with my LBM. Hopefully I can use some of the tips I’ve picked up from your journey.

Your keeping up appearances approach struck a chord with me as my friends and family don’t know I’m in debt.

Happy new year!

Hi Echo, thanks for dropping by and coming out of lurkdom. I see you've started your own diary so I will nip across to cheer you on. I doubt I have many practical tips to offer, but sometimes it helps just to know people are reading and supporting