TallGirl seeks new financial freedom & hope to loose a few pounds on the way.

TallGirl

Morning just had a little think about my ISA for 12/13 allowance is now £5640 will need to save £470 a month to complete it and really want to do that. I cannot fill up my new ISA Major from Santander as its needs doing by the 15th May or something so will need to look when the new tax year start and then set up S/O for £470 into something easy access as you never know I might need it back.

Not gambled at all since I put the gameblock on my laptop not even been near doing it deleted all emails I have had even with free money. Long may it last if I feel the urge I just go into the garden and do a bit of work. Still got a few bit I would like to get for it but not much left now to spend.

Got my £10 Robert Dyars voucher courtesy of the Daily Mail will by a new spike for the laundry line with that.

Spent £10 yesterday in Wilkinson got feed for the broccoli (only leafs no heads) and they are growing in bags now I had to scrap the raised beds. Also got grass seed, canes & holder to make wigwams for the blue sweet pea seeds I got free. Planted them yesterday so should be able to get that potted up in two weeks or so in a nice blue pot which I have moved around the front of the house.

Today I am driving to Biscester I think there is a very nice retail outlet up there but I am going to ignore that and come straight home. Need to suss out how long it will take me to get there as I need to be there by 12.30pm.

Weronika

TallGirl wrote: »

Not gambled at all since I put the gameblock on my laptop not even been near doing it deleted all emails I have had even with free money. Long may it last if I feel the urge I just go into the garden and do a bit of work.

Good job! Keep it up! :j
And garden is a fabulous distraction - you are away from laptop, not tempted and you will have something nice growing as a result for your efforts!

TallGirl

Gosh time flies got the day off as my friend, her husband and daughter is flying in from Denmark today. I am picking them up and they are staying overnight before going to London for a few days.

Garden is perfect house is almost perfect (inside windows needs doing but can't be asked) mince in he slow cooker for cottage pie and rhubarb crumble prepared ready to put together.

Interesting to see what the cats make of a 2 year old.

Had a nice weekend my friend stayed the whole weekend in the end and we had a fish pedicure did some shopping and a lot of gardening. No gambling on laptop still and I threw out a free 20 quid to my favourite site.

abouttimetoo

Hi TG

I've not been around much so just caught up with your thread, it was really good being able to see all the progress in your garden, it's really looking great and as you say an investment that you can enjoy for many years to come

How's the weather been down your way? I think you're Soton way aren't you so hope that you've managed to enjoy your new garden furniture already and didn't get the snow the north and other areas have had, we had snow all day on Tuesday :eek: thankfully it had all gone by yesterday and it was a lovely day today

BTW, well done on resisting the gambling:T

Regards
ATT

TallGirl

Morning gosh time fly just not really been in the mood to update this diary but here it goes.

Easter was wet and cold so not much gardening took place. Got a few seeds done indoors and the re-seeded grass patches are loving it. Looking almost good as new now.

Was meant to help my friend weekend before Easter to move but she did not want me too as her house was such a mess. Well week later on Easter Friday she text me at 9am help I need to be out today and I have loads to do. Shame I did not see it until 5pm so rushed over there and did a couple of hours hard graft. Continued all Saturday (stupidly she no longer had the large Transit so we have to drive the 20min each way loads of times. Finally went over there Monday to help her put some of her furniture back together and then she just needs to unpack. What a nightmare how she got herself in such a mess I do not know but that is what friends are for.

Got a horrid cold at the moment have had since Monday so luckily working from home today and yesterday. Would have gone to Pilates has I not felt so rough.

Next weekend is my ladies golfing weekend and I have not played since August. Its so bad I really must get out there before that. I was planning to play over Easter but then I had to help friend and the weather wasnt exactly great.

MIL has got the all clear on her shoulder so hopefully she is going to start moving about and we can get her out of the house. They have not been down here since Christmas.

Got stuff on Ebay to finish in the next few days its the freebies I got with some facecream I bought so free in effect.

Not sorted out an ISA for this year but there is still plenty of time. Not sure what I fancy yet it will be instant access as I tied the other money up for 2 years.

Spendingwise been spending quite a bit mainly on the garden but should have everything I need now. Got 2 jasmin bushes for £10, a pot mover on wheels for £3, 2 hanging baskets £12 (thought we had £10 off but gift voucher had expired). Today ordered 10 kilo of cat food we still have quite a bit but it had a free toy I really wanted them to have and 5% cashback so good price. Went to Exeter earlier in the week parking right across from Long Tall Sally but ended up later than I planned so did not have time to go.

Hope everone else is OK enjoy the weekend lets hope for some nice weather..

TallGirl

More spending but not too bad this weekend.

Went to Lidl to get biscuits as have decided theirs are just as good as the ones we normaly buy and much cheaper. Did look at the meat but did not buy anything really did not see any streakly smoked bacon just unsmoked and a tiny little pack of cubes stuff for £2.

Then went to Aldi, got more stables to compare with our usual lot namely yoghurt. Also found some cheap grass seeds 1 kilo for £3.99 Homebase wanted £7 for 1/2 that.

Picked up 6 free Geraniums from Homebase with the Daily Telegraph that sorts my front Hanging basket out (see picture). My own seedlings are looking good although 1 cucumber died but I only need two and still have 5.

Did Tesco last and found it a lot cheaper as we have got so much of the staple stuff from the two cheaper ones. Will defo do that again as they are not that far apart.

My cold is still rubbish but getting better so did not do Zumba this morning nor play golf. Did some gardening and got the lawn done. Also went to Ikea with my neigbour got mostly what I came for and spent £54 £30 of that was for 2 bedside light which we really needed plan pleated cream shades and tall crome bases. I think they are nice and classic and DH likes them.

Should really get my flights booked to Denmark might do that next. Just found out neigbour is going to China just as we go on holiday so will have to find a cat sitter for a few days. Not too bad only about 4 days. Shame really. Nice to see her again though and will try to make the gym together to spur each other on.

Hope you are all enjoying your Sunday.

Ps my square foot garden system I have two beds this size plus a large pea netting thing and 4 rows up potatoes the rest are in bag/pots.

TallGirl

Flights booked £308 out of that £192 is taxes. Very early flights so will need to do park and fly night before. Did get 2% with Quidco and it's with the Scandinavian Nationsl carrier so no extras as I could not face Gatwick nor Sleazyjet.

Means we can go straight to my sister from the airport and make the most of the Friday too.

Sold 1 item on EBay and have bids on the other 5 should net me a nice profit.

TallGirl

Sorry I have not been around for a while so much has happened in those 3 weeks.

It kind of started with me going to Wales to play golf with the ladies from my golf club. It was lovely seeing everyone again and I had a really good time.

On the Sunday 22nd April I phoned home after the round to say I was about to leave. No answer. Then 10 min later while I was just finished up my coffee DH rang to say he had been called to his mums house as his mum had stopped breathing and the carers could not get hold of his dad. He rushed over there to find she was just about to go into the ambulance. They told him they had got her breathing again and he decided to wait for his dad to come back.

Anyway he said don't rush home.

I left shortly after wards and rang him 1 hour from home. She had died in the ambulance never even made it to hospital.

Now you know she was unwell after all her falls but it was still a chock for everyone. She was 83 and had had a good life but the last 8 month less so. Her breast cancer had also come back and needed treating (she survived that since 1972).

On the Monday morning BIL arrived from South Africa he got the first plane out. Nice to have him here and he was a great help getting everything organised with the funeral etc.

More South African friends arrived plus BIL girlfriend and the funeral was last Friday. Very nice and good wake where I said a few words. Everyone has gone home now and FIL seems OK he came down to watch the football yesterday. DH is ok but of course its hard to loose your mum, I would be in bits if it was me.

Anyway if you still have a mum appreciate her and give her a hug. You never know how long you have.

DH inherited his mum with his brother so once probate is sorted out we shall set up some ISA's. I killed my two last year to pay for his car so hopefully he will pay me back now.

Garden doing well still not had the slabs fixed (some are loose) but they will do it once it stops raining. Grass is so long but could not cut it this weekend it rained all the time.

TallGirl

Waiting for my friend to pick me up to go to the airport for a flight up North but he is running late so thought I would update here instead.

Found out yesterday that one of our roof tiles have come off. As we already have some drips from the guttering and some cement have come off the front porch I got someone to have a look today. To do it all that £200 which I don't think is too late. He cannot do it for 2 weeks but I am not sure if worth getting anyone else out. He is on checks trade and came promptly and emailed the quite within hours of seeing the job.

Forgot to tell you have obsessed I have become with nail varnish. Not bought loads but spent £19 on some OPI Nail Envy which is a lot but it makes my nails look so much better and will hopefully make them recover sooner. They keep breaking. We are travelling handluggage only so had to fit it all in a plastic bag. Only taking 3 bottles a bit sad but we have a do tomorrow night and I need to look my best don't I.

Coming back Friday night late but taking IPad in the hope they will have free wifi. It's a nice hotel we are staying in.

Sepa74

Sorry to hear about your mother-in-law