LBM in 2003.. What have I been doing since??!

brizzledfw

PS unloading the van has shown me the huge stockpileof food and wine we have in there..so should be a bonus for the store cupboard! Planning to clean it later :-( and DD1 is organising my inventory bless her :-)

brizzledfw

Ho hum...busy few days but a week off work now so am looking forward to that.

Still trying to look after the small items but bank account still looking sad. Will be using up my vouchers for next grocery shop and living off the stores from the camper van. It went off on hire for 2 weeks yesterday, nice couple of hirers so fingers crossed. Sink also arrived..finally! Wth just a few hours to spare!

Relaxing at a friends house this weekend. Nice eve out, yes spent some money but not too bad. Great food at a local Chinese. Off to see the Bond movie tomorrow but that'll be it for spends, apart from the diesel o

brizzledfw

Balls. Lost the thread..

To continue....

Have to pay for diesel too of course.

I am still very upset and if I am honest plagued with GUILT ( and anyone who knows me in RL would know that guilt is something I emphatically do not do) at the way I have demolished our savings and run up new debt this year. The sig says it all and I hate it.

So will be partly using my week off to sort it all out. use vouchers for food shopping and finalise a new budget. I am also going to start doing some threads again on here such as the small things thread.

Thinking about you this weekend Mrs PG and Piq as girls had a horse riding lesson at a lovely stables last week. They adored it. So rather than simply buy lessons ovr next few months I have secretiy booked them 6 each for their main Xmas present. I think they will love it.

But..it also reminded me again of the social peer pressure of these things. You want your kids to have great experiences, and ones that do not always revolve around a screen..(and as mine are girls I am particularly mindful of getting them to be physically active and comfortable with different activities).. But it's hard to say no. We don't have the money. So that's why I am dressing this up as a Xmas present. But in the same week I have declined going on a holiday to Thailand with great friends and I just came out with it and said we can't afford it. I said yes first ( then felt a fool...as I knew we couldn't justify it) and then a few days later came clean and declined. But I think it's almost the only time in my life I have said no and explained its because we don't have the cash. People look at us and see good jobs..and assume that you have plenty to spare. Well I need to wake up, think about those red figures every day, every hour even..and start regaining control. And part of that is being (fairly!) or more honest with people about where I can't spend money. It's not a crime and I shouldn't feel embarrassed or as if I am letting anyone down if we can't do things...

Over and out...have a great day everyone

Brizzle x

brizzledfw

Hello

A pretty productive day..

- bought some bits of groceries, but paid for it all with Co&p vouchers
- planted up some plants in the lovely flower bed OH has created in our front garden
- cleaned out the larder...lord it took over 4 hours but at least I now know I have 3 bags of in date SR flour, 2 of strong white flour, 5 different sugars, 2 crates of Lusc@mbe ginger beer..well you get the picture. Have had some fun meal planning ever since! All worth it tho.
- have made chicken dinner for this eve ( bulked out with pearl barley from the store), cut price veggies (10p for a pepper..bought about 9 of them) and it will be eaten with couscous from the back of the cupboard! I also made spag Bol for the hordes of trick or treaters descending tomorrow as well as blackberry friands (lush almondy things) and banana bread. Girls also made churros..very lovely so a very productive day but entirely spent in the kitchen..before I made a fire in the woodburner and snuck in here to catch up on news and write in here!
- have just made a few PADs so hopefully the totals will come down...still feel sick when I think about it all. It's 'interesting' but I have been waking up with headaches and this morning was fighting off a proper migraine. Think the stress of everything, including the money situation, is at least contributing to it. Plan to go for a run tomorrow and try and feel healthier..

Will now and try and pop into other diaries before the feeding of the 5,000 begins!!

Brizzle

satchmo1

Brizzled, hugs for you and your stress levels.

If you get cheap peppers, it is worth roasting them in strips and open freezing them then putting into in ziplock bags or plastic boxes. They are lush, and can be added to loads of things to give a continental taste. They stay sticky even when frozen.

I think I want to come and live in your kitchen, though, your baking sounds nomnom

brizzledfw

Aaw. Satchmo youre lovely..youre welcome to come over for tea and cake (and wine!) Anytime!

Thanks for popping by

brizzledfw

Hi

Woke u without a headache! Yay!! Maybe am beginning to feel more in control again??

So far have:

- put on HM bread
- made PADs to CC1, 4 and 5 ( CC1 is losing its promo rate all too soon unfortunately :-()
- cleaned up the larder floor where bloody cat weed...think it was the Stardrops that attracted him!! Horrible after I spent 4 hours cleaning and tidying it.
- seen one child home from a s/o and getting ready for another in about an hour

Still to do:

- I am also planning to bulk out the spag Bol with some red lentils and more veggies..
- plan my Xmas purchases using only Bristol Pounds (our lush new currency..and as I have a separate bank account for it can really keep an eye on my purchases)
- not spend anything apart from haircut..
- return on here to update and catch up on diaries!!

Brizzle

Piquant_2

It does sound like your headache is a stress thing and taking control back on the finances is kicking it back to base.

There is no point in going over and over what you should have done, what ifs and self punishment. What is done is done, time to move on and tackle things head on. You're more than capable of this!! Start again from today and only look back on the spending of the summer to learn.

:eek: to the cat wee :eek: Use some bicarb as well to completely neutralise the smell, the cat can still smell where he's been even if you can't!

It's so good to have you back :j

brizzledfw

Thanks Piq..yes had forgotten its biological washing power to neutralise thepoo and bicarb to neutralise cat wee..will do now. Who was to think the Stardrops with Ammonia would encourage him to wee there???!

Thanks for the support. And sorry to hear about Bear..

But other than bad news like that...it's great to be back with you guys. Mrs PG and Box seem to be AWOL tho?

brizzledfw

Today so far:

- eked out bolognaise
- have only spent on haircut. Result.
- 2 late eggs from chooks!

Brizzle