Conquering Debts Once and For All...

PinotGrigio41

Hey Fluffy, so sorry for not dropping in for ages and ages. Have just caught up over your last few days. My oh my ,you have been so busy, no wonder you've come down with a nasty cold. I really hope you and DS2 are feeling much better.

You seem to have been going into overdrive on the baking, how did that Chocolate Bread turn out ?! After my last effort with one of your recipes, I'm not sure I dare attempt a re run ! :rotfl:

Hope your Dad was well when you spoke to him.....oh and before I forget, Mr Fluffy isn't the only one who uses every conceivable pot, pan, chopping board in the house, Mr Pinot is the messiest cook ever I think, but he does tidy up for himself, its just the chaos he causes whilst cooking I find hard to cope with !!:eek:

Hope you managed to get the job sorted as well and today improves for you .

Pinot xx

Box_of_Fluffies

You seem to have been going into overdrive on the baking, how did that Chocolate Bread turn out ?! After my last effort with one of your recipes, I'm not sure I dare attempt a re run !

Just a little, I've been trying and mostly been quite successful, at making sure I don't need to rush to the shops during the week for extra bits for school lunches. Unfortunately DS2 doesn't eat fruit of any description, never has and I'm sure never will. He is also quite fussy about food in general (although is improving) so it's very hard to find things he'll put in his lunch box. He is very good with his veg though which is just as well.

Yeah, I wouldn't recommend the chocolate bread. I didn't try it but the boys weren't impressed. Definitely won't be making that again.

Hope you managed to get the job sorted as well and today improves for you.

I did. Thankfully it was more a case of an overly fussy client than anything we'd done wrong.

Box_of_Fluffies

This week has been full on. Job's every day and even a small one this morning that I have to pop out shortly to do. Should only take an hour or so (especially as Mr F is coming along to help).

There's been some money stuff happening too. Mr F has decided to go back to his old job, with the same company, but this of course means a drop in his salary. I've been worrying all week about how much of a drop it would be. Potentially he could have dropped by over $400 a fortnight (about £200):eek:. Of course, I want Mr F to be happy in his work and be less stressed but we'd be more stressed if we couldn't pay our bills. Anyway, looks like it's not going to be as big a drop as it could have been (still waiting on final figures).

This is partly because on 1st April his company are also changing their rules around paying into the pension scheme. Previously it was all or nothing but now you can pay a reduced sum into the scheme. So, with a bit of movement in this area (i.e. paying less into the pension plan) it looks like we might just about be okay. Will let you all know later how this pans out.

We managed another NSD yesterday. :j I think that's at least 3 if not 4 this week.

So what's in store today? Well heading off to do this little job shortly. Then home to create menu plan for the week and do the grocery shopping. I think after that I will spend a bit of time catching up on some diaries and generally relaxing for the rest of the day. Oh and tonight I might even crack open a bottle of Cab Sav.

Box_of_Fluffies

Feeling bleugh today . Have had a headache for most of it and generally just feel very lethargic. Wish I could blame it on the booze but I only had a small bottle of beer last night. Am struggling to get anything done today and have been very grumpy. I've snapped at the boys a couple of times... oops. :oThey haven't really done anything wrong, just not done things completely right (iyswim).

Was intending on a NSD today but have spent $33 on some stationery for school. It's more stockpiling that absolute necessity but our local stationery warehouse had a fire and is selling all their stock at 60% offso we took the opportunity to stock up on exercise books, pens, folders, staples, sellotape etc.

HappyNow

Sorry to hear you're having a bad day. I've just written that on Pinot's diary too, it must be something in the air!

It's probably the worry and uncertainty of Mr F's potential lower salary that's got to you. When you're struggling with bills the thought of a reduced income can be a bit panic-inducing! I'm sure you'll feel more settled once you know the final figures, but it sounds like it might not be as bad as you'd feared. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you x

Box_of_Fluffies

Thanks Happy. Like Pinot I'm feeling much better now. Still waiting for the final word on Mr F's new salary but fingers crossed it's not as bad as I feared.

The sun is shining today and Mr F and I managed to grab an unplanned, unbudgeted lunch in town today while looking at guitars for DS2's birthday in a couple of weeks. As I say, it wasn't in the budget but it was so worth it to enjoy a little 'us' time in the middle of what is, for me, another very busy week. Mr F is currently on two weeks leave from work and is helping me in the business for a couple of days (which is great) but then is heading to the cricket for 5 days from Thur-Mon. Who knows, if the weather stays like this I might even head there on a Saturday for a bit of a chillax day. Fortunately DS1 loves cricket too so he can come with us and if DS2 doesn't want to come I'm sure we can find a friend for him to visit.

Mr F has just made a loaf of milk bread in our new, second hand breadmaker. It smells delicious but as yet haven't tasted it.

We have a meeting at school tonight to discuss DS1's exams this year. Why do these things all happen around the same time... one meeting last week, one tonight and then parent's evening in a couple of weeks time. At least we won't have to cook though, just grab a couple of chilli con carne portions out of the freezer.

Have managed two full loads of washing today, but the one thing I wanted to wash (i.e. my business uniform) I forgot, so then had to put the washer on again for this. Not very MSE but very necessary. All hung on the line, drying in the sun. :T I love line dried washing.

brizzledfw

Hi Box of Fluffies:wave:

I didn't realise you had a diary!! What a lemon I am! Anyway have read it all and will subscribe. You sounds like you're paying down those CCs really well. Hope the drop in salary goes OK for you and yourOH. I found it really hard, but am adjusting..mainly by the discipline of being on here every day!!

Thanks for the photos..haven't been to NI...but spent an amazing 4 weeks loving the SI!

Have a good day ( night in your case;))

Brizzle

HappyNow

Ooh, line dried washing!! I love it, especially bedding. The smell when you first get in........ I managed to get one load on the line on Sunday but the sunshine has disappeared again now . Very 'springy' here now though, so it won't be long (I hope!)

HappyNow

Blah, I must have pressed 'send' twice so you got the same message from me doubled-up. So here's an edited, bonus one! Have a good day x

Box_of_Fluffies

brizzledfw wrote: »

Hi Box of Fluffies:wave:

I didn't realise you had a diary!! What a lemon I am! Anyway have read it all and will subscribe. You sounds like you're paying down those CCs really well. Hope the drop in salary goes OK for you and yourOH. I found it really hard, but am adjusting..mainly by the discipline of being on here every day!!

Thanks for the photos..haven't been to NI...but spent an amazing 4 weeks loving the SI!

Have a good day ( night in your case;))

Brizzle

Hi Brizzle, glad you found me! I had hoped to have cc1 paid off by now but events have conspired against me. On the plus side I've managed to pay for both cars rego (a bit like UK tax disc) to be renewed without resorting to the cc. I do have a pot for this but as they're new there wasn't nearly enough in them.

I love the SI. It's so completely different to the NI. Initially we thought we'd move to Christchurch but am so pleased we decided against it given the earthquakes. We travelled around both islands in a campervan for a month about 6 years. It was the best holiday we ever had and obviously made a huge impression on us because it was following this holiday that we decided we wanted to move here. :rotfl::rotfl: We'd love to have a small campervan to do more travelling but that will have to wait until the boys have left home and we've paid off our debts. One can dream.