Mum2one - next chapter - baby steps make big strides

AlexLK

Glad to hear you've had somewhat of an epiphany and hope you get well soon.

Trixxibell

Hiya Lovely,

Just wanted to say happy new year xx

Hope your recovering from the chest infection/cold.

Nice that you have booked a holiday gives you something to look forward too xx

mum2one

New year ... new start...

positive took a few days out over New yr, only about 15 miles from home, but a well deserved break, and good family time. i had quality time with DD, we went out for a day to a candle factory, she decorated me a dolphin ornament, and then we went to our fav icecream factory.

new years day, we went out for a curry, the narm bread was massive, it was twice the size of a dinner plate.........It was lovely,thou.

Back on the hospital runs, was chemo app on Mon, so dads now on session 5 of 8, were over half way through, going looks gd, thou he had to have another blood transfusion yesterday, app with oncoligist went well Feb be the next hurdle, as he has a scan re the blood clots, so hopefully be ok.

as for aims and challenges...

Money - that seems to be the backbone of everything, - not going to be a major dent in the debts, as paying 1/3rd of what I was paying on dmp, give me chance to get everything sorted, build up a small emergency fund and get dds school trip paid off.

savings - i have a change tin (for 20p and down), 50p tin (these go towards holidays etc and now plan to have £2 tin, which at mo is looking lonely, plan is use that for a treat at Xmas.

I have some debts under £100, mr dax, miss little, mr arg, - so the plan is attack them first - set myself a plan of 1st may for the Dax and Little, then 1st Sept for Arg, then look at the next smallest and go from there.


On a positive note i have signed up for some OU courses, just the sample courses, (there free), but its more to keep my hand in, the 1st one starts jan, at the mo have 3 planned, a money related one (its part on an existing course - but from the id number it looks the updated version of course did), a peoples mgt course and a law course - have to say really looking forward to that one.

planning..
Over the next week or so I plan to get a diary made up with yrs worth of payments to give me a better idea as with everything that happened I took my eye of the ball and to be honest I did a bit of bury my head in the sand.

Also continue to sort out parents accounts as thats gone to pot and jan is massive bill time, (£250 house ins (pd), £150 gas bill (pd), £225 elec bill (next week) £400 for gas cover (thou am hoping to get that cheaper).

Going out...
The few days away made me realise that I need to do more things, I intend to make more use of the NT membership (ends May) - do want to renew that, catch up more with friends, whether text, email, or coffee, cinema (i have a carers card) so for 2 people only pay for 1, even if go once a month need to do more stuff.

At the mo, with hospital visits once every 3 weeks, we tend to ring that week off from plans as never know whether dad needs any follow up, and April, May time is crunch time....

Special ocassions - i have my mums 70th birthday this yr, so want to do something nice for her,

me - i find that I need to take a step back at times, as i seem to tackle everything at full speed then I'm shattered, so need to reasses what I do and look for the points I need to pull back.

Tidy up
Theres a big list of stuff that needs doing in the house the main one being gut everywhere - either be sell, charity, recycle or bin. I do want to set myself a challenge of putting any sales money seperate

crafts
The main challenge for myself is learn to use the sewing machine, as long as I can get a basic stitch then I will be pleased, got to see if I can find someone to teach me...

knitting - I can do that, so i intend to use the skill again to help out with presents, as last Christmas I knitted 8 scarves, this yr i want to knit a couple of xmas jumpers, (2 people with toddlers), then knit some aran cardis, (me, mum, aunty and DD).

crafting - i have just started doing a dolphin wall hanging by latch hook, its taking ages, but 1st time done it, next project is a pappa smurf latch hook rug, it only cost me £1 is a bargain price.

health - i'm overdue a wack of check ups, dentist appointments so this yr, is to get sorted,

Family - DD is going to be 13 this yr, time flies, want family time to be quality time, hope dads health continues to improve...

seems to have babbled for England.. x

mum2one

A bit of a hotch pox of to do's but hopefully get there.

book asthma review at doctors
ring to get asthma specialist app (overdue) - booked - Done
update diary for the coming yr - appointments diary - work in progress
money diary - ins, outs and spends - wip
personal diary - update address, telephone etc - wip
finish latch hook kit - dolphin - wip
start pappa smurf latch hook - collecting dust
plan birthday and xmas spreadsheet - done - done - looking very healthy
start 2015 money spreadsheet - wip
barter down gas service plan - done
meal plan
casseroles for freezer - cooked but got eat
look for food processor
sort out presents - brought for 2015 - done
cut up xmas cards - make tags - done
vets - dogs worm tablet - done
check smoke alarms - replace battery - done
arrange foot appointment
dentist appointment done
sort out bag of chargers and leads
dining room unit - gut and sort
my bedroom - a miracle needed
dds bedroom
town - done
start gutting kitchen

mum2one

I have cleared my first debt, I now longer is Mr dax a penny, next challenge is Mr little, a little victory in the right direction.

Been super organised and hit the boots sale and having a quick fill in on presents list I have done very well, I had vouchers for £110, points £40 but I spent £50 on top that, but at 70% off literally pay for itself xx

mum2one

another month has almost bitten the dust... all great plans of organisation just seem to have gone out of the window, tackled a few bits

Positives of month
Cleared first debt
On plan for dental treatment
asthma review done
finished 3 knitted jumpers
DD had friend up for tea - only spag bol
keeping a diary - even if little entry - its there
made a massive dent in bday and xmas presents
mothers day and fathers day prezzies done
sorted xmas cards into tags
been to cinema with dd
took dd out for a meal
learning to look for a positive every day
making family time
did batch cook for freezer - so nice eat them
still have choc left from xmas
know my way round tesco store, have my bag packing to a T
didn't go mad in jan sales


LOST 15kg /2 stone 3lbs / 60 blocks of butter...

negatives
Not as organised as want to be with money plans
DD sporting a black eye from school incident.... not happy
had a 12 hr fast - the nurse couldn't get any blood - had 6 attempts
tidying up and gutting - zero done
havent listed stuff on ebay / sellers site

Overall positive month, and i've learnt that the elastic hadn't gone on my jeans all at the same time, it was weight loss, the last time I was this weight was Sept 2002, when I was 9 mths gone with DD... my next target is the weight I was before DD - 6 kgs to go... then a miracle for the next drop..

Onwards and upwards, - this may sound daft but I'm slowly feeling better about things xx

mum2one

A mid month check in,money wise doing ok, it's a lot easier now that I have landline, broadband and yb with sky even at mo I have free b/band till June but when I pay for it saving about £30 to what I as paying previous with but with sky, rest with bt.

Decided not to update any figure will June when I'm due a review with Stepchange as I've got dds school trip to pay for all balances itself out.

Started a clear out and put 22 things on eBay so far 4 are going, most things have watchers, but as Dr says it's not watchers we want it's buyers, one item is a dress going for £8 helps to be honest I was going to give it to a charity shop.

Listed a few on fb sellers - if they don't go they can be split between eBay and ready for a carboot.

Trying to do half term on a budget, bad day out icecream farm, went with mum and dad so all I brought was icecreams £10.

Next plan is bowling - see what offers best, then a day out at waterpark - got Bogof vouchers help out.

Easter the exit break want to have £100 put by so we can do some stuff, so far we've got a meercat feeding experience - got Dd at Xmas, cheapie deal £39 instead of £99 for 2 people. Plan is as well to do free activities - see what is on locally at NT properties.

As for dad it's getting harder dealing with it, he's had a couple f setbacks with chest infections, the next round of chemo is no 7 of 8, then that starts the scans, follow ups, he's still got 3mths of his jabs left for blood clots, then he goes onto tablet whether that be the proper one of the placebo we don't know as he's doing a medical trial, he's finding it hard more from frustrating point in he was so fit and healthy now everything is like a marathon.

Me, I found a lump in my chest, so it was a bit of a panic, thou it's a game of 2 halves - my gp said blocked milk duct which got infected and caused a mass, - which if your pregnant or feeding it's perfectly normal - a set big no to both--- so that then comes into why has it happened, so it's a week of antibiotics and review as to whether it need to be drained or cut out. I've had 2 cysts cut out before which was fine as they were a 3 stitch job but this thing is bigger than the palm of my hand... I don't know. It's come at the wrong time, this week half term, nxt week dads got 3 hosp appointments - trying to fit me in somewhere...
Onwards and upwards xxxx

mum2one

All change in the last couple of weeks, my cyst sort of went haywire, it burst everywhere, so it was an evening in a&e, then I was admitted to hospital, should have spent 3 days in , but with a lot of begging etc I got out on the 2nd evening, ha to have general surgery to cut the cyst out and clean all the area.

Now on daily visits getting the dressing changed and packed, been to breast clinic 4 times so far, its just threw everything into a mess.

Moneywise I've got through to the end of the month ok, I could have done with another £200, but just have to sort this out over March/April time.

My ebay sales went better than expected after all deductions I sold £100 so very pleased, got a few more bits to list.

As for my daughter shes broke a bone in her foot, and bashed two toes so it was back to a&e for x-rays, shes wearing a surgical sandal for 2 to 3 weeks, much against her street cred.... xx

crunch_time

You are doing so well! Keep up the positivity. You can't do it all at once - take it easier on yourself xx

Trixxibell

Hiya honey,

Just caught up with your thread.

You and your family are going through a lot at the moment hope you and your daughter are recovering well. Also hope your dad is getting thresults you hope for from the trial.

Love that your still writing lists and still determined, inspite of what's going on. Your very strong xx