Looking for the silver lining

Sun_Addict

Thanks both

Sun_Addict

Well first day back at work - boo Struggled to get up this morning, cursed the alarm at 5am. Had to plough my way through 565 emails in my inbox! I'm sure I'll be back in the swing of it in a couple of days. Have already booked a day off at the end of the month.

Weather wise what a dull depressing day. Got soaked walking to and from work, hair looks like I've had a perm!

Mr SA has started up about driving again, didn't think it would take long. I'll have to contact GP to ask about it before he drives (no pun intended!) me round the twist.

Ibiza withdrawal symptoms big time!

Bubblesmum

Lovely to hear you had a good holiday.

Friends are such a tonic I'd forgotten how much til a few days ago... Need to keep them by your side physically and virtually x

Sun_Addict

Nearly back into the swing of work now, didn't take long! The holiday seems an age ago. Forgot to say when we got home last Friday the dog and cats went crazy. The dog was wetting herself with excitement, DD had to bring her to meet us out of the taxi. Told you they wouldn't like being looked after by her (although she always spoils them with treats).

Tried for a NSD today but ended up buying a storage basket for £3.99 from Homesense, which I did need to house the dog's paraphernalia (lead, poop bags, etc).

Been using up food out of the freezer, determined to live from what we've got in stock as much as possible. Big shop being delivered tomorrow, fresh stuff mainly and things we've run out of. Need to keep a tight rein on grocery spends.

Trying to get back into the swing of diet/exercise slowly this week but will up my game starting next week. Been walking to and from work everyday but will add extras back on from next week.

Sun_Addict

Hello all

Been really busy as usual. Mr SA still pestering about driving, told him will look into it for him on my day off from work next week. Got to do something or he will make my life a misery. He can't do it himself as no one can understand what he's saying and he thinks it's 4 years since he had the brain tumour not 2 so would be an unreliable source of information. The trainee GPs came to see him on Saturday, left him to it mostly, they just asked me a few questions, although seemed to be exactly the same ones as last time they came. It upset Mr SA a bit as they were taking over old ground and bringing it all back to him.

Booked a day off work next week for an admin day. Will sort out finances, meal plan, etc then. Mr SA is under strict instructions not to hijack it, apart from trying to sort out his driving that is.

Sun_Addict

Hello all! Sorry I've been awol for just over a week. Struggling to find a spare minute, everything is ok.

Day off work today for the above mentioned admin day. Managed to get on my laptop so enjoying being able to update with a proper keyboard. Have spent all day sorting out finances, meal plan, etc. Can't believe it's a bigger job than you think! Meal planned for the whole of October, got some new recipes to try and intend to start tracking WW points again from tomorrow onwards. Will finally brave the scales again this weekend too. Been putting it off.

Payday today so have paid off the credit card balance. I've set my budget for October, really need to stick to this and there is £668.58 in my VSP. I've even put £30 in my ISA!

I've got a new app for October's exercise plan called FitStar. Looks good so far and hopefully won't be like the 30 day abs and squat challenge I did the other month with the 200 plus sit ups! The app wants me to do a fitness test so I'll do that later on. Ideally I'd like to go to classes but time and money dictate otherwise. So I'll give FitStar a try.

Good news is I won £40 on the work Bonus Ball. I need a new winter coat so I'm putting it towards one.

You might remember I mentioned earlier in the year that where I work were going to take me off my contract and bring me in house, which would be great for me. Apparently the latest news is they haven't decided for sure yet and my contract runs out at the end of October. This is very unsettling for me. I wouldn't put it past them doing a u-turn. So I can't plan anything at the moment as I don't know if I'll still have a job this time next month. It's unfair on me and it's unfair on the office I work in as they don't know if they're going to lose me. They would be seriously up the creek without a paddle if I went and as I would be too, don't even want to think about it. Trying to carry on as normal but it's hard.

As you all know Mr SA has been pestering me regarding driving so I phoned Headway today for some advice and they told me to contact the medical section of DVLA. Got Mr SA to speak to them but I had to go back on the phone as they were struggling to understand his speech. They're going to send him a medical questionnaire and he'll probably have to go for an assessment. So it's got him off my case for a bit anyway. I made it clear to him though that if I lose my job there is no way we'll be able to afford to lose his Mobility allowance to pay for a car. I don't think he realises how skint we'll be if I do.

Enjoyed having today off to get things sorted out and (here we go again) provided I still have a job at the end of October I'm taking another day off to do the same every month. I've worked out a sort of work/life balance plan to finish work no later than 4 unless I really need to stay later for a good reason, to finish at 3 on a Friday, to have a day off at the end of every month, have one day a month when I go in late and one day a fortnight when I finish early.

Can't believe it's October tomorrow.

Sun_Addict

October challenge:

12 workouts
10.000 steps at least a day
12 alcohol free days
8 no spend days

Mr SA has moved his tools into the new shed. He and the carer painted it blue and white striped to look like a beach hut. I thought the garden tools were meant to be going in there but he's put them in the greenhouse and claimed the shed as his "workplace". Still if it keeps him happy..... He's got a comfy chair and radio in there, quite cosy. I want a shed for me now!

Dreading turning the heating back on as British Gas more or less said if it breaks down again they won't be able to do anything. It's getting nippy in the mornings though and this Indian summer won't last forever. Next project now the garden's done is inside the house, starting with a new boiler and the living room. Really this is when I should be thinking about getting a home improvement loan or remortgaging but am in limbo until I know what's happening with my job. So frustrating.

Big shop from Mr M came this afternoon and they bought all our old carrier bags from us - Mr SA told the driver there were 99 bags when in fact there were only 24 and we got £4.95 back plus £1 because he was late and 90p because the baby corn was damaged. Target spend was £70 and it came to £67.70. Starting as I mean to go on.

brizzledfw

Oh SA..how bl&&edgy stressful. Agh. Hate it. Don't know what you can do though. It's up to them presumably.

I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for you until this is over and you go in house

Keep smiling!!

Brizzle x

beanielou

Bleeping shower.
So sorry to hear this.
Keep plodding xx

Sun_Addict

Evening all. Had some bad news last night an old work friend I still kept in touch with has passed away. Cancer Going to funeral on Tuesday so another day off work but for a sad reason. Mr SA wanted to come with me but he doesn't know her and I've told him no. Another old work friend is picking me up so it's not as if I'm going on my own.

Tried the FitStar app. Of course it wants me to upgrade to premium to get the best workouts and the free ones are the too easy for me ones. It's £29.99 for a year, which works out at £2.50 a month. Would prefer it if I could trial a workout first though, so undecided as yet.

Sainsburys have sent me a £10 off £50 online shop spend again, which is great. This is the 5th one they've sent me in the past couple of months.

Oh and I switched the heating back on and it still works - phew!

Brizzle and Beanie thanks for your thoughts. Trying to carry on as normal until I hear otherwise.