This Time I'm Really Going To Do It

Watty1

That post seemed very down.  Giving myself a little bit of a shake I decided to see if I could get my Nectar app working and see if I had any points on it.  I do.  According to the app I have points worth £101.54   I'm so excited. I'll use them for food shopping.  It means going to the nearest Sainsbugs but that is a lot of money to use!

I dont usually shop in Sainsburys having accumulated the points via other areas but that is quite a win. I've also tidied my desk and found some gift cards. I need to find out if they are still in date but if they are I could maybe use them to buy a few small Christmas gifts.

badmemory

Can't you spend them in Argos too.

Watty1

Yes they could be spent in Argos but I'm not sure I want anything in Argos.  I'm trying really hard not to spend now.  I've allocated money on the basis of "need".  Now these are not real "needs" but "wants" to be honest.

"wants"

 a new pair of insulated wellies so my feet don't get cold.  My gorgeous and very expensive ones purchased 20 years ago have finally cracked.

a waterproof warm long coat for the doing outside work and yard work and riding.

a new pair of long riding boots in leather that do not leak - again my lovely comfy worn often ones are 6 years old and the leather has so cracked I get wet feet.  

a pair of riding gloves with smart phone technology build in so I can use my phone while riding without taking glove off - the pair I have does not work so I will check they do what they say before purchasing

An led  light up collar and lead for Wattydog - the cheap one I bought off Amaz0n gave up working and I often walk him in the dark these days.

new thermal heat holder socks - mine have a hole in  (I love these socks and plan to buy the VNM a pair too as he mentioned his feet get cold while working sometimes and they really are worth the money).

I'm off to a big  Christmas horse show in London later this month and I plan to shop there. It is not always the cheapest but I have found I can haggle, and, I can try things on so that will be so much easier than the shop on line return things that do not fit merry-go-round.  That is always such a faff I think and I recently had a very protracted and stressful conversation getting a refund rather than a credit note and arguing rights (I won but it took 2 weeks and was stressful)..   I'm also going to look for a pair of insulated fleece lined and potentially waterproof trousers for the yard and that I can ride in although these are a vague want as I can make do with thermals under my current ones.   (In the sales I will look to buy new thermals as I think mine are exhausted and I am throwing away those that feel too thin and have holes).

two everyday warm fleeces - I check the charity shop but I'm really particular - I need something very warm as I feel the cold and that hay does not stick too.  I have 3 but 2 look exhausted and scruffy.

These "wants" are really about my new life.  I've set myself a budget and researched the stands to visit in the interval.  The friend I am going with has limited mobility so I will park her in the champagne bar with fizz and let her people watch while I shop.

As I say these are not "needs" really at all but "wants" but I am so tired of the wet and the cold that I want to enjoy the life I have now whilst being warm and dry.

This period of reflection has shown me that I want to embrace the new life rather than carry on as before so there will be a lot of that coming up.

Watty1

In other news my old gardener contacted me.  He is newly single and short of work and midst a legal battle re his daughter so I have taken him on. I have a clear budget of £1000 to restore the outside space.    (It is a very large outside space).     Yesterday he cleared half the paths and pruned the apple trees.  These are jobs I could do myself but I am simply not getting to them.    I'm not sure what the plan is today but late yesterday he began clearing and weeding one of the beds.  He was shocked how bad the place had become and asked what on earth had happened. I briefly explained.    He suggested the ex must have deliberately sabotaged one planting area.

Today I will chat to him about 2 apple trees. Last night checking his work I realised they had fallen over (well I knew that anyway but now he has cleared so much it is obvious how bad they are) and he is a fan of saving what you can but I think they might need to come out.  I will also talk to him about what else needs to be done in the back garden and if it is dry (unlikely) try to persuade him to spray the front area even though I know he is opposed to spraying. I can't see how else the weeds will get under control.  The front of the house looks almost derelict it is so bad.  I know it is not an ideal time to be gardening but the space needs controlling somehow, he needed the work and I had set a  budget so we shall see how that goes.

TallGirl

Sounds like you are doing great Watty and I am totally behind your wants no one wants to feel the cold. Buying so you can try on and do not have the faff of sending things back is much better. It also supports real businesses rather than big companies usually. The gardener sounds ideal it will make a big difference getting on top of things in the garden and having something tidy to look at instead of a wilderness that is only going to get worse once it starts growing again. Yes to spraying sometimes needs must even if we must protect our wildlife. 

badmemory

Avoiding getting cold and wet is not a want it is a need.  Get cold and wet too many times & then on the wrong day & you could get sick & that is definitely not a want or a need.

Humdinger1

badmemory said:

Avoiding getting cold and wet is not a want it is a need.  Get cold and wet too many times & then on the wrong day & you could get sick & that is definitely not a want or a need.

I couldn't agree more! Spending here is essential for mental and physical health.  You are a national treasure @Watty1 and we need you in good shape.   You are doing brilliantly as ever.  Love Humdinger xx 

MFWannabe

Watty1 said:

Yes they could be spent in Argos but I'm not sure I want anything in Argos.  I'm trying really hard not to spend now.  I've allocated money on the basis of "need".  Now these are not real "needs" but "wants" to be honest.

"wants"

 a new pair of insulated wellies so my feet don't get cold.  My gorgeous and very expensive ones purchased 20 years ago have finally cracked.

a waterproof warm long coat for the doing outside work and yard work and riding.

a new pair of long riding boots in leather that do not leak - again my lovely comfy worn often ones are 6 years old and the leather has so cracked I get wet feet.  

a pair of riding gloves with smart phone technology build in so I can use my phone while riding without taking glove off - the pair I have does not work so I will check they do what they say before purchasing

An led  light up collar and lead for Wattydog - the cheap one I bought off Amaz0n gave up working and I often walk him in the dark these days.

new thermal heat holder socks - mine have a hole in  (I love these socks and plan to buy the VNM a pair too as he mentioned his feet get cold while working sometimes and they really are worth the money).

I'm off to a big  Christmas horse show in London later this month and I plan to shop there. It is not always the cheapest but I have found I can haggle, and, I can try things on so that will be so much easier than the shop on line return things that do not fit merry-go-round.  That is always such a faff I think and I recently had a very protracted and stressful conversation getting a refund rather than a credit note and arguing rights (I won but it took 2 weeks and was stressful)..   I'm also going to look for a pair of insulated fleece lined and potentially waterproof trousers for the yard and that I can ride in although these are a vague want as I can make do with thermals under my current ones.   (In the sales I will look to buy new thermals as I think mine are exhausted and I am throwing away those that feel too thin and have holes).

two everyday warm fleeces - I check the charity shop but I'm really particular - I need something very warm as I feel the cold and that hay does not stick too.  I have 3 but 2 look exhausted and scruffy.

These "wants" are really about my new life.  I've set myself a budget and researched the stands to visit in the interval.  The friend I am going with has limited mobility so I will park her in the champagne bar with fizz and let her people watch while I shop.

As I say these are not "needs" really at all but "wants" but I am so tired of the wet and the cold that I want to enjoy the life I have now whilst being warm and dry.

This period of reflection has shown me that I want to embrace the new life rather than carry on as before so there will be a lot of that coming up.

Hi Watty 
Some of these items are available from Argos such as the heat holder socks (currently on sale) and the light up collar and lead for Watty Dog 

Arkers

Hi Watty, 
Sealskinz products are highly waterproof, and could be worn as a stop gap if you can't run to both wellies & riding boots. 
Arkers x

MatyMoo

Hi Watty

delurking to say I did the big horse show last year. The stands are open, before, during & after if you are at an afternoon performance but they do get busy during the interval. I was disappointed with how few show offers there were compared to my Olympia days in the 90’s. 

There were plenty of different food options too and not all of them ridiculously priced. 

If you have members tickets it is right next to the warm up ring, failing that walk right to the end and there is a viewing area. 

Appreciate you may know all this already if you have been since it moved but thought it was worth a mention!