LHG - the biggest adventure yet

lionheartedgirl

Morning all,

what a crazy couple of weeks. I am utterly spent physically and emotionally. Financially not too bad. I've driven miles to do family stuff which has been brilliant but exhausting.

February needs to be about taking better care of myself. I've had three crazy months and have come rather unstuck this last week and I hate how I've been feeling.

Money is ticking along - had a couple of spendy weekends with all the travelling and being so tired meant that I bought lots of food on the journeys to keep me going safely.

Went shopping yesterday for the desperately needed new handbag/work shoes/long boots. Couldn't part with any money, there was nothing I liked enough to shell out for. But I am desperate for the above 3 items so need to sort it out. Arghhh!

Job hunting starts with a vengeance today. Craziness has reared its head at work and I don't get paid enough to deal with all the crap I can see coming, plus as a temp it is really not ideal for me to be dealing with staff discipline issues without knowing all the ins and outs of the HR policies etc. Grrrr.

Got my entry in for the biggie in October, and also got a place in a relay team for another adventure in April. Running stuff is going brilliantly at least and the man continues to be an absolute darling :smileyhea

back soon with some more finances

lionheartedgirl

I got the handbag last Saturday in the end - a cobalt blue Fiorelli number. Not the cheapest but not the most expensive, and I am very happy with it.

Things are pretty well under control on the finances at the mo, am able to put away my first £500 into rainy day savings this weekend after catching up from Christmas and Dad's birthday etc. I should be up to 2 months' expenses saved within a few weeks, and with an overdraft available that would cover a third if required, I will start clearing debts after that.

I'm still temping, and looks like I have work there for another few weeks yet.

I'm also still very wiped out, but gradually the house that has become so messy after just 6 months of being back in full time work is coming back under control. I'd also forgotten that for three years before I left work, I'd done 2 days a week from home which gave me a lot of flexibility and reduced the time/energy required for commuting. So I think 5 days in the office is an extra shock to the system :cool:

Working from home is certainly something I'll look for in a job in the future!

The new man is still lovely, running is still going well and I really knackered myself out when I looked at the training I will need to do to make it through the year. It's all doable though, and the good thing is that it means I will really need to take care of myself on the food/sleep front.

I did my first yoga session in ages today, it felt great and I really want to do more. It will also help keep all my muscles from going snap

lionheartedgirl

Oh dear. I came down with the lurgy a couple of days ago and am feeling very pathetic indeed. It's wreaked havoc with my running and my marathon is three weeks today. Had to duck out of a long run with some friends today and am really upset about it. But I can't do it so no sense in moping.

Money is OK. Slightly over on food for Feb, but under on fuel despite a long trip up the road for a winter skills course in the mountains which was BRILLIANT. Slightly over on spends but that was because of a trip to the osteopath. Swings and roundabouts as ever. I'm still settling into new budgets etc and think the food budget is going to have to be increased as the new chap is here a lot and eats a lot more than me he's great about bringing his share though and even helps with the housework :eek:

It's the same old story on the food budget, I get tired and can't face cooking and end up giving into the pizza craving. My last meal on this earth would be pizza... I love the stuff. I know if I make a batch of dough I can do my own for pennies so just need to crack on and do it.

Lately I've started to think a bit more long term. Since finishing college, things on the job/house front have been a bit on the backburner while I get used to the day to day situation again.

I applied for a permanent job last weekend, the online application took me 4 hours :eek: and I found out on Friday I didn't even get an interview so was a bit disappointed.

I love where I live but knew it wouldn't be forever and really there is nothing to keep me here as I'm not at college any more. The chap started to broach long term things and it all feels very scary after my experience with mortgages and being unable to sell when I needed to. I'm staying focused on debt clearance and that is helping, really until it's gone or significantly reduced, I can't make any big decisions. But I hate drifting and the temp job is not great for that.

I need to confront ebay... I have a few things I want to get rid of that would fetch some decent money (found my old wedding shoes from the first time round and they are still perfect!) and as I need money, I'd be silly just to throw them away.

satchmo1

Hey, LHG, great to "see" you again, I missed you! If you make the pizza dough, you can freeze it in portion sizes. My DH had a phase of making bread and pizzas (yum) and there's still one portion in the freezer, which'll have to be used as moving day is drawing near (panic).


I'm selling stuff left right and centre, and I'm finding Facebook is much better than eBay, with no insertion fees and collection only, so no postage costs either. You have to price up realistically though, as there's no bidding war and the only way the price will go is down if someone negotiates.

DawnW

Hello LHG

I have just read through your diary, as I remembered you from earlier ones, and just wanted to add a couple of really boring, but possibly useful points:

Porridge saucepans - I wouldn't worry about buying a non stick one. After a while the non stick comes off even the expensive ones. A stainless steel one is best - mine is really a milk saucepan which came from a charity shop years and years ago :rotfl:When you pour your porridge into a bowl to eat it, immediately fill up the pan with cold water and leave till the whole thing is cold (after you have eaten your porridge, or even much later when you get in from work, but leave the cold water in it). Then just rinse it out, and you will find that most of the porridge gloop comes with it I spent years scrubbing away at porridge pans and clogging up either the dishwasher or the washing up scourer before someone told me this!

Pizzas - I work FT at the moment in a stressful job, involving long hours, and I know there is no way on earth I would make pizza dough when I get in However, check out Nigella Lawson's naan bread pizzas, which literally take 10 minutes and are lovely You can put what you want on them, and the naan breads are just the ones that conveniently come in packs of 2 from the supermarket (cheap at Aldi or Lidl).

Just little things, but hopefully might help

Good luck - you seem very determined, and I am sure you will get there :)

lionheartedgirl

Afternoon all,

Well goodness hasn't it been a while. Lots has changed, I've done some big stuff and am back to feeling a bit overwhelmed again!

Musical news - had a couple of gigs and got more lined up (all paying) with some interesting projects in the pot as well

Man news - he moved in some indeterminate time ago but it's official from today as he has rented his place out and his new tenant moves in today.

Hound news - not much, retirement is treating them well and they are loving double the cuddles and double the fuss

Work news - I started a 12 month temp contract 3 months ago, covering mat leave for an accountant at a small insurance company. Nice people, not too stressful and in town so I can meet Souk for lunch on her days off hoping it will be cocktails next time :rotfl:

Running news - still going, completed a marathon, an ultramarathon and got 2 more ultras coming up in a few weeks. Cycled up a big scary mountain in France a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday. He has a new lease of life, my mum is thrilled and we are planning a return next year.

Money news - Debt is reducing. I will add new numbers soon. I've not been busting a gut to get it down, I've needed to live a little and have enjoyed doing so. All carefully budgeted and won't be as expensive next year as I've invested in a few bits of kit etc. that will last me a while.

Other than that.....I'm pretty tired. Life has changed a huge amount but I'm starting to feel the same as I did before I moved away, that I am lacking enough time to do all the things I want to do.

Things have settled down a lot now all the moving in is done, and the big bike miles are done so I could get up the hill.

I now need to set aside some serious time to have another big think about what the next stage will be. Full time study is sadly no longer an option, but as the debts reduce, there are more options re work and spare time.

One of the things I do desperately want to do is to write more, I feel better when I'm popping my thoughts down regularly hence the visit back here.

hope everyone is well X

cazmanian_minx

Hello stranger Lots of changes, but:

lionheartedgirl wrote: »

Running news - still going, completed a marathon, an ultramarathon and got 2 more ultras coming up in a few weeks.

WOW! It's my dream to one day do an ultra! Which one did you do and which ones are the forthcoming ones??

choogirl

Hi LHG

Wow lots of change for you but all sounding positive!

I love greyhounds they are gentle souls and so friendly, I was talking to a 12 week old greyhound puppy the other week and its coat was so soft.

Take care xx

lionheartedgirl

cazmanian_minx wrote: »

WOW! It's my dream to one day do an ultra! Which one did you do and which ones are the forthcoming ones??

Thanks, get up, you're worthy! :rotfl:(you have to have seen Wayne's World to get that one!)

I did the shorter version of the Kintyre Way ultra in May. The full distance was 67 miles, the 'short' one was 35.5. Or should have been, it was actually 36.2!

It was an interesting day but very tough going as you'd expect. I was thrilled to finish it in one piece and still be OK the next day, no hobbling or anything! We had a week's holiday in Kintyre afterwards, it's such a beautiful part of Scotland and was great to be able to stay on and explore.

The next one is the Speyside Way in a couple of weeks. 36 miles along past a load of distilleries, finishing at the seaside.

Then the BIG one is the Saltmarsh 75 down back 'home' in Essex in October - 37.5 miles each day tracing the coastline. This is the one I'm really really excited about - the others, although wonderful in their own right, will have been training runs for this one.

Not sure if you know but there is a Cape Wrath running festival each year I prefer the off road stuff but it's definitely on my list of maybes!

Get your running shoes on and do it! I've amazed myself, I'm asthmatic and my ankle is full of surgical steel but by building up carefully I can go a long, long way now and have seen some amazing places along the way.

Busy weekend with a long knackering run on Saturday and trip to Kelvingrove yesterday, but the run helped me sort a few things out in my head so just need to get pen to paper/fingers to keyboard.

Great to see choogirl back too

lionheartedgirl

choogirl wrote: »

Hi LHG

Wow lots of change for you but all sounding positive!

I love greyhounds they are gentle souls and so friendly, I was talking to a 12 week old greyhound puppy the other week and its coat was so soft.

Take care xx

They are great dogs. Very soppy and as you say, sooooo soft. My boy's coat was a bit rough/bad when I first got him but my girl has always been very silky. They are all feet when they're little :rotfl: