Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

So, I have painted until there is no more paint left. Go me! Admittedly, it was only 2.5 litres, but I am quietly impressed with myself. However, I shall be asking a friend to do the rest, as my hands could not take the strain for much more...

I have also visited mum, and spent a happy hour or so with her. It is the first time that has happened and is a great relief.

The lampshades are all washed and put back up. The charity shops yielded no replacements for the grotty ones, but I shall keep on looking.

I have been unable to post on gumt or scan, as the pc has not played ball today. Will do that once home.

Off to check I have cleaned up after myself, and potter on.

apple_muncher

Just had a look back at my first post. We have paid off £52k of mortgage in 3 and a half years and saved enough to be more than mortgage neutral.

We have had another redundancy, forcing dh's hand to set up his own business (something he'd wanted to do for yonks); my job is now pretty stable with annual exam marking bringing in a little more.

Stepdd got married in the Canadian Rockies and has since had a baby; stepds is getting married next summer in Australia.

We've had 2 fathers die, 2 mothers move into care homes, cancer, dementia, alzheimers.

We have cleared 50 years of hoarding and sold one house and are in the process of sprucing up and clearing another in order to sell.

We are carless, though dh insists it is not a permanent arrangement!

earthgirl

Some big rollercoaster rides there. Just confirms that all the progress is amazing.

Pearla*Merle

Agreed! You've done fantastically well, Apple xxx

apple_muncher

Thank you guys x. Have actually had a sad couple of days as the realisation hit home that mum forgets that dad has died, asks after him, and then gets whalloped by the rememberance that he is gone. Talked to big sis about it and when we think that it causes her too much pain/grief, then we'll definitely not mention it again.

But I am still very sad. She is less fretful than before but still not fully settled. Bless her, in the last 10 months she has lost her husband suddenly, had breast cancer, a mastectomy and radiotherapy, had umpteen hospital and dr visits, and moved into a care home. No wonder she is lost and sad.

In more cheerful news: dd moved classes and started in her new class today and had a great day. She is finally away from the nasty bullying girl who has been mean to her for 4-5 years. Phew.

And this evening I finally caught up with a friend after several years. We ended up here, instead of the local harv3ster, as it was a super long wait and they had run out of chicken breasts (what!!!???). So I put the £40 I'd taken with me into the 'fun purse' for the summer. We had better food and a good natter. Result.

apple_muncher

Gor, it's weds already and I've not done my round up of week 2.

Week 2:
Health - pottering on (somehow it is harder to look back over the last 10 days than just a week), lots of walking in the first part of the week, a couple of workouts. Realised that painting isn't going to help my hand due to how you work a roller, and I had VERY aching feet (esp my poorly big toe) after clambering on and off the bath to reach the high up bits. Lesson learned, I hope. Although I had a lovely time with my visit to mum, I've still felt mentally exhausted after the trip, along with the sadness I mentioned.

Wealth: hmm. Haven't been noting each and every spend this month, including this week. Need to get back to doing that. Not spending much at all, but those pennies add up. After noticing that both greying and Xspender (I think) are doing frugalwood's UFM in July, I've popped over and signed myself up! I think she's a little like ninjasavingkat...

Life well-lived - some headspace done. Went to an interesting talk about a new school proposal.

A short review - gotta go wake the child...

apple_muncher

So, I have had the time today to read through frugalwoods' UFM post, with its 11 sub-headings. I honestly do think that I already do do most of it. My main reason for joining is to get myself back on track with noting down every single penny I spend as I feel much more in control when I make the time to do that. And racking up NSDs makes it much easier, as there is then nowt to add on.

But our income is so low, I feel like it all goes on necessities. I'm probably wrong - using the word 'feel' kinda indicates that, no? - but need my own UFM to prove it one way or t'other. Must get dh to sit down on Fri and go through the monthly/quarterly/ 6 or 12 monthly outgoings.

And at the mo, all dh's earnings have gone into the 'untouchable account', until he does his tax return. Once that is done, he may then be able to move a proportion over to the everyday bill-paying account each month.

I did a food shop today - 28 items for about £23 - but the prices in aldee are upwardly mobile. I bought some of their sweet chili sausages as they are gf and sooo yummy. Then cooked them in onion before chopping each one in to 7 and adding them to a pan with 1 tin toms, 1 tin baked beans, froz spinach, garlic, 1 sw tato. Made for a delicious 'stew' which'll do us several meals. Dh got his with some lo mash, mushroom and carrot; I had mine with the rest of a pot of cottage cheese (desperate to us the whole pot today in case it went the way of previous pots and turned). Total cost of the stew was under £3 for the whole pan.

Finished some bunting for a friend's baby - born last sept. I'm a fast worker, me... :rotfl:

1 more working day left this month. A very happy thought. Dd's sch fair on sat, then just 3 working days until I break up.

smallholdingsister

I bet you can't wait!

apple_muncher

Indeed I cannot! And I'll then have 2 weeks before dd breaks up. Bliss. I should probably get some ' big plans ' in place, to 'achieve' things before dd is around 24/7. Bah. Will see how I feel next week when it's all done and dusted. I may just chill, relax and try to sort my head out (an ongoing life-long project, that one...)

smallholdingsister

I would do extreme sleeping and then see what you feel like doing.