Building The Burrow!

Pearla*Merle

Time disappeared on me again. :doh: Though think I've cracked some Major Life Stuff...

Virus has finally, finally disappeared. Got quite a dose of it this time, meh. Work stuff has been the real time-consumer... more nonsense running around in the background and the extra hours that had been talked about are now not materialising so I got straight onto looking for another job.

Cue lots of soul-searching about staying in the same sector or not etc. Had an interview and realised I really want to get away from certain things so I'm glad I've come to that decision. Have got another interview for something that would suit wonderfully, and preparing for it has made me realise that I definitely want to keep doing certain types of work I'd almost written off, so that's quite a turnaround for the books (and helpful, as I have lots of experience there! I'd forgotten how much I love certain things - shows how worn down I've felt in current position, I guess). So fingers crossed for that one!

So... at least I know where I'm headed at the moment! I've also been doing some free online courses with FutureLearn, which has made me realise that I could definitely take on education again (put aside for years due to health but am now obviously much more human again after the surgery), so that's something that I'm going to keep in mind/research further.

Most likely thing I'd do is a part time Open Uni with a part time job. Though that's a lot to take on so going to definitely give it a lot of thought before signing up to anything! And definitely depends on part time job developments which should at least be sorted soon...

Have been up to quite a few MS activities in the mean time, think it deserves a new post...

Pearla*Merle

:www: MFW Wonderment: soup and pear crumble batch cooked and into freezer (which is fit to bursting so will be running that down over the next few weeks). Used up old dried fruit mix soaked in dregs of a sherry bottle for the crumble - love finding new ways to use things up. Tasted blinking love too.

Some comps entered, received perfume freebie in the post (and Mr M got two more from Penhaligons the other week). I'm set up for quite a while now! Also received some free BodyForm things and cat nibbles that will go to the friend. Lol, loving getting back into the Freebies board.

Had my Best Charity Shop Finds EVER! Found a seam of charity shops in a town nearby (handily in a wealthy area but they still sold things are old-style super cheap charity shop prices!). Got myself a gorgeous Laura Ashley winter coat (green, hooded, tailored fit, barely been worn - exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for) for only £5.50! Also found a gorgeous pink tweed-like jacked with velvet trim (sounds mad, but actually very stylish in a 50's type way) - it's made by a super posh German company and similar jackets are sold for well over £200. My looks new, charity shop one was purchased for £3. Chuffed! It beats my previous best find: William Morris wallpaper rolls I found for £1. :rotfl:

Nipped to Costco, did a major stock up of general household bits, and lots of flapjacks/nakd bars for me (I always keep a couple of these on me to avoid buying food while out and about).

We've decided that I'll start doing the fresh food shopping at Aldee during the day. That'll mean it should make it much easier to make sure we always have decent food in the house, and make meal planning easier. It was a bit allover the place before with us working really random hours and getting home late.

Talking of food shopping, Mr M took up an introductory offer to shop online at WaitFlower. We ended up getting £50 of free food one you counted up the £30 intro, discounts and offers! :rotfl: And then when the delivery man turned up, he gave me a free bar of chocolate. :T

Talking of free chocolate, I remembered to pick up another free bar via Priority Moments. Plus a free mini-graze box. Thing there are some other free sweets on there at the moment so I'll do that tomorrow. Plus pick up another free coffee. :dance:

Hoping that actual Money I Receive And Save will restart in earnest soon. Blinking jobs. Thank goodness for MSE though. If I'd never learnt about emergency funds and simplifying my outgoings I'd certainly been in a worse position now, and don't think I could contemplate taking on part time work/going back into education.

And talking of bigger money news, Mr M should receive his next pay rise soon, plus bonus. That helps too as it means I've got some space and time to find a Good Job rather than Anything Will Do. Whew.

misscousinitt

Glad to see you back again PM.

Hope you are feeling better now.

I love your positivity and turning a potential mare into an opportunity.

Onward and upward.

MCI x

Pearla*Merle

Decluttered: more toys (Mr M addicted to Kinder Eggs!), trinkets, foldaway bag, loads of carrier bags we've somehow amassed, magazines.

:coffee: Simple Pleasures: cannot get enough of the warm sunshine and spring flowers! I feel bouncy all the time. :rotfl: Have been going through my record collection and listening to albums more intentionally and also switching the TV off and reading more books/doing my online course. So much more engaging and time feels well spent.

:heartsmil Burrow Building: Mr M & I have had some deeper talks about Future Stuff. I'm feeling much more settled now I know more of his ideas and feel like we're both on the same path. Think the engagement thing has helped in that regard.

We also talked about house buying down here. The best deal we could get would be to buy a new build but they are so few and far between. Some of the changes the government have brought in would help us but lack of properties is a major issue. Due to commute and where Mr M's work is based makes location another major issue. It's a possibility we could buy here but that's still not going to happen anytime soon. Lots more thinking to do, and staying mobile has it's advantages for Mr M's career... but then if we go down the route of producing Mini Merles my concern is that it would be helpful to be more settled...

In other news, we've got back into playing board games again. :T

Pearla*Merle

Thanks, MCI! I definitely had a few dark moments re: job stuff but thank goodness things shifted.

I think the very act of taking charge and doing something about it (despite how emotionally draining it is to begin with) is enough to shift the energy around an issue and before long you start seeing ways out and things are can change before you know it.

Definitely something to keep in mind and only wish I'd done it sooner! I'm overly loyal which is a problem; I always forget that you're only ever seen as an employee and they'd dump you without a second thought if it suited them.

Pearla*Merle

Epic money-saving day, EPIC! (Or, at least the most fun money-related stuff that's happened for a while).

Had work this morning, less said the better, TBH! Then popped into town to pick up a parcel for Mr M but also...

:www: MFW Wonderment: did seriously well out of Priority Mo's today. Free Mother's Day card from Cath Kinston (and it's pretty too, it'll do nicely!), free large bag of chocs from Thornt0ns, finally got a freebie at WH Newsagents (large fizzy drink - every time I've gone in there for other offers they never seemed to have them). Tried to get more free chocs at B00ts but they'd all sold out. Could have got a free coffee while out & about too but wasn't quite in the mood for it - plus desperately needed to get home and get some lunch. Never mind - better luck next time!

While in B00ts I managed to get an extra 350 points - all on stuff I was going to buy anyway. Love it when a plan comes together. :dance: Am up to about 500 points again, shall save them for something useful.

Also - £4.something from TCB; sold an item on eBay for £10 :T Think I'll finally get back into getting more up there asap! I have a whole box of stuff to do. I'm thinking a quick dive into the eBay world then run away with all my money before it annoys me again sounds like a plan. :rotfl:

I had to delete Bounts from my phone - it used 35% of my battery up in one day! :eek: Not sure I'll put it back on again yet, need to work out if it's worth it. Almost ready for another £5 voucher from BetterPoints though.

Signed up for amzreviews.co.uk after reading about it on ourcornercottage's diary - what a fab site, really hope I can get some free stuff! Did a bunch of reviews on amazon so I look like an appealing candidate. Bizarrely, I whipped them into being in no time, and thought they were rather good even if I do say so myself. Starting to think I may have missed my calling in life.

:coffee: Simple Pleasures: watching the late golden afternoon light playing over the trees.

:heartsmil Burrow Building: just an hour of reorganising last night and the spare room looks so much clearer! First time since we've moved in that it actually looks like a proper room again. So exciting that we might actually be able to get in there and use it (i.e. I can get my sewing machine out now, yay!) rather than letting it languish as a dumping ground.

apple_muncher

A truly awesome day (apart from the work malarkey...)!

Hollyboll

Hello PM
Just caught up with your diary and ... congratulations!!
All very exciting. Glad to hear you are (at least generally) feeling a lot better too, and very impressed with the money-saving wonderment, lists and spreadsheets (even without colours!). Sorry about the tedious work malarkey; job-hunting is so draining, but here's to the perfect thing being just round the corner in 2016 ...
xx

Pearla*Merle

Thank you, Holly

Tell me about the draining nature of job hunting - interview was today (went not too bad - was invited back for a second interview straight away which is ace! But now I've got a project to work on for the next week ).

All of today was either preparing for interview or winding back down from it.

:www: MFW Wonderment: offered some freebies via amzreviewtraders. Still figuring it all out, not keen to pay postage for stuff (the odd £2 isn't bad if you actually want the product - but I'm being very strict with myself - thought I'd only applied for free shipping things but apparently not). Will keep at it though, looks like it could ultimately be verrrry lucrative!

:coffee: Simple Pleasures: cosy blanket, on the sofa, Horlicks in hand, bed soon. :rotfl:

Pearla*Merle

Day off tomorrow, can't wait. Have a few things to do but going to aim for some serious chilling out as this week has just been mad.

:www: MFW Wonderment: went to work, didn't lose my mind despite ongoing nonsense. However sent a stroppy email and feeling the better for it.

Worked on things for interview next week. And as ever, took lunch to work.

:coffee: Simple Pleasures: listening to daft Eurovision/Bond theme songs and dancing about in an overly dramatic fashion (good exercise?).