The Adventures of a Debt Defying Diva

RainbowBridgeReturns

So it is Satu'Diva' day again. The house needs a good, deep clean as today we have guests, then I will give myself a manicure and pedicure in May’s colours!

We have a couple coming for afternoon tea, who are newcomers to an organisation I mentioned previously. I had originally asked them for dinner, but it turns out that they are early bedders and prefer eating at four. The gentleman likes very simple food and no meat. To make things easier, for me, I asked his wife what his perfect meal would be and she said.

“Lentil soup and brown rolls filled with tuna and mayonnaise, followed by apple pie and ice cream”.

Now I am delighted that I asked because this will be the most MSE 'dinner party' that I have ever hosted. The universe is sending me the perfect guests.

This couple are musical, intellectuals and the gentleman is American, so it will be a really interesting change from our usual house guests. As dear husband and I are tone deaf and of profoundly average intellect, we have decided to let our guests do the majority of the talking.:)

First though DS new Physics tutor is coming, he is originally from Jaffna, Northern Sri Lanka and from his website I can see that his background is fascinating too.

Today I am grateful that, whereas I had a very religious, sheltered upbringing, where we rarely mixed with anyone with different beliefs, DS is mixing with people from many different backgrounds, cultures and religions. I think that is a much healthier heritage. I can empathise with Janis Ian’s ‘Society’s Child’ and I am very grateful that, from my perspective, many barriers have been broken in the last forty years. (My secret, first love, was a blue eyed, dark haired boy, whose parents were born in Pakistan. He looked like Omar Sharif!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW_rYLoIR08

in_need_of_direction

Sounds like a fun day planned. Totally agree with DS upbringing coming, as I do, from a place where lack of exposure to other religions and cultures builds up such mistrust and suspicion that it ruins lives.

RainbowBridgeReturns

Yesterday went really well. DS thought the Physics tutor was a great teacher, who could explain complicated ideas in a very simple, coherent manner.

Our other guests were really good company and the 'early bedders' stayed here late, and showed a penchant for gin and tonic, which flowed freely. The lady guest is a talented artist too, and gave me one of her small prints as a gift. It is called "Moon Child" and it is a really beautiful and evocative picture, so it will get pride of place on our mantle piece.

On the not so good news, I am fed up this morning, because, despite drinking no alcohol and sticking to a low calorie, healthy eating plan, after the three days of weird eating. I have put on three pounds following the 2.5 pounds lost at the beginning of the week. I am at +0.5 lb. I am not going to stick with this plan for 5 weeks, so it is back to the drawing board!!

My MSE dilemma yesterday, was popping into a supermarket toilet and seeing that, in one of the toilet bowls, there was clear water and a lot of silver and copper coins. It was as if it had been turned into a wishing well. I stood there wondering what the MSE manoeuver should be here, and I decided it was to walk away and leave it as a tip for the cleaner!! If it had been £1.00 coins would my decision have been different ................?

Today, I am taking a big sheet of paper and doing a draft plan for the whole of May. Things are getting busy again in Rainbow Ville and that overwhelmed feeling is starting to rise in me. I need to plan well and keep some capacity, then say no to any demands beyond the plan that are not imperative. They will have to move to June.

TTFN x.

Fortune_Smiles

Keep calm Rainbow. Laughed at your toilet story - there are MS limits after all!:rotfl:Any chance you could post a picture of your new print - I'd love to see it.


Fortune x

RainbowBridgeReturns

Thanks Fortune, I have not had any success at uploading pictures on to here, but I will have a go at it later on, although I am sure it will not do the picture justice.

It looks like an original water colour, but she says that she has a printer who colour matches her paintings exactly, then prints 10 of them on to special cards which are approximately 3" x 5". She uses these cards as gifts. I think it is a really lovely idea.

This couple live in the centre of town, in a top floor flat with great views of the castle and Princes Street Gardens, so we have already been invited to see the fireworks from their roof top terrace, at the end of the Edinburgh Festival. It doesn't get much better than that!

Onwards and upwards x.

in_need_of_direction

Make sure that plan for May includes some good things or times for you. When you've too much on, it can be easy to forget that the batteries need recharged.

sassychick2014

Morning Rainbow

Had a quick catch up on your news and feel like I've joined the party a bit late with the "ooh that's worked out well" comments but meh, here goes.

Everything = ooh that's worked out well!!

And I am sooo relieved you didn't empty the toilet for that cash! Made me laugh though.

Enjoy your bank holiday weekend x

flanno_2

Hi Rainbow

Great weekend all round it seems with the debt busting and the universe being kind as well. I posted on my own diary just now and I seem to be on the debt free wannabe page rather than the debt free diaries page so that would explain why I'm not visible on DFD's. Strange. Irish gremlins indeed. Have a good day.

Namaste
FLanno.

RainbowBridgeReturns

Hi flanno,

That is where you got to! I am getting on a virtual plane to visit you in DFW territory. If you want to join the rest of us in Diary Land, PM Fermi and she will move your thread over here.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showgroups.php

RainbowBridgeReturns

Well I have plotted out May and if I don’t take anything else on, beyond the things written, it should be an organised and profitable month, with a weekend away thrown in and a spa day. The diary is therefore officially closed for May.

It is actually two frogs, on there, that have been bothering me and I want to eat them today:-

• I promised a friend of mine I would help her to get a new job.
• I promised DS I would help him get organised for all his courses which are moving into a key assessment phase.

The Plan (1)

DF’s husband was very good to my DS. He took DS under his wing for the volunteering section of the D of E awards and proved to be a very good mentor and assessor, so karmically I feel I want to return the favour.

DF is 60 years old, a Registered Carer, who has had two elderly clients for the last eight years, both of whom have died recently, and she is now unemployed , very keen to find some new clients, but she has lost her confidence.

My dear aunt used a Registered Carer, who did light housework, cooking, ironing, shopping and accompanying to appointments, along with caring duties, while dear uncle was ill and continues to use her now on an ad hoc basis. The carer charges £12.00 an hour and got all her clients through a leaflet drop and word of mouth. I mentioned this to my friend and I have volunteered to pull a leaflet together (along the above lines) and then ask DS if he will deliver it around an area where there is a high concentration of potentially, suitable clients, who could benefit from an honest pair of hands. Now that I have written that out, it doesn’t seem so bad, so I will get on with that this morning.

EDIT: Done and the business cards and flyers look really good. I am getting them printed by Vi*taprint, and they should be ready for DS to deliver by the end of the week.

The Plan (2)

I need to sit with DS and go through a similar exercise that I have done for myself, writing out everything that needs done and then timetabling it with him, so he doesn’t stay overwhelmed like a rabbit in the headlines.

EDIT: DS is all organised now too!!

TTFN x.