The Big Adventure

newgirly

Hi goldiegirl, I have not visited for ages sorry! Where are you going on holiday?

Lexi-lu

Hello Goldiegirl,

Hope those pesky mice are gone for good. Sounds as though you are organised ready for your holiday, great that the kindle books were on offer.

LL

XSpender

Thanks for the tip about the Erica James books on Kindle - snaffled a couple for myself

Karmacat

For kindle books, I get the kindofbook daily email for free and reduced rate books - I only get the free ones, of course there're usually one or two that look interesting - though sometimes I skim through after "purchase" and end up deleting them.

Watty1

Another kindle tip - bookbub. I signed up and get emails daily with books that are reduced or free. I just download the free ones. I admit to having got hooked on 2 series this way and downloaded the lot - but they were excellent reads ....ok...I didn't need to spend £10
But via bookbub my kindle is stuffed with freebies. Like KC I just delete ones that a few pages in are not very good.

Goldiegirl

newgirly wrote: »

Hi goldiegirl, I have not visited for ages sorry! Where are you going on holiday?

This is a big holiday - a cruise to the Caribbean and southern USA!




Mouse news - still not a squeak. This is now looking very hopeful.


Kindle news - My Kindle is now stuffed with books to take away with me. I've got about 20 to read in 5 weeks, so that should be enough. But I've noted tips about free Kindle books for another time - many thanks!


On the 1st I did a money shuffle, and I've also set up March's money shuffles, as we'll still be away on the 1st March. I intend checking the credit card balances online before we go, and will clear the outstanding amounts. We don't intend to use the credit cards while we are away, but I'll also set up a small 'just in case' credit card payment on the 1st March, on the off chance that any transaction appears on our credit card statement.


I had about £50 of US dollars from a previous holiday, and I've bought another £250 worth. This should easily cover us for any lunches out when we are in in the USA, and we are going on a jazz night out in New Orleans, so will need money for drinks. Plus any souvenirs we may buy (although not many, I don't want to reclutter the house!) While we are in the Caribbean, we only plan to get off the ship for a walk, and will return to the ship for meals. For some ports we've been to before we may stay on the ship, as there's a lot of 'tourist hassle' in some of the ports in the Caribbean.


Our excursions in the US are already paid for, so I'm hoping that the rest of our onboard spending will be covered from our normal pension income, plus the two 'free' months of council tax.


I think I've got all the financial side of it covered now.


So, need to start thinking of the packing. I have a massive list of all the things we'll take, and I've started to get some of the things out. But we're not going until Monday, so I don't want to get too ahead of myself!

Karmacat

Monday! Woo hoo! No time at all

Goldiegirl

I've tried to run down the freezer stocks, but with a delicate balance of having some pre-prepared meals available for when we get back


Same with the store cupboards. This also has the added bonus of a low grocery spend this month.


I've been concentrating on housework today, so that's all been done. Have some ironing to do tonight, and will do the last washing and ironing batch on Saturday.


I placed a few more things in the packing pile, but will begin this in earnest tomorrow.


Rummaging in wardrobes has made me realise that, when we get back, we'll need to do some more decluttering. There's some old shoes which haven't been worn at all in the last year, and some of the clothes we wear around the house are downright tatty. It's time for the tatty clothes to go - we have more than enough decent clothes to wear instead.


But, generally, preparations for the holiday are going well


Omelettes for dinner tonight, to use up the eggs.

Watty1

Am wishing you a lovely hols

Goldiegirl

Hi, Watty - once we get away, I'm sure the holiday will be lovely, it's just the preparation that does my head in!


Had a nasty shock yesterday - after 10 clear days, a mouse was caught in a trap!:(


I think it must have been a visitor, so they are still getting in from somewhere. The mouse man has been again, and he's suggested cutting back more of a shrub (which belongs to our neighbour) which is near our house - it's possible the mice can jump from the shrub, on to the house wall and climb up to the top of the house. (Have a look on You Tube, they really can climb)


We now have additional traps and the poison in the loft. All was clear this morning - we've also tried to block some gaps in the wall in the area. When we are away, we'll take the traps away - I'd rather they came in, took the poison and went away to die, rather than dying in a trap and being there for weeks. But I'll give my friend the mouseman's details, just in case.


We've been doing packing - but have stopped for a while, as I was literally fuming !!!


All the clothes were lying on the spare bed, apart from my dresses, which I'll get out tomorrow. I said we'd need three cases, and Mr Goldie was adamant it'd go in two. So we started packing the two cases, and it was clear to me that it was going to be like getting a quart into a pint pot. But Mr Goldie was STILL adamant it'd go in two.


The cases were full - and he still wouldn't have it that we needed three - so we had to have a furious row!! :mad:


After he weighs the cases, he finally realises that they'd also be too heavy if any more clothes went in.

So, we get the other case from the loft. The label on it showed the last time we used it was when we went on a 24 night cruise. If we needed 3 cases for a 24 night cruise, there was no way we'd do 35 nights with just 2 cases.


So I'm having a break from it for a while!


The weather looks interesting for the next few days - every chance of the ship getting into port late, or sailing late. But as long as we get on it, I don't care too much!