My Diary v3.0

natsplatnat

Morning All, just popping for 5 mins whilts I take a break from my mentally busy working day.

All good here - hip flexor almost back to normal

My brain is literally mushed... I was trying to divvy up the CC bill last night and there is a refund on there for the accomodation that was cancelled, that I paid. Trying to work out how to factor that in to the calculations did my head in.... it was nothing to do with my second large glass of white wine.... hones!

In other news, in light of probably not being able / wanting to go abroad for the forseeable, OH has cajouled me into agreeing to buying new pushbikes.... electric ones! I was sooo against it to start, but the more I thought about it the more they made sense. These arrive next week.   So I'm hoping we can get some helmets and get out and about soon.

Thats it for me for now. Hoep you are all welll and the sun is shining wherever you are today (it is glorious here by the coast, not to brag, but... you know!)?

xxx

Olderbutnotwiser

oooh exciting I have been contemplating an electric bike for a while. I only live 4 miles from my office and would love to cycle in what puts me off is that at the end of the day there would be quite a steep climb home for 1/2 mile and my knee might not cope.
Let me know how it goes and if you can recommend a bike 

natsplatnat

OMG - new bikes are AMAZING! Very impressed.

OBNW - the only thing I would say is that the level of electrical assistance they offer is directly linked to your input through the pedals, so you do have to keep pedalling all the time. With 9 (pedal) gears and 4 assistance levels there is more than enough scope to get up a hill. We did a quick test ride on Sat evening at 4 miles and then went out yesterday for a more comprehensive 15.2 mile ride. OH had his assistance on for almost the whole duration and only used 26% of his battery. I literally only used mine to get get up a hill (and a bit of playing around over the first mile or so) and used 8%.

It was lovely to get out and about.. and get some much missed exercise!

Managed to get our fitbit scales up and running again at the weekend. I am 3.5kg down since they last worked back in February. Only another 5kg to go to reach my first target. Cycling should definitely help with this.

Back at work for what is sure to be another busy week.

Hope you all had a great weekend - Bank holiday a week today!

x Nats x

natsplatnat

Afternoon All!

Well, it's been a while hasn't it? I've been reading, but really not had much to report.

So, a quick catch up (in no particular order)....

• Goodwood FOS cancelled - tickets roll forward to a date next year (hopefully)
• Bikes are still going well
• Weekend with the uni girls cancelled
  
• Half balding cat is still half balding
• Rescheduled flights to Budapest cancelled yesterday (FOC as outbound flight was moved by over 5 hours) refund due in 3-5 business days apparently
• home computer died
• Seen my dad and SM who finally made it over from Crete
• my sister had a little girl
• I have upped my pension contribution by 1%
  
• My aerial silks class has re-started
• I had my hair dyed.... bright purple!!
• car insurance bought today, for £92 less than my renewal and £36.75 cashback to come
• stuck some money in PBs as there is nowhere paying interest currrently
• visited a uni friend for a weekend (so much easier trying to arrange something for 2 instead of 5 people
• work has been very busy - received a nice (and unexpected) bonus
• weight? Not sure
• new fence panels (x5) installed

I think that is me pretty much up to date. See, not much going on really!

natsplatnat

Eek! Hello all, hope you are all well?

As I have been MIA again, I will just log a few things that have happened since my last post back in August...

• bought a chromebook to replace the home PC that died
• money paid into PB each month
• changed my sim only deal - more data (that I won't use) and £1.49 / month cheaper
• reviewed / renewed my V1rg1n TV/broadband/home phone package. Added Sky Sp0rts which cheered OH and DSS up & saved £7 a month which cheered me up!
• Had a week off work and had 3 lovely days in Costa-del Essex. Out of season (as the kids were back at school) and we had the last 3 days of summer sun too.
• Have been to circuits and aerial silks when I can - love both these classes
  
• Visited 1kea for the first time in 15 years... when did it get so expensive??

And that is about it from me. Been working far too hard - we've had our busiest 3 months EVER and it has been non-stop since the whole pandemic thing started.

Time to look ahead to the festive season and make plans I suppose - won't be long!

Look after yourselves and your family / friends ... stay healthy! xxx

natsplatnat

Well, tomorrow is my last working day of the year! And what a year it has been!!

None of the joy (or bordeom / worry) of furlough for me... We didn't close at all and it has been our busiest year EVER! I am definitely ready for some down time... been so busy I am carrying 5 days holiday forward to next year!

I am fortunate that I have received 3 bonuses this year which have been unexpected but definitely appreciated.

We're in T4 so no sales shopping for us lol! More worrying is theres a lack of carrots in the supermarket - the only thing we haven't got for xmas dinner yet (apart from collecting the meat on xmas eve!) Oh the worry! lol

Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas and New Year - stay safe and keep debt busting people! xxx

enthusiasticsaver

Sounds like you are doing really well and good you have increased pension contributions.  Small increases make a lot of difference over your working life.  Great news on the bonuses.  We have electric bikes too and love them.  They were our treat when we took early retirement and save us a lot in fuel and so much more enjoyable to use than the car.  Lots of people saying there is a shortage of lettuces in the supermarkets so interesting you have noticed a lack of carrots.  We got an online order last Saturday and are at our daughters for Christmas day (we are Tier 1)  and no such shortages but that was before all this port closing kicked off.  We have a click and collect slot for next Sunday so that will be interesting. No sales shopping for us either.  Nothing we need.  

Olderbutnotwiser

Hi Nats,
I've been MIA again too- what a crazy busy year.
My work has been crazy busy too.
I'm also in Tier 4 and have been rearranging Christmas celebrations since Saturday, shipping presents around the country as my daughter can not visit now .
I finish work Christmas eve lunchtime and am taking 5 days over- to busy to think of taking them now ...
Its all gone crazy I hope you you have a fab Christmas and a wonderful new year despite this.
You too enthusuasticsaver
xx

Olderbutnotwiser

Olderbutnotwiser said:

Hi Nats,
I've been MIA again too- what a crazy busy year.
My work has been crazy busy too.
I'm also in Tier 4 and have been rearranging Christmas celebrations since Saturday, shipping presents around the country as my daughter can not visit now .
I finish work Christmas eve lunchtime and am taking 5 days over- to busy to think of taking them now ...
Its all gone crazy I hope you you have a fab Christmas and a wonderful new year despite this.
You too enthusuasticsaver
xx

Is this the record for how many times you can say crazy in one post?

natsplatnat

Morning All!

Hope your life is a little less crazy OBNW?

Just popping to confirm I am still here! I can't believe how incredibly dull life is. Work, eat, sleep, repeat.

I survived dry-January. It was surprisingly easy (didn't set out to do a whole month) so I'm going to kee going! Annoyingly, interesting non-alcoholic drinks are almost as expensive as alcoholic ones! Oh well!

I listed 4 items on fleabay at the weekend (it was too wet n windy to walk for too long and I was bored). I am very much reminded of how painful listing items are - I just need to keep in mind that 'YAY' feeling when it (finally) sells and I get money! lol

Really, there is so little to report I am already boring myself.

Stay safe folks xxx