Second Time Lucky

Goldiegirl

Well done on the competition wins.


Some years ago, I used to go in for competitions when I saw them, and had a number of small wins,


I tried again a couple of years ago, spent ages entering every competition that I saw..... and won nothing!


It's always encouraging to hear of a winner

debtfreeoneday

How did the interview go?

Well done on the comp win - where do you find the competitions that you enter?

amycool

OH's interview is today and he is really unwell! Typical! I just hope the illness doesn't make him perform badly. The problem is that if he gets this job, it would be amazing in a few ways, so there's a lot riding on it. We'll see.

I enter the comps from the board on here. I keep meaning to note down how many I enter, as I haven't a clue really. I know some days it's about 20 whereas other days I'll do over 100. I would particularly love to win clothing vouchers as I hardly ever buy new clothes.

I just filled in an adoption leave calculator and actually I have another month's pay! Hooray! It doesn't quite add up, but I guess they deduct for pension and whatnot. An extra month of money will certainly soften the blow from the car purchase.

DD had her adoption day last week so we spent a bit on travel costs and eating out, but it was well worth it. Then we used our NT pass for a free day out at the weekend (had a picnic) aside from diesel.

I've also had a few lovely free walks this week in the early morning sunshine through the woods. I like to look enviously at the dog owners.

Right better go - early to school today as there's a party.

amycool

Bad news - OH didn't get the job - boooooooo

Good news - they have offered him a lower paid role but at the same salary as his current job - hooray! :j He won't be starting until September but it will mean no more winters getting up at 5.45am and often getting home after 6pm. We'll also save on travel costs.

I spent £15 yesterday on my niece's birthday present.

Today I am using up the manky bananas in a cake. It did mean sacrificing an egg lunch, but I'm sure it'll be worth it.

I am considering making myself a reward chart to help me eat less. My weakness is snacking at the moment and one biscuit quickly turns into one packet of biscuits. I'm thinking I could get a point for not snacking in the morning, afternoon and evening. When I get to a set number of points I win something. There's a CD I would like (I haven't bought any music for years!) so that would be a nice non-food incentive. I just need to decide how many points I need. So far today I have had no snacks, but it is only half past one and my tummy was growling this morning. I need to train it not to constantly need food.

I'm still obsessed with the idea of getting a dog but the logistics are proving tricky. Our garden is impossible to make safe for a dog (unless we spent thousands and knocked some things down) so the only possible solution would be to have it on the lead in the garden. Obviously people have dogs in flats and just walk it whenever it needs a wee, but I'm thinking the issue would be if we're all in the garden and the poor thing will be wondering why it can't join us. Plus, rescue centres don't like homing to people without suitable gardens and I don't think I would have the time or patience for a puppy. Not to mention the cost. Hmmm...

I have pondered an easier, cheaper pet, but having had hamsters when I was younger, I always feel like they're getting a raw deal, however large the cage.

Better check on my cake...

Darpett

Did you watch 'Choose the right puppy for you' - if not the two episodes are on B B C iPlayer. Quite interesting and definitely some ideas for breeds that would be small, happy with a short walk but enjoy playing indoors (and not so likely to bark!) and what to look out for if buying them :-).

Of course cats can be easier but they kind of own you really....

debtfreeoneday

have you looked at the 'borrow my doggy' scheme?

Great news re the job for OH!

bambisonamission

Hi

Could you section off a smaller part of the garden? Maybe install a half height picket fence with a gate through to the rest? That wouldn't cost as much and if you had a smaller dog would be sufficient for the toilet needs and safe for them.

Sorry to hear your DD is going through it atm, we are also adopters and we were incredibly lucky with our son but we know what our FC went through with her subsequent foster child and if you ever want to talk to someone please just pm me. (Also, animals are great healers, I too recommend the program about what dog to choose, there was a lovely autistic lad on the one we watched and he really responded to the dog, it was lovely to see).

Pushkin

amycool wrote: »

I'm still obsessed with the idea of getting a dog but the logistics are proving tricky. Our garden is impossible to make safe for a dog (unless we spent thousands and knocked some things down) so the only possible solution would be to have it on the lead in the garden. Obviously people have dogs in flats and just walk it whenever it needs a wee, but I'm thinking the issue would be if we're all in the garden and the poor thing will be wondering why it can't join us. Plus, rescue centres don't like homing to people without suitable gardens and I don't think I would have the time or patience for a puppy. Not to mention the cost. Hmmm...

Hi AmyCool - another idea for your garden and making it dog safe - a wireless fence http://store.intl.petsafe.net/en-gb/fencing/wireless-fences

I know nothing about them nor am I actually 100% sure I approve of electric shocks being given to animals. However we left our dog with friends when on holiday a couple of years ago and they had one - (I didn't realise before) - our dog got one shock and then didn't stray outside of the boundary again. Just a thought for you to look into....

amycool

Thank you so much everyone for your ideas and suggestions. Our back garden is quite small and just weirdly laid out, so after wracking my brains for ages I decided a dog was not going to happen.

However...we came up with a back-up plan! We're getting rats! Initially I wanted mice but it seems hardly anyone breeds mice for pets anymore and the cages are really hard to find. I hadn't thought of rats but we wandered round Pets at Home for ideas (not to buy though as I know pet shop pets don't tend to live as long) and although they don't live very long, they're very good for children and can be as smart as a dog. So I have been reading, reading, reading. We will need to invest a fair bit in a large cage and all of the other equipment, and then I've contacted a local breeder to see if they may have 3 girls available any time soon.

It's funny because I thought DD would be horrified at the idea (she wanted cute Russian hamsters but I know how they can fight and didn't want that trauma!) but she seems quite happy. She hasn't quite got her head around the idea that we have to wait for them to be born (and there may be a waiting list).

I haven't broken the news to the extended family yet as they were horrified at the thought of a dog! Probably best just to get them and then show them how cute and clever they are.

I think really the rats will be mostly for me as my stress levels have been through the roof of late and just watching animals play always calms me down.

I did watch the puppy programme and it was fascinating and lovely. Who knew how much fur came off a German Shepherd! :rotfl:

debtfreeoneday

We used to have a rat as a pet and it was really tame, grossed most people out.. but he was good little thing - Roland his name surprisingly!