2015 - the penultimate year!

DebtFree2012

Interestingly this isn't the pony which the conversation re ulcers originated from but your wise words were certainly there and rang alarm bells when the pony started acting differently. This loan pony is/was one my daughter rides to give her a break from naughty pony who has actually been very good recently and has even started jumping and poles again and is enjoying them.

This boy was swishing his tail when under his tummy, ears back and hind hoof stomping which is all very unlike him. As we're the only ones who ride him really I mentioned it and the owner then did a bit with him and agreed all very wrong. Re his back, she hasn't seen me yet to give me the low down but kissing spine is what first came to my mind too as she did say it is NOT muscular.

I can't wait for this month's pay to get the debt down to a £2xxxx - imagine that! I've just ranf the student loan company for a settlement figure which is less than they say on their website so I'm now thinking it's not going to be as easy as it should be. Their website says £899.49 (which is why my overall debt amount went up slightly earlier) and the phone person said £746.42 so quite a difference. I've asked them to stop taking it from my salary and told them I will pay it manually until it's cleared. So I plan to have this gone in 4 or 5 more payments.

In any case, I prefer the phone person's figures so I am going to update my overall debt amount AGAIN

ScattySkewbald

You're back!!! Glad you've had a fab time off, just sorry that your four legged family members have been causing you some worry.

I've found the student loans co a nightmare to deal with - I've asked twice for written confirmation of the dd payment I've set up as initially they sent it through for £208 for 11 months instead of 3 and then carried on taking payment from salary as well grrrrr! Just keep an eye on them lol!

DebtFree2012

Morning

Scatty - I was thinking of you when I was on the phone to them as I'd remembered reading about your dealings with them in your diary. What a nightmare. I've asked them to just stop taking it from my wage and they said that one more may be taken as it's only 10 days from now and after that it won't be, so we shall see!! I've not set a DD up as she said it'll take 3 months to take effect - what on earth? So I will make manual payments as it will hopefully be gone in max of 5 payments. Watch this space!

I've brough in home made soup today, sweet potato Thia style courtesy of the b b c good food website. Very nice though I can't have too much as very thick and I get bored of thick soups.

The slow cooker has been earning it's pay for the last few days and the freezer now had a beef and chicken stew in there. There's mince out defrosting now and I'll turn that into something tonight. We have brocoli and cauli to use up too so it'll all get thrown in together.

It's the middle of the week! Almost on the downhill to the weekend. We're out Saturday night to a family birthday but apart from that I don't think we have any plans. Thankfully.

DebtFree2012

OK a few emails sent out and accounts checked in between. All ok so far.

The gas and electric has been updated with my payment but no new bill produced relating to the readings that I have sent in. The boiler is off for the heating now anyway - set to water only. I use the steamer for veg and the small oven when I only have a small thing to cook. If the big oven needs to go on, I'll put something else in there with it.

Right, work.

DebtFree2012

We are on the way to the weekend! We made it half way!

In fantastic news, for those who remember Mum having breast cancer removed etc, she's just had her follow up appointment and it has not come back - all clear at this point in time (scared I jinx her hence "this point in time"). So amazing and happy news.

My soup at lunch time was lovely though I must admit I'm feeling hungry still. This morning I had breakfast of toast with honey, then an apple mid morning, soup with banana at lunch time (12) so I will get a glass of water or cup of tea and convince myself I'm not.

Found a recipe online that's frugal and that we have the ingredients in for http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2778668/minced-beef-and-sweet-potato-stew so that is tonight or tomorrow's tea. The chickens are being very generous at the moment and we're back to 5- 6 eggs a day so omlette is the other night's meal.

I seem to have missed a £22 Ald1 spend which left the bank this morning so that's a pain in the rear. I think I will manage though still as a friend owes me £12 and I have a few pounds in my purse. Determined not to spend more from the bank.

CC F's statement has been generated and is ready to be paid by May 1st so I will pay than when my pay packet is paid next week.

I cannot wait until both the CC's are gone and I "only" have the loans to contend with. In Jan 2016 I will owe apx 15.6k which is staggeringly awful but less that half of my equally awful starting point.

Onwards!

DebtFree2012

Well last night's recipe was a big hit. I didn't have everything that it called for but the vital ingredient was Worchestire sauce and it was yummy. I'll be adding it to my reportoire.

I was only supposed to do an hour's work last night but ended up nearer two as I was called in to a meeting where I was confidentially told they are moving parts of my role to another team and I get to keep the !!!! basically. It won't be until this time next year so I've time to think. My first thought is that I need to stay with this company who I've been with since 2004, to get my mortgage easily in 2017. I could move around the company but ideally I don't want to leave it. The history looks good from a financially stable point of view, espeically when you think it will be a huge mortgage we're asking for if we do go down the livery yard route. Who knows what it will be.

After working I made a lovely loaf of bread in my new BM from Mam, did I mention it? I'm restricting what I have due to diet of course but the small bit I did was yum.

Last night I trialled out going to the yard before tea instead of afterwards and it worked well. It's ok to do on a Wed but not Thurs as there's lessons on a Thurs meaning we can get to ride until 6. The fields are getting sprayed tomorrow so that's turnout closed for the pony for 2 weeks then we'll have to start building back up again, such a pain. The big girl hopefully has access to a paddock during that period as the paddock won't be sprayed.

Went to bed 10:30 ish and read then both DD and DS were up during the night. We have cycles where they sleep for weeks and for whatever reason they wake for a few nights. They didn't even have the same tea as us or each other so it can't be that.

I have soup and a small sandwich today to go with my fruit then no more bread tonight or tomorrow. I need to give some thought to other forms of exercise as I'm feeling stiff now I'm not riding given the big girl has this c o p d type issue. Once she's herself again I will be but I think I should do something sooner than that. What though?

cazmanian_minx

Maybe a bit of yoga or pilates? Lots of stuff on YouTube and I think there are a few books on both especially for riders.

DebtFree2012

I shall investigate after I've watched your video

Being me and being impatient. I've sent an email to a guy I did some work with who works on the business side of the company opposed to IT which is where I work now. There may be something in his area, you never know. Anyway he's replied saying let's meet tomorrow to discuss so I will do. You never know! You don't get if you don't ask.

DebtFree2012

Good Morning and happy Friday!!!

Well the fabulous news is that the small pony was amazing last night and really impressed me. Considering he'd been left in a field and had no contact for most of his life, he's now jumping bounces and little grids and he is loving it!!!! The best news is my DD did it with him and she loved it too. She's took a huge confidence kick over the last few months, so to see that brought a tear to my eye. Fabulous.

In work news, I've had the meeting where I was asking a colleague if there was any work in his area. The good news is, it's not a no. He is going to speak to his manager as he's looking to retire soon anyway and see if there might be opportunity to bring me in somewhere. Watch this space, you don't get if you don't ask.

Money wise things are ticking over nicely. Today I need to put fuel in the car and go to Ald1 over the weekend.

DebtFree2012

OK so a little bit of research done and this new info combined with a course I am doing next month could be the next chapter in my working life. Feeling pretty excited about it at the moment.