Nst; fearless february

Synonymous

Hey everyone, can't remember the last time I posted, but I've been reading along, lots of good things going on and hugs to everyone with unplanned emergencies, bugs, and hard decisions to make, the troubles and strife that bounce off our turtle shells make them shinier and more durable for the future until we're all indestructible!

Things are going well here; I'm meditating regularly and getting out of the house, seeing friends, and my choir finally started again from the Xmas break. Had a few spend days due to buying a book on investing and having to get a meal deal at uni yesterday for my tea - first night back doing uni, work, choir, back-to-back and I totally forgot about food. Plus I've been running late the last two days and had to drive to scrape back the time, still walking a few miles each day though.

The fruit and veg is really hard for me, I know some find it really easy and some don't, for me I've realised that I don't eat very much generally, so to get 5 a day I would probably have to just eat fruit and veg! Also, I seem to have a heavily carb-based diet - porridge, toast, pasta, rice, potatoes, are storecupboard staples, but when I buy fruit/veg it gets wasted, so I don't buy it, then decide I should buy it, but I'm not in the habit of eating it, so it gets wasted...so I stop buying it! Vicious cycle :eek: Will get dried fruit to put in my porridge. Did pick a sandwich last night that had lettuce in it after thinking of you guys!

I'm doing an experiment on myself next week in the spirit of research - I had been desperately keen to make plans this weekend to distract me from Valentine's day (I think it's a con but it still inspires loneliness) and what would have been our anniversary on Sunday before we split up, but I've now decided to spend Saturday making plans for the future, including planning all of next week down to the minute and then seeing if I can follow it through. If I do it, I will be allowed to watch the newest episode of The Walking Dead, if I don't, I will have to delete an app on my phone which is leaching lots of my free time.

I'm going to factor in pampering, using up ends of products, healthy meal planning, exercise, socialising, as well as uni and work, getting jobs done, so should be a productive week. The hardest thing will be getting in/out of bed at a set time but I am determined and have been mentally preparing myself! Sunday is a festival day of remembrance at the Buddhist centre, so I will go and remember my friend who took her life last summer. It will also be good to mark the passing of my last relationship. It will be a beautiful and cathartic day I'm sure.

Speaking of bikes, http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/05/07/what-do-you-mean-you-dont-have-a-bike/ has convinced me to get one, and I am even wondering if I could use it between trains and get rid of my car (I only 'need' it to visit family now). I'll be getting a basic one as my friend had her good one stolen at uni as it stood out among the budget student bikes, but it should be an alternative to jumping in the car when I'm late, and keep me fit in this hilly terrain! I have lots of friends who are enthusiasts so have been getting lots of tips and will be able to learn to maintain it.

Have a great Friday turtles :beer:

LoveaDove

Hello all,

Sorry I have been offline for a couple of days.

Heard back from the university to be informed that my application would not be considered for this year's cohort as my profile did not meet the criteria under 'recent study.' The email is short, uninformative and has a typo. I am appalled by this, after going through the admissions team twice who approved my 'profile' and stated they had passed this on to an admissions Director for consideration. My short, rejection email has come from an admin assistant who has not even looked at my application. No where does it specify a time frame for studying under their criteria section. The final closing date is the 19th, I can not reach this person by phone so have sent an email requesting more specific feedback regarding study time frames and what they expect me to study. Whilst I was at it I gave them an over view of all of my qualifications, 8 years of work experience, the fact I work under the supervision of two professionals in the profession that I wish to train in. That two of my references are from trained professionals, one of which qualified doing the same programme at the same University 5 years ago, who also had the same study gap as myself. I feel short changed by this feedback, if it was at least a little comprehensive and helpful then I would be able to action plan exactly what I need to do in the mean time to be able to re-apply next year. After initially being upset, now I am not accepting such poor communication and being palmed off by a two sentence email. I am hoping to find out over the next few days who the admissions director actually is and appeal for them to actually take a look at my application directly, seeing as they are the one's it was meant to be passed on to.

Gah! Sorry about that almighty offload!

I have also being spending my annual leave today looking for somewhere new to live. I have found the most perfect little house, have made further enquiries about it and have just stumbled across an article from the press regarding the little nest of houses this is situated amongst as a crime scene for 2 attempted murders, which occurred last month and involved 2 different ladies that lived in two of the houses. May I ask your opinions....would this put you off renting a house a month after something like this happened? I initially was immediately put off by this (the man in question is in custody), but a couple of my friend's still think I should just go and have a look. I have looked into the history of the postcode and crime in this area is typically very low.
I would really appreciate your opinions!

I am now at 6sfds - Still trying to organise the weekend with OH, would love to get a couple new geocaches under the belt! OH is cooking for me tomorrow and we will be having a cheap day staying in, but I definitely want to get out and about on Sunday!

Had a grocery shop on Wednesday eve and used a £6 off a £30 shop from Mr T's. Also made my donation to the foodbank whilst I was grocery shopping.

My head feels so full at the moment, what with trying to find somewhere new to live, looking for a new job and all this palarver with uni. I still haven't been given a kick out date yet from my friend's as she is still in the midst of contracts with this house and the flat she is buying. I am not really in a position to rush to move into my own place at the moment but if I have to I am sure I could work something out. I have being researching costs of solo living (with the prospect of my OH moving in, in the future once he is more financially stable), and on my current wage, this is doable but I would have so little to put in to any kind of savings. My job is incredibly stressful, and as it is private sector the wage is not as good as public sector. I am looking into moving into the public sector, 1 for a job with more growth, 2 a higher wage and 3 also a new relevant experience to add to the list.

Everything feels very much up in the air at the moment.

I apologise for such a self-reflective message, I will catch up with all of you gorgeous turtles over the weekend. Just wanted to explain my absence.

Happy Fri-Yay all!! :j x

Bobarella

Synonymous - after managing without a car for 6 months I can highly recommend it. Even after we got soaked to the skin coming home today. Because of the no car thing I've been able to build up an emergency fund (£500 since november) lost a stone in weight, & discovered the fun of getting myself from point to point again which is actually really a pleasure if you are fit and well. I agree with Mr Money moustache, it's an investment in health for the future too. On a side note I hope V day won't be lonely for you. You sound like you have so many amazing things going on.

Today is NSD 5. More by accident than anything else if I'm honest. Went to work came home and spent an hour on the phone to HMRC time to pay helpline, I'm self employed and had gotten behind on some PAYE. Not proud of it but with the disastrous year my business had its not surprising. Anyway they took forever to sort it out making a payment arrangement and of course not before they've lectured you to death and made you feel the worst human ever...
then was badly late leaving for the school run and had to rush and rush. Then we cycled home in heavy rain so didn't fancy stopping. Fortunately there was food in and we are getting warm.

Have a lovely evening all and if I don't log in over the weekend it's because I am working both days.


Bob

sazzlebgood

did not post yesterday as we went to eurekakakakakakakakaka for the day as planned.Really impressed, very accessible for wheelchairs and the staff are trained to offer support and advice for children with special needs.If anybody is going with a child with a disability you get in free as a carer just need to take proof of id. We then went to see the kids great granma and then went for fish and chips where the kids got their meals free. So what we thought was going to an expensive day(was budgeted for) turned out to be half the price all round.
Not done a great deal today as DD2 has been visited by various professionals plus she's still full of cold.
lilt hope you're ok.

mothernerd

Glad you enjoyed the beach visualisation and pleased that turtles are still making productive use of their 15 minutes.

Apple muncher I will pass on the breakdance press ups - I did manage to get my operated leg up onto the toilet seat today (still keeping it straight) so I could dry between my toes.

Synonymous good luck with your planning and hope you have a good day tomorrow and Sunday.

LoveaDove so sorry about the dismissive e-mail from uni and well doen on persevering. As to the house, most terraced houses have been up for over a hundred years and many council houses will be 75+ so by their nature someone will have died there at some point. I know this crime is recent but it's an anomaly and only makes it more likely that this would never happen again.

I have many pieces of furniture whose previous owners are now dead (in some cases that is the point at which I got them) and I know my first childhood bed was once referred to as 'the old man's bed' and when I asked I what happened to him, I was told that he had died (not sure if the 'in that bed' was said or implied but I would have been under ten at the time). I wouldn't let the house's history put you off.

Bobarella the only time I have pretended to be 'blonde' was talking to the HMRC. I made a terrible hash of the first advance Corporation Tax form I filled in so had to phone up to find how to do it right (stupid form was mostly to blame). Simple once it was explained - my figures were right, they just wanted them down in a different order, not this is the amount,this is my share, this is the taxman's share.

Electrical items have been taken to the Hospice shop, then went home to re-pack the large rucksack. Small rucksack had been used to bring some items downstairs. Tried to re-pack everything into the large one with both rucksacks balanced somewhat precariously and several items dropping onto the floor. Gave up, called a taxi and took both rucksacks to mum's.

Distributed piles of stuff, had my shower, only brought the small one back (one recipient is away this weekend and they were safe from the marauding toddler in the rucksack). Mum had pulled up three foxgloves yesterday so fished them out of her green bin and brought them home in a charity sack (I had to put the largest firmly under my arm, like a turkey that needed plucking, to coax it into the bag.

Very unhealthy eating - mum had made pies and added chips (at least it wasn't potato pie - her partner added a wrapping of white bread and left his veg) and tea was shepherd's pie. I am glad of free food and it's lovely when someone else cooks but I feel so stuffed just now.

Mum gave me taxi money (no-one to give me a lift) so travel only cost 50p net. 111 items decluttered this year.

Today I am grateful for time with toddlers and babies, for charity shops and that I only have to cope with malfunctioning hearing aids once a week (Mum's partner didn't have his battery in one of his and his annoying whistle in response had aggravated mum. She had taken her own one out and then told me off for 'shouting when she couldn't hear').:rotfl:

WelshKitty85

Good evening everyone!

Loveadove sorry to hear about your email from the uni, but don't give up.

Went back to my voluntary job yesterday but the computer systems weren't working so it wasn't a very productive morning. I finished early as I felt I wasn't making much progress and went to do my weekly shop. I also cooked up a batch of curry for 'ready meals' and filled the car with fuel. DH was called to help a relative in distress which used up all of his fuel getting there and back. They gave him a few ££ towards it but it hasn't covered the cost of what he used. So, he has had to put more in today which means I have lost another SFD.

Day off for me today. Spent all morning clearing out old paperwork. Found a statement from when we took out a loan for £12000!!!!! It has recently been paid off in full but I had forgotten it was ever that much! I don't even know what it was for!

Early pay day and have transferred my overtime payments to my savings account, which means I nearly have £400. Have sent forms off for new bank accounts today which should be another £300 once they are set up.

Work for me tomorrow. Have asked DH not to buy anything for v day (he always says he won't but usually ends up buying something) and agreed that we will treat ourselves to a take away once the little ones are in bed.

Looking forward to having time off with the children. Have already arranged for one of their friends to come over for dinner one day and a trip to a free museum another. Am going to dedicate my days off to the children and will get straight back to writing assignments once half term is over.

Synonymous

Thanks Bob and Mothernerd

Does anyone use approved food? I had a look today but the website was going weird on me, one minute there were 900+ items in grocery, the next there were 45! Not sure what things they are best for if anyone can point out the bargains, I don't buy many brands to it's hard to spot them. Thanks x

liltdiddylilt

Loveadove my childhood house growing up had bags of history and character. My auntie refused to go upstairs to the loo on her own as she was frightened of the 'person who followed her up the stairs' and I have to be honest I felt that all the time too although it didn't scare me.

Likewise when I moved here I had very very limited options. An amazing flat came up for rent, and the letting agency wouldn't show it to me. Said a young single lady had no business being in the cotton building. They went so far as to bring me to view the building without the permission to enter the flat, so sure were they that it would put me off. I've been living here for 4 years and save for me ex junkie neighbour recently going back onto some rather horrid drugs with some horrid characters living with him, dealing from his flat etc, I have never had a problem. If you can make sure that once your front door is locked, you are safe, then never mind history and might haves. if you lived nowhere where there had been any crime.. well you'd be looking until you were 374 years old

sazzle I am good thanks. Just laying low so here and a couple of friends diaries are the only places you shall find me currently.

Syn I once filled a basket at approved foods and then saw the delivery charge and decided not to bother. Kinda cancelled it out, and in reality I could get similar non-branded for similar prices anyway. Lots of people rave about it but I don't see the pull personally. Then again I live in a tiny space so fitting it all in is an issue too!!

speakingofart

VERY spendy day yesterday, but I haven't felt that productive in a long time and it was an excellent use of my last day of annual leave this year - have all my jobs done and for once on a saturday I'm not totally exhausted!

So, hopefully next couple of days will be SFDs as I have done all my food shopping and errands, so planning to stay in and study this weekend.

Groceries 13th Feb - 15th March £114 remaining/£150
Fuel 13th feb - 15th March £0/£60
Lunch to work 8/19
Lunchtime exercise 9/20
SFDs 4/15

traveller

Synonymous wrote: »

Thanks Bob and Mothernerd

Does anyone use approved food? I had a look today but the website was going weird on me, one minute there were 900+ items in grocery, the next there were 45! Not sure what things they are best for if anyone can point out the bargains, I don't buy many brands to it's hard to spot them. Thanks x

I used to use them continuously when they first started out. They are fine. If there is anything you receive that you are not happy with they will replace, no quibbles.Don't worry about ordering from them. I bought loads over the years, some things well past there best before date and they were fine. The only reason, I've cut down is because, nobody is in a lot these days to take in deliveries.I do agree about the postage now they were cheaper for the volume I bought before though.

Morning everyone:) Happy weekend :T

Woken with a blinding headache!

Loveadove, like Welshkitty says don't give up, you will get there.

Lilt hope you and jelly are ok. Mothernerd, well done in getting your leg even more mobile :T you always put me to shame as your always doing stuff. I hate decorating, our house is awful and needs sorting. I have vowed to start on the hallway and am dreading it, but I'm using the 15 minute thing to get it done. Looking at floor coverings and paints etc is so not me, but I'm so not happy with it, so I'm going to try and see it through.

Mothernerd, loving the beach visualisation :T

Bob, my son went through the same with hmrc :)he said he'd getting sage or something to help him manage it all better.

Sazzle, glad you all had a great time.
Yesterday was nsd and a no exercise day.Today will be spending,as need to get supplies for decorating.
Well have a great day everyone:)