These things take time.....

There_Is_a_Light

Morning peeps:)

I am feeling really positive today and am quite looking forward to returning to work tomorrow. Thankfully the office will be really quiet as most people will be taking this week as holiday so I shall have peace to get my head around things. I have been assured that a significant part of my previous workload has been delegated leaving me to do my own role.

These past few weeks I have had a lot of time for reflection and have thought about what is important in my life and what I actually value. I am going to capture them here for future reference to myself:

My OH - Bless him, he has been a total sweetheart and whilst he isn't the most wordy of blokes and definitely not all hearts and flowers he has been there for me and just gone with the flow. Some days I haven't wanted to leave the house and he has respected that and suggested films that we could watch together. If I wanted to go out somewhere he was happy to take me wherever I wanted to go.

My Boys - Both of these have been ringing, texting and sykping me to make sure I am OK and I am proud of the caring and thoughtful young men that they have become.

My Home - I often moan about the house and get restless often looking at bigger, nicer, better location etc houses but in this last month I have felt that this is really home and living in the rural location has been a Godsend not an inconvenience. I must remember this.

My Job - I actually do like my job and sometimes I love it. Despite what has happened I still believe that it is a good place to work and the role that I do is appreciated and fulfilling.

My future - This part is linked to my finances (see I do talk about money sometimes:rotfl:) I have never wanted a luxurious lifestyle but I would like to ensure that our home is paid for and we are settled in a well maintained and furnished house. I have no intention of moving any time soon but we have neglected our home in recent years.

My holidays - These have been very expensive and totally indulgent in recent years and we have had lots of them. Next year I am planning to have only one annual holiday which I will find at a price within our budget. I believe that I have been relying on holidays as a means of escaping from stress, now I am on top of that I am not going to sabotage our future to spend money on what I want now (or think I want) for what I want most.

I shall stop rambling now, off to tidy and clean upstairs:D This afternoon is earmarked for November budget setting.

crazy_cat_lady

I like this ^^^^ A lot
Sometimes we get so caught up in the everyday rubbish that we forget to look at the bigger picture. Good luck with all of it, and remember when life is getting to you then just pop back on here and read that post.

There_Is_a_Light

I have had quite a good day in getting organised for returning to work tomorrow. Upstairs is nice and tidy with all of the laundry put away. I have been given the option to just come in for half day tomorrow which I am going to take advantage of. Need to focus on getting my planning and printing done for the early part of next week. Not dreading going in but cant say I am looking forward to it.

Banking has been checked and I have moved some money into savings. Took my eye off the ball with OH's current account as it went slightly overdrawn so we lose the £5 reward:mad: I really must remind myself to check on this near the end of the month.

Buffythedebtslayer

I have a 100 pound "float" (which sometimes floats away frankly but hey ho) to try and ensure I get the reward!

I loved your life post, thought that was lovely XX

There_Is_a_Light

Still feeling OK with the thought of today. I am not going to put any pressure on myself and just do some planning and printing for classes next week, everything else can wait until Monday when I will also be discussing the terms of a phased return.

It's been a while but her are my intentions for the day:
HEALTH
Eat healthily and stick within my WW points (thankfully I am still in goal range)
Practice mindful breathing if I start to feel a bit funny at work
Take 10 mins to do my meditation app
Yoga stretch
If weather improves take a walk with OH (currently its pouring down)

WEALTH
Take healthy snacks to work and some T bags to avoid the cafe
Draw out money for the week and stick to budget at the food shop. I had some MrT vouchers the last 2 weeks but have used those now so back to good old Ald1
Check surveys and free lotto
Do NOT buy wine:o

HAPPINESS
Go to cinema with OH :j (haven't been in years)
Speak to DS2 for a catch up:A
Be kind to myself by not putting unnecessary pressure or demands on my time or work output. Its only education, not people lying in hospital beds.
Stop worrying about what people think or what I think that they will be thinking (which is usually totally wrong anyway).

OH and I are going to have a pay day treat of the cinema rather than stuffing our faces in a restaurant. Well that's the plan at the moment anyway...

Buffythedebtslayer

Totally nicked your idea. just realised I forgot the happiness part! oops!

sounds like you have a nice day going on, I like planning. Hope you are enjoying it.

XXX

There_Is_a_Light

Today did not go to plan but was overall a positive day. Work was very quiet and once I got my head around where I should start I managed to plan for half of my lessons next week and sent stuff to print. Really pleased that I chose today to go back instead of waiting until Monday when the office will be packed and hectic.

When I got home from work we went food shopping and as both of us were hungry we popped for a pub lunch, only £12 for both of us with a pint and a half for OH. As OH back is playing up a bit we have decided to skip the cinema and have a movie at home evening with popcorn and nibbles:)

I make a reasonable healthy choice of salmon tortilla wrap kind of thing with rice and salad and had a glass of water. No time for a walk but we were out and about around various shops so did some exercise, yoga I will do before bed.

Money wise I have done pretty well. £30.46 on groceries between Ald1 and HM bargains. Found a pack of 5 cat foods for 89p in HB which had a Tesc0 label underneath the actual label. Pleased with that as it would normally cost £1.25 Our cat is a pensioner and can only manage the pate cat food. I also fancied some nice candles which are expensive so I bought some T-lights for £1 and have a box of those melt things and a burner its flickering away and smells lush.

I DID NOT BUY WINE:j I did buy a bottle of tonic though as have half a bottle of gin left......wont be polishing that all off in one sitting I must add:eek:

DS2 is busy doing student Halloween stuff........It was a hollowed out Swede with a black bin bag for a costume and if I was lucky a cardboard witches hat from the newsagents:rotfl:

crazy_cat_lady

Sounds like a good day all in all - even if it didn't go quite according to plan. Hope work continues to go well for you. I've really enjoyed having a week without any work stress at all, and it's made me even more determined to try and stay on top of things next half term so I can enjoy Christmas without school work. Just remember when it's all go next week that there are only so many hours in the day, and if it doesn't get done then it doesn't get done. Love to you...

There_Is_a_Light

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

Sounds like a good day all in all - even if it didn't go quite according to plan. Hope work continues to go well for you. I've really enjoyed having a week without any work stress at all, and it's made me even more determined to try and stay on top of things next half term so I can enjoy Christmas without school work. Just remember when it's all go next week that there are only so many hours in the day, and if it doesn't get done then it doesn't get done. Love to you...

Thanks CCL I also need to keep on top of things and I am going to have to say no to any new duties (already have a suspicion about one as a member of staff has resigned) there are lots of options available rather than putting it on me.

You seem to be managing really well at keeping on top of marking etc. :T

There_Is_a_Light

Quite a money saving day today.

Went into the town where I work as I have a parking pass valid on weekends as well as during the week and on the 5 min walk into the centre OH found £1.20 roadkill so he bought a bag of chips for lunch. He said that free food tastes the best:rotfl: I pinched a couple from the tray and agree

OH has an oldish mobile phone with a battery that was losing charge quickly but has no intention of buying a new one so after a good walk around we managed to find a shop that had one in stock for £8 I was flabberghasted at the price of some phones over £700:eek: both our mobile bills are less than £15 a month which we are more than happy with and our phones are fine.

I had a bit of a spend at the Ch1nique counter as they had the bonus makeup bag with some lovely products and a £30 face mask if you bought a third product. I always buy this brand for skincare as it lasts for ages so I got for £49.50

• A full size foaming cleanser (which last about a year)
• An Eye liner
• A face mask worth £30
• A mascara gift set containing full size mascara, Black eye liner and sample eye cream

The bonus gift was a makeup bag containing full size Blusher, full size lipstick, small mascara, face cream, face serum,makeup remover and she also through in a sample foaming cleanser.

I just need to work out which bits I am keeping and which will make a nice Christmas gift for Mum OH doesn't think that I should give the bonus gift set as a present but I think it is lovely. What are your thoughts?

Off to enjoy some time with my brothers and kids at Mum's house for a little Halloween party.