Preparing for the biggest move of our life

Rebecca01

Happy New Year Bellieve.

Glad you had a lovely Christmas. Your daughter hiding your presents bought a tear to my eye.

Annoying about the rent increases. There is always something and even more annoying that he will not budge!

Booo!!

You will get there though. Good Luck with the three year plan. Hopefully a good dent into it this year.

firesidemaid

Hi.


Lovely to hear your puppy news - we hope to have one again soon too


It's a while since I had a pup, but could you either just do two meals a day or a lighter third one? Also, do you walk Mr T after his last meal, as I know that helps food to move on through.


Another good quality/value range of food to try is CSJ - you may also find a local stockist. http://www.csjk9.com/

bellevie

Hi all,

Tink, Mr T wasn't sure what to make of it. He actually initially came out the garden to do his business with distant fireworks going off. He kept looking at me for reassurance I acted as if nothing was going on. All was ok. Until he actually saw all the colours from a few doors down, that was too loud and clearly visable. He shot back in doors but seemed content to be in. I did have to use a puppy pad, which we don't normally put out unless we are out. I just didn't want to force him.

I don't like fireworks anyway so I will always be home on fireworks night - I hope as long as I am calm he will be too.

Thanks for the tip Rosa, Il have a look at the pet forum!

I've been having a look online, looking for good holiday park deals for a weekend break over the summer. We will be bringing Mr T with us, which may actually be good for DD as she gets bored in between activities / shows, so chasing Mt T along the beach should be quite fun.

It might end up being a last minute deal as current prices are a little shocking but I will keep my eyes open for bargains.

My spread sheet is looking healthy. I have dropped under my safety budget in my food shop & rent account, but should stay above it once I'm paid on 20th going forwards.

Last day off tomorrow then back to normal with work and school until my week off in Feb.

Right better get Mr T out for his walks whilst the rain has paused!

bellevie

Back at work today, NSD! I came home at lunch to check on Mr T, had time for a quick jam muffin.

I decided to try leaving Mr T in the living room with access to kitchen for food & puppy pad. He had been in the kitchen only, but it takes him a long time to settle before we leave - I wait to be sure he isn't crying or barking, waking the neighbours! At the moment he rarely barks unless he is playing, but he is a whiner!

Anyway leaving him in the front room he didn't fuss at all, even when I left after lunch, and he used the 1 puppy pad left in the kitchen. I was so proud of him! I think the front room his is favourite, as when we are home we spend 90 % of the time in there. I know he would sleep downstairs if he had the choice, he often reluctantly follows me upstairs after I insist I'm sure things will be different when he is allowed on our beds - this wont be until I am confident he can get through the night.

Work was good, it went fairly fast. I started early so managed to pay back the time I owed when I had to leave early last week.

DD was very very happy to be back at school, proudly telling her friends about Mr T. We printed some pictures for her to take to show and tell. Im really proud of her enthusiasm, we walked him this morning at 7.30 before leaving for school no complaints, full of smiles Not sure she will be this happy at the end of term, time will tell!

Looking forward to payday so I can kick start my savings! I want to add money to it already, but I don't want to go lower than my current low point so need to wait......15 days to go!

Tinkerbelle2000

Hi Bellieve. 22 days for me and counting.

Regarding your holiday, The Sun newspaper vouchers start again soon. This weekend I think and you can normally grab a long weekend quite cheaply. I have done this a few times and I think most sites do allow dogs if they have the caravans available.

I think we might do this again this year and take Mr D with us. He loves the beach.

Tink xx

bellevie

firesidemaid wrote: »

Hi.


Lovely to hear your puppy news - we hope to have one again soon too


It's a while since I had a pup, but could you either just do two meals a day or a lighter third one? Also, do you walk Mr T after his last meal, as I know that helps food to move on through.


Another good quality/value range of food to try is CSJ - you may also find a local stockist. http://www.csjk9.com/

Hi Firesmaid - I don't know how I completely missed this post!

I had that idea actually today, we have been getting in from work and taking him for a walk right away then feeding him, I decided tonight to let him eat - and it is a lighter meal and I will take him out in just a minute, see if that brings on an earlier visit to the toilet!

We've been doing a morning walk, I came back to one poop at lunch time, a further two when we got home tonight and one immediately after eating. He usually does one on a walk to. Constant poop factory at the moment!

He is on wainwrights salmon & potato atm - its better than his original food, I wonder if he has an intolorence to chicken?

bellevie

Flying run round the block, 12 minutes infact!

No matter what time his evening walk, he always stops outside the same spot to go to the toilet so as usually we sprint to the park, and without fail he chooses the same second spot!

On a change of subject, really good day today! I wrote a couple of casestudies on some of my work in the team I done some over time in a few weeks ago this was, and my director will be publishing one in in the report to the committee & board!
I felt really quite proud when I found out - almost but not quite as good as a promotion! Still maybe it will help me in the very near future!

There have been a couple of resignations, but not in the team I want to get into. If vacancies do come up they will be offered to the people at risk, I now am not one of them. Still I know things change everyday, people work their way up or move onto better jobs and more places will open up. I would like it to be this year, but I do need to be patient!



I've started that save a penny per day of the year thing, so 1p day 1, 10p day 10, £1.00 day 100 etc. That's going into an esaver for next Christmas. Im saving in my cash jar at home for school holiday spending money.

I get 1 extra day holiday onto my entitlement this year, so 1 days holiday childcare @ £22.50 will be saved! The holidays continue to accrue up to a maximum of 5 years which is good! At my previous long term employer, we got an extra 2 days after 5 years, after 10 years, after 15 etc.

I've managed to spread out my holidays this year and will get some time off for each school holiday - I booked more time off for this summer, two separate weeks and a couple of long weekends mixed in.

bellevie

Food shop today - I went way over budget, so next weekend will have to be emergency things only, in theory things that I run out of should really be able to wait until I'm paid the following Wednesday, but if Im desperate I have money in my change jar.

I have plenty in the freezer, breakfast club has been paid for and lunches for DD are covered.
I'm going to make some leek & potato soup tomorrow, and hopefully enough to bring some into work on Monday. I did pick up a couple of own brand food cans to bring into work for later in the week and if we have a pasta based meal I usually try to bring left overs in.

My car insurance is due for renewal in February so I'm expecting my renewal docs in soon, last year I ended up sticking inspite of the increase, because whilst others had lower premiums they wanted double the excess. This year I think I might go ahead with a higher excess one if I have to. I was silly really, its only just occurred to me that if I haven't got the excess saved yet, I could fall back on my credit card in an emergency. So I've paid extra premium and the interest when I didn't need to.

Mr T didn't want to leave the house today, turns out he really isn't a fan of the rain! All has settled in the toilet department, training well and looking 'normal' at last!

DD has a couple of birthdays coming up, thankfully there are no parties in January, so she will be making the birthday cards with a card set I got her for Christmas - thinking ahead!

I've been a bit slow on the housework front today, so need to get cracking tomorrow. I did get two loads of washing done, then I had to stop. Trying not to use the tumble drier until its been assessed.
Which reminds me I really need to book that in. I had an email from next as I bought it from them a while back saying the manufacturer wanted to do additional safety checks in light of the fires that have occurred. Im sure I put in the serial number before Christmas and is said it wasn't one of the ones at risk, not sure if something has changed?

I also need to set up Mr T Pet insurance, Sainsbury has come up cheapest so far they are offering 12 months for the price of 9, and the premium policy (life long condition cover) comes with double nectar points for 24 months - 12 to start then another 12 if you renew.

That's all I can think of for now. Better get some sleep before my 6am wake up call from Mr T!!

MuffinTops

Hello Bellevie,

Your puppy updates are lovely. He sounds so cute and it's great that DD is so proud of her little pet.

I'm feeling the same as you with impatience in getting more money saved. I think that's my unrest in employment doing that to me though.

You sound run off your feet with work, your DD and getting your puppy toilet trained. I hope you're taking some time for yourself too?

MTxx

bellevie

Hi MT, I do catch up with naps at the weekend, well I have managed to this weekend at least! Mr T woke at 6, shortly followed by DD at 6.30. I fed them both make sure Mr T had been out to the toilet, then I snoozed on the sofa whilst they watched cartoons - they both ended up falling asleep with me until 9am!!

I was thinking, I think I've laughed more in the past month that he has been here than I have in many many years. He is very comical in his expressions and playfulness. I love the sound of DD laughing so much she runs out of breath