Preparing for the biggest move of our life

bellevie

Got back around 1 hour ago from our mini break.

Traffic was quite bad on 2 of 3 motorways, Friday night last stretch was fine.

Weather was lovely, chilly starts but sun was out and sky was blue!

Spends : £5 lunch day 1, £18 dinner for DD & I day 1, day 2 £12.40 breakfast for us both, £4 amusements - DD loves the 2p machines!

£25 petrol on the way back, but that will also last us for the week.

We were going to hang around and leave after lunch, but after the traffic getting there, I didn't want to end up getting in around 7 and having to rush for school tomorrow. Still it was nice to catch up with my brother & sister in law, and DD loved playing with her cousins.

Caravan was soooo cold, and I didn't realise until this morning that the bedrooms had heaters underneath the wardrobes, instantly made such a difference so cross that we had both shivered off to sleep for 2 nights on the trot. Still I haven't been in a caravan for a long time, it was dd's first trip and she did love it.

I'm not sure I would go to the same park again, I didn't rate it - for a couple of nights its fine, I couldn't do a week in the summer hols there.

Car performed brilliantly....I felt guilty for even considering replacing her - lets just hopes it carries on!

It is nice to be home though, our warm lovely home

bellevie

Busy day today, it was meant to be a 'recovery' day but its been non stop.

DD's desk didn't arrive, so I chased up, somehow there was no trace of my first conversation when they agreed to collect from post office & re-deliver. 1pm, still nothing, chase for an update....no record of my next conversation! I was not impressed and gave up hoping for redelivery as I am now not off until October.

Dashed into town, parked as close as I could get to post office, explained my situation & they were happy for me to take one parcel to the car and come back for the second.

Spent the afternoon building it all, I have sore hands now.

Tomorrow someone from my rental agency will be coming to put up a curtain pole, I've paid for their handyman service - chunks of wall end up falling out whenever I try, so mot risking it. I can put up wardrobes, beds, drawers, bikes but curtains NO!
Hoping it keeps my room warmer, its getting chilly now.

My automatic savings payments went in today, I haven't checked the balance but will do later, I know I had reduced the payments to a nominal amount as I wasn't sure what my wages will be. Hopefully I will be able to add a little more.

MuffinTops

Hello lovely bellevie,

You've had a lot going on! Well done for putting the desk together, and hopefully your poor hands have now recovered? I'm so with you on not putting curtains up! I'm rubbish at every aspect of that so would happily pay someone to get it done properly.

I hope all is good with the balance of your automatic savings. Just mentioning money at the moment is putting me on edge!

I hope you're having a good week so far. MTxx

bellevie

Thank you Mt, yes hands fully recovered after a few doses of moisturiser!

Good day today, though I feel like I am coming down with a cold. Think everything has been so crazy the past few weeks I just need a day to stop! Unfortunately, that wont happen any time soon, as my next day off is on an inset day so I wont be getting much rest with DD at home.

I might just declare Saturday a movie day. Rest rest rest!

Making myself a nice hot chocolate now, I know dairy isn't good for colds - but I need a hot drink that will comfort me and not keep me awake!

Curtain pole was fitted, I only have very light curtains up at the moment - think £10 argos type (!) I got them because I loved the colour and needed something light enough to hang on a net curtain pole - it did stay up but the pole would creak throughout the night so I ended up leaving the curtains open constantly.

The pole looks really nice up so I will treat myself to some proper lined curtains. I had an invite to the next sale online - I got DD's curtains from there and few years back they are gorgeous, plain dusky pink and just look so lovely! So I will see if I can get myself some from there.

DD was very pleased with her desk, has been telling the whole school so I found out when I collected her!

bellevie

Made a proper start on Christmas / birthday spends for DD today.

I brought her a proper watch from HSamuels - £14.99 (kids of course). She has had numerous ones that come in sets, such as with a cartoonified purse but they fall apart far too quickly. I remember having my first watch from there, it was orange with multi-coloured spots, rubber type strap - lasted me for years and I wore it religiously.

£46 spent on amazon on 7 items, mainly craft such as make your own snow globe, glittery diy card set, plus a 100 piece under the sea puzzle. I had £11 vouchers remaining so I only spent £35 cash.
I will split them between birthday and Christmas, with one of the books I have already picked up for each.
DD has also requested a bigger bike and roller blades so they will be her main gifts, probably bike for her birthday and roller blades for Christmas. I have £20 leisure vouchers for Halfords, so will see if I can put those towards her bike.
I will also get her a party dress and a couple of pretty accessories and split between birthday & Christmas, maybe a DVD, a couple of music CD's. Then she will be done!
I have to say, although she her birthday is only 2 weeks away from Christmas, at the moment it makes present buying a breeze!

I might not be thinking that when her requests get more and more expensive!

For my nieces & nephew I have decided I can no longer justify the budgets. A year apart the 3 of them, so if I continued my 1st year spends it would be a 300% increase - well its already been that for birthdays! I had a 2% increase this year so I just can't do it for Christmas. I have fixed a budget for £10-15 each, I am undecided what to get as they have so so so many things, and have ALOT of hand-me-downs from my DD interms of toys & clothes that it seems pointless buying so much.

The eldest who will be 3 shortly is getting to the artistic stage so colouring books & crayons I have planned for her. The middle I am not so sure, and the youngest will probably be a couple of outfits - being the only boy of all cousins he has no handmedowns!

My brother & one of my nieces have birthdays coming up in the next few weeks. There is a next sale coming up, I have booked my online slot so I am hoping to pick my brother up something there.

We had a macmillan coffee morning today at work, there were approx. 30 of us in and we raised over £100. I was so impressed with the quality of cakes people brought in, some a real surprise and so yummy!

MuffinTops

You're sounding so organised and upbeat Bellevie, even though you must be exhausted.

I agree with the present buying, especially at their age as they get so much and just don't know what to do with it all.

I also remember my first watch, and my first camera. Both were incredibly special gifts to me as they felt so grown up. Times have changed, I know, but hopefully your daughter will also always remember receiving her first proper watch with special memories.

Great amount raised for MacMillan. I love what they do! I've got a MacMillan coffee morning tomorrow at the radio which I'm looking forward to.

Have a lovely Thursday MTx

bellevie

Yes I have fond memories of my first watch, I realised reading that back it sounded a bit odd colour wise, but from memory it was really nice! Fingers crossed DD will like it, I opted for pink as she loves pinks & purples.

Thank you MT, hope you have had a good day, and ate lots of cake!

x

bellevie

Pennies still rolling in for MacMillan as we had lots of cake left over, I unfortunately didn't get any more as I was rushed of my feet, still I had a fairly large slice yesterday!

Quite a frustrating day work wise, I had appointments people weren't in, had forgotten etc.

Still my extra time at my desk in between did give allow me to make some progress with a couple of cases, so there was a silver lining for some!

I am so very tired, looking forward to the oh so short weekend

bellevie

A very chilled day today, well very lazy actually!

Food shop was delivered, Ocado this time. I found they had the mint syrup that I had struggled to pick up in any of the Waitrose's close by.
I had a £60 shop with a voucher bringing it down to £45, plus £8 cash back via quidco!

I ordered 3 bottles of the syrup thinking it will be my first and last shop there due to my weekly budget but actually I was really surprised at the 'usual stuff' prices. The delivery man was friendly, and for the first time ever no random replacements!
I usually spend £35 on a weekly shop, so I could perhaps do a fortnightly shops and top up fruits & fresh at lidl on my lunch breaks.

Nothimg planned for tomorrow, catch up with ironing, get through the homework and thats the weekend done!

lincs1205

Hi Bellevie, just wanted to pop buy and say hi you really are an inspiration to me. Can I just ask with regards to the bank accounts how do you manage them are they savings account or current accounts as I wouldn't mind doing what you're doing with them when we've sorted ourselves out more. Many thanks