The next chapter ....

benbenandme

I totally agree Mart, this for me is the best bit of Christmas - the clutter can go, plans can be made and I get the week off school

Quick update for the list:

[QUOTE[STRIKE]Take rubbish to the tip[/STRIKE] DONE
Pay in pennies at the bank
[STRIKE]Return item to B&Q[/STRIKE] DONE
Put xmas decs away
Take xmas tree to tip
Take PTA form to friends house
School work
Nag ds re. homework
Clean oven
Clean washing machine
Clean dishwasher
[STRIKE]Gut all paperwork[/STRIKE] DONE
Write all birthdays on new calendar
[STRIKE]Ironing[/STRIKE] DONE
Tidy airing cupboard
[STRIKE]Sort hall cupboard[/STRIKE] DONE
Apply for tax credits
Chase council tax reduction
Move money between accounts
[STRIKE]Deliver Mums stuff to her house that she left here at Xmas[/STRIKE] DONE
Deliver Mr S stuff to his that he left here at Xmas
Clean car inside and out
Replace lightbulb in my room and ds room
Find 10 things for ebay FOUND X 1
Find fitbit and use again FOUND, NEED TO CHARGE
Defrost ice box in fridge
Dejunk ds laptop
Dejunk my laptop][/QUOTE]

benbenandme

I went online to find the tax credit form, (have to wait for them to post me one), and discovered I was meant to have done my tax return. I haven't had anything in the post about this so wasn't too chuffed, but have just completed it (glad I gutted all my paperwork earlier, made it much easier to find p60 etc ), anyway, that job is done for another year

benbenandme

Morning morning morning ... a rubbish nights sleep, I must remember not to drink Coke before bed tonight, I was wide awake for ages last night

So, todays plans ... walk the dog down the beach, ds to do his homework, watch the footie this afternoon and then any other bits and pieces off the list. I have a huge piece of beef in the fridge that needs using up, I think I will cut it in half and freeze half of it and put the other half in the slow cooker for a roastie this afternoon.

stressed.mum

Sounds like you are set fun a good day, I'm working my way through a 'BenBen' type list, trying to find my floors and surfaces 😊

benbenandme

Just had my dinner, can I say to anyone who doesn't have a slow cooker - please go and get one! Mine is a basic one from tescos, was £10 but used £5 clubcard vouchers in double up (finishes in a day or two I think?) and it transforms cheap beef into the most gorgeous roast beef ever I bought a big piece of beef, silverside i think?, on offer for £10.18 in Sainsburys. I cchopped it in half and put half in the freezer and cooked the other half in the slow cooker. Did nothing to it, literally bunged it in the slow cooker, put the lid on and switched it on. A few hours later it is the most tender beef you can imagine, there was enough for me and monster for a roast tonight and there's enough to have cold tomorrow with mashed potatoes and coleslaw. So £2.50 per meal for the beef, absolute bargain, and ds is chuffed because I only ever did roast chicken before

Anyway, that's my evangelical slow cooker praising done for tonight, time to settle on the sofa and hope Bournemouth can put a few goals past Arsenal

benbenandme

Aww, so we lost 2-0 but that was to be expected against Arsenal, we've got Leicester next :eek:

This morning will be a general potter about for an hour or two then we're going round to Mums to help her put her xmas stuff away. Dinner tonight will be cold roast beef and mash so nothing major to sort out there.

Other than that it's just a case of plodding on doing more bits and pieces from the list ....

[QUOTE[STRIKE]Take rubbish to the tip[/STRIKE] DONE
Pay in pennies at the bank
[STRIKE]Return item to B&Q[/STRIKE] DONE
Put xmas decs away
Take xmas tree to tip
Take PTA form to friends house
School work
Nag ds re. homework
Clean oven
Clean washing machine
Clean dishwasher
[STRIKE]Gut all paperwork[/STRIKE] DONE
Write all birthdays on new calendar
[STRIKE]Ironing[/STRIKE] DONE
Tidy airing cupboard
[STRIKE]Sort hall cupboard[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Apply for tax credits[/STRIKE] FORM SENT FOR
Chase council tax reduction
[STRIKE]Move money between accounts[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Deliver Mums stuff to her house that she left here at Xmas[/STRIKE] DONE
Deliver Mr S stuff to his that he left here at Xmas
Clean car inside and out
Replace lightbulb in my room and ds room
Find 10 things for ebay FOUND X 1
Find fitbit and use again
Defrost ice box in fridge
Dejunk ds laptop
Dejunk my laptop
][/QUOTE]

Hmm, still plenty to do on there then

benbenandme

So, Christmas tree is down, chopped up waiting to go to the tip in a minute, all the decorations are *neatly* away - I hate opening tthem each year and finding a jumbled crazy mess, looking at you Mr S Everywheres hoovered and feeling empty again, the lounge feels enormous without the tree in it!

Time to get dressed, stick the stuff in the car for another trip to the tip, then go to Mums and do it all over again At least when we get back the place is clean and tidy so I can feel calm

Postie has just been and brought us some extra points vouchers from clubcard, that's something I need to get better at using again, I waste too many opportunities to save pennies on the food shopping.

benbenandme

Back from Mums, all her xmas stuff is sorted and away and some more bits and pieces tidied for her, a second trip of the day to the tip and she is now happy. The dog has stayed at hers for the night for a sleepover, that way ds and I can have a pj day tomorrow as we won't have to get up to walk the dog

I've just had some lunch and am going to pop to the bank to pay in some coins, then I can come back and do some more pottering

benbenandme

[STRIKE]Take rubbish to the tip[/STRIKE] DONE, 3 TIMES SO FAR ....
Pay in pennies at the bank 50% DONE, WILL DO MORE TOMORROW
[STRIKE]Return item to B&Q[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Put xmas decs away[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Take xmas tree to tip[/STRIKE] DONE
Take PTA form to friends house
School work
Nag ds re. homework ONGOING
Clean oven
Clean washing machine
Clean dishwasher
[STRIKE]Gut all paperwork[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Write all birthdays on new calendar[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Ironing[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Tidy airing cupboard[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Sort hall cupboard[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Apply for tax credits[/STRIKE] FORM SENT FOR
[STRIKE]Chase council tax reduction[/STRIKE] EMAIL SENT
[STRIKE]Move money between accounts[/STRIKE] DONE
[STRIKE]Deliver Mums stuff to her house that she left here at Xmas[/STRIKE] DONE
Deliver Mr S stuff to his that he left here at Xmas WILL DO AT WEEKEND
Clean car inside and out
[STRIKE]Replace lightbulb in my room and ds room[/STRIKE] DONE
Find 10 things for ebay FOUND X 1
Find fitbit and use again FOUND, CHARGING
Defrost ice box in fridge
Dejunk ds laptop
Dejunk my laptop

Feels like I'm making progress, just want to get started on the new year and making some money

benbenandme

Dishwasher done, icebox done - that turned out to be a mammoth but very satisying job, I don't think I've been able to open it for about 3 years as it was so iced up however, two washing up bowls of ice later it is all clear again