NST - January. Bobs post bauble debt busting challenge

Calling14

I am with you Bob January is just a get through it month. Usually broke and sad remembering family members. So upset last night thinking about not seeing my daughter for 18months at least floods of tears.

Today more positive be glad when this month is over however.

Paid 80.00 off cc1 today, yesterday spendy day lunch out but had a glorious day out in the sunshine, taking pics of snowy mountains with dd.

Might be a spendy day today, going to watch gs this afternoon ski lesson so treat him to hot choccy after as it is still cold out there.

Bob I love pancake day, Feb is a much better month even without a valentine hehe. Glad your holiday fund has started I need to get one going.

Catch up reading later, off to update totals. x

mothernerd

Hugs to themarsbargirl,Calling,Fmess and anyone else who needs or wants one.

I am choosing to celebrate 'only eight years to retirement' day today (and boo sucks to the bank who have sent me offers on funeral plans the last 2 years).

Lots of the things you are saying are resonating with me. Although it is a few years now since my brother died, I am still to some extent stuck in the same way as marsbargirl. He died as my end of year exams for my foundation degree were starting. I made a total mess of the assignment I had nearly completed before he died (went back to finish off, thought I had the wrong word count, hacked it to pieces and found out after submission that the original length would have been right). I got writer's block and couldn't do some of the other assignments. The jobs we had been 'promised' were unsuitable. The college we were affiliated to (could have advanced to to make a full degree) dropped the 'science' part of the degree (I was hoping to become a science teacher). They had also failed to organise the bridging courses needed so they would have to be taken over the summer ('child' care problems and I still had part-time work I was dependent on).

I couldn't return to my previous work (too physically heavy). My mother was grief stricken so being the 'dependable, reliable one' I dealt with most of the practical aspects of my brother's death, including some complicated wrangling with the Inland Revenue and sorting his house contents and house sale (he lived more than 300 miles from us). in between I had days when I couldn't crawl out of bed. I became self-employed as it allowed me to work on the 'good' days and huddle in bed on the bad ones.

I have pulled myself from the depths several times in the intervening years but never completely recovered. Some things haunt me (bad childhood experiences, 2 years of PTSD following an accident when DS3 was 6 months old) and some things make things more difficult (serious weight gain, loss of function before and after last year's hip replacement). I 'manage' (sometimes extremely well) but it's very easy to be knocked off course by others and find myself with zero self-confidence again (DS1 and my mother seem especially skilled at this).

When I was a child I found my birthday frustrating as most of the sale bargains had gone. When the boys were small I had the impetus of getting them back to school (brief sigh of relief) and set myself the challenge of getting through as much of January as possible without spending money by using the Christmas leftovers (one year I found one of those 3' boxes of a certain chocolate - I'd hidden it so well at the back of the wardrobe).

I've never understood why we don't hibernate. We really let the technological revolution get out of our control, we are serving the machines rather than them serving us. The medieval lifestyle where you don't do much once the harvest is in and all huddle by the fire to keep warm together (conserving energy) until spring comes around (Christmas traditionally lasts from November 1st to February 1st) is actually more practical. Just think how many accidents wouldn't happen and coughs colds and flu not spread by people forcing themselves to work and going from hot to cold conditions and vice versa.

In Autumn we enjoy the changing of the leaves, the bonfires and the joy of snuggling up warm. Then we have the lead in to the traditional (pre-Christian) winter feast - time off work, feasting, decorating the house. Then in January everything's a bit flat. You notice all the things that need doing to your house when you are taking down the decorations. The cold is no longer a novelty but something that eats into your bones and your spirit. following on from 'blue Monday' we have the day in February when more divorce petitions are launched than in any other week of the year (as people who have been in close proximity to their 'loved ones' for an extended period decide they never want to repeat the experience). Hopefully turtles are already aware of their financial situation so don't dread the arrival of the post Christmas cc bills.

It's grey and wet and every bug known to man is lying in wait for your poor sun starved vitamin depleted body. So come on turtles put some music on and dance - you may wait until you are in privacy of your own home or bedroom if this would cause you severe embarrassment ie if you are in the middle of a presentation .

I have had a wobbly few days but have been to the counsellor this morning. This helped me deal with an early call from my mother - less said the better. Bought and ate a load of junk yesterday but it's coming out of my birthday money so haven't added it to food budget (counted as a spendy day). Counsellor and I decided that there are some days when only chocolate (and d*iryle* dunkers) will help. I will get back to healthy eating soon.

Today I am grateful for my red scarf and my black dress (counsellor commented on how well I looked but I admitted it was my 'trying to pretend my life isn't falling apart' outfit), for books, for turkey buns, little pasties and chocolate eclairs (all normally forbidden).

mothernerd

:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j
This is me (nearest emoji) dancing to new York new York. My left leg gets up to waist height and my operated leg a tiny bit lower. progress always progress. Still think my cancan days are behind me:(
:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j

apple_muncher

Don't think I have ever had Cancan days, mothernerd! Am impressed

Calling14

Mothernerd you so on the ball and laughing my head off at yr dancing.

I got cold to the bones stage earlier in the week and since 4am this morning flu taken over. So early night for me. I didn't go out this afternoon felt too rough so gained another Sfd.

crazy_cat_lady

Go mothernerd :dance:
I've had another nsd. It was fine overall, but work is generally a stressful environment overall and it's hard to keep going sometimes when everyone around you is feeling the same.
DH is doing well - has done the cheerleading run tonight, which has given me some much needed time to catch up with my list of 'really annoying little jobs'. I haven't started yet. :rotfl:

Bobarella

mothernerd wrote: »

Hugs to themarsbargirl,Calling,Fmess and anyone else who needs or wants one.

I am choosing to celebrate 'only eight years to retirement' day today (and boo sucks to the bank who have sent me offers on funeral plans the last 2 years).

Lots of the things you are saying are resonating with me. Although it is a few years now since my brother died, I am still to some extent stuck in the same way as marsbargirl. He died as my end of year exams for my foundation degree were starting. I made a total mess of the assignment I had nearly completed before he died (went back to finish off, thought I had the wrong word count, hacked it to pieces and found out after submission that the original length would have been right). I got writer's block and couldn't do some of the other assignments. The jobs we had been 'promised' were unsuitable. The college we were affiliated to (could have advanced to to make a full degree) dropped the 'science' part of the degree (I was hoping to become a science teacher). They had also failed to organise the bridging courses needed so they would have to be taken over the summer ('child' care problems and I still had part-time work I was dependent on).

I couldn't return to my previous work (too physically heavy). My mother was grief stricken so being the 'dependable, reliable one' I dealt with most of the practical aspects of my brother's death, including some complicated wrangling with the Inland Revenue and sorting his house contents and house sale (he lived more than 300 miles from us). in between I had days when I couldn't crawl out of bed. I became self-employed as it allowed me to work on the 'good' days and huddle in bed on the bad ones.

I have pulled myself from the depths several times in the intervening years but never completely recovered. Some things haunt me (bad childhood experiences, 2 years of PTSD following an accident when DS3 was 6 months old) and some things make things more difficult (serious weight gain, loss of function before and after last year's hip replacement). I 'manage' (sometimes extremely well) but it's very easy to be knocked off course by others and find myself with zero self-confidence again (DS1 and my mother seem especially skilled at this).

When I was a child I found my birthday frustrating as most of the sale bargains had gone. When the boys were small I had the impetus of getting them back to school (brief sigh of relief) and set myself the challenge of getting through as much of January as possible without spending money by using the Christmas leftovers (one year I found one of those 3' boxes of a certain chocolate - I'd hidden it so well at the back of the wardrobe).

I've never understood why we don't hibernate. We really let the technological revolution get out of our control, we are serving the machines rather than them serving us. The medieval lifestyle where you don't do much once the harvest is in and all huddle by the fire to keep warm together (conserving energy) until spring comes around (Christmas traditionally lasts from November 1st to February 1st) is actually more practical. Just think how many accidents wouldn't happen and coughs colds and flu not spread by people forcing themselves to work and going from hot to cold conditions and vice versa.

In Autumn we enjoy the changing of the leaves, the bonfires and the joy of snuggling up warm. Then we have the lead in to the traditional (pre-Christian) winter feast - time off work, feasting, decorating the house. Then in January everything's a bit flat. You notice all the things that need doing to your house when you are taking down the decorations. The cold is no longer a novelty but something that eats into your bones and your spirit. following on from 'blue Monday' we have the day in February when more divorce petitions are launched than in any other week of the year (as people who have been in close proximity to their 'loved ones' for an extended period decide they never want to repeat the experience). Hopefully turtles are already aware of their financial situation so don't dread the arrival of the post Christmas cc bills.

It's grey and wet and every bug known to man is lying in wait for your poor sun starved vitamin depleted body. So come on turtles put some music on and dance - you may wait until you are in privacy of your own home or bedroom if this would cause you severe embarrassment ie if you are in the middle of a presentation .

I have had a wobbly few days but have been to the counsellor this morning. This helped me deal with an early call from my mother - less said the better. Bought and ate a load of junk yesterday but it's coming out of my birthday money so haven't added it to food budget (counted as a spendy day). Counsellor and I decided that there are some days when only chocolate (and d*iryle* dunkers) will help. I will get back to healthy eating soon.

Today I am grateful for my red scarf and my black dress (counsellor commented on how well I looked but I admitted it was my 'trying to pretend my life isn't falling apart' outfit), for books, for turkey buns, little pasties and chocolate eclairs (all normally forbidden).

What a brilliant, enjoyable to read post Mothernerd. Thanks so much.

Bobarella

Calling14 wrote: »

Mothernerd you so on the ball and laughing my head off at yr dancing.

I got cold to the bones stage earlier in the week and since 4am this morning flu taken over. So early night for me. I didn't go out this afternoon felt too rough so gained another Sfd.

Awww lovely, get well soon. .hope you feel less blue about your daughter too.

Eager_Elephant

Spend day today as planned - got my friend her gift (great bargain in Debenhams, handbag reduced from £95 to £28.50) plus got some crisps ready for work next week.


Hoping tomorrow will be a NSD.

XSpender

Busy week with work this week and also trying to keep the house looking good as we have had our first viewing today and have more over the weekend.

Not spent much this week and I need to keep that going until the end of the month.

Received something for free, an unexpected gift from a colleague :A