2016 - a year of change

lulabelle

Am exhausted after cleaning and tidying earlier! But the house looks lovely and the estate agent said it is "immaculately presented" which is good. They have said it will be on market within 24 hours and they have keys for viewings. The boy and I now need to keep it nice and clean and tidy!!!

Boy also came home at lunch and fixed the fence panel we'd lost so now just a bit of painting left to do and outside gets done next week - the bloke above us is contributing too so should be a bit more reasonable.

Took stuff back to town so refund of £87.50. I had done some miscalculations on spending and was a bit short so £58.59 of that going straight into savings and now am even stevens on what is in a separate account to pay the credit cards. Think I somehow got slightly off kilter with work expenses and what was owed to me but all sorted now.

Freeholder not engaging on the lease extension. I suspect her lawyer (who I called tuesday but hasn't bothered to call me back) has told her to hang on until it gets close to when I have to apply to tribunal (mid-march) to keep the pressure on. But I shall be emailing the lawyer, recording I have called and recording that her client's surveyor is refusing to engage, likely on client's instructions and that I will bring this up at tribunal.

Boy is not out tonight! It got cancelled. It's annoying as I had wanted to watch my programmes but we are going to nip out for a cheap dinner instead.

I do think that physical exertion is bad for me these days, my body just can't cope and I am exhausted. Probably not helped that in all the house preparation I forgot to eat lunch today and don't want to eat it now as we are going out at 7!

Might pop up to bed for a snooze. Seems a waste of a half day holiday but been meaning to take those clothes back for ages but couldn't face it so that's done. Plus got the boy an anniversary card (13 dec) plus some lindt balls (his fave) so that box is ticked.

Spent a bit today as got some more flowers and kitchen roll on way home and then had to get some body moisturiser as had run out and the card/chocolate but the balls were on offer for 3.89 in clintons which is a pound cheaper than they normally are.

This weekend may be a little spendy but not too bad. We are only away 2 nights and the boy's dad will prob do us a curry (he makes AMAZING curries!) one night and then out the next.

MuffinTops

Hello Lullabelle,

Sometimes our bodies just tell us that they can't take anymore. You've had so much going on with a new job, trying to move, the stress of the leasehold etc and now with this bitterly cold weather that it's not really surprising that you're not wanting to over exert yourself any more than what you're already going through.

Good luck with selling your place. It should hopefully sell easily as it's immaculate.

MT

Dandytf

lulabelle wrote: »

gosh dandy - what a year! Hopefully 2017 will be better! 2014 was my worst year ever but the last 2 have been better - things never stay the same! x

Your post inspired me get 2016 'off ma chest'

Thanks lubelle, been a singlel home owner since 2003, this is my 2nd step up the ladder since 2009 -what's happened since then , don't want to start anyone crying

What a lovely forum MSE provides, maybe online is my way of reviewing my personal challenges and progress as each year passes,

I am grateful for all users experiences often matching my own as we try to make informed decisions on a daily basis, or silly decisions as were all human

Enjoy your evening, thanks for your posts:T:A

lulabelle

didn't manage to sleep yesterday afternoon so asked the boy if could get take out pizza instead - much cheaper than going out at £17.92 and we have some left for lunch today. I shan't be able to eat it though as off to dentist in a minute so will be having an injection - I am petrified of needles!!!

So last night was quiet - resumed watching narcos as we needed a new boxset to get into.

Dentist then packing for boy's dad's and tidying house in case any viewings tomorrow. Then 2 house viewings at 11 (to buy, not ours).

lulabelle

dentist turned out expensive on friday/monday and ended up spending about £180 of own money! Bought an electric toothbrush and some whitening gel and not everything is covered by denplan (hygienist was 116 and it only covers 70 of that!).

Luckily it wasn't very expensive at the boy's dads as we only went out for cake and coffee (we paid) as we stayed in both nights so that was fine. And I only had 1 beer! Friday night - despite being offered more. I had 1 salted caramel baileys when got back sunday but declined wine at a friend's monday night. Big test will be this friday at work xmas party - planning on not drinking at all.

The two houses we saw - 1 is a possibility though it is, in my view, quite pokey. Second 1 was an immediate no - thought it was going to be but as it ticked boxes on paper, was worth seeing.

We are off to see 4 more on saturday! AND, our (my) place went on friday lunchtime and we have a viewing today and one saturday so finger's crossed!!!!

Halfway through the week for me thank god. I am just not motivated. I think it's because I hate law and more specifically, lawyers. But this is a decent, rarely stressful job and it is part-time hours (which I can change if we have kids) and it is good pay so I just have to suck it up.

Oh, finally agreed on the leasehold. I am gutted as am having to pay £42,565 to extend plus all my costs and all her costs and bloody stamp duty - so basically £50,000 which is just gone with no immediate tangible benefit. Thing is, I HAVE to do it or I'll struggle to sell later on and house will be worth less and the premium to extend would then just increase further. But it is galling. Wish I'd done something sooner now but no point crying over spilt milk, just got to suck it up!!!

lulabelle

today has been pretty poo. the boy had a business thing all day so left at stupid o'clock this morning leaving me with all the cleaning and tidying to do before the viewing. Only just got to work on time as the decorator (doing outside of house) kept me chatting.

Really didn't get much done this morning though not sure why. Just not motivated. Had a meeting at lunch which was free sandwich lunch but loads to do as a result. Couldn't motivate self to do it this afternoon so now eats into tomorrow too. At least NSD cos of free lunch and didn't go out at lunchtime.

Tomorrow is last day before my 3 day weekend. Must motivate self to get stuff done. Boy not back until 730-ish tonight so have a charlie bingham lasagne for self!

Really feel bad am not motivated and not quite sure what to do. As someone leaving they were trying to dump her stuff on me too (so basically doing 2 people's jobs in a 4 day week) but my immediate boss has said no, I shouldn't be doing that type of work and I have enough on my plate. I've offered to work 5 days (obv they'd have to pay me) until they can replace her but it's only cos could do with the money as we are moving.

Really stressing about money. Thought i'd be able to save quite a bit this month but then realised have to renew insurance on property in london plus gas safety check so thats best part of £400. !!!!!!.

lulabelle

the lasagne was amazing! Really tasty for a shop bought one! Boy came back with chocolate and sweets so ate loads of those when shouldn't! Thankfully he didn't come back drunk (which I was dreading given the people he was on the business trip with) so that was good. He doesn't want me to do 5 days a week, whether permanently or temporarily. He says I am so much less stressed now and that he thinks I need that extra day to rest. He's probably right. Have to say, am pretty exhausted.

Still worrying about money and keep doing calculations to see what we can afford. Much will depend on how much we get for this place. I am trying to save where I can but I am not the best at it and there always seems to be something else to pay for. We have also realised we can't get the house we want for our budget so it is going to be compromise all the way (which is what most people have to do anyway so I can't really complain)

Really don't want to go in today. Am just exhausted and feel like there is loads to do.

lulabelle

Yesterday was not the best. Had to deal with an @rsehole lawyer who everyone thinks is an @rsehole but he was basically saying I wasn't cut out for law and didn't think I should have been doing that big case. I am inclined to agree with him but coming from him who hasn't done as much as me and who thinks he is the bees knees made me defensive. Got back to office and asked boss if he had any brandy! Told him about @rsehole (he thinks he is one too!) and he said he'd put me in court on something against him as I was way better than him. But really, I don't want to go to court. Boss did say to me I'd made a lifestyle choice with this role, which I have, and I mustn't lose sight of that.

Got home and the insurers have asked for further documentation (which isn't actually further documentation as they already have it - why bother going to the trouble of numbering, labelling and highlighting everything when they still can't get it right?!!). Then have to pay £17.10 for a "letter" my doctor wrote so god knows how much she is going to charge me for the report. Won't get that back through insurer.

Have to pay £35 to the boy for his mum's xmas present (which is fine as he splits my parents' xmas presents with me but just bad timing!) and then had to get some food on way home - £11.48. Also naughtily bought a DVD as the boy and I love Line of Duty and he hadn't seen series 1 so bought that as a treat - £¡2.99!!

Worked out (as having hair and nails done before we go to nyc) that I have around £100 to last me until next friday - sounds a lot but we will have to put petrol in car, drinks tomorrow night at wedding thing (though I will drive so cheap for me), anniversary dinner tues and then food shop. Though boy did mention last night we have a lot of stuff in freezer so we will try to go through that instead as then will save.

I just get sick of constant money going out. I worry about money all the time. I suppose it's better this way than when I was a student and I just used to spend with carefree abandon but it is exhausting worrying about money!

lulabelle

Stupidly drank at work do as had an anxiety attack before hand and on the way there. Left early though so I didn't do anything silly. Feel shocking today.

Looked at 5 houses today! 1 has sparked our interest - would need to knock through wall between kitchen/dining room and have a new kitchen put in but rest is cosmetic so new carpets and painting etc but in v good condition. Lots of space which is important thing. So hoping ours goes under offer now.

Spending not too bad today. £7.84 this morning on some supplies whilst we were house hunting as both hungry and hungover, £68 on grocery shopping and £6 on lunch out (all divided between 2) so might manage to bring in under budget this month or only just over if order parents a case of wine for xmas.

Boy is in bed as he has a cold and I have a lamb and butternut squash tagine cooking away for tea. Hoping he enjoys it - not sure he'll taste it properly with his cold. Watched a christmas film earlier - house does not feel christmassy though as we've not bothered with tree/decs this year given we are trying to sell.

lulabelle

Boy enjoyed tagine. It wasn't as good as some of my previous efforts in my opinion. He's gone into work for a couple of hours even though he feels shocking. Then we are to his mums. I don't yet have the cold and am hoping I can avoid it. Don't want to be poorly in nyc.

We shouldn't spend much today - need coffee as shop didn't have the usual one yesterday so will go to different branch on way back from his mums. So a couple of quid each probably. Tonight we have jacket pots with beans and cheese or a pizza and wedges. Leftover tagine for lunch tomorrow.

This week we have our anniversary dinner tues night - not going anywhere wildly expensive - just a pizza in a nice place. I have another work xmas lunch on weds - paid for by firm though and because at lunch I will try not to drink. Then just staying in and packing for nyc this week/resting up so have energy there!