2016 - a year of change

MuffinTops

Congratulations Lullabelle on all the good things happening for you. I can't believe how fast that year has gone!

Exciting times ahead, albeit a little fraught occasionally but I do wish you all the very best in your new home and new adventures. MT

lulabelle

Thanks SSG and MT! I can't believe how it's flown either! And I must focus on the positive when things get fraught!

Today will likely be quite busy at work as I really need to get focused on product. So going to get head down. Will have to buy a sarnie at lunch as still no food shopping done. We had the pizza from freezer last night.

Tonight I am meeting a girl I haven't seen in about 4 years for dinner. So should be nice but could do without it since, as usual, I am knackered. Then out tomorrow night as well with my team! Going to try not to drink at either as it just doesn't agree with me!

Can't do too much re new house this week sadly - have got my firm to do the legals so getting a good rate there. Then can't see bank for the formal mortgage application (we had the initial meeting where they said that it shouldn't be an issue) as the girl dealing is away until next weds (the others are pretty useless and as we effectively need 2 mortgages as porting my rate, we need someone who knows what they are doing).

Boy's mum is delighted at the house - she came to see it and last night she said when she walked in she knew it was the one!

So excited!!!

Poor_Single_lady

Congratulations Lulabelle. This is great to read. And so very positive. xxx

lulabelle

Yesterday wasn't too bad. Went out for coffee with someone new at work and they paid (they are up the ladder from me so is probably right they did). Spent £4.70 on a sandwich for lunch - not good! Went out with my friend for dinner. Managed to only have one apperol spritz and we had pizza and coffee - £25 so not too bad and obv hangover free today.

Today is another busy one at work - got to draft a precedent compulsory winding up suite of documents, which is tedious but is my job! Tonight out for drinks with my team but am going to try either not to drink at all or to take it easy.

Day off tomorrow - woo hoo! Looks like I might be going up to 5 days a week temporarily. Not sure it's what I want as am permanently exhausted but we could do with the extra money so maybe will just do it for a few months.

lulabelle

yesterday was not a good day! Spend-wise, bought tampax but paid with points plus they were on offer so ok. As we hadn't shopped for lunch food bought a baguette - £3.60 so better than wednesday but still not good. Big one was last night - team drinks - in true lula style managed to get absolutely banjaxed and we had a platter of nibbles between us all so basically dinner was 2 small spring rolls, a chicken goujon and a handful of chips! Spent £32.50, really annoyed the boy when I got home and now awfully hungover.

Have made a decision to stop drinking completely now. I think the problem is, when everyone else is going for it, I struggle to keep up. Weds night was fine and civilised and 1 drink is perfectly reasonable. To be fair, I did try to leave last night as I realised I was getting a bit tipsy but when I went to the loo, my team ordered another round including for me. I have just ordered Allen Carr's control your drinking to see if that helps.

It's not as if I drink every day. Usually its only once a week but I really think I need to stop completely. We're not trying for a baby yet but will be shortly and I just need to get myself into shape.

So, as hangover today am allowing self day of eating rubbish (also cos we haven't got any food in house so just had to get loads from local shop and they don't sell healthy things! - spent almost £8) then I am going to do a list for this coming week and really make an effort to eat healthy.

Just ordered the boy 2 books for vals day - Arthur - the one about the dog who was in a war zone, and one on Trump plus my Allen Carr book so that was £18.83.

Need to watch the spending a bit this week and really from now on. Doesn't look like I'll be going 5 days a week.

Seasidegal58

It is compulsory to eat junk on a hangover day. I don't think healthy foods quite cut the mustard........:D

lulabelle

so, we did big shop on sat. Spent quite a bit - £128 (between 2) but we did need things like washing powder, dishwasher tablets etc. Last night the boy made cassoulet - was nice but am not a big fan of tomato based dishes, was a HUGE amount so loads has gone in freezer.

Today we had boy's nephew's birthday party which was nice. We had got him some lego and a dvd - but paid for a little while ago so all good.

The boy has gone to sort some furniture out for his mum and I've just baked (though needs to be iced) a lemon curd 3 tier cake. hoping it's come out ok. So much for healthy eating!

Tonight am making chicken with marsala, mushrooms, new pots and veg. Should be nice and at least the alcohol will cook off and just taste will be left. I think even giving up booze it is ok in cooking.

Tomorrow have lunch with a friend - hoping no more than £15. Then tomorrow night is salmon, new pots and veg from stores. Hoping we can cut down the food spending soon. Problem is: we just love food!!!

lulabelle

monday. most depressing day of the week. I just don't know why I can't get over hating my job. No idea what to do. It's not as bad as last one and there is no other job I can imagine getting that would pay me what they do for 4 days a week. But I despise law and lawyers. Maybe I just need to shut myself in my room away from them all. But have to give someone training today so no way of avoiding interaction.

Just have to tell myself its only 28 hours out of my life each week. That's not much. And it's not like I can give up working. My ideal life would be darling buds of may, living on a farm and just away from people in the quiet and countryside, surrounded by animals, baking pies. But sadly that is not realistic.

lulabelle

got into work and they all said I was fine on thurs night and didn't do anything embarrassing other than tell a few stories. So it must've hit me on way home which is why the boy was so annoyed when I got in - but phew - at least I didn't embarrass self in front of work colleagues. It is hard because in my role I do feel rather isolated so the drinks thing is a way of getting closer to them but I will try not to do it again.

Spend wise - had lunch with a friend (I say she's a friend but all she does is talk about herself and her problems/joys, she has stabbed me in the back more than once, ruined things of mine and not replaced them, stopped speaking to me on occasions like when I couldn't go to her birthday when I was poorly. So I know deep down she's not a friend but I kind of have to pay lip service to her as she's sort of the main person in our group of girls and the reason why I know the others). Anyway, that was £15 so not too bad. It's telling cos she asked if I had come off pill (she doesn't know we are starting trying) and I lied and said no. And she asked about whether we'd found anywhere to buy and I again lied and said no.

Bought cat food on way home as vets messed up order and didn't get cats special food so can't get it until friday - £3.89/2.

Tonight is salmon from stores plus veg.

Treated self to book and dvd box set (forever green which I loved when I was a kid - not sure why I ordered it as will probably make me depressed at how I don't have a life in the country!) so £18.83 which is not good!!!!

21 hours left at work this week (well, 22 really as have a team meeting over lunch tomorrow which means having to give up my lunch hour). Still hate it. Today someone comes in at 4pm asking me to help with urgent research (because they haven't looked themselves and always do this). So I did, then they got annoyed I couldn't find the answer.

I have a really hard time trying not to take things personally and was quite upset by it (I had offered to stay late to help but they said no but seemingly in an annoyed way) but tried to look at it as they're just stressed as they are under pressure from the top to produce the goods before tomorrow so take it out on me. Lawyers (myself included!) really aren't good managers!

Poor_Single_lady

I love dvds and books!
I often think about living a version of the good life when I am at work dealing with other people's funds. I think I would have been happier with an allotment and a cat. I know it's not too late but like you I don't know what else I am good at that would bring in enough money for the bills.

My first thought on your post was that your friend was asking quite intrusive questions. She's delving quite deep into your private business. I think it's a good thing you didn't tell her the truth. It's so private.
Hope it's all going well although work sounds stressful. I think a lot of people feel like you do on a Monday-me included!