Paid off the £31,000! BUT - still scrimping!

HairyHandofDartmoor

I'm so glad your kitchen has been finished :T. An excellentvixea to book Monday off for cleaning and sorting.

Your Christmassy weekend with DD sounds lovely .

Seasidegal58

Last day today at DD and OHs. I enjoyed my meal last night with everyone. We went to a little bistro type place that was fun and lively. They serve small plates of food - like tapas but not Spanish! Was really very nice.

I bought DD's suitcase. She had researched suitcases and John Lewis does a range exactly like the Samsonite hard cases that she likes, but over £100 cheaper! Near on exactly the same in the colour that she wanted. So that was her sorted! I also picked up a book for little nephew.

Today the three of us had lunch in town and did some more mooching. Tonight DD and I are going to cinema to see Rachel Weisz's's new film 'Disobedience.' Not DD's other half's cup of tea so he has bailed out!

Then up at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning and off to catch my train home!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Sunday!

HairyHandofDartmoor

It sounds like another great day with DD. Can I come next time? :rotfl:

Sun_Addict

Hooray to the kitchen being finished and the lovely time you've had at DD's. Sounding good

Seasidegal58

Thanks Hairy and SA.

Just on the train now winging my way to Kings Cross after my lovely weekend. Won't see them again now till New Year.

Really chuffed though that I haven't got to go straight into work today!:j. But the cleaning of the kitchen starts when I get home and putting everything back into the new cupboards. Still I'm looking forward to that in a funny sort of way. Won't be able to get my deccies up till the weekend though as I have to retrieve them from my friend's cupboard! She stores them for me as I haven't any room at home!

I've checked my Amex statement and my yearly Cashback has been credited. £106 - which will go towards the Christmas costs!:j I've also received a divi from a share I own - £64.05. This is going towards some electrical work I'm having to have done in the flat which has worked out about £300.

Spends today will include taxi between stations as my suitcase is quite heavy now with extra pressies - DDhas given me some for DSis's family as she won't see them again till next month.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Enjoy getting your new kitchen shipshape . Who are you spending Christmas with?

Munchin

Oh it will be fantastic to get you kitchen all sorted in time for Xmas

System

Great to hear you enjoyed your weekend with DD and that the kitchen is finished SSG . All downhill to Christmas now.

brizzlegirl

Sounding great. Well done SSG and you can’t beat a Star Wars movie too :rotfl: xxx

Seasidegal58

Thanks guys!

Hairy – I'm over to DSis's on Christmas morning and then we are all off to her sister-in-law's for lunch. I'm spending Christmas Night and Boxing Day at DSis's – then back home on the day after Boxing Day. DD and her OH are off to spend their first Christmas together at their Scottish house and I'll be joining them up there for New Year.

The kitchen clear-up went OK on Monday – I cleaned it all down and also washed the kitchen and living room windows. However, it seemed to take three times as long to put everything back! – because the cupboards are different from previous and now I have some deep drawers which I didn't have before. And I even found another one and a half refuse bags of stuff to go, even though I went through it all before the work began!

The rest of the flat also needs a deep clean but I'm leaving that till Saturday – plus I'll get my decorations from my friend and put these up on Sunday.

I still feel hopelessly behind though! I didn't get to write out my Christmas cards so they are here in work with me and I'll write them out later before I go home. I haven't wrapped up any presents yet apart from a couple for DD and OH, plus his family (which I took to them at the weekend), but the list is finished and I'm just waiting for the final three to arrive in the post.

As two of my good friends have had extra grandchildren arrive this year and they are both retired and semi-retired, we decided that we won't buy for each other at Christmas anymore, just for birthdays.

Other Christmas stuff – festivities wise I'm out with my boss tomorrow who is treating me for Christmas lunch. We normally have a big team lunch but so many people have fallen out over the year that it was agreed that the partners in charge would take out for lunch their own staff that report to them. To be honest I'm ok with that because boss is taking me to a really smashing restaurant that wouldn't have been on the cards for a big team type occasion.

And the two girls I also work with on the team and I are going out after Christmas as holiday leave makes it more sensible to do it then. Also the same with my night out with local friends – that's pencilled in for the New Year and also another friend I used to work with in the City. I am, however, out with my other bestie next week after work so we can exchange our pressies and catch up.

I popped out quickly earlier – the Salvation Army brass band was playing around the Christmas tree in Leadenhall Market – I put a pound in the bucket – they always make me want to well up – don't know why!

My ipad is playing up at the moment – it's not charging properly again – I'm going to give the port a good clean tonight and hope this sorts it out. Otherwise I'll be posting erratically again!