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

Sun_Addict

We were on the hot-desking thing at work pre-Covid, just a locker no set desk. Now we’ve just had it written into our contract we can do a minimum of two days from home. Great for me, I think I’ll do three from home and two in the office. Not going to happen until later in the year though, they don’t realistically expect us to be back much before autumn.

enthusiasticsaver

I think a lot of  people will be working more from home from now on as it seems to have worked out well.  My eldest daughter is itching to get back in the office though as living alone her colleagues are often the only people she sees as she works long hours.  She also says when working from home the lines between home and work get blurred so she often ends up working until 8 or 9pm at night rather than leaving the office at 5.30pm as she used to. 

milann

I know my 2 are hoping for a combination of working from home and an office base. 

Are you still trying to stick to vegan food SSG?

HairyHandofDartmoor

It's very exciting having your retirement so close SSG 😀. I'm sure I could fill the hours easily as I can spend half the morning getting up, enjoying my first cup of tea while reading the news headlines and then having breakfast 😂.

Do I recall you saying that you would stay in your current flat for a year after retirement and move nearer to DD? Is that still your plan?

anita55

Hi have been reading your diary for a couple of weeks now and just finished read hairy s diary before that both good reads. My step daughter used to live where you live I love it there we would go to the cockle sheds and drink wine and eat chips they would eat fish food, I'm not keen, she's moved not so far away now still near the sea. You reminded me about the book forever Amber remember reading that too I love anything to do with Charles 2 anyway hope your getting ready for your retirement and looking forward to reading more x

Seasidegal58

Thanks for posting everybody!

@Sun_Addict  - I think our firm is thinking along the same lines – they don't expect things to be  back to normal re returning to the office till September.

 

@enthusiasticsaver – that is the danger when you work from home in that you tend to rack up your hours without realising it – my DD is particularly guilty of this although she works in a profession where long hours are practically obligatory!  I know there is quite a few at our firm who live on their own and are looking forward to sometime in the office to have some human contact!

 

@milann – I think the combination WFH/office week will be the norm.  Most people I know who are office based agree with this.  The vegan diet isn't going too badly – probably about 80% vegan – I'm afraid cheese is my big downfall – I've not found a vegan substitute to come up to the taste although I bet there will be something in a few years time!🧀

 

@HairyHandofDartmoor - Yes, I'm still planning to move to a two-bedroomed flat – a little house would be nice but I'm afraid that will be out of my price range around here!  The only fly in the ointment at the moment is the fact that there is some cladding on our block.  It's been there since the flats were built at the end of the 80s – the block is brick built and the cladding is on the sides and I would think only there for decoration, but still the question may come up when I put it on the market – I know I would if I was a buyer  The block is only two storeys high, but I have asked the managing agent to confirm what they have in place for checking it out and am waiting for them to get back to me.

 

@anita55 – thank you so much for your nice comments.  Yes, it's very nice down by the cockle sheds when the weather is sunny and the tide is in.🌞🌊  I liked your comment re. 'Forever Amber.'  That and Jean Plaidy's history novels really got me into being fascinated with history when I was a teenager. 

 

Two weeks to go to the big R-Day tomorrow!😀

 

It's going to be full-on till I go – I have a big email job tomorrow with regard to client quarterly updates.  My boss has written an extra paragraph to go at the end of the report letting clients know I will be leaving – he wrote some really nice things – I was very touched.  I've also given a head's up to those clients that I've actually spoken to on the phone lately and they have been lovely and said they will be sorry to see me go after such a long time.

 

Anyway I've managed to get my hair, nails and pedicure done this week and am now feeling rather less scruffy!  I especially like my toenails now – lovely and shiny – before they were looking rather two-toned!💅🏻💇‍♀️

 

Nothing much to report on the MSE front – I been thinking about where I can park my bonus and pension tax free cash for now as I don't want to tie the cash up if I'm going to be using it for my move.  Topping up the premium bonds and a cash ISA may be order.  I've already opened a Marcus account.  The rates are absolutely derisory but hey-ho……………….🤷‍♀️

doingitanyway

Two tone toenails made me smile

Well done for getting buffed up ready for spring.

I'm in the same situation as wanting to keep monies available for moving. The interest situation is ridiculous...
My plan is a PB win so I can buy a better house

in_need_of_direction

Amazing just how close you are to retirement.  You should be proud of the progress that you’ve made that allows you know to be thinking about where to put money as opposed to having to use it to pay bills

Seasidegal58

@doingitanyway - I wouldn't mind a nice PB win too - then I could get a small house!😀

@in_need_of_direction - good to have you back!  Thank you - starting a diary on these boards and having all the support of everyone really did help get me to a position where I can enjoy a retirement and pay my bills rather than having to worry. 

So it's only two weeks today till R-Day!😃

Not much went on today - work, work and I didn't get a chance to go out. I had a long chat on the phone with a friend after work.  When I got off I went to put the light on as it was getting dark - no electric!  After checking the fuse box and knocking on a few doors to cut a long story short we had a power cut in part of the block. It's not long been back on but in the meantime I pulled out my candles that live in the cupboard under the bathroom washbasin. I only sorted them out a couple of months ago and wondered at the time whether to throw any away. But after living through the 'Three Day Week' in the 70s I decided to keep them. Thank goodness!  The only downside is they're all scented and have different perfumes so it is rather pungent in here at the moment!

Anyway at least it was a NSD today!👍

Sun_Addict

I remember the power cuts of the 70s. My primary school held a Christmas Carol concert by candlelight, that wouldn’t be allowed nowadays due to health and safety 🙄