From debt to freedom...

Cherryfudge

I'm glad you were still in the room... having had things catch light in the kitchen I know situations can change quickly.
On our recent holiday I decided against taking the travel kettle and it was a mistake. Nowhere could I get coffee that I liked, and for me that's a real problem. Your improvisation was a good one... you could add that to the recipe section of the book people want you to write.
I never knew that about the cereal packets though - ingenious!

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you CCL & Cherryfudge.

I'm starting to think that as a short term solution, I'll get a portable double hot plate. With the reduction in income, it will take me longer to save, so a portable option will get us out of trouble for now.

Had a hard day at work and now can't sleep again...very frustrating. I have a day off tomorrow but think I will be spending a couple of hours at work in a bid to catch up. The falling behind feeling has started only 3 weeks into term :mad:. Hopefully will get caught up.

DD1 has ended up being in a flat on her own. The halls are split into flats, each containing 10 rooms and a shared kitchen. Bizarrely no one else has moved in so she is rattling around on her own. On the one hand that's an advantage, on the other she has a health condition that could make that a dangerous scenario. I need to alert the university...I'm surprised from a health and safety perspective that this has happened.

Lots to do in the garden, if the rain lets up for a bit. I spotted some berries at the allotment which I had some suspicions about. I researched and my suspicions were confirmed...I have deadly nightshade growing there in the hedge:eek:. I need to get that chopped down. There are a few late blackberries that need picking too. I just need a break in the rain to get that done!

Meals have been simple...I did get pizzas on Monday as they were on offer in Mr T's and it was an oven based meal. Tonight was jacket potatoes, haven't had those in a long time, so a warming meal. I did make a tray of brownies but looks like the boys have got to it as there is very little left .

crazy_cat_lady

Hope that you managed to get some sleep eventually HSL - you were certainly dotting round here well into the night. If it's any consolation at all, I feel similarly behind already. Today I was on duty at break, only managed 15 minutes for lunch and didn't even manage to get to the toilet.
Strange that your daughter is in halls on her own - I would have thought that they would have been full... Are freshers likely to arrive?

Honeysucklelou2

Well that's what I thought CCL. The first years checked in on Saturday as did DD1. My only thought is that perhaps other 3rd years who weren't bothered about attending Freshers might check in this weekend. If not,I will be contacting Student services because IMHO the risk is too high. In the meantime I'm checking on her every day or one of her sisters is making contact.

In a strange way, I'm glad it's not just me that feels behind. I ended up spending the whole morning at work, just catching up on fiddly bits, that have to be done, but are frustratingly time-consuming. My day off has changed this week, so I was off today instead of tomorrow...it completely threw me or maybe it was because in reality it was only an afternoon.

I have been somewhat tired today (!) but fought the temptation to have a nap. My friends have invited me to go to the cinema this evening. I was dithering but my youngest DD told me, quite firmly, I should have an evening out! Feels very decadent to be out at all but especially on a week night;).

Spendless

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

Spendless, you are a star...I found the parent/student card at Mr T's and took it to the till to put some money on. The checkout person did a double take and wasn't sure what to do with it but hadn't realised that such a card existed and was going to get one for her student daughter at the end of her shift. Great tip, many thanks.

Glad it was helpful.:j

If you work out how to check the balance without me going into store. (I did ring the number but didn't get anywhere) or if you find out if you can top up at a till, I'm currently only doing it at the customer services desk, would you let me know please? They still seem to be a bit of a mystery at my local store. PM me if it's easier. Cheers.

savingholmes

I think it is quite common for the later year students to all arrive at different time. DS is going this weekend - but most of his mates are due to arrive later. I think DS is just looking forward to some time to chillax. I've had him cooking tea for us regularly.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Spendless & Saving Holmes. Spendless - I will investigate on my next visit to Mr T's!
That's reassuring Saving Holmes. I can't think that it would be economically viable to have 1 student in a 10 room flat, so am hoping that others move in soon.

It's been another busy day here. I promised my mum that I would visit her today and help her a bit more at my grandmother's house. Today's task was washing walls and skirting boards to clean and freshen the place. I enjoy being in the garden there but find the house harder.

On my return, I've finally finished putting a second coat of paint on the walls of the dining room end of the kitchen/dining room. It's been on my to do list for far too long, so am really pleased to have got it done. Tomorrow the curtains can be ironed and put back up .

I have ordered a new hob for the kitchen. I had planned to buy a 2 ring portable plug in hob which would have cost about £35-40. After thinking about it, £40 is 1/3 of the cost of a 4 ring permanent hob. It seemed to make better sense to get the proper hob in the first place. Unfortunately I have had to add to debt to do that as I used the EF to cover costs last weekend, before I knew the old hob was unusable.

I have had my payslip come prior to payday on Monday, so I can sit down tomorrow and plan the revised budget. It is a little more than I thought I would get which was a pleasant surprise.

Cherryfudge

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

It's been another busy day here. I promised my mum that I would visit her today and help her a bit more at my grandmother's house. Today's task was washing walls and skirting boards to clean and freshen the place. I enjoy being in the garden there but find the house harder.

I am just the same when working on my Mum's house: I can spend hours in the garden but the house is another matter. Because it was empty for so long there is still a lingering smell of damp which gets infinitesimally less each visit. I used to have to go out to clear my head as it would give me headaches. I washed down the porch this time so I feel better about that area, though it needs a coat of paint. The interior walls are an ongoing project as there are unusually high ceilings. I think Dad said 12'. No way can I safely reach right up even with a ladder, and I don't like to go up ladders if no one else is about. Still, I'm gradually getting there!

Good idea about the hob - sorry the EF wasn't available but I suppose emergencies don't come to timetable, and at least you had it to cover earlier costs. I think you might have struggled with two rings.

Are we all going to play 'main meals to cook without a hob'? I remember from the days a kitchen cupboard fell on our hob and we were waiting for the insurance to come through... it was November but DS2 got so fed up of microwaving that he dragged the BBQ to the back door and tried cooking on it! I suppose a lot can be roasted or baked but it's still restrictive. When is your hob due?

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Cherryfudge. The hob is being delivered on Thursday. I could have got it ordered for Monday but everyone is at work/college/school , so Thursday will have to do. I must admit to finding last week a little tricky by the 3rd day but tonight was egg and bacon pie with potato wedges sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary. I've got a chicken to roast tomorrow and have found my old recipe book called "Bake" by Rachel Allen, which has a couple of interesting baked meals for later in the week and I've still got lots of apples from the tree that can be made into crumble/amber or Eve's pudding .

Honeysucklelou2

Today has been busy. I did try to get some washing dried on the line but we have had some heavy downpours today. My poor DD3 was out on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition until late this afternoon. She's had some rough weather to contend with...character building...but she seemed cheerful despite her cold and bedraggled appearance. I think the sheer relief and achievement of having made it.

DD1 has had flat mates arrive and move in, so I am very relieved about that. Her flatmates are not first years so chose to move back later.

Much of the rest of the day has been taken up with work tasks. Hoping that's it and I can have a more relaxing day tomorrow. I've squeezed in a bit of baking...vanilla muffins, chocolate muffins, a lemon drizzle cake and the aforementioned egg and bacon pie. It's a long time since I've made mocha style cakes, so will try that tomorrow.

A few weeks ago, I bought a packet of rosemary seeds at reduced cost. The seeds were sown and there are now a dozen seedlings in the tray . You can see the real leaves now rather than the seed leaves...must pot them on as soon as I can.