From debt to freedom...

Honeysucklelou2

After changing broadband supplier, I gave received a £40 e gift card as a thank you/incentive.I'm thankful to be paying half of what I was .

With the busyness at home, I still haven't got as much work done as I'd hoped. It means that Friday and Sat will have to be set aside for work prep. I've enjoyed just being at home and having time with my children. Not looking forward to returning...:(.

Cherryfudge

I'm sorry your ex has been causing trouble over Christmas... I do agree with the others, he's harassing you and your daughter as well, and that can't go on.
Your walk to discover a hamlet made me think of The Abbey Girls - such an old book now that I doubt many people have read it but it must have been written when the rambling movement was popular and starts with a school walking club exploring the countryside. I don't think they had a dog, though - that's more Enid Blyton!
I'm glad you have such lovely places to go and to take the children, they will grow up with wonderful memories.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Cherryfudge, I had to look up the Abbey Girls. It sounds a great read, will have to keep a look out for a copy!

crazy_cat_lady

I love reading your posts HSL - the way you describe the days out with the family and the area around you always paints a lovely picture in my head.
Safe journey taking dd back to uni, and I think you're an amazing mum finding the time to do everything that you do, including food for her to take back, entertaining the kids, tidying the house and balancing the budget etc. I too am starting to get the work dreads but we can do it - we've managed for years and will continue to manage.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you CCL for your encouragement.

It definitely feels like Christmas is over now that DD1 has gone back. I drove her back to uni yesterday. DD2 decided to come as well which was lovely. Due to her own course commitments, she hadn't been able to come with us on the last couple of trips, so DD1 enjoyed showing her sister around her accommodation. We tried to make it a last treat day of Christmas and had a McDonald's for lunch although I did pack a flask and saved money on a drink!!

Today was spent at work, getting ready for next week. I haven't got it all ready so might have to go in again tomorrow. I spent a bit of time this morning menu planning and did a click and collect shop. Useful for avoiding having to shop with children in tow. Happily, on tidying the kitchen, I found a voucher for £8 off a Mr T shop, so duly put it to good use! DS1 came home today with a brace of pheasant so a casserole can be added to the menu plan. Legitimately I hasten to add!

I've paid £100 towards nursery fees today and £50 on diesel which I hope will last me for a week.

Honeysucklelou2

Also managed to do a job I'd not got round to and now have an engineer booked to sort out the boiler. I explained to the ex that I had done this ( out of courtesy as it's still technically jointly owned) and got quite a negative reaction but I was much more able to detach myself from the comments and reassure myself that it needs doing and ultimately is fortne good of the children.

Honeysucklelou2

Yesterday (Sat) was a NSD :T at last! Most of the day was spent working to get myself up to speed for Monday.

I did a little reseRch about the heated airers. Having this £40 evouchet made me look on the John Lewis website and I found one that I'd £50 cheaper than the Lak3land one. Admittedly it doesn't have a cover, but I thought that maybe a sheet over the top might be effective. If you factor in the voucher it brings the cost down to £60.:). I need to do something as the tumble dryer takes a day to dry one load. I dread to think what my electricity bill will be.

Honeysucklelou2

I've struggled today to fight a rising sense of panic about going back to work . My confidence was knocked at the end of last term which has been going around my mind and making my stomach feel knotted up too. I have done hours of prep and planning so hoping that tomorrow will be ok when we get going.

I've made some lentil and bacon soup and potioned it out into containers, so lunches are done for Mon/Tues/wed unless DS 1 eats a pot tomorrow for his lunch! I made some vanilla muffins for lunch boxes this morning. This afternoon, we got out to the beach which was more restful and calming . It's amazing how, as the sun sets, the colours of the rocks that make up the cliff stand out even more. We have some amazing hues of purple within the cliff faces.


On our return home, half of the house was without electricity. I found the fuse board and flicked the switch that had tripped. By process of elimination, it looks like the heating element in the cooker is causing the tripping out. Thankfully the hob and cooker are separate but will need to investigate whether an element can be changed and hoping it's not a whole cooker that's needed.

NSD 2

crazy_cat_lady

Hope that all went well at work today HSL

WannabeFree

Hope today went okay

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