And so it begins: The Pig Vs The Mortgage

pinkypig

Evening 😀
Just a quick one from me tonight as I had my usual rubbish nights sleep and that plus a day’s work has finished me off!  I’m in bed with a cup of herbal tea and the electric blanket on (seeing as it’s no longer August 🙄).
My first inset is done and it was lovely to see everyone and to get a few things sorted out ready for the return of the kids.
Today’s small steps to freedom and happiness included;
A NSD
Took lunch,water,  coffee and snacks to work 
Cheap, healthy eats (overnight oats with HM compote and hm granola for breakfast, LO for lunch and veggie enchiladas for dinner).  So glad I food prepped as I really couldn’t be bothered cooking tonight.
Laundry folded and put away
Two decent dog walks (One with DD which was nice).
Put outdoor cushions away g by edited tomorrow’s delude.
A nice long chat with OH 
Calked in to see my mum 
sorted out my savings transfers ready for calculating this months figures.

Happy Tuesday 😀

PP xx

Cheery_Daff

Sounds like a satisfying day PP. Definitely always worth preparing food!

pinkypig

Hello 😀

Thanks Cheery - I hope your return to work was ok too 😘

Survived my first week back although I only actually had one day of teaching 😂

Things are very different but procedures are working ok and the kids are glad to be back.  It’s going to be a tricky term though that’s for sure, 6 months is a long time to be out of their routines.

On the MSE front things are going well.  I’ve had no spends other than food( £39.40)  and fuel (£32.56)and a few CS bits for my autumn/winter wardrobe that were very bargainous and came out of personal spends.  The quality of CS clothes (if you’re prepared to wade through the tut) never ceases to amaze me 😀. I got a right basket full and got the ‘ shall we call it £10 for the lot’ man 😀. There was dresses, jumpers, cardigans, jeans and ankle boots! So the financial side is ticking along ok although I’ve still had no rent 😡

In terms of self care I’m determined to keep it up once the autumn term madness takes hold.  As the dog (she’s new to me, totally gorgeous and very energetic)needs exercise to tide her over until her lunchtime walk with DD or the dog walker I’m running before work.  It’s quick (30 mins), tires her out, wakes me up and sets me up for the day.  It’s also my exercise done as I often can’t get motivated after work if I’m tired. It’s early days in terms of routine but it’s felt great so far.  I’m also enjoying my reduced hours and having Friday off is such a treat!

In the evenings I’ve been putting the fire on before walking the dog so it’s nice and cosy when we get back.  Food has been batch cooked so it’s nice and easy and leaves plenty of time for a good chat with dd, a bubble bath and some reading or a TV.  Apart from the night before my return to school (I never sleep well) I’ve had a really good sleep every night so I think it’s working.  We’ll see how long it lasts!!

Today is relaxing, sorting stuff out my winter clothes (it’s so cold 🥶) and packing away  my summer ones.  The rain is forecast to stop this afternoon so we are planning a decent walk later.

OH arrived yesterday and we had an invigorating run in the rain followed by a nice hm dinner and a night on the sofa with the wood burner on watching TV - bliss 🙂

I hope everyone has had a good week.  Enjoy your weekend whatever you’re up to 

PP xx

Cheery_Daff

Well this all sounds excellent PP! Glad your first week back went well, I hope you all settle into your new routines soon enough. (My first week back was undramatic, as it was still at home, and I'd only had a fortnight off ). Good batch cooking there too, and I LOVE your self care routine - SO important, and so easily forgotten. Keep up the good work! x

rtandon27

What a great first week back PP - it's so nice to have you back reminding us how important balance is! xx RT

pinkypig

Morning 😀

Hi Cheery and RT - hope you’re both well😘   It took me years to appreciate the importance of self care- it makes such a difference to every aspect of my life when I get it right. I often lose my way when work gets hectic but I’m going to really try and keep to my routines this term .  We’ll see 😂

Yesterday turned out to be quite a productive day despite not really having a plan and the rubbish weather .

We spent the day just pottering and it just felt very relaxed and comfortable.  I love my home and really enjoy spending time in it.  There are still things to do but I’m so pleased with the things I’ve done, it really feels like home 🙂. 

OH also seems at home here which is just lovely as a two centred life is not the easiest but we are making it work.  He’s also very handy and kind and without having to be asked he spots things that need fixing ( and are beyond my limited skills) and just does them 🙂

Today we are relaxing and reading with  a coffee in bed.  After that it’s breakfast with DS (DD is away for the weekend), a run, some cooking and preparing for the week ahead, a walk with the dog and an evening relaxing in front of the wood burner - bliss 🙂

Yesterday’s small steps to freedom and happiness included;

A good sleep 

A coffee in bed - of course 😂

A walk in the woods which was lovely despite the cloud burst!

Cheap, healthy eats (porridge for breakfast,Leftovers for lunch and hm sourdough pizza for dinner)

Mum came round to have dinner with us which we really enjoyed.

Got stuff fixed 🙂

Made a sourdough loaf and sliced and froze it to use through the week.

Packed away my summer clothes and got out my winter ones.  Was quite ruthless so two bags for the CS.

Had a cosy evening in front of the wood burner (love it when the weather turns cooler ) watching Netflix.

A nsd 

Hope you’re all having a good weekend 

PP xx

Karmacat

Blissful!  I'm still absolutely rubbish at self care, but the happiness and contentment in your posts is such a good advert for it especially because you acknowledge the tough bits.

pinkypig

Karmacat said:

Blissful!  I'm still absolutely rubbish at self care, but the happiness and contentment in your posts is such a good advert for it especially because you acknowledge the tough bits.

Self care is the best - when you remember to do it 😂😂.  Give a go Karma - you deserve it 😘

pinkypig

Evening 😀

How can it only be Tuesday?  I’m soooo tired 😂😂

We had a lovely weekend, really chilled and relaxing but it feels like a while ago now!

We had a walk in the hills on Sunday and although waterproofs were a must it was great to get out.  We took a picnic and had a lovely day.  For easiness we had a roast veg and veggie sausage tray bake which was so nice - really easy and very little washing up.  Just shoved it in the oven while I had a bubble bath and then made some gravy.  It was like a cheat’s roast dinner! We also had a no spend weekend 😀

Work is going well but the new procedures make it difficult to get anything done but the kids are coping well.  OH and I had a run after work.  It was windy and wet but I really enjoyed it!  After a bubble bath, dinner and an hour in front of the Tv I couldn’t keep my eyes open and slept like a log 💤

Today has gone really quickly but I feel like I’ve never woken up so I think a bath and an early night is in order.

Today’s small steps to freedom and happiness included;

A great night’s sleep 

Drank enough water 

Cheap, healthy eats (overnight oats for breakfast, LO for lunch and chickpea and peach curry and brown rice for dinner)

Took coffee, breakfast, lunch and snacks to work

Classroom tidy and marking done 

Resources ready for tomorrow 

Snacks and lunch for tomorrow packed up and in the fridge 

Batch cooked lasagne from the freezer defrosting for an easy dinner for tomorrow 

Laundry done and on airers in front of the wood burner 

Dogs walked 

A NSD

Heading off for a bath and a relax now followed by some reading if I can stay awake that long 😂

Hope you’ve all had a good start to the week.

PP xx

pinkypig

Morning 😀

I seem to have been away a while 🙄. Life has just been so busy!  Work is going ok but goodness it’s a juggling act.  We’re trying to settle them back in, follow all the new procedures, catch up what they’ve missed,do home learning (very different requirements from home schooling) and because of staggered breaks we are on duty every break, every day so it feels like a whirlwind 😂

DD has also got moved which is sad and lovely all at the same time.  It’s great to see her so happy but I’ll miss her.  It also meant several weeks of decorating, diy, cleaning and shifting stuff so every evening and weekend disappeared for a while.  It looks great though and they are so happy 😀

I’m afraid I’ve lost track of a few other strands of my life in the processs but abated to come in just slightly over budget on grocery (£140/£159.45) which was ok as it was a five week month.  Personal spends were £59/£61.68 although I had £20 birthday money off my mum so it was technically under!  I needed some foundation and I also got a lovely clay face mask in a tub from £land to try and it was great, as were their lavender Epsom salts.  The rest was on autumn/winter clothes, all from CS so good value.  The CS are very well stocked around here at the moment and at my favourite warehouse they do there usual of ‘shall we call it £5? when you’ve got a huge overflowing basket!!  I also bought myself a large stacking stock pot that had a pasta strainer, double steamer and double boiler .  Ive always wanted a proper pasta pot but they are so expensive.  Couldn’t believe my luck when I saw it.  It’s really good quality and was naked at £5 which was an absolute bargain but it ended up being ‘shall we call it £10 in amongst some  clothes and loads of house bits for DD.  Happy Birthday to me 😀😂😂

In terms of self care I’ve been a bit short on time!  I’ve managed to run twice a week though and thankfully my freezer meals meant we ate properly when we got home from DD’s house project which we were so grateful for as we were tired and it was often late.

This week has been more normal and I’m getting my routines back.  I also had the chance last weekend to get my own chores sorted out so equilibrium has returned 😀

On the MSE front things have gone ok but I did need new tyres and had to order a load of logs so that meant I was £285 lighter😱. As always, I was very grateful for my savings pots.  

I’ve also decided I can’t live with the grim carpet in my bedroom any longer so new flooring has arrived and will be fitted shortly.  I’ve got some home improvements booked in for next month which won’t be cheap but my recent project made me realise that some things are worth spending on and now I’m mortgage neutral I can!  Now that I have made the decision that this will be my home for the foreseeable future I’m going to get it how I want it.  I’ve made huge strides and have done most of it myself so it’s not cost too much.  I’ve found a fantastic tradesman who does all the stuff I can’t (and does it brilliantly) so I have a list to work through.  Most of it decorating so I can do that but new carpet/flooring is needed upstairs.

Once I’ve done that I have two large want but don’t need projects that I am going to get priced so that I can make a decision .

Anyhoo - yesterday’s small steps to freedom and happiness included;

A good sleep 

Cheap, healthy eats (porridge for breakfast, lo pesto pasta with salad for lunch and batch cooked Chinese takeaway from the freezer)

A bubble bath and a face mask whilst reading my book - I like to multi task 😂

Lit the wood burner and some candles and had a cosy night watching Honour 😱😢

A nice chat with DD

A NSD

An early night with a hot chocolate and the electric blanket on reading one of my CS books

Happy Friday to you 😀

PP xx