Diary no 3 - Still MumblingTaff's Ramblings.....

mumblingtaff

Hi,
For those of you that know me and think I've disappeared off the planet again - please don't worry, I haven't!!
Somehow my original diary thread was mysteriously deleted last Thursday and cannot be reinstated (the forum team have kindly investigated) - they think it's due to users pressing the spam button unnecessarily and then the thread is removed magically.

Anyway, I'll set up a new diary here and ramble on as usual to myself and anyone else that fancies "listening".
It's a bit annoying as all of my lists and goals were on my old diary but I suppose I can use it as a good opportunity to make some new ones

mumblingtaff

So, I'm in France at the moment on hols with OH in a converted farmhouse owned by a friend. It's lovely and peaceful and has big grounds and a swimming pool but it is a bit out of the way so a car is needed to potter about.
So far the weather has been pretty good (we're not in the south so no forest fires etc) and today looks like it's going to be a sunny day too. I'm sitting on the terrace whilst everyone else is asleep in the early morning sunshine watching the world wake up around me - birds, little animals, the fish in the pond, it's really quite restful and peaceful.
I've been forced to do very little except read and sit in the sun since being here as it is a bit remote but it's just what I needed to do after being ill recently. A bit of R&R.....
I did go for a 7km walk yesterday and really enjoyed it so may do something similar today. OH is playing golf this afternoon so I'll be left to my own devices for hours - might go for a stroll then. Wish I had the dog with me , he'd love it here.

Anyway, back to money matters....
Monday was payday and I did the usual banking bits and bobs online so everything is paid, up to date and money shuffled around to various savings accounts etc. It's a funny month because I'm away for the first week, then home for a week, then in Ibiza for the third week and then it's results week (I'm a teacher and will be working the results week). So budgeting is a bit tricky this month but I've had a go.

I've had to allocate cash to top up my holiday savings to convert to euros for the Ibiza trip but I think I'll have some left over from the French trip so perhaps won't need as much as I have budgeted for - suppose it's better to overestimate and not use the cash if needs be. Will know on Friday how much I need when we fly home.

Money wise though things are looking quite healthy - my long overdue student loan overpayment finally arrived back in my account on Monday - a nice surprise of almost £1000. I paid off a few niggly things and have put the vast majority of it in a "holding account" until I decide what to do with it. I do need new suits for work so some will finance that but I'll probably save the rest of it.

It's the last payment this month on the loan I've had forever too, so as of next month I'll be £115 a month better off, in addition to the pay rise I'll get due to being promoted for the new academic year. Not exactly rolling in it but fairly comfortable now.
I'll still need to watch what I spend though and save for things - it's really easy to slip back into bad habits.

Right, might go for a quick dip in the pool before the rest of the world wakes up and spoils the peace and quiet....see you in a while

joeyjimbles

How irritating about your old thread, but then maybe the holidays is a good time to start anew.
Hope your relaxation continues.

enthusiasticsaver

How annoying that your diary has disappeared. That has happened a few times to people. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday in France. Was it you who went to Majorca on your own last year when your OH went to France with his son? Apologies if I am mixing you up with someone else - I read a lot of diaries

mumblingtaff

Yes that was me - you have a good memory!!

mumblingtaff

It's mid afternoon here and the sun is shining and I'm all alone on this huge farm - it's lovely . No work, no screaming kids, total silence. OH is playing golf and won't be back until 6ish so I have a few more hours to myself. I'm not usually good at doing nothing but I seem to be managing it really well today..... Sunbathing, reading, bit of Internet browsing - I think I've finally unwound.....
Not a to do list in sight....... It won't last as I'm a doer and can't usually sit still but it's a really pleasant change of pace.

I did swim for 30 mins this morning - was a bit nervous about getting the water in my ear (long story.....had shingles in my ear canal that led to cranial nerve damage and temporary facial paralysis for 3 weeks) but took the plunge and thoroughly enjoyed getting active and pushing myself. Will keep up with the swimming when home - have always enjoyed it and it makes a real difference to my wellbeing - physical and mental with regards to stress reduction.

Talking of physical wellbeing, being ill has taken its toll on my weight - I'm looking down at myself in a bikini now and am not thrilled by what I see. I haven't weighed but I look podgy and flaccid - not happy. Operation sort myself out has now officially started. I'm not going to go mad whilst on holiday but I will make sure that I exercise every day and not eat to massive excess just because I'm away. I did start the Couch to 10k programme again before I came away and so will carry on with that when home. For now though, it's walking and swimming.

In case anyone's interested, I'm reading Jodi Picoult's new book called Small Great Things - it's a bit harrowing (as her's often are) but a definite page turner. I've also read one of my usual crime thrillers whilst away.
One of my summer to do list items (that was on the old deleted thread) was to read 10 books this summer holidays - on number 3 now so making good progress with that.

Back to the sunbathing now - it's a hard life.....

MeandO

Glad to find you MT, I was wondering where you'd gone, I was a bit worried about you!
Holiday sounds idyllic and I'm glad you're relaxing, it sounds blissful. Enjoy every second.
xx

enthusiasticsaver

Holiday sounds lovely MT. I thought it was you who went off on holiday alone last year and thought that sounded quite nice having only to think of yourself. Having never holidayed alone you inspired me:)

Was the facial paralysis you had Bells Palsy? I had that a few winters ago where my face was paralysed on the left side and I couldn't close my eye or blink. Local hospital thought initially I had had a stroke which was a bit scary. Luckily I got better relatively quickly thanks to a friend knowing what it was and telling me to get down the doctors straight away for steroids.

mumblingtaff

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Holiday sounds lovely MT. I thought it was you who went off on holiday alone last year and thought that sounded quite nice having only to think of yourself. Having never holidayed alone you inspired me:)

Was the facial paralysis you had Bells Palsy? I had that a few winters ago where my face was paralysed on the left side and I couldn't close my eye or blink. Local hospital thought initially I had had a stroke which was a bit scary. Luckily I got better relatively quickly thanks to a friend knowing what it was and telling me to get down the doctors straight away for steroids.

I had Ramsay Hunt syndrome caused by shingles - very similar symptoms to Bells Palsy though - I too thought I'd had a stroke, went to bed normal and woke up paralysed. Quite literally the scariest thing that's ever happened to me. Also the most difficult thing to endure - looking weird, not being able to speak properly, eating and drinking, not being able to close my eye at all, taping it shut to sleep.....the list was endless, but thankfully I'm ok now, 95% recovered. You wouldn't know if you didn't know if you see what I mean

MeandO wrote: »

Glad to find you MT, I was wondering where you'd gone, I was a bit worried about you!
Holiday sounds idyllic and I'm glad you're relaxing, it sounds blissful. Enjoy every second.
xx

I got booted out unceremoniously!! I'm back now though

mumblingtaff

So it's been another lovely day in France - have spent it reading, listening to podcasts and sitting in the sun. I did force myself to go for a brisk hour long walk late morning to get me up off my bum and moving, wandered down country lanes and didn't see another soul, just a couple of horses and some butterflies and a thing called a coypu (like a cross between a beaver and a giant rat, quite cute looking).
We're flying home tomorrow morning and should be back in the house at lunchtime - will be sorry to go back to the rain but I do like my own home and space and, of course, I've missed the dog. Speaking of which, my mum and sister are bringing the dog up to me and staying for the night on Saturday so at least I don't have the drive to get him.
I did give the house a good clean the night before I came away and so it will just need a quick flick with a duster and a food shop to be visitor ready. Won't take long.
I'm not buying loads of food though this week, will be going away again on the 14th and there's quite a bit in the freezer so I may have a use it up week with just essentials and bits for visitors as a food shop.
I've budgeted £120 for food for August and really that's just 3 weeks of food and household stuff, toiletries etc. If I can get away with £25 this coming week I'll be happy, but I will need to stock up again on dog food for his second stay with his "dog nana" .

I'm trying to persuade my mum to go out on Saturday night or Sunday lunchtime for a meal to say thank you for having the dog but she doesn't seem keen at the moment. Have budgeted for it - perhaps she'd prefer a nice takeaway ..?

I think I'll have about 150 euros in cash to take home with me to put towards the Ibiza spending money - quite pleased with that as I assumed I'd have nothing left over and have allocated money accordingly, so it's potentially a bit of money that can go into savings or towards a new garden shed (the glamour of it!!! )

mumblingtaff

Back home now....all unpacked, washing on and done the accounts again.
Managed to bring 140 Euros back with me and so only need 360 more to make up the 500 Euros I'm taking to Ibiza - there's £450 in the holiday account and so I have more than enough to cover it (360 Euros is approx £325).

Have rechecked all my original budgeting and it's ok - the sun didn't go to my head!

I've put aside £250 spending money for August (not including time when on hols), £100 for petrol to take the dog back and forth to his holiday home, £120 for groceries and £60 for my hair appointment.
Theres £25 in my purse (not counted in any budget) and so I'm generally ok for money at the moment. I have saved approx £400 this month into various accounts, all bills are paid and I still have the student loan refund to allocate into different accounts. All looks good at the moment - famous last words....

Need to do a bit of grocery shopping later ready for the visitors tomorrow but will write a list of just the essentials and try not to go mad.

Will have a think about what needs doing over the next week - will include lots of work and a few errands ......I feel a list coming on......