Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

We had a normalish day at school today. There are five or six children away in each class and two teachers are self isolating, but we're keeping going. If more staff and children are away we could always combine classes I suppose. We've set up extra hand washing sessions for the children when they come in from playing in the playground, so there are long queues of children up and down the corridors! I know I've been washing my hands more freqently and more thoroughly. At least it wasn't raining .

DH picked me up after lunch and I popped into a couple of shops whilst he stayed in the car. The empty shelves were unbelievable and were drastically emptier than on Saturday! What a difference a few days can make! We are living in very strange times 😱.

DS3's uni have suspended face to face lectures and seminars but he has work to hand in and so he doesn't want to be collected until the weekend after next 🙄.

DH is self isolating of course, but we had an disagreement today about whether he should go to the barber when he next needs his hair cut. I said he should try and cut his own hair at home rather than risk infection and he got annoyed and said he had to go to the barber or his hair would look awful. I pointed out he isn't seeing customers face to face anway, but that didn't seem to cut any ice. That's the second tiff DH and I have had today and I've only been home a few hours . I think this virus situation is making us both a bit tense .

I hope everyone has had a good Tuesday so far .

Verbatim

Exactly HH. I'm trying to get out for a walk each day. Have you had any update on whether you might get paid if/ schools are closed?

HairyHandofDartmoor

Verbatim said:

Exactly HH. I'm trying to get out for a walk each day. Have you had any update on whether you might get paid if/ schools are closed?

I'm pretty sure I'll get paid for my lunchtime job, but as all my TA cover is overtime I doubt if I'll get that. I have to fill in a timesheet every time I do a day of cover and if I don't do the cover because the school is closed then I won't be able to claim it . I could ask the office to clarify it I suppose.

beanielou

elizabethhull said:

I have set up DD1s ex-room as a jigsaw room, using the pasting table !
Everything I do with people has been cancelled - it's a brutal situation. I'm not scared of catching a virus but I'm a 'social animal', my friends are my lifeblood, and face-to-face contact is how I live.
Am really hoping it's not too many weeks/months........
Sorry for self-centred complaint !!

Keep well, everyone, and HH, enjoy your area. As the weather improves, you will appreciate it more than ever.

This is my mum to a t.
I am worried about her mental health.

HairyHandofDartmoor

beanielou said:

elizabethhull said:

I have set up DD1s ex-room as a jigsaw room, using the pasting table !
Everything I do with people has been cancelled - it's a brutal situation. I'm not scared of catching a virus but I'm a 'social animal', my friends are my lifeblood, and face-to-face contact is how I live.
Am really hoping it's not too many weeks/months........
Sorry for self-centred complaint !!

Keep well, everyone, and HH, enjoy your area. As the weather improves, you will appreciate it more than ever.

This is my mum to a t.
I am worried about her mental health.

I think a lot of people's mental health will suffer from being isolated, but I suppose we should try to be thankful that we are still alive.

Willowtree222

Hope that DH gets some work too. Could you perhaps mention it to your dad and see what he says? He might want to postpone it himself. x

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thanks Nicnak . My dad and stepmum decided to postpone the party at the weekend which was a big relief. How are you?

milann

Have have you been into school this week. It’s been quite good having a normal routine - although I can’t make my mind up whether I think they should be shut already or not!! Some of our children are very anxious about the uncertainty - some of them need time lines and countdowns for everything and you can’t do a timeline to help them  if you don’t know what’s happening......but.....it’s an unusual situation and nobody knows what might happen - scary.
Are you ds all in this country atm and not on their travels. I know you need to pick your ds from uni but I’d lost track of the others.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thanks Milann . DS2 hasn't travelled abroad for a while due to the virus (he's very cautious) so I have two DSs at home at the moment and just DS3 at uni. I will be glad to get him back home safely, but his lectures have been moved online now.

School is carrying on as normal apart from the extra hand washing and there are only two teachers off at the moment self isolating. So we're doing pretty well compared to some schools.

[Deleted User]

I'm expecting an Asda order today and when I amended it about 10 last night a few of my previously ordered items (ordered on Sunday) flagged up as now Out of Stock/unavailable.  Looked as if the rest was likely to come.  I appreciate that it is a rapidly shifting situation but I had hoped their website would be accurate.  Just received an email telling me what is/isn't coming and about 15 ordered items are now not available.  If they were still showing as available at 10 last night AFTER the local store that fulfils the orders was already closed for the day  where have they disappeared to in the meantime???  The missing items include bread, regular milk, washing-up liquid, flour and other essentials.  I wasn't stocking up, just getting what I need in a regular fortnightly shop.  Grumble over, sorry to be a moaner.

Wishing everyone who visits this diary a healthy and stress-free day.  Take care, all xxx