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

HairyHandofDartmoor

elizabethhull said:

Wow, we've had a bonus double post from you !
What a lot of stressful things to have to cope with, and, regrettably, they're all part of current everyday life. My husband was an accountant so although he takes tax in his stride, I know a lot of his private clients hated getting stuff ready, were never sure they'd done it correctly & so on.

I dont know how you're managing with the testing, as I did it once and couldn't touch my own tonsils without repeated gagging. Perhaps it gets a smidge easier with practice ? What about all those people who had their tonsils out as a child ?

Our vaccine was a lovely outing !!!!!!
We picked our way through ice and slush, with fogged-up glasses , trying to determine where the kerbs were ! But it was all a beautifully smooth and well-run procedure,  and only a bruised feeling for about a day after.

Thanks Elizabeth . I'll let you know if the testing gets any easier over time! I did a lot of gagging 😩. If you've had your tonsils out you have to rub the swab where your tonsils should be. 

I'm glad you've had your vaccines and it's good you had minimal after effects .

Willowtree222

Lovely to hear from you and sorry it's been so stressful. We're starting those tests too. X

Sunshine_girl2

It's lovely to hear from you as ever  . Super pleased you don't have to work over the half term break at least you will get a rest. I think you will get used to the tests soon and it will become part of life . 

Will DH be getting his jab soon if he is one of the vulnerable people . It will be good if he does . 

Enjoy the weekend . 

milann

It sounds as if you’ve had a stressful January. Why don’t you set yourself a reminder on your phone in the week of the summer holidays that you want to set aside to do the accounts. I never use my reminder but yesterday I was talking about next Christmas and making some things for presents. I was laughing saying I always have good intentions at this time of year but forget by Christmas.....ds suggested I set a reminder for October.....which I did. Let’s see if it helps 😂😂😂

Fidelia

HairyHandofDartmoor said:

.........This morning I had to go to Mr M and get some bits that we'd run out of. I was very grateful to get my 10% school discount as it saved me just over £6 and we're short of money at the moment. DS3 said he would give me some money towards the food he wanted, so I was pleased about that as our food bills have definitely gone up since he's been at home...…..

Sorry, haven't read ALL your diary (although it was really interesting to follow your 'journey' and I read a lot of it to catch up) but is there any reason why your DS needs special food?  Allergies or something?  Is it just a case of him not wanting to eat the family meals you've cooked for  the rest of you?  Sadly, with family finances being so tight at the moment  I think he should give you more than some money 'towards' his food choices.  I know you want to give him a nice time whilst at home but I recall you saying you relax under blankets watching TV etc which suggests it's 'eat rather than heat'.  I'm sure he realises this, but couldn't you perhaps have a tactful word with him if he doesn't. None of my business though, sorry if I offend.

The regular lateral flow tests sound horrendous.  Sending hugs and hopes that they get easier for you over time xxx

HairyHandofDartmoor

DS3 just wants extra things to cook for lunch, snacks, etc as he's always hungry. He has no special dietary needs and eats what I cook for dinners. He repaid me exactly what I spent on his food choices so I'm very happy with that 🙂. 

The lateral flow test is rather awful 😩. One of my colleagues said it feels so unnatural that it's like trying to drown yourself 🤣 as your body and mind resist inserting a swab so far down your throat and up your nose. But hopefully it will get easier over time.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Nicnak said:

Lovely to hear from you and sorry it's been so stressful. We're starting those tests too. X

Sunshine_girl2 said:

It's lovely to hear from you as ever  . Super pleased you don't have to work over the half term break at least you will get a rest. I think you will get used to the tests soon and it will become part of life . 

Will DH be getting his jab soon if he is one of the vulnerable people . It will be good if he does . 

Enjoy the weekend . 

milann said:

It sounds as if you’ve had a stressful January. Why don’t you set yourself a reminder on your phone in the week of the summer holidays that you want to set aside to do the accounts. I never use my reminder but yesterday I was talking about next Christmas and making some things for presents. I was laughing saying I always have good intentions at this time of year but forget by Christmas.....ds suggested I set a reminder for October.....which I did. Let’s see if it helps 😂😂😂

Thanks all of you . I hope you don't find the tests too difficult @Nicnak

Yes I do hope the tests get easier soon. I also hope DH gets a jab soon. He's not in a super vulnerable group as he's never been told to shield, but his age, weight and diabetes do put him at high risk @Sunshine_girl2

That's a good idea to set a reminder on my phone to do the accounts in the summer holidays @milann

Sunshine_girl2

HairyHandofDartmoor said:

DS3 just wants extra things to cook for lunch, snacks, etc as he's always hungry. He has no special dietary needs and eats what I cook for dinners. He repaid me exactly what I spent on his food choices so I'm very happy with that 🙂. 

The lateral flow test is rather awful 😩. One of my colleagues said it feels so unnatural that it's like trying to drown yourself 🤣 as your body and mind resist inserting a swab so far down your throat and up your nose. But hopefully it will get easier over time.

That's great that DS3 paid you back for his shopping. When my two were at university they just used to eat anything and everything and never gave a thought as to who filled the fridge  and cupboards up. 

Now when I visit their houses they feed me , payback time 😂. 

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sunshine_girl2 said:

HairyHandofDartmoor said:

DS3 just wants extra things to cook for lunch, snacks, etc as he's always hungry. He has no special dietary needs and eats what I cook for dinners. He repaid me exactly what I spent on his food choices so I'm very happy with that 🙂. 

The lateral flow test is rather awful 😩. One of my colleagues said it feels so unnatural that it's like trying to drown yourself 🤣 as your body and mind resist inserting a swab so far down your throat and up your nose. But hopefully it will get easier over time.

That's great that DS3 paid you back for his shopping. When my two were at university they just used to eat anything and everything and never gave a thought as to who filled the fridge  and cupboards up. 

Now when I visit their houses they feed me , payback time 😂. 

Thanks Sunshine 🙂. Yes I know DS3 really appreciates what we do for him and he will support us one day when we're old and decrepid (not so far off 🤣 ) and he probably gets a well paid job with his degree.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've had a day of being productive and relaxing. I've done two washes, changed our bedding and ironed some tops for school. I feel more relaxed than I did yesterday and slept better 🙂. I was really tense on Friday and a bit tense yesterday due to all the accounts and tax stuff we've been sorting out in January, but hopefully I can gradually unwind now.

Today DH checked our online tax accounts to see how many years of NI we've both paid, as he will be 59 in June and I will be 57 in March 😳. Anway the good news is that DH has made 37 full years of NI contribution and I've made 30 years of full NI contributions. You need 35 years worth of contributions to get a full state pension I think, so DH has got there already and I have five years to go. I'm planning on working for another ten years so I should be fine by the time I get to 67.

I have to do my covid self test this evening 😖 (I've decided I can't face doing it in the mornings and school said it's fine to do it in the evenings), shower, cook dinner, make my sandwiches for tomorrow and put kitchen towel filters in my masks for the coming week at school. I'm trying to relax before I have to do all of that. I'll make my sandwiches and sort the masks out whilst I'm cooking. There's no rest for the wicked 😏.

It's been a very wet and windy weekend so I've felt zero urge to go out of the house. I'm hoping the weather will be less windy and rainy next week when I'm at school, but I'm not betting on it 🤔. Ah well, spring will come eventually. I've noticed that my crocuses have small yellow flower buds on them and my hellebore (red lady) is a mass of lovely flowers, which is an encouraging sign of spring around the corner 🙂.

I was craving chocolate earlier but there's none in the house, so I made do with olives instead which helped a lot. I think it's due to me feeling a bit tired and the horrid weather that's making me crave chocolate as I don't usually. The olives will be a lot healthier for me anyway. It's lucky I don't drink alcohol as I'd probably be an alcoholic by now after the stressful January I've had 🤪!

I hope everyone in Diaryland is having an enjoyable weekend 🙂.