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

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. Plus being blessed by good health which is priceless.


You have so much to be happy about, including a lovely close family (parents, sister etc not just your own children). You mentioned that a couple of your friends have less than satisfactory relationships (I could write a book of my own experiences on that subject:(:o) and I'll bet there are other things in their lives that are less than perfect.


Each Christmas I get a three 'round robin' letters from old University friends. You know the sort of thing, a digest of their and their family's doings for the previous year. To be honest I dread reading them:o because they're chockfull of wonderful holidays to exotic places, expensive-sounding social lives, new cars,amazing career and sporting achievements of their children and now grandchildren too, and all sorts of other things. They sometimes 'threaten' to come and visit and I manage to put them off with what must seem like very far-fetched excuses. I'd die of embarrassment if they could see how I live nowadays:o


My glum mood soon dissipates though as I'm a glass half full type of person and I'm genuinely happy for the good things that life has sent my way. I'm in brilliant health for my age with no aches and pains or medications needed and although I haven't the money to do everything they all seem to do at least I could if I had and wanted to. Two of these friends have had major operations or their husbands have health problems, one friend is awaiting a new hip (as a result of playing golf she thinks). It's not a case of waiting for a national health op like most of us mere mortals, they have private medical insurance, but she had problems fitting it in to their crowded diary:rotfl:. She and her husband spend a lot of time at the golf club, rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers in their corner of Cheshire. That's something I wouldn't want to do even if I could and it's not sour grapes talking;).


Enjoy your lovely-sounding day with DH and then your meal at your parents home. I hope the sun shines for you on your walk:beer:

Thank you Carboot. Those round robins can make you feel very inadequate, but of course they only tell you the good stuff. They are not necessarily any happier than you are. Their lifestyle sounds a bit grim to me :eek:.

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Glad you had a nice night with your friends, but don’t let comparing yourself to them get you down. People only tell you the bits they want you to hear Xx

Thanks Lucky, I don't think they are any more happy than I am, even though they have a lot more money.

Sun_Addict

I agree with you re the health - Mr SA aside, I don't have any health issues apart from fallout from the broken ankle. Makes me laugh when medical people ask what medication I'm on and I say none!

HairyHandofDartmoor

We had a great time today . We had a lovely walk at the NT place. We saw lambs, wild bluebells, primroses, wild garlic and all kinds of other spring flowers. It was only a mile long circular walk, but it was quite hilly so we feel like we've had a good workout.

Then we met my parents in the cafe and had a coffee, then looked around the shop but didn't buy anything, although I did spend 50p on a book in the second hand bookshop ('Dig a Little Deeper' by Ursula Cutiss, a keyhole crime book). After that we went to my parents for dinner.

I took bananas so we wouldn't need to buy snacks, and parking and entry were free with our NT membership, so quite a frugal day.

I've had a lovely day . I've done 10,118 steps, 4.24 miles, 53 floors and 24 active minutes. I'm going to sleep well tonight!

I hope everyone else had a good Sunday .

beanielou

Glad that you have had a good day

[Deleted User]

Sun_Addict wrote: »

I agree with you re the health - Mr SA aside, I don't have any health issues apart from fallout from the broken ankle. Makes me laugh when medical people ask what medication I'm on and I say none!

I had to chuckle (after feeling affronted initially:o) when I was visiting my brother in hospital and had to stop a staff member to ask for directions to his new ward. The nurse asked me if I could 'manage stairs' as she said there was also a lift if I didn't mind the long walk to reach it. I know I have silver hair now I've stopped dying it but I can manage any amount of staircases without any problems apart from having a short breather after a few flights. Of course, she didn't know how decrepit (or otherwise) I was on first sight. She was very overweight too so I bet I could have got to the top floor a lot faster than she could and she was probably less than half my age:eek:

jwil

Glad you had a nice weekend.

[Deleted User]

Sounds as if you had an absolutely lovely Sunday, OH:T. It's so uplifting to see the spring flowers and blossom bursting into life at last isn't it?. I always think May is the nicest month for that, driving past people's gardens when they are a mass of colour is one of those priceless treasures in life.


I've got to go to the dentist tomorrow:eek: but as it's not for anything major (except the price:() I plan to take the rest of the morning doing a charity shop trawl to find some bargain books. It should be a quiet and easy day parking-wise as there's no market tomorrow:j.


I hope you have a good week, whatever you have planned.

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I had to chuckle (after feeling affronted initially:o) when I was visiting my brother in hospital and had to stop a staff member to ask for directions to his new ward. The nurse asked me if I could 'manage stairs' as she said there was also a lift if I didn't mind the long walk to reach it. I know I have silver hair now I've stopped dying it but I can manage any amount of staircases without any problems apart from having a short breather after a few flights. Of course, she didn't know how decrepit (or otherwise) I was on first sight. She was very overweight too so I bet I could have got to the top floor a lot faster than she could and she was probably less than half my age:eek:

Sun_Addict wrote: »

I agree with you re the health - Mr SA aside, I don't have any health issues apart from fallout from the broken ankle. Makes me laugh when medical people ask what medication I'm on and I say none!

People make a lot of assumptions don't they and it's nice to surprise them sometimes :rotfl:.

HairyHandofDartmoor

jwil wrote: »

Glad you had a nice weekend.

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Sounds as if you had an absolutely lovely Sunday, OH:T. It's so uplifting to see the spring flowers and blossom bursting into life at last isn't it?. I always think May is the nicest month for that, driving past people's gardens when they are a mass of colour is one of those priceless treasures in life.


I've got to go to the dentist tomorrow:eek: but as it's not for anything major (except the price:() I plan to take the rest of the morning doing a charity shop trawl to find some bargain books. It should be a quiet and easy day parking-wise as there's no market tomorrow:j.


I hope you have a good week, whatever you have planned.

I did have a lovely weekend thank you but it whizzed by far too quickly! I hope you got on okay at the dentist Carboot. Did you find any nice books in the charity shops?

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've been feeling tired all day after my busy weekend. I always feel a bit fed up on a Monday. I think it's because I enjoy the weekend so much that Monday seems a bit grim by comparison .

I've been in the office all day working, which is a shame because the weather has been lovely.

Anyway I expect I'll feel better after an early night. Next weekend is a bank holiday weekend, so we're going to go for another day out, probably on Sunday.

I hope everyone has had a good day today.