"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

Karmacat

Please don't take work reading! Whatever you enjoy which also goes for food and drink. Have a lovely holiday.

greenbee

Thanks! I've got another week until we go My mum arrives on Wednesday.

I do actually enjoy my work reading, and if there is some downtime it'll be nice to be able to focus (it's one of the things I like about flying - I get some decent uninterrupted reading time!). Likewise with food and drink (and exercise). I won't enjoy the holiday if I'm feeling fat and unfit and know that I have to start again when I get home - mind you, at least I'm starting from a marginally better place anyway!

Drafted my overdue slides, submitted my expenses, went for a walk, weeded a bit of the drive, did the ironing. So I'm catching up with my list. There's more weeding to be done, the logs still need splitting, and I need to remember to send the opticians' receipt in to my insurance company for a refund.

The month's credit card bills are horrifying - car service, new cam belt (which could have waited until December, but I'd booked it in by the time they worked that out), car insurance. I need to check when the house insurance and MOT are due - I think those are the next big things. And then after holiday really crack down on spending. Petrol has been more due to being at home (and swimming), as has food. Plus I've had swimming and sports massage, a hair appointment and bought a few clothes - not essential, but useful.

I need to check that I've expensed all the books I should have done (I'll have to read some of them to work that out!). And consider how much travel I want to do in Sept/Oct/Nov so I can get it booked.

I MUST drop the landscaper a note and ask him to do the paving outside the front door in September. I hate it when he's here, but I've got no long trips, so just need it over. I need to call the roofer as there are a few more slipped slates, and start getting quotes for the front/back doors as well as making some decisions about the kitchen. Oh, and getting the hall flooring sorted as they didn't leave a bit enough expansion gap...

But most importantly, I need to get up and go for a swim tomorrow...

ETA - just found £5.51 in Quidco, so that's now in the bank. Won't offset those vast credit card bills, but it might as well be in there as with them!

greenbee

Holiday was lovely but exhausting. And not hugely expensive as we fed ourselves with the stuff we'd all brought from our fridges/freezers at home.

I have nearly caught up with the laundry today in between trying to tame the garden. If I can get the mowing done today I'll feel like I'm back in control - I've weeded the gravel and my mum has helped me tie up lots of climbers. There's still loads to do in terms of pruning shrubs and trees, renovating the hedge, cutting back meadowsweet and getting the stream and the area around it sorted. Oh, and cutting and raking all the long grass. But it always looks better once the mowing is done!

My car needs to be booked in for it's MOT... no clue when I can fit it in! Plus I have a list of people to call/email and appointments to change/make. No point in doing any of them today though, as I need to wait until I can log back into my work email and find out what's lurking in there (text validation isn't working as text messages aren't getting through, so someone's going to have to sort out getting the authenticator app to work...).

Diet mostly fell apart while away, as did exercise - more steps, but not much swimming (although what I did was in the river, with no wetsuit ). Had hoped to go swimming this morning, but was too shattered after yesterday's drive home - however, I need to get back into routine tomorrow.

Hopefully money will be straightened out at the end of this month, although it'll get confusing again if I start getting work done on the house again.

I think it might have started raining again, so i'd better get the laundry in. And consider whether it's worth trying to mow before it gets too heavy.

greenbee

Oops... over a month since the last update. It's been a busy month with conferences and catching up with work. I don't think I've had a week at home since I got back, and I can't see myself having one until mid-December.

There have been a few odd OPs, but nothing significant. Expenses were sorted out, but I now have a backlog again (I must finalise last week's and get them in before I run up next week's!). The problem with conferences is that I have to pay the hotel bills myself (and they tend to be expensive hotels) rather than having them paid by the company or the travel agency.

The garden is out of control - I had a couple of days off planned to deal with it, but a couple of my ex-colleagues very kindly shared germs with me, and as a result I spent those days with a filthy cold and temperature rather than getting the mowing etc done. I got a bit done yesterday, but there's a lot left to do.

Apparently I'm going to be doing Christmas lunch, so I need to make a decision on the kitchen - if I can get it done before Christmas it might be worth making the effort.

I need to chase the landscaper about doing the remaining bits of work on his list, email the roofer as there are a few slipped slates, email the tree surgeons as there are a few bits for them to do, book a flu jab (I don't want flu again thanks!) and call my consultant's secretary to find out whether I need to see my GP for a referral for my 3-yearly biopsy. Some of these things have been on the list for a while. Oh yes, and make a hair appointment, as my hairdresser is moving to a new salon, so I need to call to make the first appointment.

Still going to physio - I'm back running, but had just started on 1 minute intervals when the cold hit. I need to restart this week, and the weather isn't exactly encouraging! The outdoor pool is also closed now, so I need to consider whether to brave the indoor pool (changing rooms are disgusting, and I'm not a fan of indoor swimming). Running in Sweden may need to be on the treadmill from now on - I'll have to see how light it is when I go out this week, but at least timing the intervals will be easier. I'm in Texas in a couple of weeks - outdoor pool and 24/7 gym so need to make the most of it when i'm not working!

House insurance, MOT etc all done. Plus car tax and maintenance/storage for boats. There always seems to be something.

The diet has gone really well overall (there has been the odd bad day, including today's unnecessary chocolate) and I've only got a couple of kg left to lose. As a result I could really do with going through my wardrobe properly and packing up all the too big stuff so it's out of the way and I can focus on what fits/what I need to fit into. I'll probably have to buy a few bits and pieces (particularly as I'll be spending more time in Sweden this winter), but I don't want to do that until I'm sure that my size has stabilised, which means reaching target weight/size and being in a decent routine with exercise.

The new fridge is definitely saving me money - veg is lasting longer (even salad stuff!) and being able to chill plenty of filtered water has reduced my bottled water consumption dramatically. Most of my food now comes from the milkman and veg box delivery - and after yesterday it's very clear that staying out of supermarkets is necessary. I spent far too much given that I have plenty of food in the fridge & freezers, and bought stuff I didn't need (chocolate...). While I can freeze the meat, I'm not here that much at the moment, so didn't need more than carrots and yogurt (and probably didn't really need the yogurt TBH - I have rice milk that needs using up). Better planning is needed so I can avoid places that sell more than the absolute necessities!

I also need to spend some time sorting out my pensions. A friend has given me some good advice on streamlining my investments. I'm not sure whether to consolidate the pensions, but I certainly need to reduce the number of funds.

Karmacat

The travel you do for work is amazing, greenbee! Do you ever see anything of the places you visit?

greenbee

If I'm travelling with other people then sometimes I see some interesting places, but if I'm on my own not so much. I rarely see anything of Stockholm as I arrive late in the evening and stay 3 minutes walk from the office as I'm only there for a day and a half/two days so need to make the most of it.

I did manage to see a bit of San Diego, Chicago, Dallas and London(!), and I'm hoping to be able to get a few hours of free time in Amsterdam later this year.

greenbee

Oops... nearly a month since my last update. I've been home for a few days between trips - mostly those days have involved laundry and repacking my suitcase (I should be ironing and packing now).

I've managed to make a couple of small OPs this month, so there's a regular drip feed, even if nothing significant. I supposed I should have a look at what difference the payments will have made at some point.

As my savings have built up over the year I've finally got round to making a few calls - the friend who did the utility room earlier this year is going to put up some more blinds (ordered on Saturday and being delivered to him so he can arrange a date to fit them when they've turned up) and do a few other bits including help me with kitchen design. I've found a supplier I think I want to use, so there's a chance I'll actually get the kitchen done over the winter! I've also got someone coming tomorrow morning to look at the doors (back needs replacing, front may be able to be adjusted rather than replaced), a window that's been a problem ever since it has been installed, and the hall floor. And I keep trying to get hold of the tree surgeons but missing them. Which is annoying as I wanted them to do the hedges about a month ago.

I have a couple more calls to make - I need to see whether I can get hold of the roofer I used previously, and also someone to make the last of the curtains/blinds that I don't want to order online (they need to match existing stuff and use recycled fabric) as well as hopefully reupholster a chair that currently just has barrier cloth on it. Oh, and chase the landscaper who has been going to come for months... maybe I should just get someone else to do the stuff on his list?

I have some very expensive dental treatment coming up, as my implant needs to be removed and I'll have to have a bone graft before it can be replaced. I'm also back seeing my consultant for my 3-yearly checkup. First appointment was today, and I'll be in for the biopsy in January (he tried to persuade me to go in before Christmas, but I really don't have time).

Lots of stuff at work is up in the air, but hopefully it'll become clearer in the next couple of weeks. I'd like to make progress on the house, but I need to make sure I don't deplete my emergency fund too much. And ideally I want to have enough left over at the end of the tax year to dump some more in my pension and ISA, both of which need work.

Off to Stockholm tomorrow, where it's cold, so I need to concentrate on packing appropriate clothes. And either cold weather running gear or indoor running gear... or both maybe?

redofromstart

I think even the tiny rounding down OPs are worth it, money you never pay interest on again at least.

Whats the forecast like? I know you are not a fan of the dreadmill so more likely to use the outdoor stuff. Don't forget the zip lock bag for bringing them home.

greenbee

Forecast is between -2 and 5 C :snow_grin

So winter running stuff. And winter clothes. I have a 15 minute walk to/from the office as my regular hotel didn't have the room type I wanted free. Guess I need to start packing.

Apparently this year's OPs will save about £600 in interest and cut a month of the mortgage - doesn't seem much but better than nothing. Particularly as the primary focus really does have to be the pension for the moment. Talking of which, I need to make some time to do some tidying up of funds.

I did manage a short run today - first one since last Tuesday. I'm back to the physio on Monday, and need to try to work out whether it's off-road running or the shoes that are making my calf ache. I might take my shoes with me when I go to see him as it's technically my last appointment.

greenbee

Blood test done first thing (apparently results will be back in the next day or two, so I should be able to pick them up on Monday to take to the dentist) which also means I can start taking iron & vit D again without worrying about it impacting the tests.

Joiner came round and has measured up for the doors, suggested solutions to the window and flooring, and also has a roofer. So lots off the list there.

Packing almost done - warm running kit and treadmill stuff both included. I was planning on going for a short run this morning, but am cold and tired. I'm not sure whether it would help or make things worse.

I'm also not sure that I've packed appropriate clothes for the weather, but we'll have to see. Part of the problem is that airports tend to be hot, but then it's freezing either end, so coats etc are an issue. I'm not sure I need a thick coat yet, but might wear a down jacket under my coat. I have plenty of options, so it's just a question of trying to take the right stuff.

Cleaner has also been this morning (she's still here...) and for once turned up on time (in fact early!) so all the window frames have been wiped down with meths in the hope that it puts off the cluster flies that have been trying to hibernate in them for the last few weeks.