What small DFW things will you do this week - w/c 9th October?

DawnW

Morning all
Will try not to be such a grump today. OH has got a cold and I am a mere amateur in the grumpiness stakes :rotfl:
Lots to do:
Cooked breakfast as my brother is off later this morning - not sure what to I have implored him to sign on if he doesn't get work immediately - he has money but is spending over £100 a week on smoking (or so OH reckons) atm, and he will run out. Also urged him to get some proper lodgings for the winter. He lives intermittently with his ex wife and various others, including us, but he is difficult to live with, doesn't do a thing for himself and you can only put up with him for so long. Sometimes he just sleeps in his car He earns good money most of the time, as a contract electrician on building sites etc, but sadly it just goes on smoking and gambling - he just can't or won't sort himself out

Walk dog x 2 Done
Clean kitchen floor as someone has spilled something on it and it is sticky :eek: Done, also ran hoover over the living room, conservatory and hall
Post office with ebay parcels. Thankfully after yesterday's US debacle, I don't have anything ending today Done, 2 more items have just sold incidentally, but not anticipating any hassle with these! I hope!
Make a bolognese with some very slightly OOD mince and the veg at the bottom of the fridge Done, also used up some odds and ends from the freezer - loads left for another day - or two
Spare bed stripped and changed
Load of washing done and dried on the line
Did a few onepoll surveys, Prolific doesn't seem to be coming up with anything for me at the moment

Right, better take dog out as soon as kids going to the primary school up the road stop whizzing past on their scooters!

carrielovesfanta

Morning all

Hugs to those who are under the weather

Dawn - I'm sure that you've suggested it but is there any way to encourage your brother to go to the doctor?

Very productive day for me. Did result in a small unplanned spend on some quick-cook bits for dinner though. I met up with a friend for coffee. She picked me up at half 5, though I'd be home about half 6. We got kicked out at 8 because they were closing

No way was I going to cook a shepherd's pie from scratch at that time :rotfl:
However picked up 2 packs of steamed veg and some ready made mash. Remembered that I had some sausages in the freezer. Total spend about £3.50

Today's mission is mostly based around FUN.

• Meals from plan
• PT session for me, gym for OH
• Bake muffins for packed brekkie
• Nails done this afternoon (not mse but def MHE)
• Gig tonight (neither of us drinking more than a couple so will be fairly cheap)
• Message facebook seller

Will add as I go


have a good one all


clf x

La_escocesa

Hi everyone :wave:

Thanks for your well wishes for OH - he's up and made me a coffee so things must be improving...

WFH today again so no car parking/shopping in town/nipping to the tuck shop/popping into the 'spensive clothes shop/going for a drink after work... :rotfl: I think I've just figured out why I still have a CC bill! :rotfl:

OH is picking up his new car today (if he feels up for it) so next week we will start a new regime - I'll be taking my car and coming home at lunch to walk the dog. I found the cheapest place for parking at £5 a day. :eek: OH gets free parking and will probably half his travel time by not dropping me off so all good there. We also save on dog care as I can get home on lunch. Plus, the payment is covered by drop in mortgage payment. V exciting!

OH's parents are coming over to visit tomorrow so I'll need to tidy round tonight (would need to anyway, but Saturday is usually my cleaning day rather than Friday y'see )

PAD to CC :beer: £13 for Friday 13th

Worked job #2 last night :cool:

Updated YNAB for those goings on...

No heating on - been pretty warm in the house tbh...

Probably more but best get some work done...

Catch up soon!

Happy_Kitties

Many thanks LL. Unfortunately part of my spinal damage carries autoimmune/immune problems so things hit my body hard. While my brain wants to race off and get things done like a greyhound, the body becomes a great big St Bernard that refuses to move from the spot-first time I've ever compared my body to breed of dogs:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Dawn I hope your OH is feeling better soon. It is interesting what u said about ur brother. A good friend I knew years ago, her brother was very similar. Worked in the building trade, earned really good money but could never settle. I lost contact with my friend so don't know what happened with her brother but so very similar from what you have said.
We've got an event tomorrow so DD home from uni:j:j:j. It's the first time I've seen her since I dropped her off. Can't wait:):)
Was up early again this morning.
Cat cleaning all done
Paperwork done
Banking all checked, all direct debits all to date:)
Parcel with more games all packaged up to send today
Out in a bit to drop some things off at my mum's. Going to pop to Asd@ later for their own brand of vege mince(did some price checking here) ready to make a lasagne for DD.
Been having a general tidy up-don't want DD to think her mother has turned into a slob while she has been at uni:D:cool:
Was really good this morning. Was told in B@@ts yesterday that the Yankee candle set would be half price today. It's a lovely set. Thought about it and while i WANT the set, I dont NEED the set. Have plenty of candles and always get some at Christmas so money saved just by having a think and not automatically going out to buy the item-one time I would have done this without thinking about the money i was spending
Have a great day everyone x

DawnW

carrielovesfanta wrote: »

Dawn - I'm sure that you've suggested it but is there any way to encourage your brother to go to the doctor?

I have, several times, and he thought I was bonkers. He may have MH, and definitely has addiction issues, but is one of those odd, cheerful people who only hears what he wants to hear and doesn't realise that his behaviour is driving everyone mad. Perhaps it is something more akin to Autism or something, I have considered everything over the years. We have been through marriage break ups, crime, even prison visits, you name it, with him, and sadly, he probably isn't going to change now. He drove my poor parents to the brink at times when they were alive I can't cope with him living here (have tried many times), have tried to get him to take lodgings and come round for dinner etc, tried everything over the years. A wasted life really, as he is actually very clever I have another brother too, who also has issues. Hardly ever hear from him though.... he is married and has a home at least, though he seems to be permanently out of work

foxgloves

That's a difficult situation with your brother, Dawn. I think it sounds as though he probably won't change now, unless he has a sudden lifestyle LBM & decides he'd like a bit more security & routine. Perhaps you could have small list of jobs for him to do when he stays in return for his free bed & board......I know an electrician could find enough jobs to do in our house to last at least a year!
Anyway, I know from experience when trying to advise an old friend with long term addiction issues, there's nothing you can do until the person makes the decision his or herself to make changes. My friend never did, because it wasn't the drinking that was the problem in her eyes, it was everyone else.
Good of you to keep an eye on him, anyway.
f x

foxgloves

Morning Friday Frugalistas,
No spending going on here today, although I am a little tempted by a potential Christmas gift for mr f which is apparently on a '1-day only 30% discount'. I may decide to leave it though, as tight month. I just know it will annoy me mightily if I do that, then end up buying it at full price later on. I am fighting that whole feeling 'bounced into a purchase' thing. Anyway, on with the list:
*Cleaned all of downstairs using minimal products & washable cloths. Just upstairs to vacuum now & it's all done.
*Changed all towels etc, & loaded into washer for a cheap overnight wash.
*Finalised next week's meal plans. Only pricier items on there are a chicken & a bag of cat biscuits so hopefully it won't be too far off my budget target. I have top-sliced a bit more of this month's grocery budget because I ordered more than usual from the Grimsby fishman who is coming next week.
*Wrote shopping list.
*Made list of ingredients required for Christmas cake as these are expensive when purchased all together. Have already started buying an ingredient or two at a time & popping them away in the pantry.
*Researched other fruit cake recipes.....for the last few years, I've baked a particular fruitcake for my Dad, as one of his Christmas presents & he really enjoyed eating it through January with his cups of tea. I'd kind of crossed it off my list with having lost Dad recently, but Mum mentioned how much she liked the cake too & when I asked her if she would still like one for herself, she said she really would. I thought I'd see if I could find an equally nice recipe without the expensive dried cranberries, but once I'd added up all the additional ingredients, the cranberry, orange & cinnamon cake I usually make, actually works out cheaper because it has a kilo bag of mixed dried fruit in it instead of having to buy all the different types of fruit separately. Added 'dried cranberries' to my festive cake baking list. Easy present as it's a pretty reliable cake.
*Make sourdough loaf (it's on its first proving)
*All vouchers sorted & put ready for tomorrow's grocery shopping trip. Ooops, just remembered I have missed off 'coffee'.....better put that right, we run on caffiene here!
*More knitting for my sales basket. Need to step this up as am seeing the person doing the craft stall on Monday.
*Updated calendar, having spent an hour last night with mr f synchronising diaries, looking at fitting in stuff we want to do in the run-up to Christmas as well as dates for visiting Mum. Being organised always ends up saving us money.
*mr f asking for change this morning as he is working at a venue where parking is by antiquated machine. I gave him my last old-style pound coin (last day of being legal tender tomorrow) & a 20p I dug up in the garden. Goodness knows how long it had been there. Even soaking it in vinegar didn't do anything to its general crustiness, but hopefully the car park machine won't be fussy.
*Gather more pears & remove mushy pecked ones to compost bins.
*Did some surveys.
*Check online banking again to see if a cheque is in yet. Tried earlier, but website was down.
OK, must crack on with that last task. Have a good Friday all,
F x

foxgloves

4 hours later & still in money saving mode:
*Sowed lamb's lettuce for some hone grown winter salad (I re-use our old summer grow-bags for this).
*Baked a pear cake. It was supposed to go in the freezer but mr f has just texted to say he's knocked off early & he now due home right when the cake comes out of the oven. Can pretty much guarantee chances of it now being frozen are virtually nil......
*Crossed an item off shopping list which can wait a couple of weeks.
Wishing everyone a nice Friday night.
CCL if you are reading, hope you will find a little bit of time for yourself this weekend. My sis is a teacher. I know how stressful it can be.
F x

determined_new_ms

Dawn I totally get difficult family members (!) My dd's behaviour took me to the edge of what I could cope with, and probably a bit further if I'm honest.... You do a grand job helping your db and being there for him, plenty don't. I feel the same myself with my dd, but in fairness to her she's been pretty well for over a year now, although Christmas is coming so her mh will decline. There's nothing you can do to save someone who doesn't want to change. I found I had to get to a place where I could tolerate the life my dd was choosing, and detach to some degree. Ironically when I stopped being codependent with her she began to face the reality and consequences of her actions, she understood while I would be supportive (i.e. listen to her, offer advice if she asked, go to appts with her) I wasn't going to pick up the pieces, she realised if she messed her housing situation up she wasn't moving back to me, I wasn't providing the money for yet another place etc once she got this she stopped messing everything up and hasn't been evicted for 18 months now. It's a miracle.

foxgloves will you share your xmas cake recipe?

determined_new_ms

man I feel battered after the day (and week) I've had at work!