Mooloo’s Managing it in 2018

Savvy_sewing

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I didn't make the dress, unfortunately I rarely have the time to sewfor myself. It's a Phase 8, from the charity shop .
But it is simple and elegant.

I am going to find out what other restaurants/room service is available and try to cancel the big meals.

*Robin*

Good morning! Feliz Navidad and Feliz Natal Mooloo, :rudolf:

Hope you've got sunshine today!

Re decent restaurants: Suggest you practise your language skills and ask the locals where they go to eat out..

Savvy_sewing

Feliz Natal Robin!

Managed to cancel the Newyears bookings. Room service is still available so we won't go hungry. Although I haven't cancelled this morning's lunch. But it is a buffet, so at least we can pick what we want as aposed to what is set like last night.

We're having a lazy day here at the hotel today and tomorrow we will start venturing out into the countryside.

Had greetings from the twins and Biggest, and my brother. Does feel a little odd though with no gifts etc to swap.

whiteguineapig

Mooloo I think I have said this before, but if you put the name of your hotel into trip adviser you can read the reviews and people will also have wrote about their favourite eating places and where they went so that should be helpful

Savvy_sewing

Yesterday was an eventful day. I was driving for 8 1/2 hours in the mountains, including about 3 hours of fog!
The phone battery died and I had to find a car charger adapter for the cigarettes lighter thingy in the car. Luckily God was on my side as I found one within 2 minutes of parking my car. Without google maps I would have been lost. Actually with google maps we were sent to the wrong place. I not being very technical put the address in and it took me to the same street in two completely different towns then I wanted.
I learned my lessons this morning and I have followed it through and checked the settings for the fastest way etc rather than the shortest. Some hair raising bends on single track roads and shear drops ! In fog!
Good job I like driving!

ivyleaf

That sounds rather scary, Mooloo! Glad you got "home" safely!

Savvy_sewing

Morning from what looks like a sunny day here. But Mum is too tired to venture out yet.
We drove to Guarda, about an hour and a half away, and met the estate agent who drove us the next hour to go and look at the house I was interested in.
The outside of the front of the house has all been renovated and the windows and doors double glazed. But the back of the house is a little warren of old rooms and outhouses that are very dark and poky. The pictures online were obviously taken with a wide angle lense as the rooms were much smaller than I expected. There were rooms off of the sitting room that were still like flag stone floors and rock walls. The roof is only part tiled, the rest is corregated iron.
Unfortunately the fact that the rooms were much smaller than expected and also the outhouse I imagined to be able to turn into the workshop was much smaller.
The property would need substantial work done on it to really make it what I was looking for, and therefore a much bigger renovation than I think I would be able to do on my own.
So it is back to the drawing board.
But it has given me a good insight and helped me to start asking the questions it raised.
It was a long journey back, and again through fog and rain. We stopped off at a Lidl, and bought things like crisps, biscuits, bread, butter and ham and a bottle of Brandy and some coke and stumpy beers. We can then sort our selves out in the room and have our feet up in front of the TV
Last night we were watching Death in Paradise and Murder she wrote!!

Mum is tiring easily, and not liking the food. She is happy to be driven around, but today I am shattered and cannot be bothered to drive for hours.
I am hoping that in a couple of hours we will take a short drive across the river and stroll about for a little while, and see if we can get a late lunch.
Yesterday Twin2 asked me for £20 for gas.
I am afraid I told her a lie, because I told her that I couldn't access my account and that if I remember rightly I was down to £6.81 in my account when I left. Her reply was it's ok they will have to wait until she gets paid on the 5th.
I feel awfully guilty about that. I am trying not to imagine them without heating or eating etc. But she is living in a shared house, and it is a shared meter, so how they all work out the gas/electric is a mystery. I just hope that I am not pushing them to get pay day loans or anything.

I am trying to be strong!
Honest I am but boy it is hard.

beanielou

Well done on saying no to TWin2

pollyanna_26

That's a shame about the house Mooloo after such a long journey . Pictures on the internet can be misleading as they can be manipulated to make things look better than real life .
I noticed a few things with the exterior and some of the more neglected rooms that would have made it a real money pit but obviously you needed a real life viewing to form your own view .


It's only a few days now until the new year and probably the next phase of Mooloos' plans .


Reading your post today you mention telling a lie , guilt and worrying twin 2 will be cold and hungry .


Last year you mentioned keeping the bank of Mum closed and recently did tighten up on handing over money . The only way you can hope to have less stress both financially and healthwise is to stop the pattern of being the bailout financially for the family .


Twin2 has her struggles but while you tell a lie and make excuses she will think you can help her financially . In your shoes I would try finding support for her to manage her money as well as the eye scan thingy you're going to follow up .


Practical steps to help are far better than continuing the cycle of depending on the bank of mum .It's an extreme but if needed SS can act as financial appointee for her benefits making sure bills are paid as a priority. That's a last resort and maybe she can get some support to manage things herself .


You can't afford to keep others afloat at the expense of your own finances . No need to lie or make excuses just be honest . You can not afford to continue bailing out anyone financially .


We all wish you a long and happy life with less stress but we never know when our lives can change . The best we can do is teach our offspring to budget, live within their means and teach them the skills to do so .I appreciate twin2 needs support but make it sourcing what help is out there for her .


The coming year is going to be a year of change for you if you give up the shop . Dgd is heading to the time the hormones kick in and will have her ups and downs . You need energy and focus to stay on course 2018 has been a hard year for you and has taken a toll on your physical health and robbed you of much needed sleep, relaxation and peace of mind . 2019 needs to be a year you start with firm plans and determination to stay on course with your plans and not allow yourself to be led off the path you've planned .
Otherwise it will just be more of the same .


I'm not sure how long you're away but I hope you and mum enjoy the rest of your holiday . It's good to alternate driving with just chilling.


pollyx

Savvy_sewing

The little lie was about being able to access my money, and I agree it didn't help me in the end! My funds are low, as I said my savings are tied up and not easy to access at the moment.
I tried teaching my lot Budgeting, I also tried teaching them menu planning, and saving 10% of everything.
Not even Biggest is following any of it consistently.
I am afraid each of them ties their money up with their partners, and limp along each making their own mistakes.
Unfortunately I am too far away to keep them on track.

We stayed fairly close to the hotel yesterday, popping over the river and sitting at a pavement cafe and having a cold beer in the sun before strolling around the shops, Mum bought some cork based gifts to take home. We talked about the problem with the property, and the distance it was from the airports. Trying to find ideas and questions about any next step in my journey.

Unfortunately I don't have concrete plans for 2019
I have never been so undecided about things as I am at the moment.

I can't decide what I want to do with my life at all. Obviously I don't want to give up on my dreams, but I am not going to manage to do what I planned any time soon.

I will diary bash, and see what if anything I can come up with. At least to start my year ahead with a little focus.