Earthgirl's Final Battle

earthgirl2

Beanie, if you are reading this, we have hardly anything planned for Xmas, similar reasons to you within my family. I haven't seen my mum for over a year but I've just accepted it and am happy with it. 2021 will be a more social year, I'm sure!

apple_muncher

You are such a star, earthie! You turn a situation around so quickly!

beanielou

Good news on the student~~I think!

Karmacat

Wow, well done you!

earthgirl2

I am certainly more concerned about the student coming now with regards to covid. He is coming from a UK boarding school with stringent social distancing so originally  I felt very safe. Now he has to spend 2 days/night with a different host family so there is more risk.There is nothing I can do as I certainly can't have him here when we are isolating. I will have to do everything I can to maintain distance and keep things clean, wash hands etc.
Anyway, we have decided that this year it is going to be a very different Christmas, and although we will relax on certain days, we will be working and house improving rather than socialising or travelling.

So today has been great! 
Positives
- no symptoms
- got lots of work done for my work 
- completed 3 lessons online
- kids home school went well. I spent a couple of hours planning out the kids homeschooling for the week last night. The school send such random things home! In the spring I started a blog for the kids with links to everything they needed for home school in a day in one place,  because I was at work, and it worked so well, so I just posted it all there again (including the random school work lol).
- I did a good workout. My MIL dropped off brownies though and I had 2 (sigh).
- I cleared out the kids old play room a bit, I'm going to teach in it this time, as it is easier to heat than the outside office.

beanielou

So why can’t he stay with his housemaster for those couple of days? 

earthgirl2

Hi Beanie - I don't know. It's not my decision it's the agency. I only have the decision over if he comes or not. Anyway, we have decided he can come. I must remember to take his temp (and our temp) every day.

earthgirl2

So the last few weeks have been a world wind!
So nobody here had any symptoms. The government changed the isolation period, so we were able to go back to school/work yesterday. We are so quiet - a lot of parents keeping the children off so that they don't catch anything. I have been getting a lot of planning completed which is great.

Money In
Well the student is coming which will be a big boost. We need it as per my spends below!
I have potentially 2 more hours tutoring long term per week, and 4 more hours over the Christmas hols (this is great bc it is French and I like to keep it up).

Money out
A lot of home improvements going on here, much needed as we have hardly done anything in 7 years of being here. Also we had an endowment mature and were getting such pitiful savings rates that we thought it a good time to use some of our savings.
Our costings have changed a little : 1.5k hallway decoration, 3 k hallway carpet, 10 k bathroom = 14.5 K eek
OH has painted the kitchen and everywhere else is ok.
Christmas presents cost 1.5 k this year.
=16k spend in December ouch!!!!!!
Also, OH and I have been talking and we'd really like a foreign holiday next year or the year after. But like doesn't mean it will happen we will have to work for it!!

So I really need to to an overhaul of our finances. I've used savings for this spend, but really could do with looking at everything and working out if we still have enough to pay off the mortgage when the deal is up and how much we have left. I also want to go through our monthly budget and check we are in the black, and squirrel away this extra tutoring cash for a holiday one day....

Karmacat

Sounds like a big rejig, Earthie, always a useful thing at the right time, which it is.  Here's to foreign holidays too  

apple_muncher

It is liberating to know you have the money to do something (instead of having to pay it off afterwards). Enjoy spending!