Courgette resets her sights

greent

At my DS2's school they teach Mandarin as an added extra to the curriculum

Courgette

Well this is a bit weird for me - I've completely lost my voice! This hasn't happened to me for years and years and besides a little bit of earache and a bit of a headache I feel completely fine. Unfortunately I've had to cancel my online lesson this evening but there was really no way I could do it. I've spent an hour listing stuff on eBay instead, about £100 worth once it all sells which should be pretty quick as it's good stuff.

Took DS2 to a party this afternoon, £5 bus fare and present from stash. Like the classy individual I am, I sat on a bench nearby for 90 minutes and worked on my ebook so that feels productive.

We're also nearly ready to send our passport applications off - the price hike crept up on me suddenly even though I'd written it down! My reference has promised she'll be able to get them done for the morning though so it's fine. Will be pretty pricey for the 4 of us but it's not every year (thankfully!).

Went to my new school this week too - job is even better than I'd thought. I need to create a 6 lesson block of work which I will then be able to teach 6 (!!!!!) times. Plus no homework and no marking so it'll really be a very efficient use of time. I did try cycling home but the bike route was really badly signposted and didn't feel entirely safe either so I'm not gonna bother and will just catch the bus and fit in some fun some other way. I'm sure we'll have an ipod or similar knocking about the house somewhere so I'll attempt to find it then put some interesting podcasts or music on there.

Bit more work done on the never-ending kitchen project this week but we're saving up another £6k to be able to complete it so it's on hold really until we've got that. Having decided on the classic white unit + wooden worktops combo I've had my head seriously turned by some gorgeous navy blue units with grey marble-effect worktops http://https://www.howdens.com/kitchen-collection/shaker/fairford/navy/ does this link work? ETA: No, it doesn't seem to. Search Howdens navy kitchen if interested

This week I need to:
- plan some free Easter activities for the lads
- write something every day on my ebook, even if just 100 words. Need to create a habit here
- complete listing for S*asalt tunics
- take another step on the never-ending kitchen project
- return library books
- DBS for new job
- send off passport applications

beanielou

That kitchen is awesome,
Love love love it.
Go for it!!
Eeek to voice.
Job sounds just fab.

newgirly

Congratulations on the new job courgette :T

The kitchen you have linked to is the one I've been debating over when we take the plunge

Courgette

Gorgeous isn't it Not seen it in real life yet plus they seem to be keeping the price to themselves but I do really love it.

Been to see the pharmacist about my throat - have woken up this morning completely unable to talk so getting the kids out the door on time was fun! He thinks it's possibly laryngitis but not really sure. Time will tell. I'm not teaching today but got a busy day tomorrow and Wednesday. Hoping it will clear as obviously I don't want to cancel any lessons!

edinburgher

Kitchen looks gorgeous, but it would make our kitchen look *tiny*. It's very dark, very classy, but suspect that it would need a good combination of plenty of natural light and judicious artificial lighting to stop the room seeming gloomy?

beanielou

You only get the price through Howdens or a joiner that has an account with them.
My current one is from Howdens.

gallygirl

MWC has a dark blue kitchen and it is ace :T:T:T. I'm not brave enough so went for white gloss with grey speckled granite worktops, i.e. built-in marks so don't notice when it's not clean :rotfl:.

Hope the voice returns

Courgette

gallygirl wrote: »

MWC has a dark blue kitchen and it is ace :T:T:T. I'm not brave enough so went for white gloss with grey speckled granite worktops, i.e. built-in marks so don't notice when it's not clean :rotfl:.

Hope the voice returns

Ooh, I thought MWC's was orange. Who has the orange kitchen then? Our less brave option is high gloss white with wooden or pretend wooden worktops then brightened up with really gorgeous tiles in a turquoise/teal kind of colour. We'll just have to see how the quotes come back on it really, that will guide us a lot.

Had the day at home because my voice has gone entirely. I won;t think about the money I've lost in cancelled lessons, booo. Not sure about tomorrow either. It's getting better but I still have three hours so I don't know if I can reasonably manage that.

Have made use of my forced day off by lying in bed watching youtube summaries of books I've been meaning to read which has been quite interesting. Have also written about 500 more words of my ebook so that's something (I also wrote about 300 on the steps outside nursery yesterday).

Have almost finished the Frugalwoods book. My love affair with them is well and truly over however. I'd thought when they said they had middle class salaries they'd meant the $50-75k region (which I already class as a lot). Turns out it's closer to $250k :eek: I think I'd find it pretty easy to save 70% of that, in fact 30% is much more than we have ever lived on. Feel a bit conned actually by what's clearly been a marketing ploy for the blog. Will try not to think too deeply about it or take it too personally though :rotfl:

Anyone got any good book recommendations for me? I'm working hard and need to keep working hard in shifting my mindset from constant frugalism to growth and increasing my income. It's very difficult when it's so deeply ingrained in me but I really don;t feel I'm getting as much out of life as I want to and want my kids to because I'm constantly weighing up the financial side of everything. I don't have any aspirations to become Mariah Carey or anything like that (although I do like a good warble in the bath!) but it'd be nice to travel more and just to do more stuff.

Tropically

Sometimes I read some FIRE blogs and they say things like, "When should I stop contributing to my pension because it will hit the £1million mark?" If that's USD, that means that 'scrimping' and saving 70% would mean SPENDING £52,959 per year. I would take that challenge!! I am also eager for some book recommendations so will keep a look out