Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 3 - A New Beginning

crazy_cat_lady

Morning, and Happy Easter!
So I've come to the conclusion that it just seems to be a 10 day recovery time from work these days - I've been quite a bit better over the past few days, sleeping well, relaxing, watching box sets and enjoying time with friends and family. We do get decent holidays as teachers, but it's taken over half of them for me to start enjoying properly.
I've had a decent few days - spent all of Thursday visiting my friend that I only get to see during school hols (she's just a bit too far away for weekends etc). It was lovely and really good to see her looking so much better than she has been over the past year or so. We had lunch and spent most of the afternoon in the park with the kids. She's also asked me to make her a blanket, which I'm more than happy to do.
Friday was a day with just me and the kids. As per ds request, we went to a small, local caf! for lunch where I got the traditional Good Friday fish and chips and the kids got panini and chips and the whole lot cost me less than a tenner. It's a brilliant place to indulge without spending a fortune. Then I spent the afternoon deep cleaning the kitchen with a bit of help from dd. I was absolutely convinced I could smell cat pee but couldn't find anything, so we cleaned cupboard fronts and washed walls etc - just in case. Never did find anything, but it definitely smells better out there.
Yesterday, the nice weather finally hit and I managed to get out and about without my hoodie for the first time in goodness-knows how long. Did a couple of hours of tutoring and then spent time with bestie and my sister and all the kids.
It's been lovely, and I've really enjoyed it - however, I feel as though I'm starting to lost a bit of my grip on being frugal. I've bought a couple of new dresses this holiday, a new pair of shoes and a new watch. All things I wouldn't consider until the summer hols - long after exam time and when I have a bit of extra cash to spend. I feel incredibly guilty and have the unbelievable urge to spend more - even though I don't have it. I just get fed up of always looking a mess, walking round in clothes that are well past their best, and in trainers that are 6 years old... ugh. So I feel better, and I start spending. I had to have the new watch - my Fitbit broke, and I am completely lost without it, but I expect that I could have chosen a much cheaper one than the one I eventually went for. Guilt, guilt, guilt.... Did I need a new work dress though? Probably not. I keep saying I'm going to make more effort with myself then don't...
Anyway. It's Easter Sunday. And I have ys chicken defrosting to do for dinner - we're having chicken and potato salad in between all of the chocolate. My kids are ruined, and I feel obliged to help them make their way through the mountain of chocolate in the house at the moment. No other real plans for today other than not to spend any more money, and not to stress about work looming in the background. We shall see how that goes.
Have a good day!

triple_choc_chip

Ok, enough of this - I’ve been wondering for a few weeks now - who are you? how did you hijack this diary? and what have you done with CCL? :rotfl:
Seriously though, it’s great reading the uplifting and happy reports of good times with family and friends. So pleased for you, enjoy today and the rest of the holiday.
TCC

apple_muncher

Enjoy helping the kids with conquering the chocolate mountain...

crazy_cat_lady

Morning :coffee:
TCC - make the most of it, exam season starts in less than a month and I'll be back to being the exhausted, stressed out CCL that you're much more familiar with :rotfl: Seriously though, I have been much happier this past year overall. It's taken a while to find myself and who I really am, and I'm still massively introverted and full of self doubt but I am so grateful for the things I have in life - my family and friends, a job, enough money to get by, a roof over my head. Obviously I have the stress of an impending court date and financials still to sort, but I just don't care any more. I need to get that sorted sooner rather than later, at whatever cost.
It is exactly one year today since my ex left the house for the last time. I woke up in the morning and found he had taken my car and run off to Scotland, drunk. With the help of others I made the decision he wasn't coming back - and the only regret I have is that I didn't do it years ago. I still can't believe how different everything is since then, and how much more content I am with my life... I still think it's all a bit sad that it's ended so badly between us and it being dragged out like this but I know I couldn't have tried any harder than I did. It's scary to think how much has happened, and I'm pleased that I have survived and come through it so far feeling much better, and definitely wiser...
It's also the last day of my holiday and I have the work dreads about going back tomorrow. Ugh. Still, it makes a difference that the weather is a bit better with light nights and mornings. Not too many plans for the day ahead - I need to go grocery shopping, but other than that just a bit of pottering round the house and not thinking about work as far as is possible. I had wanted to get out and get the shopping out of the way early but both kids are still sleeping and one of them hasn't added their requests to the list so I can't until they are up. Not that it matters there either.

f0xh0les

Only 9 teaching days until the long weekend!

SpekySquarehead

What a years it has been CCL!! I know you won't, but it's worth taking a second to give yourself a pat on the back for all you've managed to achieve in that time - for you and the kids.

I hope work isn't too painful today.

crazy_cat_lady

Well. I survived work but I don't know WHAT has happened to the kids there. Behaviour of the hardcore is particularly challenging at the moment, and I am not happy about it. Still, it's not just me, there's an issue everywhere at the moment. However, survived my teaching and even had a free this afternoon to get some other stuff done. I got quite a bit of stuff ticked off the to-do list at work, including a couple of the bigger jobs. However, I have reports, another parents evening and of course the beginning of exams coming up all in this five week stint.
I didn't sleep as well as I'd hoped last night - took me ages to fall asleep and I woke up a lot. Probably just stressing about going back to work, even though it was absolutely fine. So I am tired tonight and hoping for a longer stint of sleep - plus I have my new sleep monitor app attached to my new watch so I can start obsessing over that again. I daren't think about the fact that I've bought a very expensive smart watch - but I have been more than lost since my f1tb1t gave up the ghost. They are expensive, I've had two, and both have failed way before I would have expected them to. Hopefully my new (to me) one will last longer.
Day two of my healthy eating as well, which I am already feeling the benefit of. Let's see how long I can maintain this for now - I still am not enamoured of food preparation, but I made myself do it and it didn't take as long as I thought. Hopefully I can lose some of the weight I piled on over the holidays...:o
Right - I'm going to settle in front of the telly. I keep forgetting that it's Tuesday, and that's my favourite TV night :j The question is whether or not I can be bothered to crochet as well.

trix-a-belle

CCL I hate to say this as you have now replaced it but if your fitbit died before it was 2 years old its under warranty and will get replaced for the same model or a discount off a new different model in the UK, my charge 2 died last year much to my un-amusement and so I did a lot of investigating
Well done on surviving the first day back, I hope you have a lovely relaxing evening to recharge yourself

Honeysucklelou2

I think you're right on the 10 day recovery from the previous term! Hope the sleep improves tonight.

SpekySquarehead

Keep going with the healthy eating. I can guarantee will improve all other areas of your life, too!