Keeping on the Straight and Narrow...

DancingInTheRain

Have managed to relax this weekend, we've just stayed at home apart from going out for a walk yesterday. We've eaten well, watched films, played games, a few phone calls to family and friends and napped as needed. Feel a bit better but the Sunday dreads are definitely creeping in thinking about going back to work tomorrow - at least it's a WFH day tomorrow so can hide myself away a little!

In general it's been a very low spend week, even the weekly grocery shop was significantly reduced as we are running down the freezer. As such, we've just transferred £50 to the EF and £50 to the mortgage, signature updated.

Plans for the rest of the day - lunch, quick tidy round, film (possibly a Xmas one) and then make a list of remaining gifts to buy for Xmas - want to get this sorted this month and then all being well December can be spent re-connecting face to face with loved ones xx

DancingInTheRain

Work marginally better this week, definitely not feeling as desperate as I was last week. Have been going to bed early, still waking through night for ages but managing to get a bit more sleep each night which is helping. DS2 has counteracted this by deciding his new wake up time is 5.45! 
Got the boys to do their letters to Santa, they poured over the Smyths toy catalogue and were 'slightly influenced' to choose 3 things each which by good fortune we've already bought them  They had fun cutting the pictures out and sticking them on the letter while I helped them write the letter.
Have also put together a list of what else we need to buy and have ordered a couple of gifts, will sort the rest out later in the month.
On the TV front, we had a bit of luck as my friends have upgraded their TV so have passed their old one on to us. They wouldn't take anything for it but got them a bottle of wine and flowers to say thank you.
Also sent £25 to the PB's to build this up a little more, signature updated.

sashybo

😂 I like that the boys were 'slightly influenced' over what to ask Santa for. My DS wasn't interested in his letter to Santa at all, I had to just get on with it myself. 🤷‍♀️ He still hasn't realised he can ask for things for Christmas, I think this will be the last year that happens! 😂 

Glad to hear that work is a bit better and how nice of your friends to give you their old tv. 🍻 

beanielou

Great news on the TV. 

DancingInTheRain

@sashybo be careful, your DS may catch you unaware.
My DS1 was also disinterested last year (age 3) until he announced on Xmas Eve that he'd like a red motorbike 😱  Too late to do anything so we said that you don't always get everything you ask for and although he was grateful for the presents he did get, he kept wondering why Santa hadn't brought him a red motorbike!
Fast forward to his birthday in March, we asked what he wanted, his response? 'a red motorbike Mummy because Santa didn't bring me one' 😳🤣

DancingInTheRain

Morning, another 530 start here with DS2 - kitchen surfaces and floor mopped & cleaned already! 🙄

We're still not spending a lot from the monthly budget, still working through the freezer using up batch cooked meals and fuel costs are minimal with us both working from home more so have transferred some money from those budgets to the EF (£50) and to PB's (£25).

Day off today so will be doing a top up food shop this morning while the boys are at school, pick DS2 up at 12 and then see what the afternoon brings.
They're having a PJ day at school to raise funds for Children in Need so need to raid the change jar for that.

Want to get on top of chores today as there's a few little maintenance jobs needing done around the house this weekend if we (by we I mean DH 😉) can find some motivation. I may threaten to buy and use No Nails, that usually fires him into action 🤣

It's been a strange week, Covid cases definitely on the rise in my local area and I know of at least 4 people showing mild symptoms, cough mainly, who are isolating and waiting on test results. An old colleague from my first job when I was 16 had also passed away with Covid, she was hospitalised with something else but contracted Covid in hospital. A lovely lady and really feel for her husband as you never saw one of them without the other 😔 just goes to show we never know what's around the corner.

Stay safe everyone x

DancingInTheRain

Hi all
Well chores were completed Friday, just a small pile of school shirts needing ironed to do later.

The threat of no nails worked 😉 and DH & I have got a few small maintenance jobs completed yesterday as hoped, also got the boys out for a walk to my Mum's, got caught in a heavy downpour on the way home and were soaked so we all got in our PJ's as soon as we got home, I made us all hot chocolate to warm up & the boys took control of the TV for an hour before bedtime.
DH & I then got a takeaway as we both had a craving for our local Chinese takeout which is always delicious, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Out of our 4 friends who have been Covid tested 3 have had negative results and 1 positive, thankfully he's feeling well so that's a positive.

Today has been a day of doing nothing in particular while we all recharge our batteries for the week ahead, DS2 has had a rare nap so it's been good for DS1 to get mine & DH's undivided attention for a couple of hours, he's loved it!

Cashed out £4.37 from TCB, rounded it up to £5 and sent to the mortgage account, every little helps right? 🤣

Hope everyone else is well, enjoy what's left of the weekend xx

sashybo

DancingInTheRain said:

@sashybo be careful, your DS may catch you unaware.
My DS1 was also disinterested last year (age 3) until he announced on Xmas Eve that he'd like a red motorbike 😱  Too late to do anything so we said that you don't always get everything you ask for and although he was grateful for the presents he did get, he kept wondering why Santa hadn't brought him a red motorbike!
Fast forward to his birthday in March, we asked what he wanted, his response? 'a red motorbike Mummy because Santa didn't bring me one' 😳🤣

😂 That definitely sounds like something my threenager would do! 😱 They actually remember everything don't they? 👀 

Sounds like you had a nice relaxing weekend plus some DIY done too. I'm still nagging  reminding DH to get some rawlplugs out of the kitchen wall so that I can fill the holes and then *finally* paint the wall behind the fridge that has had a big bare patch annoying me for 3 and a half YEARS. 😖 I fear that at this rate it may be 10 years before any paint is applied. 😭 

DancingInTheRain

What a boring, dark and ploddy (is that a word? 🤔) it's been...
DH is feeling particularly miserable so Mum has agreed to have the boys at some point over the weekend so that we can have some time together, hopefully get out for a walk if the weather breaks long enough. Plan B is to order a takeaway lunch from a local pub/restaurant to have a lockdown date.

Work for both of us continues to be stressful, trying to count blessings that we're both still working but honestly the amount of 🤯🤯🤯 moments we have each day is getting ridiculous ☹️

Have somehow managed to get back on track with my coursework, have to have a couple of observations and one more assignment then hopefully all done, will be glad to see the back of it as it's been like a weight hanging over me all year, hated every minute of it!

Trying to end on a positive - have just received our monthly account bonus from the Spanish bank so have rounded it up to £5 and sent to the mortgage as it was irritating me ending in a 5, it's now has a much more appealing 0 at the end 🙈🤣.

Budget still holding up well, my payday on Thursday so only 6 more sleeps until the new monthly budget sets in. We're well on track for Xmas and no annual Bills due until the car tax at the end of December so all being well we should be able to continue to build savings while making tiny overpayments to the mortgage with any little bits of 'free' money.

Hope everyone is well xx

savingholmes

Great news on the friends giving you their tv. Sorry that the first got smashed though. Sorry to read you had some meltdowns - I think a lot of us are struggling at the moment as there is no clear end in sight. Love the influencing your kids xmas letter. Fab.