The Final Furlong

beanielou

Enjoy your glass of wine:)

I hate duvet cover’s too!!

Dottles1

Oh I did Beanie, thankyou, I ended up staying for pizza too, lovely. And...oh the bliss of clean bedding is one of life's little pleasures and is free (oh it doesn't take much to make me happy).
My car is in for MOT & service tomorrow, service is covered by a payment plan and I have enough to fund the rest in the holding account (unless something untoward is discovered so fingers firmly crossed). I'm have decided to test out the new "for points" credit card by paying on there and paying off straight away. I can do this !!
I took myself out for breakfast this morning, a rare treat which I paid for out of the grocery budget, then bought some bits of food for the week and snacks for GD who is coming to me a couple of times after school. This leaves £4.70 left for food until payday which should be ample as all meals and lunches are covered till then.
I'm going into work tomorrow, it's not my working day but I need to print some stuff out for next week's lessons and a colleague is going to help me with some planning so will be worth it.
My DS is picking me up from the garage and dropping me at work so saving a taxi fare there and I'll only need to figure out getting back to the garage later (it's not on a bus route and too far to walk). That might need to be a taxi depending on times as picking GD up but at least will only be one way.
Right I'm going to make a coffee and settle down to get a bit more work done.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday all.
Dottles x

Seasidegal58

Just read on a very well known women's monthly that is renowned for testing household goods, etc that Tesco's towels came out the best - even beating White Company!

clearmydebts

Oh I love clean sheets on a bed too. It is pure heaven!!!

Dottles1

That's interesting Seasidegal. I bought a set from there when I moved last August and they wash really well. They're bright purple and hold the colour so will probably go back there to buy again. It's interesting isn't it that I would assume that White Company would be superior, probably because I would expect so given their prices. Not always the case though. I've also realised that I need knew pillows, can't remember how old mine are. I need a list and to check an item off each month.
First though the car...paid £58.92 plus £13.82 (which will be refunded next month) today. Have another £26.42 to pay on Friday then MOT is sorted. I forgot to take the pin number for the new card so paid out of hoding account and also have enough for Friday's payment. Now, here's where it gets spendy...they tell me that my brakes will need doing along with another job in about 2 weeks time which will cost £356.68. I can't understand why it would pass the MOT if this needs doing imminently so might wait a bit longer, which would also give me time to manage the budgetfor the work, it's just worrying that it is the brakes. I also need a new hose and a leak sorting on the air conditioning but that is covered in the lifetime warranty. Just when I'm starting to get sorted anyway I guess this is why an emergency fund is important. I am tempted to get someone else to have a look and give me an opinion though.

I spent the morning in work sorting paperwork for my observation this week. It's not my working day and I can't claim it back but is worth it to take the pressure off. Hopefully they will do it sooner rather than later in the week.
On the positive side it rained all last night and has been a lovely day again today. I collected GD from school, we had snacks and a drink and then we took Tilly up to the field for a run around and then a walk through the woods through the woods. I love that time to cha with her about what is going on in her world. Last night I phoned GS for achat and facetimed GD in USA so feel all caught up now.
My diet is still not great but steps are increasing week by week so not all bad. I need to get the next 3 weeks at work out of the way and then I will look at diet again. I know that if I start too many things at once I end up giving up so one step at a time I think.
I have had my first survey with Prolific Academic so £1.50 in that pot and hoping that Receipt Hog will be available to withdraw soon. I find RH to be slow but then again it is free money.
I'm gong to get on with a bit of work before I eat. I'm not hungry due to snacks with GD but probably will be later.
I hope you have all had a good day
Dottles x

Seasidegal58

Dottles1 wrote: »

That's interesting Seasidegal. I bought a set from there when I moved last August and they wash really well. They're bright purple and hold the colour so will probably go back there to buy again. It's interesting isn't it that I would assume that White Company would be superior, probably because I would expect so given their prices. Not always the case though. I've also realised that I need knew pillows, can't remember how old mine are. I need a list and to check an item off each month.

I've had my current towels for some time - a mixture of white John Lewis and White Company. I must say though that the JL towels have kept their softness better - and they weren't the most expensive towels that JL were selling! I like my White Company bed linen though - had these sets some time and they have really worn well. However I did get them in the sale plus an extra 30% off if I remember!

Dottles1

I do like to have nice bedding, Seasidegal. It's not so much about price but feel for me. My current sheet was from Dunelm, lovely and soft but is now beginning to show signs of wear. I dream of having some vintage cotton sheets but the reality is that they would probably take more looking after to keep them looing good. I can dream...you never know.

Well that's now my working week over. I like working my new shorter week now but my, do I work in those 3 days. There is so much to get through in the classroom time. This week I passed my first observation (2 more to go) which is a relief. It feels like having to re-apply for your job every year.

I have some private work in the morning, followed by taking the car back in for it'd MOT re-test. After that I need to pick up a friends dog that I look after as I'm having her again for the weekend, followed by some prep work for next week's classes and 2nd observation. I am determined to make sure that I have time for myself too.

Rain is forecast for the whole weekend here so not expecting to get much done in the garden, but hopeful that I might be able to cut back some of the veg plants that are done now if there is a gap. The courgettes are still producing though more slowly but otherwise everything else is finished.

Indoors I have a bit of organising to do including sorting out clothes that I no longer wear or are past their best as well as putting away summer wear and getting out more warmer items. I'll also be Autumn prepping the house by bringing out the throws, candles etc. Just generally cosying it up for the colder months. Looking forward to it.

Hand in there all, the weekend is almost here.
Dottles x

Dottles1

Good morning and welcome to Saturday.
Despite the forecast it has been lovely and sunny here so I took advantage and walked the dogs before the rain comes, as it probably will. Yesterday was a NSD and looks like today will be as well. I seem to have dropped back into the habit of popping to the shop(and it IS a habit) rather than working with what I have in. That said I'm still within my budgets for the month so could be worse.
The car passed it's MOT after a re-test, it only needed a wiper blade so that was good and the cost of the MOT was reduced and the service free due to the payment plan I have. They did however, try to sell me an "engine flush" for £65 which I declined. I was able to wait while the re-test was done so I had a pleasant half hour with my book and a free coffee.
I'm going into the garden shortly to do a little tidying up for autumn. I have a few (a very few) borlotti beans that I plan to dry and either use over the winter or to pant next year. I think the grass is too wet to cut today so might have a look again tomorrow as living at the top of a hill, it drains quite quickly.
I'm setting jobs for the weekend, today will be; food audit to plan meals/shopping for payday on ; garden tidy; write list of phone calls to make on Monday; make some dhal to have with flat breads; do some lesson planning and write student profiles. That will do I think, tomorrow is another day
Right I'm off into the sunshine.
Enjoy your Saturday all
Dottles x

beanielou

Good news on the MOT

Dottles1

it has rained all day here and forecast again for tomorrow. So glad I got out in the garden yesterday and tidied up a bit. for the first time I woke up to the sound of the rain and felt all snuggly under my quilt rather than feeling too warm,
I was invited by my GD celebrate the 1st anniversary of adopting her dog so we had tea and cheese scones with her mum and her other grandparents this morning. A lovely time was had by all and the scones were delicious.
Still haven't done any work for next week so I must get on with it when I finish here. I just find myself putting it off and I know that will end up with me feeling overwhelmed again so need to just get it done.
On the MSE front I joined Prolific Academic last week and have had 2 surveys so far coming to £1.90 and I'm still pushing on with Receipt Hog. It's not much but it is free money and it all adds up.
Tomorrow I need to go into work to print out some stuff and get others checked then I'm going to meet up with BF who is back from her holiday for a coffee and a catch up.
It's pay day tomorrow so I'll be doing the books and budgets at some point but I think I can hold off the grocery shopping as I have quite a bit left in the cupboards and I want to defrost the freezer. I might get through to Friday with just a few bits if I'm careful, I may even reduce the food budget a little this month. The petrol budget may need to be put up again as I had to put £10 extra in this month and I have rail fare to pay for trip to London in November so personal spends will be tight in October. There is an underspend of £21.79 in the holding account which I've transferred out plus I haven't gone into the overdraft again which is good considering that this was the first month of fewer hours worked. I can't decide whether to pay this £100 off something or consider it paying off the O/D completely. I guess it's the same thing really.
I'm still waiting for the paperwork for the new bank account to come through so I can switch accounts, I'm hoping it will be here this week so I can get sorted.
Ok then, no more putting it off, I'm off to crack that work.
Good night all
Dottles x