Giving every £ a job

savingholmes

Hugs. I think a lot of people are finding it hard currently. I do wonder whether this year more people are dying of other things as there seems to be a cluster of people at work who have all recently lost a parent.

Well done on getting ahead for Xmas. I love gift buying - but like you often leave the wrapping until late on.

Blackcats

Thank you SA and SH.  I'm feeling a bit brighter today, having read some self care tips I started the day with a short guided meditation, a few minutes on the exercise bike (VERY few minutes) and I dressed in red which apparently is good for energy.  I made sure I used hand cream in the day and had some squirts of perfume.  Squeezed in a short walk at lunchtime too. I've got a 1 to 1 with my boss tomorrow so I think I'll wear pink which is calming apparently 😄

made a favourite pudding that I haven't had for years - orange jelly with tinned mandarins in it and evaporated milk - cheap and easy and yummy.  

I can't remember if I posted an updated on the battle of blackcats v council tax but I've now paid 78% of the bill so I'm feeling pleased about that.  Should be cleared with the December payment which is a month early.  

savingholmes

Well done on the self care. I've prioritise my skin care recently and can't believe the difference it's made in only a few months. My skin feels silky again which is lovely.

[Deleted User]

Just catching up on your diary as have been away.  So sorry to read you've been struggling, but glad you are feeling a bit better.  I do think that sadly this is going to be another tough winter for many.  Hopefully once we are through this winter things will look brighter.  And soon you'll be able to say "I'm retiring this year"!  Hope your one to one went well and can you share the mandarin recipe?!

Blackcats

Thank you Saving Holmes - it's great how quickly our skin improves when we give it a bit of attention.  I spend some of my health and well-being budget on liquid collagen supplement which I take on alternate days and I think it's good for my hair and skin (but might just be my imagination or wishful thinking).  

Hello Rebecca - I'm feeling brighter this week - when I get caught up in the tedious petty politics im now saying to myself "so what's the catastrophe here?" and that helps with a sense of proportion because actually there isn't ever a catastrophe.  

As for the mandarin recipe - that's a bit too grand a description - however, it was a firm favourite with my children 
make up an orange jelly with 1/2 pint of boiling water, open tin of mandarins and add the juice to the jelly mix, then add enough water to make up to 1 pint.  Put drained mandarins in a bowl and pour over jelly.  When set, open tin of evap milk and serve with jelly 😁. 

36 weeks to go
feeling in a better mood and more positive but now I've got a cold - it's not too bad, more irritating than debilitating.  

Trying hard to stick to my grocery budget but it's tight, not helped by OH going out for milk and coming back having spent £9 on milk and snacks.  To be fair he was trying to be thoughtful because of my cold but we already had a lot of chocolate.  I will have a £10 Li*l voucher to spend so that will help and the full freezer and cupboards will help and there's no shortage of chocolate. 

Payday today but I'll wait to do money shuffling and budget balancing until tomorrow.  Going to make a cup of tea, get some chocolate and do some crochet.  Perfect cosy autumn evening.  

savingholmes

Hope you feel better soon. 36 weeks to go is good... Lots of chocolate also sounds positive to me... I sent my DD out for some for me earlier...

Blackcats

Made a really nice dinner tonight from food I already had at home - spaghetti with salmon and spinach from the freezer, cherry tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes.  I'm eking out my grocery budget til the end of the month but tonight's dinner felt very luxurious rather than eking out.
I've "shopped from home" (copyright Foxgloves) for help with my cold - lemon and ginger tea with squeezed lemon, plenty of orange juice, hot toddy at night time.  I think with a couple of paracetamol at intervals it's probably as effective as the shop bought hot lemon drinks.  
still haven't done my budget update - tomorrow - definitely .....

savingholmes

Well done on the home remedy. Hope it helps.

[Deleted User]

Hope you are feeling better soon - your dinner sounds lush!

[Deleted User]

Just checking in to see that you are ok @Blackcats