2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine

mark55man

Back home now - and nearly dried off.

Project4000 for August has gone OK.  Some cash flow challenges when I had to pay for some things for my FIL and waiting for the cash to cycle back, but I made appropriate allowances with my balance transfers. It will all sort itself out soon enough

Have made the transfers for month 2 of Project4000 - at the end of September I will need to start contact with work again - my goodness that went quick

I am managing to limit my Paralympics watching to highlights

doingitanyway

I know what you mean about being nearly dried off. 
I worked for a bit where I think you are. The constant wet weather... so green and lovely. But, I always felt slightly damp!

Enjoy the Paralympics

mark55man

well weekend weigh in - ever so slightly up.  my new meds are incompatible with low carb diets which is where I was so have been enjoying carbs again - obviously a bit too much.  Lunch yesterday was a packet of wine gums - note must do better!!.

Took a chance and stopped at a new (to us) pub en route back from visiting OH family - was thinking of a £10 a head meal deal, but it wasn't that sort of pub.  A very nice meal was had but nearer £25 - a lovely meal and the best service I have had in a long while.

mark55man

so back from euro city break to Bruges with most of a day in Brussels.  Did a lot of steps at least 10000 each of the 4 days over 50000 in total.  Put on some weight, beer and waffles are not on many diet sheets

the eurostar was reasonable - my first time although I have used the channel tunnel for taking the car.  Crowded and a bit dated, but comfy enough and give or take the odd 5 minutes pretty punctual, although a fair bit of queueing to get through passport control

Bruges has made extracting money from tourists an art form, but very friendly and it was beautiful and easy to navigate. Plus there were always options - we started with a free walking tour (well free, but with a strong expectation of a tip) spent a nice Saturday afternoon having a picnic when we wanted a break from restaurants.

Brussels was a bit of a rush around, but had only been there an hour when an off shoot gathering of the annual beer festival provided a taster of free beer - vive l'Europe!!  Did a bit of Cathedral and shopping arcade surfing - very enjoyable but always nice to get home

mark55man

Hello - nearly 2 weeks gone in a flash!!.  

Things here are pretty static (ie boring!).  My FIL is not very well at the moment, so we are spending a lot of time visiting him in his care home about 90mins drive away - which is nice to have the time to do that and help OH with the driving.  

Have been busy at home and have cleared out one room completely for the handyman to come in and redecorate on Monday.  We are having a new front door fitted (only been putting it off for a decade or so).  But we're not going anywhere house wise so needs done.  A door is one of those things you always feel you are paying too much for, but we did some research (mumsnet amongst others and think we got an OK price) - probably got a little mugged but that's modern life and OH wanted to use some of her pension lump sum on the house so not going to argue.  My main concern is that the new door locks itself (Yale style) whilst the old door didn't (key in lock style) - cue one or both of us getting locked out at least once!!

We are having a big debate about whether to give the kids a copy of the new key!! - Given that two are still local we may well just in order to avoid the lock out scenario.

Money wise OK - savings beginning to look a bit stretched but will make it to mid November - I'm glad now I put some of our holiday expenses on CC1 (my old friend) on a 0% thing.  Repaying in the future won't be a problem when I trigger pension, but taking from savings now would have made it too tight.  Kind of lifestyle stoozing 

Weight wise - static although the holiday excess not yet disappearing.  Doing a fair amount of walking but regular gym going as elusive as ever

OK - that's all will try not to leave it so long next time!!

lucielle

Instead of giving them keys would it be worth considering a key box with a key on a chain?  

L

mark55man

@lucielle having just found out how expensive the extra keys are that is an excellent idea TYVM.  If that is something you have done did you have a recommendation - my FIL used to have one that worked OK so might go back to that

lucielle

We had a holiday cottage and used one on there. I do recommend keeping the key on a chain. This should make sure it stays in the box and nobody wanders off or forgets to put it back. 

L

lucielle

Mine had a code you put in to open it. 

L

Humboldt

@mark55man sorry to hear that your FIL is unwell.  Thanks for taking the time to share your trip to Bruges and Brussels. Keep chipping away at the healthier lifestyle, it's not always easy when you have a lot going on.