2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine

savingholmes

Enjoy your night out. Sounds like things are going better than expected

mark55man

very enjoyable long weekend - total cost about £160 so not cheap but involved catching up with some of my oldest friends - its been ages. so priceless and also 15000 steps each of the two days !!!

Lots gentle walking and talking and catching up.  A nice dinner at at a great location as well then a full English breakfast (minus the toast!!) in town

FootyFanDan

Sounds like a great weekend and managed to keep up with the steps too 😊

AntoMac

Times with old mates are very special @mark55man. Like you say priceless. I do that occasionally too. Can be a right faff to arrange as one of the groups I meet with are the other side of the country, but we have such a laugh when we do catch up as we’re young again. Well done on the steps too. 15,000 a day is very decent.

savingholmes

Well done on the steps and fab to meet old friends. Sounds like fun

mark55man

Thanks all, yes it was great fun.  Most of them would be good to see more often, but some once every year or two is just fine.  

Just got news that October isn't going to be as quiet workwise as I thought, as something has come back onto the to do list - ah well have got a long break booked at the end of December (not mentioning the X*** 4 letter word yet) maybe get the house into some order for 2022 - that is a priority for next year, but will get started this year as its our turn for family unless we get another surge, although we are all now double jabbed so much les at risk

mark55man

So exciting news I bought a new coffee machine off FB Marketplace to replace our tried and trusty purveyor of caffeine that had given up the ghost.  £25 instead of £65 and it looks like it has hardly been used.  About twice as quick to brew and nicer so that's a real win

Under a week to pay day and I have got enough to last - although DD1 popped by so we went for impromptu lunch out which wasn't in the budget but there was enough to spare. DS2 came along who has been shielding but now he is double jabbed + 2 weeks his confidence is back - had a nice salad as diet!!.

I've decided I am not going to pay CC3 off from my EF this month, I'm just going to batter it down from monthly spending.  Partly as its not costing anything to run it, and partly as it feels a bit unbalanced to lump-sum it away.  Frankly, also a little because knowing my behaviour if the balance is there and I'm chipping away I will be more frugal than if I have cleared it and am just rebuilding the EF.  Mad I know, but isn't 90% of DFW about how you look at things. 

Also heard a rumour that pay and stuff is going to reflect the increasing costs we are all facing so although I might not be better off in real terms, at least it won't be any worse.
 
OK Have a good weekend everybody, mine is starting with a reading group in an actual pub for the first time in 18 months.  Friday night might be a bit busy but hey it almost feels like a social life!!

savingholmes

Social life - sounds like heaven doesn't it after the weird 18 months we've all had... I know I want to make the most of going out and seeing people while still allowed... 

mark55man

So Payday has been and gone. Was a bit close in the end as DD2 needed a top up as her payroll are still not on top of things, but less required than last month.  But safe for a little bit longer although over half of it will go out tomorrow!!.  So will spend the weekend doing spreadsheets and updating signatures.  

The heating has been on more than once this month, my energy company was one of the ones that went belly up, so I am now with SOLR (supplier of last resort).  I'm not worried, but had built up my summer surplus, and now its in limbo until it all goes through.  I will probably move away although I suspect it won't do ay good.

Another busy week, ended up helping out some old friends who had been let down by a new team, so was busy but always nice to work with old colleagues - even if I didn't actually meet them except on a screen.

OH just in town for a meeting, then will come back and I will have sausages and mash waiting for her - not a huge surprise but hopefully appreciated.  I can smell it cooking - yum!!

Mandatory reporting of fuel as its all my FB is full off, we are a 4 car family, and now I'm full (since Sunday), OH is half full (since before this nonsense all started), DS1 had been driven around nearly on fumes every evening but finally got lucky this morning when a friend messaged him that a tanker had been spotted.  DS GF car is on the same tank since July she does about 30 miles a week MAX,  

mark55man

On the 06:26 train. I am reminded of the Robin Williams line from Good Morning Vietnam.  What does the 0 in 0630 stands for, oh my god that's early

first train for nearly 2 years - hasn't changed - almost completely empty though which is nice.  Not quite sure if the same can be said for the peak Friday return, but there you go.

part of my being green, and keeping my tank full initiatives - let the train take the strain (or am I showing my age)