A Year in the Life of...

savingholmes

Glad your back posting. So pleased you've been able to bring your DFD forward. Hope LMG gets to return to her job soon.

girlatplay

Thank you @savingholmes. I had a quick catch up with your diary last night but there were 156 posts that I had missed so when I say quick, I mean I scanned the last 10 pages so probably missed loads.

savingholmes

No worries. I got my diagnosis for ASD and dyspraxia. DS diagnosed with ADHD. My leg is almost recovered at last. Top things. We are both WFH during crisis. DS is back from uni and setting up as a freelancer and it is going well for him. I've set up a limited company for my art and writing and plan to publish as soon as I've sorted the tax situation... There all caught up LOL. 

astrocytic_kitten

I’ve been thinking of you @girlatplay and hoping you’re ok, glad to see you back. Great progress on the money front, too! I know what you mean about the costs, there’s a couple of things I rely on but still struggle with paying for the branded version when that’s all that’s available. 

girlatplay

Thank you @astrocytic_kitten.  I have caught up with your and @[Deleted User] 's diaries now.

@savingholmes did they find out what was wrong with your leg?

girlatplay

I'm having to do a small rethink of extra money that might come in.  It's all very well paying it off the loan and I'm still determined to keep pulling back my DFD but my Dad and BF both have special birthdays in August (in the same week!) and I haven't put much aside for them.  They wouldn't expect me to spend a fortune and I don't plan to but I need to put a little aside this month and next month.

I can't wait to get back out to do the grocery shop myself again.  This lockdown has really hurt the budget.

I have no motivation to do anything.  I am using the fact that I'm still working as my excuse but really, I need to pull myself together.  At the start of lockdown I was cleaning, tidying, baking, anything to keep myself occupied but now I've given up and am only doing the bare minimum which is the dishes, kitchen surfaces laundry (I keep it up to date so I only have two loads a week although I've been stretching it out to 10 days, LMG does her own) and cleaning the loo, not the bathroom, just the loo.  LMG has been our chef so I've not even had to cook.  The last time I vacuumed and mopped floors was sometime in May, nearer the start of May.  I just spot clean if we spill something.  Not sure why I'm feeling the need to confess all of this.  Anyway, I have ordered some wool and I have a pattern to make preemie blankets.  I'm not a big knitter but I want to do something and it means I can occupy my mind and hands whilst sitting down.

beanielou

I have zero motivation.
I am tired.
I am doing the bare minimum I can get away with.
WE all have so much on our plate at the moment.
You are a star, keep plodding    xx

savingholmes

What Beanie said. Our house isn't doing well either - but we are more than the home we live in. Spot cleaning. Occasional kitchen cleaning. Individual loos. Occasional partial vacuum. Lot of gardening and prettifying the outside and planting veg. Minimal other stuff. Exhaustion... Be kind to yourself. It isn't a competition. We are all getting through the best way we can.

No I never got a leg diagnosis but it is now about 90% better than it was just not fully healed. Now working on our fitness. Walked 1.6 miles with DH and our dog last night and was absolutely whacked afterwards. The most I've walked I reckon since before Christmas. 

girlatplay

Thank you both.  It's comforting to hear that I'm not alone.

@savingholmes it's crazy about your leg. So obviously something wrong and yet no answers.  I'm so glad to hear it's nearly better though, must be such a relief to you as one less thing to worry about.

The grocery budget is not getting any better.  My usual budget (in normal times) is £40 per week.  It covers everything that can be bought in the supermarket, including a couple of medical bits that I (could but) don't get on prescription.  I had it down to an art and I didn't go over it very often.  I upped it to £50 to allow for not being able to get my usual brands (based on the first 2-3 weeks of lockdown shopping).  We haven't had a week where it has been less than £50 during lockdown, average spend being £60.  I have just checked our receipts for June and there is nothing on them that we could have cut back on without jeopardising my diet (weight gain diet).  The only way we can cut back is to eat less and we just can't do that, I'm now under the hospital dietician and I'm doing really well so can't screw it up now.  I usually buy loads of cleaning products, all within the budget but right now I'm only buying the bare minimum that we need so nothing to cut back on there either.  I can't go to the shops myself so LMG is going, bless her, so I can't even make snap decisions based on what is available.

I get weekly digs from LMG and I usually use them to cover any extras so I have enough money to cover the shopping, I'm just really annoyed about it.

It's my sister's birthday today and her present came to within budget (I have an "Occasions" budget) so that was good.  We're going to a socially distanced BBQ tomorrow at hers.  We are on potato salad and chocolate bananas so not too expensive there.  It's an afternoon BBQ so we won't need an evening meal.

Still plodding.

beanielou

Glad that you are still ploddng  
I have just done an online shop with Iceland~~will see what it is like!
My budget is just out of the water.