Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

foxgloves

My sympathies re the.back, @Elisheba - I am.in the same predicament myself. Not nearly so bad today, but have been strictly on rest & no bendy activity. Awful last night. Codiene & very little sleep once it had worn off.
Hope you recover soon.
F

Elisheba

Morning all,

@foxglove Commiserations on your back. I hope last night was better for you and you are able to get back to cycling and gardening and your normal routine soon!

I had a early night last night, and the pain killers worked well so I slept well and feeling refreshed today. I woke quite early so managed to look through the paper as well which I like to do, but never normally have time to. 

My back is not so bad today, so I'm hoping it's not as bad as initially feared and will get better quickly. I've taken painkillers with breakfast, so hopefully I'll be moving smoothly by the time I go for a shower. 

It's looking like another scorcher here today. Blue skies and sunshine ahoy! It does make me really wish for a proper garden. The garden path I do have is completely overshadowed by 2 or 3 huge leylandii, so unless it's about 35 degrees it's still quite cold to sit out there, and obviously quite shady. I am sitting out with a coffee though whole I write this, and the house next door where there is only a low fence between us is currently unoccupied so at least it is completely private at the moment 😊. 

I am hoping to hear back on the house to rent today. They did say hopefully by the weekend. I mean the owner might not have decided yet, but fingers crossed. I just want to know! If I don't get it it'll be fine - it's not like when I was getting divorced and was desperate. Thank goodness really - I was a mess back then, and all this competitiveness for a house would not have been good for me! 

One way or another I feel like it's a day to be optimistic and happy. It's beautiful outside, my back is not as bad as it could be, I don't have to go into the office and it's a bank holiday weekend. As St Julian of Norwich said 'All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well'. Although St Julian did decide to have herself bricked into a tiny room for the rest her life, so I'm not completely sold on her good sense 😂. 

On the money front I'll need to buy milk today or tomorrow. Due to not doing a big shop this month I've been buying cartons of normal milk, which is never a good idea as I love it so much I end up drinking pints of it which is bad for my already extremely ample figure, and my purse. I have been contemplating getting milk delivered again. I'm not sure though. It's much more expensive, and I have heard the farmers don't get any more money for it - all the extra is on the delivery. I should probably look kmyo it a bit more before I decide - the reusable glass bottles are certainly much better in terms of packaging. 

I have just run out to the street in my jammies and put the bin out, and not a moment to soon. The bin lorry was only 2 doors away. So another win for today! I wonder if there are enough bin men now - I know in the pandemic there was a problem as the drivers could get so much more money with the big companies. 

I've had my red envelope through from Unison, to vote on whether we strike or not. I'm pretty certain I'm going to vote no, as I think the offer of £1925 again to everyone is quite fair. I just don't see is getting 10% plus across the board. The Union is really pushing for strike action though, so I think it's quite likely we will end up striking. Which will be a faff, but solidarity and all that. 

Plans are coming together for the summer now. There is a beer festival I think me and some friends will go to, and another local festival a friend is coming over for. Not sure when I'll go up to Scotland - my Mum wants me 5o go up earlier than normal as she has some cousins from Ancestry visiting and would like support seeing them. She's not very good socially these days. 

Anyway, I hope everyone has a brilliant Friday. I'm off to have another coffee before I brave the shower 🚿 so should be fully mobile by then! 

Elisheba

Didn't get the house 😭. 

Deep breath.

Oh well, it'll save me lots of money in rent and moving and buying new things. And it was an electric stove top and oven which I'm not keen on. I'm sure I'll think of more positives soon. 

SuzeQStan

So sorry - don’t give up - you will find that perfect pad soon. 

Sorry you didn’t get this one - it’s their loss as they have missed out on you!

Elisheba

Thanks, @SuzeQStan Its probably for the best - its extra money I can save for a house.  But oh, I would have liked a garden!

Cheery_Daff

Oh, that is a shame elisheba, I'm so sorry! Fingers crossed the right thing for you will come through soon x

foxgloves

Thanks, @Elisheba - I did have a much better night with my back. No painkillers at all today & tbh, I think resting it for longer this time is making the difference.
I love the Mother Julian mantra you cited & have it on an engraved silver bangle. It was a treasured gift from my Mum & Dad at the last Christmas we spent together before they died. I am wearing it right now, as am worrying about some health issues atm & I always wear it on any day which I just know is going to be difficult or challenging. While my parents were very active church members, I am not a Christian, but the lovely thing about this quotation is that is feels apposite for every religion & none. 
Sorry you didn't get the house. There will be other opportunities & you may find that just applying for this one has started to crystallize into a plan.
F x

WinterWarrior

Ah that’s a shame about the house, but it clearly wasn’t meant for you. The right thing will turn up! (And without having to brick yourself into a tiny room 😅). Some of these saints were a bit bonkers 😁

Elisheba

Afternoon, all.

In good news, my back seems to be fine.  It recovered really quickly, so it couldn't have been as bad as was first feared. 

I have done my end of the month sums and have a spare £113 that I just can't account for.  Better too much than too little I suppose, but I don't where it belongs!  I'm wondering if it might be a result of my rather complicated pot system - I'll have to go through that and see if that might be the answer.  Very bizarre!

Other than that the great mystery of today is where my butter has gone??  I remember putting it back in the cupboard yesterday, but don't know if that was after dinner which would have been the last time I used it.  I would blame my dog, but I can't see the carton on the floor either, and his tummy is fine - which it wouldn't be after gobbling an at least half full butter carton.  I've checked the cupboards and the fridge, but just can't see it.  another strange thing for today.

It was pay day today, so I've updated the s/s, and done some of the necessary transfers, but still for one or two to do.  I'm going to do a food plan and a shopping list today and will see if I can get out one night this week.  Due to train strikes my schedule is clear for the rest of the week, so fitting it in won't be a problem.  

My anxiety is sky high today, and has been pretty bad all week.  No real idea why, but everything feels like too much and a disaster.  Luckily (or unluckily I suppose) I am used to dealing with this.  Just need to get on with things, distract myself a bit, and practice some healthy living.  I really miss having the meds that dealt so well with the anxiety, but the side effects were too much for me.  My current meds don't really seem to help much with the anxiety at all, but the side effects are much more manageable and I think they help with the depression I am prone to, so swings and roundabouts. I have thought of asking to get my prescription increased again, but want to try a bit of healthy living first to see how that helps.  As soon as you increase medications you increase the risk of possible side effects, so its a last resort.  

I've been doing a lot of reading, and am currently almost finished my fourth book since the start of the weekend.  Mainly murder mysteries and old fashioned school girl books, but I did read Matthew Perry from Friends's autobiography, which was on a Kindle Daily Deal last week.  Poor man - he has destroyed his health and so much of his life with addiction. I do love books and reading, especially when my brain is a bit addled.  They are such a lovely escape from my own thoughts, and carry my mind away to more interesting places than the rubbish in my currently.

Work is fine at the moment, but my boss did point out to me earlier (when I had to produce all my driving documents, as we all have to doo annually) that my insurance doesn't have business or commuting on it.  When I got passed my stupid brain panicking at such a horrendous disaster (that was sarcasm) I did wonder why I missed it off this year.  Any road's I will have to get it added back on, so I'll give them a call after posting this.  Hope it doesn't cost too much extra. It is a shame about the train strikes this week as I think getting into the office would have been good for me, but nothing to be done about it.  So many people are off or affected by the trains that my boss has said no-one need to in this week.

I am really craving a holiday at the moment.  A little cottage where I can just sit out in the garden and read, and go for walk with my dog.  Its all quite complicated though.  My Mum wants me to go up to Scotland to see her this Summer, but her mental and physical health is such a mess right now I am not sure I can cope with her.  There are no cottages available near her where I could get a break (I have checked) so I would have to stay with her.  And if I booked a cottage anywhere else she would want to come along, and the same issues would then apply. I do have a travelling holiday booked for September with friends though and in the normal course of things, when my brain is behaving, I am looking forward to that.

Anyway, I hope you are all having good days, and if you are working that it is going well.  

Elisheba

Haha! I found the butter! It was on top of the dishwasher. Bad news is one of my cats found it first and it's full of little claw marks, so basically a write off. But at least the mystery is solved!