5 months to emerge as a butterfly

benbenandme

Morning all, yesterday was ds birthday - Mum came round and we had a lovely roast dinner, then he went out with his mates. I went to bed at 11 and was woken at 1.30 by the dog barking - he gets tummy-ache and sits shivering and barking. I got up and put him in the garden, tried sleeping again and at 2.30 was woken up by ds calling me - he was meant to be staying at a mates house but for some reason there was a change of plan and he was planning on staying in a bus shelter for the night but it was chucking it down with rain and he was drenched - could I go and pick him up. I shot out of bed, chucked on some clothes and went out the door, only to realise I hadn't got my keys .... after several panicky minutes I realised the backdoor was unlocked (I never leave it unlocked normally), so managed to get back in. Went and picked him up, came home and the dog started barking again. The only thing that settles him is having the hairdryer on him, so I sat blowdrying the dog, each time I stopped the braking started again. I then decided to take him out to see if that would help - it was pitch black (they turn the street lights off at midnight), so just me, the dog and a torch ... I got a couple of thousand steps in then came home. He finally settled down at about 5am    This morning I got up and took him out, we've done about 10,000 steps now and I am planning on a nap this afternoon then some indoor walking, but generally a lazy one today. Ds is still asleep ...

Yesterday was a very sad day for me as Bournemouth were relegated Waiting to hear today if Eddie Howe has resigned, I think its coming but I really hope not
 

Buffythedebtslayer

I really like Eddie Howe, he seems so decent and consistent. I was gutted for him when I saw his interview. 
Aside from that bloody hell What a crappy night. What causes the tummy ache? and your boy! ooo I have made a few of those late night phone calls....not from bus shelters mind! 
Hope you do have a nice nap and quiet day. XX 

benbenandme

He is an amazing guy, so loyal and yep decent, not like the stereotypical football manager at all. My favourite man in the whole wide world I think he is going to walk away from football for a bit though, he has a young family and isn't motivated by money. 
The tummyache - I'm not sure, he gets it if he's drunk from muddy puddles (a regular thing when we go to the forest). I did give him some leftover roast dinner yesterday which he normally loves but we haven't had for a few months so maybe that?

benbenandme

So I haven't had a nap but will have an early night tonight instead. Today I have been doing the end of month banking and have a deficit of £200   I knew it would be bad this month, I seem to have spent loads on petrol (giving ds lifts here, there and everywhere), then there's been a few new clothes and far too many trips to the supermarket. I think it's because there isn't many other places to go and because I have time I am going there too often. So, I will rejig some accounts and find the deficit from other pots, then I need to spend the next few days making some extra pennies, I have a few bits to stick on ebay and I need to get back to surveys etc. Now that the football has finished there won't be any betting for 6 weeks or so  
I also need to have a close look at the budget and see where I can make some more savings and where I can bring in a few more pennies. Things are very tight at the moment

Sarahwithlove

Do you do surveys? I usually make £5 a month on prolific and I also use receipt scanning apps too. EBay and Facebook selling is good idea. Is there any bills you can cut back on? Subscriptions? Could DS use a bike or lift share or something to reduce amount of lifts you're giving? Do you get cashback or rewards on your bank? Menu planning is good for cutting back on food shops. Have a look through freezer and cupboards to see what you could make a meal from and just buy ingredients you need? Maybe try use more supermarket branded foods? Could you have some simple and cheap meals such a baked potato with beans and cheese is popular for us. Loaf of bread and pack of bacon for lunches etc. 

benbenandme

I have done surveys for far too many years, I have cut back on quite a few of the ones I did as they weren't worth the time, I tend to stick now to Pinecone, Populuslive, Yougov and Prolific. I use Shopmium and Checkoutsmart, as well as Zipzero and need to cash in there, that will come off the electric bill I think. I do need to check the budget, it might be time to get rid of Spotify etc, although I use that a lot when I'm walking. Part of the problem is ds is going through a bad spell and has quit his job. He has had it for 2.5 years and now has no money coming in. He has been told he needs to find something else but that's easier said than done at the moment. There is no getting through to him right now. He was paying me £50 a month rent so that's another chunk that's disappeared from my income I have told him there will be no more lifts until he's earning again. It has just been an expensive month - the kettle needed replacing, laptop charger needed replacing etc, lots of little £20 here and there and it all adds up. I am in my element when I'm looking for ways to cut back / make more, so it will be a challenge I have certainly faced before  
The freezer is rammed still from lockdown, I need to do an inventory and start using up some of that, the same with the cupboards. The problem is my no sugar eating means a lot that's in the cupboards aren't things I can eat at the moment - ds never knows whether he will be in for dinner or not so I am not keen to cook him stuff then bin it if he doesn't come in. Lots to think about and plan for me

beanielou

Sorry to read that DS has quit his job.
Such a difficult time to have to be job hunting.

benbenandme

A quick update re. my walking ... today I have passed 400,000 steps, that means I've virtually walked from Lands End to Street in Somerset  

beanielou

Well done 

I have been to Street but not Lands End!

benbenandme

Sorry for the radio silence on here over the last few days, things haven't been good. Ds had a huge meltdown the other night because I asked him to turn his music down when I was going to bed ... result was he ended up kicking in my tv, kicking the patio doors (but somehow not damaging them) then taking my car keys and driving off in my car. He has never even had a proper driving lesson yet   I called 999 immediately, turns out he had driven to the train station, parked and called them too to report what he'd done. He ended up spending the night at the police station and has been charged with driving without insurance and in breach of the terms of his provisional licence. He has a court date for the end of August. 
I haven't put anything about this on facebook and not many people know, so if you are friends with me on there please don't mention it xx
So, I have mainly been piecing myself back together yet again ... life really does seem to have it in for me sometimes
On the plus side I have still been doing my steps, and tonight I managed to hit 500,000!! I'd set myself that as a target for July so am very pleased to have scraped in with it, I did have to do 29,000 yesterday and 23,000 today. Tomorrow will be just 20,000 as it's my birthday
I have also done the other targets I set myself this month - I've lost another half a stone, so that's 1.5 stone since 1st June, I haven't bitten my nails - no idea how I stuck to this after this week and watching Bournemouth get relegated last week and I have still not had any sugar / sweetener / alcohol. 
I wonder if I'm just doubly determined because it is one area of my life that I can control, as it seems that the last few weeks have been all about my life falling apart but mainly due to other people ... 
Anyway, let's see what the next 12 months can bring  
My targets for August are to do another 700,000 steps (bringing me up to 1.2 million of the 1.7 million needed for the challenge), not bite my nails,keep going with the no sugar and get talking to my neighbour More info to follow there