A new royal start

QueenJess

Well day 1 of the holidays and looking after 2 kids all day on my own was survived.  DD was awful overnight (teething) and I got 3 hours sleep .  Knackered, but still up now as there it's so depressing putting kids to bed, going to bed yourself (and still sleeping badly) and then getting up and doing it again.  Needed some time to myself to stop going crazy.

Day was relatively successful.  Two happy and tired kids, spent lots of quality time with DS at last, both successfully bathed (although tears from DD who absolutely hates it and took a full hour to forgive me!) and everyone nicely fed.  Lunch was homemade chicken pot noodles with the leftover chicken and stock from the roast (DS had chocolate brownie for pudding).  Dinner was leftover chicken stir fry with wraps and sweet chilli sauce.  Pudding was muffins for DH and I; DS is still working through the ice lollies.  Still got more chicken stock which will be going into the freezer.

Went a bit mad yesterday and pulled a box of orange peel from the freezer which I turned into candied peel and dipped in dark chocolate today.  Need to ration those as they are so yummy!  Then had leftover syrup, so made some orange drizzle muffins with DS and DD today to use it up.  Kept a few out and put the rest in the freezer.

DH went shopping today for this week (including Xmas food) and spent an absolute fortune .  Freezer is now more rammed and so we are going to have to run it down before I try and buy a whole months worth of food at the start of Jan.  Got 11 days to do it!  More went in than came out today, so a total fail there!

Now doing some rough planning for the big Jan shop so when I book it I have some idea of what and how much to buy.  Still need to investigate what is in the bottom of my fridge as I fear I'll need to freeze some of it..

QueenJess

Almost Xmas already - the week has done very fast! DS has loved spending lots of time with me and we’ve been able to play, do puzzles, activity books etc together. He’s being extra helpful this week as he wants his presents on Sat - even doing things like posting my Xmas cards to the neighbours with me and putting the washing in the washing machine. I don’t think it’ll last after the presents come!

DD on the other hand has been a complete nightmare. Teething and refusing anyone apart from me. Cheeky little thing cries until DH hands her to me, then she immediately stops and shoots him a cheeky grin. She’s going to be a handful…

The candied orange has accidentally all disappeared (yum!) and I’ve been cracking on with getting everything like washing etc done before the weekend. Just got the beds and another couple of loads to go and then I should be done. Can’t be bothered to do the last bits of the kitchen spring cleaning as it feels like the holidays to me, so that’s going to wait until next year. The house is tidier than I ever remember it!

Still attempting to empty the freezer before I buy a months worth of food around 1 Jan. Yesterday I made spicy parsnip soup with the veg box parsnips (yummy) with hot rolls (from the freezer). Bagels (from the freezer) with salmon and cream cheese today. Tonight’s dinner is pizza with the base from the freezer and tomorrow is fish and chips (yes you guessed it) from the freezer. Pudding is orange muffins (from the freezer) or chocolate brownies with ice cream (also from the freezer). We must be making a dent soon….

DH went for his jab this morning and I’m off for mine tomorrow. I think he’s annoyed I keep asking how he feels as we had similar reactions last time and I would like to be prepared! Other than that we are isolating, as are DH’s parents and brother and we are all taking tests so they can come on Sat. I have said they should make the most of it as with everything going on we can’t be sure when they can come back and see the kids, so they should stay for Sun dinner too. I mean it does make total sense, but I’m not sure whether I will survive… it will basically like be having 4 children in the house, plus DH who is half helpful and his mum who can be helpful. Will be fun if I’m feeling rubbish from the jabs!

Anyway, by some miracle I’ve worn out the kids so DD is asleep upstairs in her cot and DS is installed on the iPad resting. DH has also taken some initiative 😱 and hung out the washing to dry for me.  So I’ve crept into my lovely newly decorated living room, with my feet up and a luxury chocolate biscuit I only get for Xmas. Bliss!

QueenJess

Well Xmas was fun. I had my jab on Xmas eve and then couldn’t stay awake in the afternoon and slept for 3 hours! It completely wiped me out.. Then I felt rubbish Xmas day and Boxing Day. I still have really painful glands and feel generally rubbish. Will be reporting my symptoms online. I really hope they go away soon.

Xmas day felt very stressful. The dinner is not my thing, but what actually happened is everyone just dished up the bare minimum and the fact that the turkey needed to go in the fridge before we will have eaten (or be tossed out) was ignored. So everyone ate their dinner whilst I cut up the rest of the turkey to put away. Then DD was so exhausted I had to put her to bed. I got dinner eventually, but the nice stuff was eaten (like parsnips) and it was cold and horrible. I was not impressed since I still felt like &$*! and I could see she would need to go to bed.

Today I am trying to get a few things done in preparation for DH being horribly busy in Jan at work. He’s been doing the dinners recently as DD is being a pain, so he ignores whatever needs using up in the veg drawer and buys extra to “cook” (read as put in oven) the exact same few dinners. Whilst DD is napping I whipped out a big pile of onions and it is merrily cooking on the hob to turn into gravy which I’ll freeze. I also found a little bit of leftover pastry that’s been in the freezer for goodness knows how long… I cut it in half, threw in some brown sugar, cooking apple and blackberries (from the freezer), folded it back over to form two parcels and they are now cooking in the oven. That’ll be pudding with some cream still in the fridge.

Dinner tonight is leftover turkey stir fry with random veg at the bottom of the fridge. Tomorrow will use the last of the turkey probably in a casserole to use up more veg, with veggie suet balls.

I’ve also been slowly reorganising the freezer. The bags in there were useless as everything kept falling into each other. I rescued some cardboard boxes from the attic and am putting those in. It’s taking a while as I don’t have the perfect size and I can’t leave the freezer open for too long. I’ve cut a few down to size and it feels a bit better, although still tricky to get to the bottom. Maybe I should have cut myself some handles as well…

I’ve started the mega monthly list for the A!di shop on Friday. It’s most of the food we need for a month excluding some stuff I will need to get separately or top up on like milk, veg, fruit etc. It’s a scary amount on there already, but I keep reminding myself it will never be cheap as I’m attempting to shop for most the month! Really hope I see the benefit of this in Jan; both in cost and time savings.

I’ve also found the books I want for DH’s bday second hand of course. Some are ordered and others I am waiting for the auction end to be closer. I still have a longer list of others to look out for over the year in case I see a bargain somewhere.

QueenJess

Still feeling ill today and frankly I’m so bored with it now. Am trying to ignore it and hope it’ll go away. Just can’t talk very loudly as it hurts my throat.

Need to revisit my online A!di order as I’ve rearranged the freezer and am panicking I won’t be able to fit everything in…so I think I’ll have to take some freezer stuff off the list.

 Another relaxing day really. At some point I’ll have to shake myself back to reality and do the usual continuous washing/tidying etc, but my brain has decided to mutiny for the moment.

I did make an effort to use a few things up today.. I always overestimate how much we need. Anyway, I made some banana and chocolate chip flapjacks with some overripe bananas. I put some in the freezer, but they aren’t going to last long. Lunch was spiced roasted sprouts (last of the sprouts) with onions, baked eggs and the last of the baguettes from the freezer. It was so nice.. DH wolfed it down so fast I’m not sure he chewed! That used up all things we had too much of. Still got a pile of cabbage and leeks to work through. DS had beans on toast and a flapjack.

Dinner tonight will be the last of the turkey I didn’t freeze in a casserole with suet balls. I shall be raiding the veg drawer, but it will likely include cabbage/cavolo nero, parsnips, swede and leeks as I have a fair amount of these hanging around. No carrots as we use them in everything and we never have enough of them! Pudding is back to the mince pies and double cream for me/DH and DS will hopefully continue his way through the ice lollies (or if not a chocolate brownie and ice cream).

I’ve put more in the freezer than I’ve taken out. Really need to take more things out!

Jessy103

Hope you feel better soon Jess x

QueenJess

So I’m slowly getting better and almost there now. I think the vaccine combined with the cold DS had and my body did not like fighting them both at once. Been a rubbish week all round and DS is practically back at school now I’m better, so not spent the time I wanted with him. Although with the lack of tests it might all fall apart anyway if there’s no staff...

For a day or so there has been a mystery smell in DS’s room. I just couldn’t work it out. I realised it smelt like mouldy fruit and looked in his bin or anything hiding on the floor.. nothing. Then at 1am I had a eureka moment and realised he decorated a satsuma at school and insisted on displaying it in his room (and said we couldn’t eat it). I forgot all about it. I still couldn’t find it in his room and had to get DS to show me where it was. The offending article was removed and the smell was gone! DS wasn’t happy though 😂. I told him fruit doesn’t last!

Trying to get back to some reality and so been catching up on all the clothes washing, putting away clean clothes and keeping up with the tidying.  Picked up an enormous A!di order earlier to last most the month (excluding fresh stuff and a few bits I can't get there).  Managed to fit it in the freezer, but was a bit tight!  Need to definitely make an effort to run that and the overflowing cupboards down.Everything seems worryingly under control!  I also found all the books second hand I wanted for DS's birthday in just over a month and so these are all ordered.  All his birthday stuff is ready!

Feeling rubbish right now.  Probably not helped by New Years which I've never liked.  Just feel fed up with everything and always feeling like I have to think of everything and do it all myself.  DH literally doesn't even bother to respond to me and when I ask him about why he doesn't even bother to engage in a conversation I get "Well I only respond if I'm interested in what you are saying". Charming.... 

I don't do new year resolutions as I'm not sure why I'd only give myself one shot a year at changing my life to be something I want.  Makes no sense to me..  In any case, I have no idea what 2022 will bring.  I may have no job, half a job, a full job or a completely different job by this time next year.  Who knows... I am just going to take each month as it comes and try to balance not spending too much with actually spending money on the things I enjoy.  I have a tendency to spend nothing at all on wants, which can get depressing after a while and then I spent loads and feel guilty.  I now have my guilt free personal fund in the budget each month, so hopefully I will be more balanced this year.

Tonight I've taken back control of the kitchen so we are having lamb shanks with swede and potato mash, carrots, more xmas red cabbage and half a glass of red wine.  It's my first drink for 2 years, so definitely won't be having much!  Pudding will be an apple and blackberry crumble with custard (or banana and custard for the annoyingly picky DS - assume he'll grow out of it as he used to love everything!  Must be a phase..).

So here's to a better 2022 for everyone.  See you on the other side!

Jessy103

Happy New Year Jess x

QueenJess

Happy new year everyone!  Was still awake at 1am this morning wondering why I was awake as I know DD will keep me awake half the night.  Very silly, so will be more tired than usual now!  Trying to have nice lie ins though (DH takes DD when she gets up in the morning between 6am and 8am) whilst I can.  DH is back to work on Tuesday and his Jan will be the month from hell for him for work.  Not looking forward to having a stressy DH on my hands (plus he sometimes asks me his work questions... uh, no thanks!).

Bit grey and raining today, so probably just messing around in the house today and doing the usual washing etc when I can squeeze it in.  Had a silly conversation with DH where he pronounced he hates all supermarkets, although he seems to be able to make an exception for W* and M*S.. *sigh*.  Still a food snob then!  I've been meaning to change my personal credit card for a while as I think I may as well get some rewards back for using it.  Thought about swapping to M*S and then DH can have some free treats every now and again to keep him happy.  Unfortunately I've been messing around with accounts and increasing credit recently, so apparently I won't be passing the eligibility... never mind, will put it on the back burner and revisit later in the year.  No rush really.

I was originally planning this year to try and change my banking to a more ethical provider.  However, I refuse to sacrifice customer service as life is just too short for that.  But when I look, I've concluded there just isn't another option.  The banking/finance world does not care about ethics at all and the one place I was going to use I have noticed has now decided to invest in oil.  It is just too hard and I refuse to feel guilty about something I just have no choice about right now until it catches up.  I don't have the worst one, so will stick with who I use now.  Instead I'm going to consolidate accounts and try to have the minimum number of accounts to make my life simpler instead.

Easy food today.  Lunch was cheese salad sandwiches and dinner will be fish and chips.  There is crumble, custard, brownies, ice cream, orange drizzle muffins, flapjacks and fruit for any puddings so we'll hardly starve!  Better run.. DD needs a milky snack and a nice sleep.

themadvix

Have you thought about switching to a building society? They all come out well for ethics as they are all owned by their members and they can’t invest in fossil fuels as they are mainly there to enable people to get mortgages (and some business stuff). I’ve been with Nationwide forever and would definitely recommend them. They have a good online site and app. I think Ethical Consumer suggest avoiding HSBC (and therefore First Direct) and Barclays as they are the worst for fossil fuels. I told FD that was why I was closing my account when I did - very satisfying! 

Can I come for lunch tomorrow? - all those desserts sound delicious!

QueenJess

themadvix said:

Have you thought about switching to a building society? They all come out well for ethics as they are all owned by their members and they can’t invest in fossil fuels as they are mainly there to enable people to get mortgages (and some business stuff). I’ve been with Nationwide forever and would definitely recommend them. They have a good online site and app. I think Ethical Consumer suggest avoiding HSBC (and therefore First Direct) and Barclays as they are the worst for fossil fuels. I told FD that was why I was closing my account when I did - very satisfying! 

Can I come for lunch tomorrow? - all those desserts sound delicious!

Hmm.. I might think about it. It’s all making my head hurt and surely the biggest thing I can do is swap my pension (apart from the fact it’s stupidly limited and so I have nothing better to change it to anyway ..).  I was going to swap to Starling, but they’ve got oil funding now. It’s all a bit of a headache!

I do have a nationwide account, but used it for MB and not sure I then want to make it my main account. My joint account is with DH’s main account and he point blank refuses to change it, so that one is a no go. 

I can’t do anything quickly anyway as I prefer to move out the credit card first (which I can’t yet) and I don’t want to move my current account tinting I’m back at work and have easy access to payroll in case it all goes wrong.  I have also noticed that all the credit cards (ok a gross misrepresentation, but lots of them) are actually provided by HSBC - so M&S and the JL one. How frustrating.

Yes, I’m not sure how I’ve collected quite so many pudding options 😂. It’ll take weeks to get through it all! Hopefully it’ll take us pretty much up to DH’s birthday when I’ll make a cake. I also have meringues, key lime pie and ice lollies in the freezer!