First Steps to Solvency

getmore4less

AIUI the ban on travel with the big fines was lifted so now it is just advisory with the proviso you follow the rules to get there and back which means checking the rules carefully for entry to Greece and back to the UK recognising they are likley to change before Oct..

eg Malta has put in place must be vaccinated for UK travellers  but that's from over 12yo.
not checked what Greece has said.


Getting back, current amber isolation,  probably OK for you and the wife as your business can run with you 100% from home its the son that has education needs that may be the issue.

A lot will change in 3 months.

Hope you do get to go, I would have no issues with your current planed schedule if it were me going to visit family.
 


Great progress on the recovery, 

There was an interesting article on The One Show 24 June) about gym and recovery.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000x99m/the-one-show-24062021
(starts 9:32)

As you are already into the fitness stuff there are some techniques you can leverage to go with what you already do, may even be something the wife may be interested in to leverage her PT quals.

 

alt80

Friday lunch probably going to be working until 6.30/7.00pm this evening. Nothing much planned for the weekend apart from jobs on the house, wash the cars, walks, sort the gym membership all being well, watch the football and catch some tennis. Looking forward to it though write it all down sounds busy enough though lol. Cooking a chicken roast on Sunday; parents in law are coming round to talk about centre parcs trip fml first time I’ve seen them properly since I wasn’t 100% with it. 


@getmore4less I can’t keep up with it mate. I’ll have to get my wife to speak to school nearer the time if its isolation - think they might be able to do something or have an option. He’s had long enough away from his classmates already with the lockdowns school from home they were good at but it’s not the same so idk. On the other hand also not the same having no face to face interaction with grandparents. Big regret of mine not choosing to visit them more tbh. Probably sounds mad but I’m thinking we might go out twice a year from 2022 some time with parents and explore another part of Greece same time and have some shorter weekend/ long weekend UK breaks rather than back to the spending crazy money to get a few photos. 

Greece has less Covid than the UK and controls moving between islands and from mainland to islands. I’m not sure why it’s amber tbh think thought it’s probably more about some Greek islands that are popular with British tourists looking for a 2 week long !!!!!! up than issues with Covid in Greece. However makes no sense when Ibiza is open for tourists from the UK. I’m def not clever enough to work it out ha.

Will have a look at the article thanks. Wife loves the PT stuff with people who are motivated keeps talking about having a few clients but be more selective and bin them off at the selection stage if she thinks she can’t work with them lol. Idk what’s got into her tbh think she’s bored without IG ha still I’d rather she spent her time on nails and gym than IG.

getmore4less

One of my drinking buddies his daughter flew out to Ibiza yesterday, no checks at the airport just get on the flight.

Crazy. 

Good you are rethinking the holidays really is no point in blowing a few £k on pics for IG when you can have much better time with family and being a bit touristy around the rest of Greece or even other places.


Do 2 chickens and you will have some for your salads next week.

MovingForwards

There's a lot of beautiful, very photogenic places in the UK, it's all about mindset and doing research (looking online) to pick where to go. Look at hiring a pod for a weekend or a caravan and explore the area, create the weekend you want such as nice scenery and meals, old buildings / castles and meals, beaches and BBQs.

You're discovering who you are and what you want from life, it's the perfect opportunity to shape the future and balance work / family / you time.

Take some games with you to CP, build the bond with FIL over Scrabble. While your son is sleeping you all can play while sharing a bottle of wine or a brew and say thank you for the holiday it's great everyone is together. Build on superficial chats and refer back to something one of them said hours before.

If FIL does have a vague interest in cars offer to take him out in the MG, it's a car from when he was younger.

With each passing day you're growing stronger and finding your feet. 

Willowtree222

I love the lists of all the positives. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever read so many from you in one go. 

29 days is fab. 

I’m not even planning a holiday now at all. I was booked but just don’t want to go.  I’m not even trying for a uk break as I’ve seen some very expensive prices. 

I might try in the October half term 

alt80

@getmore4less what amazes me is ok for people to go to Ibiza but can't go to a club in the UK haha what they think people are going there for idk lol. It's beyond belief now.

Yeah I want to be able to enjoy holidays and a bit of time off every now and again. I know bit of an attitude change from me, used to properly dread leaving home and the !!!!!! 'prison' haha. Wife is off IG thinks it was damaging for her, sees herself in recovery from that lol. Idk she's got a point really took over her life and any holidays we had for a few years easier to plan now she's less bothered about the photos for IG.

@MovingForwards I agree re UK I've really enjoyed the two breaks we've had recently in England (spa break / York). Not really holidayed in the UK before apart from the odd time never stayed in the UK growing up when we went on family hol - my parents had a liking for taking my sister and I to somewhere where you could not obtain a copy of the Sporting Life if anyone remembers that haha so we always went abroad. Anyhow definitely want to explore more of the UK and like your suggestion need to lay off the meals a bit though haha but you get the idea I like my food lol. 

Thank you. Yeah I've got an opportunity here in a way - past is what's gone. Future is what's to be written. First time in a while not obsessing about time and feeling like it's really running out for me idk why but focusing on recovery really just going with the process, listening to people who've come back from a lot worse than needing to work on family and pay LRFS and a few cards off. Fml I could be in a lot worse position than I am.

My in-laws and I don't get on there's def no bond between me and them ha. We did briefly get on ok when they thought I was sorting my head out but I betrayed any trust they'd started to build in me. All my fault and I accept that. Only way to make amends with them is to consistently be there for their daughter and grandson which is what I want anyway but that's (rightly) not something they're going to trust I will do in five minutes. Heard it all before from me because I've said it all before many times over.

FIL isn't interested in cars but he knows we've got it - knows !!!!!! everything; wife is very close to them.

RelievedSheff

You will get there with the in laws. Just keep doing what you are doing and be there for your wife and son and they will come round. It will just take time.

Centre Parcs could be the start of a fresh new relationship with them.

There are some beautiful places to explore in the UK. 

alt80

@Willowtree222 thank you. I am trying to focus on the positive things. 

Few of my staff have said the same re UK breaks. Idk I’ve not really paid any attention to prices before and a lot of the trips we used to do abroad were expensive. 

Def with your job I’d say you need a break though. 

@RelievedSheff thanks I hope so tbh would be nice to not be on edge all the time at the thought of seeing them. 

Idk re centre parcs my plan is to just busy myself with walks/ activities and cook. MIL likes cooking though and FIL if it’s a bbq so probably won’t even get that to distract me and telling them I need to do it to distract me from the !!!!!! thoughts spiral not really what I want to be saying ha will if I have to no pride left lol.

Agree re UK. You’ll have to write me a list haha you’re making a good go of seeing everywhere in that van. 😆

Sun_Addict

Before we started going abroad for holidays we went to some lovely places in Devon and Cornwall with the kids when they were little. 

alt80

@Sun_Addict I’ve been to Cornwall it is lovely not sure it’d be so great when the kids are off school think half the UK drives down there in the summer hols. 

With you mentioning Stratford the other week I did look into having a weekend at my parents’ old place and drive into Stratford for an amble down the river in a boat. My wife has refused - said it would be seriously weird to stay at my parents’ place happy to drag me to her’s on a regular basis though ha fml idk I think it would be nice for son to see maybe would be a bit odd last time I was there it was nye 2003/4 absolutely wrecked haha. Nearly 20 years now life moves on eh? Might have a look for a hotel closer to Stratford itself for a weekend out later in the year.