The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

DD2 has covid!  Now working out if we (without DD2) are going out for the meal tomorrow that was planned for DD1's bday.  DD1 has banished her to her room for the next few days as she her party is on Fri and she is not getting it.

I will keep her off school even though I don't believe that is the current policy at the moment.  I think the rest of us will carry on as normal unless we get any symptoms.  Trying to think if we need anything just in case I need to go out before the rest of us come down with it

slm6002

My dad is very cautious of being infected so will not be going out for dinner tonight, and have postponed it for another week.  Instead we are having home made burgers for dinner which I'm looking forward to.  I only had a small lunch so my tummy is already rumbling. Will pop it on as soon as DD1 returns from getting her new piercing!!

Next Tuesday I will be starting an 8 week session of cooking lessons.  It is aimed at those of us on benefits and trying to teach us to cook from scratch (I think) and how to budget and shop better.  Anyway I thought I would go along and give it a go.  I might pick up some good tips and recipes maybe?  No clue as to what kind of meals I will be making, or if it will be a family sized meal or just for me.  Details have been a little sparce as its their first round.  I am thinking it will be along the same lines as the outdoor cooking but hopefully inside as the weather will be getting wintery. I will make sure there is something for the kids to eat just in case it is a single meal. They also mentioned about doing more sessions as a family baking session so I could bring DD2 along (the other 2 would not be interested).

It has gotten quite cool here and I am wearing my warm oversized fleece hoodie again.  I think it will make up part of my home clothing much more in the next few weeks.  My poncho that I have been crocheting is also coming along nicely and will keep me warm I hope.  No heating will be on any time soon - probably feeling cooler tonight as several windows are open to let the germs out.

I think I need to contact the hospital to get them to activate the loop function on my hearing aids.  I am having real difficulties hearing on a phone, no matter where I seem to position the ear piece.  Working in an office on the phone a lot of the time is essential for my job and I cant have it on speaker phone, which was one of the suggestions made.  The rest of the time they are working really well, I just need to sort the phone issue out

slm6002

Sitting at the kitchen table with the sun shining on me currently.  Work done for another week - it has seemed a long one that is for sure.  Returned home to find the builders were back (at the rear of the house) blocking the road and delivering materials.  I guess they have finished what ever house they had gone to finish and just my luck they are going to be here every day for the forseeable future.  I am currently blocked in as squeezed into my space just before the next lorry arrived.  Looks like I wont be going anywhere soon either.

Also having problems with my kitchen fire alarm.  It was doing the usual bleeping because of I can only assume the battery needed changing.  Well I have changed that now and tried a second battery and it is still beeping.  Not sure what else to try.  I cant go on with it beeping at us all weekend as it will drive us potty.

Received the bank info from my new nationwide account so now logged in and attempting to open the 8% savings account with them.  It was also payday today so need to put things in the right pots

joedenise

@slm6002 - not sure if you know but if you open the 8% account today and fund it and then set up your Standing Order for 1 October you will actually be able to make 13 payments for the year so an extra £200 with the 8% interest not to be sneezed at!

slm6002

Ooh I didn't know that thank you.  It is open and my first £200 is in there starting to earn interest.

I had a small increase in my wages today because of the extra hours, and then more has gone into my pension.  I have also done some more surveys in the past few days so getting the extra money in slowly.

LeighofMar

8% savings sounds amazing! Great job. Highest here is 6-7% CDs which I'm still thrilled with. 

slm6002

Beep...........Beep.........Beep........Beep.  The fire alarm is still beeping away and the builder who fitted it will be calling on Monday as apparently it might be faulty.  He said just to take the battery out, but as it is mains fitted it still beeps.  I can block it out some of the time but then beep.  I'm sure by Monday we will all be going a little stir crazy.

Anyway first load of washing is spinning at the moment and will be on the line shortly.  There are several loads to be done so hoping the sun stays out.  Dropped DS off at volunteering work and DD1 will soon be off to her job. DD2 needs to sort her room now she is feeling a little better.

DS noticed that his new bed frame that we bought in August has started to break.  The welding is coming apart on a join and making it wobble a lot.  I have contacted the company so wait to hear what they suggest.  I know he is a big lad but not 30 stone which they advertise is the limit for this bed.  I would get him another divan bed but the storage underneath is vital for him as his room is small.  2 drawers underneath just wouldn't work.  Will keep thinking.

Lasagna for dinner for us girls.  Just need to sort something for DS as he doesn't eat pasta or beef!

slm6002

Happy Sunday and 1st of October.  I woke up late as wasn't in bed until gone midnight.  DD1 didn't get home until half 12 last night and I wasn't able to go to bed until I knew she was home.  Feel like I've wasted this morning so need to get some bits done.

I have withdrawn the survey money - just over £13, but when I went to tfr it from paypal to my account i realised that last months money was still there.  So both together is £40.77 which has now been transferred to my nationwide account.  I have also made my October payment to the high savers account, and then my monthly amount to the 'help to save' account.  This time next year that will have finished and I think it is earmarked to go towards a new car.  I just need to keep the current one going until next year.  DD1 and possibly DS might not be in education anymore so I might need the money for something else. Whatever it gets used for it has been a very good savings account.

I need to start looking at energy deals as I only have 2 months before my deal comes to an end.  Hoping there are some good deals that will pop up soon for a decent fixed period (I prefer to know what I am paying each month).  I know due to the great deal I am on now the price will go up, but I need to minimise the amount it increases as much as possible.  Currently the best BG (who I'm with currently) will be £140 a year extra.  Will continue to investigate.

OK off to sort the kitchen out and get some washing going even though the sun has suddenly disappeared. Brother and possibly the whole family will be round shortly to help mend DD1's car.

slm6002

Well what a day.  First of all we were blocked in by the builders.  There is a new guy and he seems to be a bit friendlier than the others.  He is keen to keep the peace.  Then once at work I got a call from DD1 saying that her tyre was flat and car was broken and that she and DS would be late to school.  She abandoned the car in the new housing estate and then got a lift from a friend.  She then text me about an hour later to say that the pub she works at is closing in 6 months and she will be out of a job.  I think this tipped her over the edge for a Monday morning and ended up in the school office in tears.  Thankfully a lovely teacher helped and made her a little better.
  
After work I went to collect her and to pump up the tyre.  We then took it to the garage as there are 2 that keep going flat.  It would appear that one needs a new tyre but the other one seems to be ok.  DD1 is living in a fantasy world as she thinks she needs a new car as things keep going wrong with hers.  So far the breaks needed replacing but we knew about that when we bought it off my brother (hence the low price).  The only other issue has been this slow puncture.  Her friends all have much more expensive cars that their parents have bought them and haven't had issues yet.  I tried to tell her that they will and any 2nd hand car will have its own problems.  So far she has been lucky.  She will learn I guess.

We've had a lot of thunder today and the rain just poured down at one point.  I need to do the gutters on the garage as the water just wasn't making it past the top from the look of it.  I have someone coming round in the half term for the house gutters but not sure if they counted the garage in the price.

The electrician still hasn't got back to me so we are still beeping away.  I will chase him tomorrow as its getting quite annoying.

I have cooking lesson tomorrow and then Wednesday i am off to the hospital to tweak the hearing aids a little.  DD1 and I just had a walk to collect a big box of food (and some flowers).  I only asked for a few bits, but because she knows us she threw in loads more bits and bobs.  We got a big birthday cake which will be a nice treat.

Off to bed shortly as I am really tired today

slm6002

DD1 picked up her car during her lunch break and it cost her £75 which she thinks is awful - told her she is very lucky as 2 wheels sorted.  They mended the rim of one so hopefully it will no longer go down as much if at all.  The other one was a complete replacement.  Either way I think she did very well.

I have been to the cookery class.  I learnt some bits but it was  assumed that we were complete novices and knew nothing.  Still fun and we ate what we made afterwards.  Only a small group so DD1 will come with me next week and learn some useful skills for life.  There was quite a lot of garlic in the dish so that is all that I can smell now.  I have some leftovers so that is dinner sorted for tomorrow night as well for me.  I have the hearing appointment straight from work and then the electrician is coming to hopefully sort out the beeping noise.  I also need to chop the peppers I got from Olio tomorrow too and pop them in the freezer.  The freezer will need sorting and I think some bits needs to go to the other freezer in the garage.  Maybe a job for the weekend.

Currently eating the mint version of the chocolate orange.  I don't think I am a fan.  Its ok but just not right.  I think I will stick to the regular choc orange or mint matchmakers.  It was worth trying but wont rush to buy again.