The Best Is Yet To Come

Humdinger1

Congratulations @slm6002; you've done brilliantly and deserve to be happy and with shining self-esteem.  Love Humdinger xx 

slm6002

Thank you everyone for your kind words.  I am proud of how far I have come that it for sure.

Tonight the heating is on as the house is too cold for us all.  It will be turned off soon as the coldness has been taken off.  It will be time for showers and bed shortly as it has been a long day.

DD1 and I have been to cooking today and made a stir-fry.  So easy to do from scratch but we rarely do.  Free dinner had by all.  Work was a long day and we have visitors there all day so everyone had to be on their best behaviour all day.  Easier for some than others.  Tonight the surveys have been great and I have doubled my earnings at least from them.  Even remembered to put the bin out before I got comfy on the sofa - yay.

Nothing spent today, but yesterday I signed up to another Christmas craft for myself.  All budgeted for from my personal spends.  I didn't spend anything from this pot last month so it had more than enough in it.  We have something going on every weekend now up until Christmas, so will be busy , but have fun.

slm6002

Well another week has been and gone.  This time next week my uncle will be here so we are definitely going to try to tidy up this week and get some bits finished.  I ended up ordering some clamps online the other night after asking everyone I knew as well as looking in the school workshop to see if they had any to borrow.  They should arrive today and I can then finish the worktop in the kitchen.

My old neighbour said he would pop by as his new neighbour has some cat food pouches but the cat has passed away.  He thought of us and our cats.  80 pouches will keep us going for a little while.

DS has another shift at the pizza place.  After last night they realise that he is very much a visual learner and giving him the menu to learn just from reading is not going to work.  I spent last night getting pictures of ingredients that I will print and laminate so he can pretend to make the different kinds of pizzas at home to practice until he knows each one.  The problem is I've not heard of some of the ingredients as its quite an authentic place.  Might get him to take a photo of the missing items on his phone.

The children go to a badminton club and on catching up with the people who run it about the course DS would like to do one of them offered their services to help him with his english if he wanted.  Turns out he used to be the head of english before retiring.  Such a kind offer and with DS's new found enthusiasm he is considering it.

Tomorrow DD1 and I are off to a very posh cream tea and the christmas barn that are 30 min away.  We are going with my Dad and his wife, and should be fun and a good start to the festive season.

Right must go wake some children and encourage them to help clean the house before people start turning up

LadyWithAPlan

Your posh cream tea sounds fabulous! 

And free cat food  

always good to note big anniversaries even of difficult events and  see how far we have come - so glad you feel like a new woman now ..! 

Onwards and upwards  

Honeysucklelou2

The cream tea sounds lovely. Hope yoI had a fab time.

slm6002

The cream tea was very nice, but comparing prices to last years one, I think last years was better and more accommodating of our picky needs, however still a very lovely afternoon had by all.  We popped into the Christmas barn and may have purchased a few new ornaments (3), but were all a good price.  There were some that I thought looked lovely, but also had a lovely price tag to match.  Those ones stayed in the shop.

After the cream tea we popped to the shops and picked up a few presents.  Also asked Dad what he wanted and pleased to hear that his usual request of slippers still stands.  Picked up the slippers for DD2 to save postage costs and the book voucher for step mum.  Also nipped to £ land to pick up a few bits for stockings.  Got home to see my online delivery had been left with next door so now have that too.  Starting to feel like we are getting somewhere.  Might see if there is a day where I can use some of my time in lieu to just get everything in one place and put it into piles for people - Especially the stockings. 

Simple dinner of beans on toast or something similar.  Finishing off a few loads of washing and then showers and bed.

Oh not sure if I mentioned yesterday I was able to cash out a voucher for the online shopping of £25 from the post survey I do.  That covered a few of the presents needed that also arrived today.

I have also almost completed the worktop.  The clamps are in place and holding on the edging strip.  Just 1 more little bit that goes round the fiddle area, and then it is done.  Doesn't look to bad so far.

slm6002

Last working day this week as we have a PD day tomorrow.  Only DD2 has to go to school.  We wont be sitting doing nothing though as we have loads to do with Uncle arriving around 4.  The house is so messy so major tidy up tonight and all day tomorrow.  Need to take the cats to the vets at 9.30 tomorrow and then the rest of the day is tidying up.

DS was given a few tests for his SEND needs the other day but the school have yet to advise me they were happening and why all of a sudden 6 months from him leaving.  I've been fighting for someone to listen since before he arrived but very little has been done.  All of a sudden they have agreed that he needs coloured paper and a laptop.  He also has a memory of a goldfish - not that I've been telling them for 6 years!  Cant see things changing for him but who knows.  I requested a call from the teacher, but that never happened.  Maybe he will call today lol.

There is a Christmas fair this weekend, so thinking we will take a wonder up there and get festive a little more.  

Ok must get moving as I need a packed lunch today

slm6002

The house was is tidy and clean before my uncle arrived last night.  We were treated to takeaway from the fish and chip shop which was lovely and needed after rushing around.  The cats had their annual jabs and a load of rubbish was taken to the tip. 

Today we have been into town to get a few bits and bobs.  I have ordered my sister and husbands gifts and got them delivered to them so another few to tick off the list.  Spread out the extra gift ideas for the children to other relatives.  I still need a little something for DD2 but the children are mainly done I believe.

I still need to think of something for Nana, work ladies and best friends family, but think I am then done.  Much better than I first thought.

Tomorrow we are off to the Christmas fayre and to see the Christmas tree festival in the church, which will be fun

slm6002

Wow another week finished and we are in December.  Today I cashed out the surveys from Nov and transferred £17.08 to the bathroom fund.  I went to the DIY shop on Wed to see what they had come up with and now have a plan.  They have used items from the shop, but to be honest I can find better quality and cheaper at other shops so will use the design and dimensions and buy bits from the several shops.  Still looking at more choices but it is coming together.  I have asked the builder to come back and double check the plan as well as giving me an up to date quote so that there are no surprises come March time.

I have also transferred monies to savings pots that are needed.  My help to save account is building nicely and hoping not to need to use it before Oct when it is due to mature, but the car is starting to cut out when coming down hill or when I put my foot on the break.  The garage are going to have a look at it on Monday.  Fingers crossed its an easy cheap fix.

Tomorrow I have a couple of Christmas craft workshops to do.  In the morning the DD's and I are making truffles and then in the afternoon I am making a Christmas wreath.

I had an afternoon off work this week and got so much done.  Advent calendars went up, all under the tree presents were wrapped (including those I was asked to buy for others to give to the children).  The stocking bits have been sorted and I can now see who needs what.  I also have a small list of things to buy for those not yet sorted.

We had to put the heating on tonight as it has been too cold in the house.  The thermometer said 14 which is too low even for me.  Had the heating on for a few hours now and finally thawing out.  Outside the gate lock has been ceasing up and freezing.  Need to buy some more WD40 tomorrow as used the last of ours up.  It is due to snow here tonight apparently.

Right time to get a few bits done and get ready for bed.  Happy weekend

slm6002

Ooh meant to mention that we went prom dress shopping tonight at a second hand clothes shop.  We were greated with fruit punch and cake on arrival which was an extra bonus.  The shop has a room with pre loved prom dresses and DD1 will need one before long.  We decided to try as many on as she could manage.  There were some that were not her style that she tried on - because you never know - and then ones that she had more liking towards.

We found a lovely long black dress covered in beads that has patches of beads missing and the clasp on the halter neck bit needs a little attention.  The actual fit and look of it though was just what she was looking for.  We decided that all of the mending jobs were ones that I could do with just a few bits that wouldn't cost much.  The dress was £8.80 so it came home with us.

I have until the summer to get it looking perfect