The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

Lots going on in the next few days so aiming to make it to Sunday without anything going wrong or forgetting anything.  We all seem to need to be in different places at different times.  Sunday I will need to be getting on with things but will want to rest.

DS has now finished college for the term - early as he has done all of the work needed.  We are now going to be working on his driving theory as he has his test in the new year.  DD1 is still enjoying her new job / training and has already got her first extra shift in the diary.  Still not sure when her 4 on 4 off start but get a feeling things change pretty frequently.  She was surprised to get a company Christmas present having only been there 4 days.  It is only a tub of chocolates but she was so excited.

Work is getting busy and all the last minute jobs are starting to appear.  Half day today though as meeting a friend for lunch and a look around the church that has all of the Christmas trees in it.

Time to annoy the children and make sure they are out of bed.

slm6002

The work meal went well even if I missed a call yesterday asking if we still wanted the table - er yes.  I eventually got hold of them to confirm yes we did.  I think everyone had fun and some of the younger ones went on out afterwards.  At least they had some food inside them to soak up the tequilas that were being knocked back.

I have had a fairly relaxed morning as I didn't really sleep very well last night.  I kept waking up.  At half 3 I woke up with a super itchy foot and no amount of scratching made a difference.  I ended up getting up and putting a cold flannel on it and it eventually stopped so that I could go back to sleep again.

Washing is on and a pile of things we need to remember to take with us tonight are near the back door.  We have had a cull of water bottles that are old and grotty and just been chuck in the back of the very full cupboard.  They have gone for recycling and we have some space now.  This is the cupboard that doesn't open fully as the dishwasher is in the way.  It is also the cupboard that had the alcohol in it.  I would like a small slim bottle rack to put in the gap between the washing machine and kitchen unit.  Once both lots of bottles have been moved there is much more space to put the bits that actually need to be in the there.

I think because the renovation of the kitchen is a number of years away unfortunately, I need to make what I have work better.  And to do that on a very minimal budget is a must.  It really is falling apart and has seen better days, but I need to keep it going for a little while longer.  

DD1 got her uniform yesterday and is so excited to look the part.  She is 1 week into the training and still very excited.  That is a big relief.  If she is still happy by the end of the year that will be amazing.  She still isn't sure of her shifts but does know that she isn't working Christmas day.

debtfreewannabe321

We've been trying to make what we have work better for us regarding kitchen and other rooms. Ours is around 40 years old. When we were told it was a relatively new kitchen what they meant was it was done in the 80s and they seemed to have forgotten it was 40 years ago 😂 so I guess for its age it's doing alright. We painted ours and it looks a whole lot better. Maybe you could get some paint too?

slm6002

I think ours is of a similar age, but our problem is that the wood / chipboard carcass of the cupboards are crumbling almost in some areas. Maybe the paint would hold it together lol.  There is little cupboard space and the space they have is around corners.  Currently my tinned foods are under the cupboards where the kickboards normally would be, which is fine but to get to the ones at the back, I'm lying on the floor trying to scoop them out.  I love the idea of the drawers that pull out but they are out of the budget currently.

slm6002

Busy day yesterday trying to gets bits done.  Slowly getting there.   More to do today though as I feel this week will fly by and then we are full speed to visitors and Christmas.

We had our band concert last night which was lovely.  I find brass band music really relaxing and soothing.  DD2 also received a huge shield as she won the most improved player of the year.  She has come a long way so I am not surprised.  It was out of the blue though and having to stand up in front of everyone was not her favourite thing to do, but she was happy after it had all finished. 

We collected DD1 from the pub on the way home as she didn't want to stay out all night.  Quite a few of the people are now home from Uni and she has enjoyed her smaller friendship group without then, so didn't really want to go out with everyone. Her BF is off to uni this week so will have some quiet time around here.

DD2 is meeting her friend this morning that went to Australia for a year and a half.  She is back now and going back into the same class with DD2 as if she hasn't left.  I will drop her off at the same time as dropping DS off at work then I need to nip to asda to collect a belt for DS that has now arrived (free parking on a Sunday!)

Right it must be time to start moving

slm6002

4 days left at work, once again I got a shock when I realised that it was lunch time already.  It has been happening a lot lately, I must be busy enough not to think about the time.  Got lots done so happy with being in line to finish Friday at lunch time.

Someone has parked in my parking space  out the back of the house, so I am currently waiting for a knock at the door (I am blocking them in as no where else I could go).  I imagine that it is one of the builders who hasn't been informed that this is not allowed and the grumpy lady who lives here will not be amused!

No clubs tonight as term has finished, so we will watch some tv, do some washing and settle in once DD1 has got home and car has been moved.  Burritos tonight.  No money spent today which is good as the money once again was draining from my bank account quite steadily the other day.  Really we should only need food as all Christmas bits have been purchased.  I did say that we might book to go to the cinema when my Uncle is here so will need to prebook those.  Will try to get 2 for 1 tickets

slm6002

Well still no one has turned up to retrieve their car.  We live quite close to the station so someone has probably gone on the train and fancied the empty space that I left while at work.  I will be going to bed before long so they need to hurry up or come back tomorrow.

slm6002

Good evening, another productive day at work and lots crossed off the list so far (less than half a page long now).  2.5 days to go, although knowing me I will end up working all day Friday.

Not so good news when I got home mind you.  As I went to my benefits journal to enter my bank balances, I found I had a letter.  A while back you may remember I had a nasty job to do, well my income was being investigated (pretty sure XH had something to do with this after I got my new car).  I had to provide statements for all of my many bank accounts (each pot has a separate account), for many many months / years. Anyway long story short my income is perfectly fine but I have been overpaid due to not updating monthly savings amounts. Well I hadn't realised that I would need to update them monthly on my bank accounts.  I knew if I went over the £16k I needed to let them know, but assumed (stupidly) that they looked at my accounts as they have that kind of power.  I take full responsibility for this, and all I can put it down to was not understanding when it was explained originally (I had a lot on my mind when XH dropped the bombshell of leaving). 

Anyway I now owe them just over £3k.  After reading this amount and the even more confusing letter (don't need to do anything / must contact us within a month of this letter!) I tried speaking to someone at the help centre.  They were no use and pointed me to the debt dept.  They had no record of my account and sent me back to my journal.  I have left a message as I would like to know how much is likely to be deducted from my account each month as things are fairly tight as it is.  It is the not knowing that is worse.  At least once this is sorted, hopefully there will be no more nasty surprises.

I guess come Christmas eve (next payment date) I will find out one way or the other.  Hopefully they will leave me with enough money to live on.

Right time to make a short list for tonight to try to keep on top of things:
* Dinner (Jacket potatoes) in the oven - get spares ready for lunch tomorrow
* Write the Christmas cards that I was supposed to do long ago
* Surveys if there are any
* DD1 wrapping BF's presents - I can then put all wrapping bits away
* Load of washing 

Off to check on the dinner as starving now

Jessy103

Oh no! Surely they have to agree to some sort of payment plan with you first?! Fingers crossed it doesn't affect you too much x

slm6002

It's my own silly fault, but fingers crossed that they would like to help me out by paying a sensible amount each month.  Of course if I have any extra I will make over payments as I would like this gone asap