The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

We are having a bit of a lazy day here after the excitement / nervousness of yesterday. We have been to pizza hut to celebrate DD1's bday  as she was let down by XH.  Managed to fill up on petrol in town too with no queue which was good.  I don't have any long journeys planned for the near future so this should last a little while hopefully.  Its just homework and washing today as exhausted. Feeling like a little nap to be honest.  Not yet though.  Need to do a little more window shopping first ready for Christmas.  Got the dinner sorted apart from turkey / chicken, just in case we are stopped from going to my sisters.  If it doesn't get used for xmas we will used it later in the year, but after the past few years of plans changing I like to have options so I can still give the kids a decent xmas.
I need to sort kitchen out before Ex mother in law turns up to give kids their gifts from her holiday.  It usually consists of something with their name on and fully of sugar / sweets to rot their teeth.  Generally the named item lasts a week or so before they realise its no good and is binned and they only eat certain bits. I will be hiding upstairs as even before the divorce I couldn't stand the woman, and now I don't need to.  DD1 arranged the time so she could be home to receive the gifts so I don't need to speak to her.  Not having her see the tip that is our kitchen though so best get moving lol

LadyWithAPlan

Iove the fact you will be hiding to not see your ex MIL, good there was some re upside on yoir divorce.
Sorry re your DD birthday plans with XH, your party sounds lovely.

slm6002

Thanks LadyWithAPlan, Yes I will find some cleaning upstairs and watch out of the window until I see her leaving lol.  She will act as if nothing has happened and that really winds me up lol.  If we never had to see any of them again it would be too soon lol.  Anyway once that's over we can have showers and relax in pjs until bedtime (soon hopefully as really tired).
She has had many treats now so totally made up for XH's uselessness.

slm6002

Well ExMIL didn't even step in the door and obviously wanted to see the children so much, as she spent less than a minute on the doorstep.  Nothing new there!
Yesterday while shopping my back / hips went again.  I didn't get a very good nights sleep even with the good tablets, but thankfully it feels better as the day has progressed.  I still cant bend down properly but can stand and sit almost normally now.
We also have the inspectors in at school.  We got the call from them yesterday and then everyone started running around like headless chickens.  Not expecting a great result knowing what previous inspections were like, but as long as they can we have improved and are going in the right direction we will be happy.
Also managed to locate covid jab for DD1.  It has been almost impossible unless I want to travel over an hour each way.  You cant book an appointment if 16 you just have to find a walk in clinic.  Anyway there is a pop up one in town Thursday so she will be going

slm6002

Today the plans for my porch and downstairs toilet have been submitted and I have paid over the money for my architect.  It probably wont go to the right meeting and get agreed until around Christmas, but its another step forward.  I can now start getting a few quotes.  Still no news from the builder who is splitting the room.  Building regulations should have been agreed today so I will ring to make sure tomorrow and then send builder an email just to nudge his memory lol.  I don't want to hassle them but also don't want to get missed in his diary either.  I really do need to start packing non essential items out of there so when we do get the call its not too much of a mad rush.
It's cold here but still managing to keep the heating off so far.  Jumpers and blankets are our friends right now.  I'm hoping to get to half term maybe before putting it on, but will see how we get on.
The inspectors should have left school by now, and we will have to play the waiting game until results come through.  Fingers crossed 

slm6002

Oh no dishwasher is showing error code - maybe something to do with the heating element.  Will try another load tomorrow and hope it goes away.  Typical now I don't insurance and am spending money on the house, although I do have pots for maintenance and my emergency fund, I just don't want to have to use them lol

slm6002

Well I am pleased to say the dishwasher worked and was ok on the next load.  It has happened a few times before but knowing I had the insurance to fix it helped, whereas now its either pay to mend or pay to replace.  Anyway hopefully it wont need attention for a while.
Walked into town this morning to take DD1 to her job.  Through the week she decided she wasn't quite so sure that she liked it and wasn't really looking forward to going back.  Pretty sure its the not quite knowing what she is doing plus it is hard work being on her feet so much.  It's a learning curve - unfortunately you cant just work in the restaurant when its quiet, they don't need staff for that, they need it when its busy, and yes work is tiring lol.  She is still liking the idea of the pay at the end of the day though so that's what we are focusing on.
Signed the younger 2 up for a few bits in the half term (only 2 weeks away now which is scary how quickly the time has gone), plus also have DS Birthday, boiler service, kids dentist appointments and car service that week.  It's not going to be a quiet restful week that's for sure.  I have also told them that we will not be trick or treating this year.  DS and DD1 look far too old for it plus covid is still going quiet well here, so decided I will cook them a nice meal and get them some sweets myself and perhaps put on a spooky movie instead.
I emailed the builder re splitting the room saying that now building regs are agreed we are ready whenever he is - not heard back at all as yet.  Maybe he will look at his diary this weekend and see when is going to be good.  I hope so as really would like an idea of dates.
Warned my neighbours that the plans have been submitted.  I know they are not keen but it shouldn't affect them other than the actual building work taking place, but did say it's not going to be anytime soon as i need to save for it.  One thing I didn't realise until yesterday was that it was a timber framed extension.  I thought it was bricks and then covered by cladding, but from the plans submitted it says its timber frame.  I'm hoping that works out to be ok and not feeling cold or flimsy.  Will speak to the builders when they come to quote for me.

slm6002

Well dishwasher wouldn't work yesterday but is fine again today.  Will keep going until it really doesn't want to work and then go from there.  Will have a look online to get ready just in case a new one is on the cards, and I can put the money aside for one.  Maybe get it ready for delivery in half term.  Got email through the other day letting XH know his payments for the tumble dryer will be going up this year slightly but the rest of the policy is the same.  I thought he had cancelled this but who knows.  I also got his renewal for his old car insurance through too - and sent back saying not been living here for the past 2 years.  I am pretty sure he sold the car (its a classic car so he kept telling me, aka pile of rust) to pay for something else.  He is stupid if he hasn't cancelled it, but then we all knew that lol.  Yesterday the children were with him and he kept telling them to not get messy or i will have a go at him.  I found this quite amusing as I don't plan on ever speaking to him unless one of the kids is in hospital and he needs to know.  Apparently there were several other things the kids did and he said something about me telling him off.  Seemed to be a theme.  The fact is I never said anything of that nature to him ever, even if I had wanted to I bit my tongue.  Anyway we can forget him for another 2 weeks.
Had to leave work early to collect DS from school as he was feeling dizzy, bad headache and sick.  Every now and again he will have an awful headache, throw up, have a sleep and then feel much better. He had done a covid test in the morning which was negative so assuming its the same as before.  He normally doesn't get ill and if he does he just pops some tablets and gets on with it, so I was very surprised to need to go and get him, but now know why.  He is sound asleep in his dark room.  
Got an AGM tonight for one of the children's clubs.  Not looking forward to it as I have to speak.  It will be a quick 2 min thing hopefully.

HoneyRoastedParsnip

Sure you'll be great. 

My kids said something about "mummy telling them off for getting muddy" on a facetime call. I told them to get as muddy as they want and enjoy themselves! (We are married)!

Kitten868

I've just caught up and I'm so cross for you. What a selfish moron. I could never imagine dragging my kids along car shopping. Certainly not on their birthday! Blows my mind the things men don't even think about. I'm sure you made it special. He just quite spectacularly went the other way and that can't have been nice for her. Poor lamb. 
Sounds like work is going fantastically and all your house plans are panning out. Have you asked the architect about the timber construction. Seems an odd choice to me. 
With fireplaces you'd probably have to get a flue installed and they're about £600 when we were quoted. Otherwise you risk carbon monoxide poisoning I think it is. Our chimney has been used without a flue for years without one by previous occupiers and there's still soot coming down. We've been here 5 years and had it cleaned! 
Keep going with all your wonderful determination. I love that you're trying aquacise xxx