The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

Just jotting it down here for my records, house buildings and contents.  Also car insurance done.  I even got a refund for the car insurance for telling them my new name and that I am no longer married.  Got £3.12 back lol

slm6002

Am back from work and window man said he will be round today.  Not holding my breath but will stay home just in case.  I need to work out what is for dinner from the freezer as I've not thought that far in advance yet.

Small victory at work today which means I can bypass the central finance team and sort issues out myself.  I have been waiting almost a year for some of these bits to be sorted so it will be great if I can get those done by the end of this week.

Mum is back in the UK for the week,  She rudely woke me gone midnight to ask me to call her brother who was collecting them from the airport.  He was not answering her phone calls.  I tried but no luck (didn't think he would ignore her and answer mine) and not really sure what she wanted me to do as she is over 200 miles away and her brother is in the same airport lol. Anyway a little later they were reunited and I was in bed wide awake!

.... Window men van has just arrived

slm6002

Yay the windows now open AND close, and my front door can be locked from both inside AND outside.  Such simple things but they needed doing.  No more drafts from windows that can't shut.

I looked at my gas and electricity account today, because for the last month it has been saying that by today they will have reviewed my payment plan.  Considering I am on a fixed tariff until this time next year and that I've used a third of the electricity that I normally do, I expected the monthly payment to have gone down even if only by a little.  My payments have stayed the same. My current balance is £742 in credit and the bill will be around £248 so I already have a balance of £494 to start me off towards the winter bill.  Will see the final outcome once the bill has been totalled up and then maybe give them a call.  

Off to continue with clearing the landing.  Getting there.  Need to put bits into the loft and also book a slot at the tip for tomorrow after work

slm6002

Quick update from me as I still need to deep clean the kitchen before visitors arrive tomorrow (so tonight's job).  The car boot is filled with bits for the tip tomorrow straight after work.  Then I can go home and great the visitors.  We are out for dinner so no need to cater for that, it will just be cups of tea (must check I have milk - we don't drink hot drinks so lack of milk goes un-noticed until kids want cereal)

Energy company have dropped my monthly payments to £25 ish from £95.  I don't think I will keep it at £25 as that will only just cover my bill if I use a similar amount as last year.  I would like a little buffer ready for the price hike when I get put on the new tariff.

slm6002

Sitting down waiting for family to arrive - expected them a few hours ago, but don't mind as I have rested most of the time.  Beem listening to the news and the PM.  We will have to see what the next few weeks hold but I doubt she will be popular any time soon.

Looking forward to a nice meal out tonight, even though I would happily stay tucked up under the blanket (where I am currently).  It is grey and miserable at the moment and makes me want to hibernate

slm6002

Good afternoon, well Mum and husband have arrived and have been kept busy by myself and kids, plus my brothers family too.  Mum looks exhausted especially as they are missing out on their afternoon naps.  The meal was very nice and yesterday I cooked roast beef for us all.  The only problem was half way through cooking my hob tripped the switch on the fuse board.  We tried several appliances and it was definitely the hob, so we finished the veg off in the microwave.  They were not as good, but it meant we got our vegetables.  I have emailed the electrician and he is going to come round tomorrow afternoon.  Not sure if it is repairable or if we need a new one, but hopefully we will know soon.  Mum's husband is desperate to buy us a new one like theirs as its much better but I am asking the electrician first.

The second load of washing is coming to an end.  I will get that on the line soon and hopefully it will be dry by the time the sun goes down.  Yesterday things were still slightly damp so ended up hanging bits over doors.

Plan on resting this afternoon as mum is at brothers for the rest of the day.

slm6002

Well mum is home and probably trying to catch up on all of the sleep she missed out on.  I think everyone enjoyed themselves and behaved.  I do know it was exhausting for us all not just mum, and we have all been having early nights to make up for the crazy few day.

I ended up buying the new hob as the electrician said once it goes once it will more than likely keep going.  I haven't had it fixed yet as I am waiting for him to come back with a date to do it.  I have used the old hob but been super observant and made sure no water spills over as this is probably the reason it blew the fuse.

Work is going well but it turns out the pay increase hasn't quite been agreed as yet, so no lump sum in this coming pay packet. 

Not sure if I mentioned it but the builder contacted me and said they can come round next week to look at the understairs cupboard and to hopefully give me a quote for turning it into a downstairs toilet.  I don't think I have enough money saved up as yet, but it will at least give me some sort of idea.  I am quite excited about this even if it would mean finding somewhere to put everything that is currently in there.  I need to get in there and clear / stack neatly so they can see its full potential lol.  It will not be huge, but plenty of room for a toilet and sink which is all that is needed (apart from extractor fan).  No doubt there will be a long wait for the work to be done but at least my name will be down.

Right time for a shower and then maybe some tv in bed

slm6002

What a grey miserable day it is outside.  Pretty sure the solar batteries will not be even partly charged today.

I got home from work just as Truss was walking out of number 10 to resign.  What a mess the whole system is in.  Something tells me it is only going to get worse before it gets better

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Looking like it will be dry today so it will be time to sort the piles of washing out. However the sun has just gone in so no idea if it will dry.  We are now in half term but being kept busy with several appointments going on.  Hopefully not too many early starts though/

DD1 has just left for her first driving lesson.  The nerves didn't arrive until about half an hour before which is good for her.  I hope it goes well, but think her expectations of picking it up by the end of the lesson might be a little high as she has never sat in the driving seat before.  I know I was clueless and it took a long long time.  Maybe I will be proved wrong.

Am due to pick up some cooking apples up from Olio shortly.  It is DS's bday in a few days and he would like an apple crumble for his cake.  The other day I way able to pick up a VR set thing (bit too technical for me but will be suitable for xmas for him) from Olio again.  I am very behind with Christmas,  and I also need to get DD2's birthday bits ready for 2 weeks time. Lots to do this week.

slm6002

I managed to get a few loads of washing washed and dried on the line, but I still have a few more loads left to do.  I am hoping that we can get those done at some point this week coming.  Today it is dark and grey and has absolutely poored down so no battery charging or drying clothes on the line today.

I have had a clear up and been food shopping, although mainly for stores and snacks rather than actual meals.  I was intending on getting meals but I had not written a meal plan and was just wondering aimlessly.  Need to look at meal plan tonight and tomorrow and then shop for actual food.  I did get some nice sausages and will do some mash and veg to go with it tonight.

The younger 2 will have been treated to pizza hut and popcorn at the cinema as they are with XH who is treating DS for his birthday.  Or at least that is what he told them they would be doing this weekend.  I need to wrap his gifts ready for Tuesday - need to work out which are for his bday and which I will save for Christmas.  He never wants a lot and so everything on the list has been purchased.  He has also requested an apple crumble and I have collected some free apples ready for it.  Once I get everything wrapped up and made that is his bday sorted.  Need to then turn my attention to DD2 who has a bday 2 weeks later and her list although is pages long is made up of rubbish.  I need to work my way through it to see what is not too bad.