The Best Is Yet To Come

joedenise

Do you all sit round the table to eat at all?  If you do then that can be a good time to at least get some ideas from them as to what they'd like to eat that week and what day they'd like to cook it!  It certainly helped me doing it that way.  Even if it's just something simple like beans on toast followed by some tinned fruit and cream/ice cream - at least they'd then be helping and hopefully once they start to get involved they'll enjoy it and want to do more!  That's the theory anyway.  Good luck.

You're going great guns with getting all the work done to the house.  Have you got time to save the difference between what you have and what you've been quoted?  If necessary you could borrow from your emergency fund and then repay that as quickly as possible afterwards.

slm6002

Thanks Joedenise, yes we all sit at the table together and I have tried asking at this point (generally when they are moaning that they don't like what they are eating!).  DS just says chicken, but he would eat chicken wraps every meal if I let him lol.

I do have enough time to save the difference so should be ok.   If something does happen that is unusual then I may end up dipping into the emergency fund until sorted, but I am hoping that by March when they indicated that they may do it, the money should be there.  They haven't confirmed the date as yet though, so we may have longer to save

slm6002

Good evening, I've heard from the builders and they have pencilled me in for the beginning of March but may change it slightly nearer the time.  It means I need to decide what I want and get purchasing bits ready.  I sent off for some tile samples a few days back and they arrived today.  I have a favourite but each child likes different ones.  The main tiles will be white and only a splash of something exciting.  That way I am hoping they will stand the test of time.

DD1 and I will be shopping for Christmas on Sunday when the others go out with XH.  Tomorrow I will need to write a good list as everything is on my laptop or in my head.  I have today booked the works Christmas dinner and tried to book the children's club party, but waiting for them to call back.  I have quite a bit of paperwork I would like to get finished by the end of the weekend.

slm6002

Good morning, DD1 has just left for her driving lesson and the rest of us have a fairly lazy day.  DD2 wants a PJ day which I have said yes too but then realised we have fireworks tonight to go to.  We will have cheesy jackets and beans before we go and then we will walk to the museum for the fireworks.  We will have hot chocolate in our paper cups that I collected.  Need to get some cream and see if the marshmallows are in the cupboard.  Then watch the main event and walk home.  There are normally loads of people and its always a really good night.  We will not be buying anything from the stalls that are there but may make some cookies or flapjacks to go with the hot chocolate while the jackets are in the oven.  I'm quite excited to go again after 3 years I think of not going.

Managed to get 2 loads of washing done yesterday although it did need finishing in the tumble dryer.  Although I wasn't keen to use it at least it wasn't for the whole drying time.  We used 4KW yesterday which although is more than I have been used to considering that includes the tumble dryer x 2 I don't think was to bad.

A date for the club AGM was set yesterday for January so I have more time to get accounts sorted, however I do need to do them rather than wait until the last minute.  It is on my bday though so not all good, especially as I have to speak in front of people and that is not something I enjoy at all.

Right I had better get going and start on the cleaning

slm6002

We had a lovely evening at the fireworks last night.  It was still raining on the walk there but by the time the fireworks started it had stopped.  It was quite warm too. We have another night out in a few weeks to see a local abbey all lit up.

Today once the younger 2 have gone off with XH, me and DD1 are off Christmas shopping.  I still haven't written a list which is my next job. The aim is to get most of the stocking bits as I can get main presents sent in the post but it is the little bits from cheaper shops that I need.  We will see how much we find.  I used to trawl the charity shops through the year but that hasnt happened since covid so much and when I have, nothing much has been in them.

Homemade pizzas for dinner so will put the dough on when we get home

slm6002

Good evening, I'm sure tomorrow should be Friday lol.  I feel like we needed an extra day this weekend as we did much more than normal.  Never mind we will have to wait for a few more days.  We got some bits for Christmas, but it was so wet that we didn't last too long.  It has been so grey and miserable for far too many days now.  Even if it is not warm it would be lovely to see blue sky again.

Our wage increase seems to have been agreed fully now and the finance lady hopes to get it in the pay run for this month.  I am going to see if I can put the extra lump sum towards my pension or if I am too late.  I think this would be the only way to fully benefit from the lump sum and as I need to build up my pension pot now might be a good time to do it.

Dug deep in the freezer today for bits and bobs that needed finishing off, plus made some chips to go with it for dinner.  It really needs to defrosting and listing what is left in there.  Far too much smoothy mix that DD1 must have but has forgotten about!

slm6002

Well it is still not Friday but almost there.  All birthdays have been completed and I realised next year all 3 have special bdays 18,16,13.  Anyway now fully focussed on Christmas.

Work has been busy, but I'm trying to fit in some of the bits that have been on my to do list for a while.  I spoke to the finance lady about paying the lump sum into my pension and she said to call pension people to see if this is allowed.  I wish I understood them more.  It's the part of finance that I have never really had anything to do with and therefore not learnt about.  I hope to give them a call tomorrow about it, but the lady has said that we can hold my payment until I know what needs to be done.

Children just had club.  I hate to leave the comfy and warm sofa at this time of year, but needs must.  Back here now and getting ready to watch todays celebrities in the jungle

slm6002

Good morning to you all, I had a great sleep and only woke up at 10.15 as no alarms were set.  I obviously needed the rest.  We have no appointments or things scheduled in for today, absolutely nothing.  So today I will carry on with the washing, try to get the kids to do their homework.  I still need to do paperwork (keep putting it off) and then roast chicken tonight for dinner.  I need to get my pudsey tshirt out of the loft too and the spare drying rack for the clothes (if it is up there and I didn't give it to XH when I was feeling sorry for him - silly me).  I do have some pudsey socks waiting for me to collect at Asda too as I had a free voucher to use up.
I received a parcel yesterday in my old name with no other details.  I haven't ordered it.  No idea where it came from.  It is a nail care kit, but a cheap one.  Wondering if it is a scam of some kind?

joedenise

Have a look at this website:

https://www.thecomplainingcow.co.uk/all-you-need-to-know-about-unsolicited-goods/

Think it depends if it's come from a company who has your details or not.

slm6002

Thank you for that, even if I had wished to send it back there is no address or paperwork with it to work out where it came from.  

I've have been in the loft and retrieved everything I needed, and all washing is up to date even if still wet and hanging up around the house.  Roast dinner was good but paperwork and homework not completed.  Well we can't have everything can we lol.