The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

Well what a really grotty day it has been.  Grey windy and wet all day long.  I have been to check on why I cant smell our dinner and turns out the cooker was still off at the wall.  Whoops, I guess we will be having a late dinner.  I have been sitting here doing my meal plan for this coming week and making sure I order everything I will need, so I don't need to visit the shops and then spend more money.  I got it down to £50.02 which I thought was ok.  Just realised I'd forgotten bananas but still a few left so expect the kids are no longer eating them, so not going to waste money on more.  Also booked Christmas slot before we go to my sisters but will go instore the week after and hopefully get some bargains.

Spoke to the pension people today about putting a lump sum in when I get my back pay.  Turns out I need a Drs note to make sure I'm of good health and not about to need to draw my pension.  They will then invoice me with the amount I would like to pay in rather than it going straight from my wages.  Well that is where that idea goes wrong then, because as soon as it hits my back it disappears into benefit reduction.  So we have come to the conclusion that I just have to lump it and that is how it works.  Never mind, it was worth asking the question.  Oh and the Dr's note would have cost me at least £50.

A lot of my bills have gone out today, so the bank account is looking lower than normal.  Still enough in there to make it through the month though (unless something goes wrong - but that is why I have an emergency fund).

I'm loving not having to go anywhere tonight in this yukky weather.  Blankets are out and slippers are on.  Extra duvet on the bed makes is snuggly and acts like a weighted blanket. I sleep so well.  Kids are doing homework or playing quietly.  Little things that make me happy

slm6002

Came home from work at lunch time and was so cold.  I had to put the heating on for half an hour just to take the edge of it. I feel a little better now and am on the sofa with blankets and hoodie on.  Not looking forward to opening front door for food delivery. 

I had a webinar for work once home but it only lasted about 20 min so better than the hour I thought it might take.  Hopefully it will mean I can do another bit for work that no one else knows how to do.  I've been sorting out years of archiving today and shredding bits that were no longer needed.  Still have loads more to do but I am making progress.  I am hoping to get most of it done by the end of term but it will be tight.  It would be great if it was done by Christmas as it has been on the to do list for so long now.

There are only a few bits not in stock for food delivery and the subs can go back as not really a suitable substitute.  I find they would rather substitute things with something cheap and vaguely related to the missing item rather than go up a brand for the same thing.  That is the only issue with online shopping. 

debtfreeoneday

Hi. Haven’t been here before but will subscribe to follow you on the journey. Hear you on opening the door for the food delivery. I shivered through ours last night willing the guy to hurry up so I could shut the door!

slm6002

Thank you for joining me on my journey @debtfreeoneday.  Lots of rambling from me and nothing too exciting, so good luck staying awake while reading

Took DD1's phone in for new battery on the way home from work.  There is a guy around here that has a great reputation and after Tesco seem to just ignore our request for repair I thought it was worth asking.  He is going to give me a call once he knows a price and before ordering the battery which I thought was better than him just guessing.  If DD1 got her way she would cancel the rest of the contract and get the latest iphone.  That is not happening lol.

Frustrating day at work as there is a member of staff that does not understand being prepared for things that come about every year and would much rather have a last minute dash than be prepared.  And it then falls to me to do the running around that I could have done weeks ago.  This was the case today.  I am not good with this method of working.  Hoping over time they will learn as listen to my suggestions, but fear it may not happen.

Now listening to autumn statement to see how it may effect us.  Hopefully it will be better received than the last one.  Also have the washing machine going and will hang that around the house shortly.  It is go grey and wet still

slm6002

I just had another mystery parcel delivered.  Either someone is sending me things they think I might like or I am going crazy as I have no recollection of ordering these things and no paperwork or entries in my bank that are unaccounted for.  This time it was an oversized hoodie - the really warm kind that we like.  Again there are no details inside the packet or clues as to where it is from.  Maybe I have a secret admirer lol

debtfreeoneday

Oooh wonder who it is from 

slm6002

I do wonder too - it is really a mystery.

Anyway another morning of rain by the looks of it.  I am off for lunch with a work friend this lunch time to the local garden centre.  Since moving rooms we don't get to catch up so she suggested we go out for coffee and have a good natta.  I walk into their room now and it is silence.  I really didn't think I talked that much but we used to be quite jolly and lots of laughter coming from our room, but now there is nothing.  New room has me now lol.

Last night we went on our light show walk.  Children were complaining in the car as I had interrupted their nights in their rooms doing whatever they normally do.  I was determined that we would have fun.  We had trouble parking but a bit of a walk (trying to think of it as free exercise) and we got there on time.  The beginning was a light show on one of the cathedral towers.  It was not a good start as it was more like a history lesson according to the children.  I told them to bear with it.  Once we started to follow the path through the gardens there were just lots of pretty lights and lit up ruins from the abbey.  The children started to enjoy themselves (wouldn't admit it at this point).  We then got to an area where there was some music and a light show depending on what music was playing.  They wanted to stop and watch so we found a bench and just watched.  I handed out the cookies I had bought as wasn't prepared to pay £5 for 6 donuts, and we just enjoyed ourselves.   We eventually got up and continued through to the end after a few more lights.  Once we were done we took a detour back to the car and looked at the Christmas lights in town that were turned on the night before.  I am so glad I dragged them along as even DS who never enjoys activities in public said he had fun which really means he had a fantastic time.  They much preferred it to the fireworks the other weekend so maybe next year I will skip the fireworks and find another one of these. 

They did agree that they would like to do more activities but when asked what they would like to do, the only thing they (DS) could think of was a shooting range!  Not sure about that one.

Todays jobs are make pizza dough for dinner, some paperwork, homework nagging and some clearing up before going out for lunch.  DD1 is on her driving lesson currently and was told she may go on main road today.

slm6002

It is so chilly and I think once home from school run I may have to put the heating on for half hour or so to warm the house up.  When it is just me here I don't bother, but if it will benefit us all then I will pop it on for a little while.  It was cold at work this morning too but hoping that might just be because the heating hadn't been on over the weekend.  Might need to find a small blanket to put over my lap though.

Yesterday I went to the local town and managed to get enough bits and bobs to finish all Santa and main gifts for the children.  I now only need to sort my dad, uncle, nan and brother in laws gifts and then I am finished.  I need to now wrap and work out how I will get the gifts to my sisters without children seeing.  Last year I had large boxes for each child.  I labelled them up for my sister etc and then carefully unwrapped and rewrapped once the Santa bits were out.  If my dad is also coming to my sisters I will ask him to deliver for me.  He is still unsure what his plans are.

I have transferred the money for Christmas bits bought to my main account so no cost to normal bank account.  Still quite a bit in there so should be able to fund petrol money for my sisters from the pot too.  Need to make final list and then work my way through ordering bits.  The next month is going to go really quickly so need to get sorted asap.

slm6002

Don't you love how when things seem to be going well in life and then all of a sudden wham something comes along to disrupt things.  Well last night on the way home from club we planned on nipping into Tesco's as I needed something for work.  As I pulled into the carpark there were lights on the dashboard then the steering would barely move followed by a message saying power steering failure.  We pulled into a space with lots of effort as the steering wheel would hardly move.  Then the car conked out.  Battery was dead.  It had been fine up until this point so came out of the blue.  Anyway thankfully when XH left I took out recovery plan (as this was the only thing I really needed XH for) and after calling them they dropped us off home with the car (as the garages around here were shut for the night).   Rang back again today and they came and transported car to garage.  I am now waiting for the call to say what is wrong and how much it might cost.  I do have some money in the car pot and my emergency fund but really hoping it will be a simple fix and not too costly.  So everyone fingers crossed please.

I am trying to look on the positive side, and am thankful that it was last night, and we had made it to tescos rather than in the middle of nowhere or on the motorway on trip to see my sister for Christmas.  I would not want that happening on the dartford crossing for instance.

DD2 and I walked the hour to work / school and I have walked home this lunch time.  I think my legs will ache tonight as I am very unfit, so if nothing else the exercise did me good.

joedenise

Hope it isn't too costly to fix.  With a bit of luck it will just be the steering fluid needs topping up and possibly a new battery but they may be able to charge that up although think I'd feel happier with a new one so it doesn't die again!

Have you got to the bottom of the mystery parcels yet?