Learning to walk before I run

edinburgher

beanielou said:

£77 quid!!!

It's brutal, isn't it? Cat 1 is largely the reason for our pervasively high pets budget. The only comparable category (got out of control, never got fixed) was groceries. At least groceries can be adapted (less meat, fewer ready to eat snacks etc) once both girls are at school.

My nap was glorious ☺️ 

Suffolk_lass

There really is something about a nap in the middle of the day. So restorative, indulgent and pleasurable. My favourite is a hot sunny afternoon nap where I take put the bedroom blind down, all my clothes off and just me in the bed - I wear a nightie at night because the dog is invariably snuggled against my front or back and not consistently in one direction, and Mr Sl is gently snoring next to me. Probably TMI but there you go!

edinburgher

Oh my word - I leave the thread for a day and people are getting naked!

I have finished up for a week off, still doing overtime today, tomorrow, and possibly Saturday before going. Only 5 hours, don't want to sound melodramatic. Payslip for October a little disappointing, boss hasn't approved quite a bit of overtime on time, overtime I have been paid only just covered my £200 AVC. 

• £4.52 OPed
• £1.98 paid into my S&S ISA from personal spends
• £5.60 withdrawn from TCB (a missing cashback claim, always sweet to win)

Mrs E is back and while DD2 has calmed down a little, it's just nice to have the support. I honestly don't know how single parents cope! 

beanielou

Single parents only cope because they have to. I don’t know how I did. 

Cheery_Daff

Speaking as the eldest child of a single parent - sometimes they just don't cope 😬 like the rest of us really - just because we're in a situation doesn't mean we're coping as such - sometimes the wheels just fall off and everything's rubbish for a while 😕

Anyways,  you're doing a good job Ed,  and well done on the OPs!

Suffolk_lass

edinburgher said:

Oh my word - I leave the thread for a day and people are getting naked!

I have finished up for a week off, still doing overtime today, tomorrow, and possibly Saturday before going. Only 5 hours, don't want to sound melodramatic. Payslip for October a little disappointing, boss hasn't approved quite a bit of overtime on time, overtime I have been paid only just covered my £200 AVC. 

• £4.52 OPed
• £1.98 paid into my S&S ISA from personal spends
• £5.60 withdrawn from TCB (a missing cashback claim, always sweet to win)

Mrs E is back and while DD2 has calmed down a little, it's just nice to have the support. I honestly don't know how single parents cope! 

Sorry, that was me. Not a pretty thought!

How disappointing re OT payment. Enjoy your week. What are your plans?

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - we're off to London for a few nights on Sunday Staying in an aparthotel we've used before. Taking the train, so hopefully less stress than flying 🤞🏻

I'm currently trying to run down the fridge and freezer. Cue dinner of stir fried chicken thigh and veg, udon noodles, and a miso chicken broth made with HM stock. Got a pot of random meat bones stock on the hob as well, will reduce it down for gravy. 

beanielou

Enjoy your break. 

Suffolk_lass

Oh lovely. A free option is the St James' Park Pelicans - your girls might like that. At the back of the Treasury building and the Foreign Office (opposite the back of 10DS) in Horseguards Road. Easily combined with the London Eye if that is on your radar. A cafe there too but I haven't been for ages. I used to go and eat my (made at home, MSE) lunch in SJP when I worked at the other end of one of those buildings

edinburgher

I was also a SJP luncher - DFID for a little while I never really got over the shock of the transition from Westminster to East Kilbride when we moved back to Scotland!