Curbing the ridiculous

Humdinger1

@[Deleted User] started reading your diary and simply couldn't stop! Have subscribed.  You are making a fab job of it all...hard to see when you're in the thick of it, I find.  When (if!) you get a minute it might be worth reading through your own diary from the start and applauding the brave woman who emerges.  You have great grip.  Cheering you on and looking forward to your adventures.  Happy New Year Humdinger 

Buffythedebtslayer

Happy New Year RP XX Impressive stuff as ever XXX 

Chrystal

Wishing you a Healthy and Peaceful New Year (and some peaceful nights!)

[Deleted User]

@Humdinger1 - thank you, that's very kind, but I'm not sure I'd call myself brave!!

Happy New Year everyone!  What on earth with 2022 bring?!

Today will not be a NSD as we need milk and yoghurt for the DC.  But nothing other than that.  Going to MIL's around lunchtime.  DH is cleaning the kitchen for some reason.  I have just tried to put DC2 down for the second time this morning and watching The Good Dinosaur with DC1 whilst also stuffing my face due to hangover.

We are now aiming for no booze until we complete unless it falls through or there is another lockdown

[Deleted User]

£2.90 on 2 litres of milk.  The garage didn't have the yoghurt we wanted so doing without and will get tomorrow.  Have done a list and it is minimal.  Went to MIL's and there was a feast!  So we are stuffed yet DH is roasting a chicken as it goes out today and he didn't want to freeze it.  At least we can have for sandwiches tomorrow and I am now actually starting to get peckish! 

We have also done a good old reccie of the cupboards and freezer - we have a few potatoes left and some meats from a platter (but only 2 or 3 slices) so we figured we'd make an omelette with those ingredients for one lunch this week.  Then we have 2 chicken breasts in the freezer, DH suggested putting the quarter baguette (now stale) we had in the nutribullet, then toasting and making breadcrumbs (which he has done and jarred up) so he is going to make chicken kievs one night.

We have our vegan goodlife things (though need to get waffles) and also 2 portions of butternut squash, chicken and pesto lasagna.  So we basically have enough in the freezer to feed us until next weekend (and longer).

Blackcats

Happy new year.  I hope that in a few weeks time it will be a very, very happy year for you and the family.
your OH sounds lovely and the perforated cat litter tray can make you both laugh for years to come.

[Deleted User]

Thanks @Blackcats - hope 2022 is a good one for you too.

Going on a walk with DC1 and some of my friends and their kids today - leaving DC2 with DH as it's not buggy friendly.  Well, that is, if DC1's wellies fit (need to try these in a moment).  Just got the chicken out the freezer for kievs tonight.  

Won't be a NSD as doing a weekly shop but it is minimal.

Thinking of paying for hot lunches for DC2 at nursery.  They are £3.50 a pop but he's only in 2 days a week (with MIL on a friday morning) - he is a good eater and I want to keep up the variety for him.  DC1 - no point as we've tried and he just won't eat them - he also gets upset at change - but it's another £28 a month or so.  Which we could do with saving.  But he would get a very healthy balanced and varied meal.

warby68

With your generally very busy lives and just a 'few' pressures, I think a certain amount of spending such as the hot lunches makes sense because its value (in reassurance, health, convenience etc) is actually more than its cost.

[Deleted User]

@warby68 - that is a good point.  We will still have to make a packed lunch for DC1 3 x a week (as he goes 2.5 days) but that's ok and can be done the day before and stored in the fridge.  

Well, we tried to go for the walk but DC1 got very upset and didn't want to go so we had to turn back home.  I was quite disappointed but given he is possibly being referred for an autism assessment (his referral panel is sitting weds), then it's quite understandable.  Tried the park but it was a bit cold and windy so came home.  We were, rather naughtily, going to get a takeaway coffee and biscuits, but the little hut we normally get it from what shut - so saved there!

Went to the cheap supermarket and spent £15.05.  It was all essential but more than we needed because we don't go out that way that often - they do big boxes of potato waffles (18 in a box) for £2.85.  As we have those pretty much each weekday with our vegan stuff (and I have 2, DH has 3), it made sense to get 2 x boxes as should last us 2 weeks.  Kids also go through over a kilo of YeoValley a week - in this particular supermarket it is £2.75, whereas at WR it's £3.24, so again, got 2.  Also got garlic, butter (requested by DH for cooking) plus some potato stars for the DC (as we were running low).

Then £24 something in WR - again, all essential stuff: milk, sparkling water, diet coke (water and diet coke I guess could be viewing as non-essential but as we are not drinking booze we need something alternative), bear paws, filled pasta for DC2, margarine, sweetcorn (x2) and perinaise (again, used with our dinners around 4 x a week).  Though when written down, that looks quite expensive.  And they had no bread, so will need to get some tomorrow.

Sort of just wanting to get back to normality now - xmas tree and decorations are down and we just want to get on with buying this blinking house!!!!!

[Deleted User]

Oh and I saw a really cool idea on FB which I think I might do for my MIL for next xmas - someone wraps a book for each month of the year in brown paper and labels them up with the month and a brief synopsis but not giving away the title!  I thought this was a great idea, and you can also make it MSE if you pick up books from the charity shop which are in good condition.  So think I'm going to do this.  I got a bit frustrated with my MIL in lockdown because she asked (via my DH) whether I had any books she could borrow because she'd read all of hers.  I felt I had to because it came from my DH (and I do know she does a lot for us childcare wise) but I really didn't want to because the last time I lent her a book, she then lent it on to her daughter (my SIL), who then lent it on to a friend, and when I got it back, it looked like it had been on a 6 week hiking trip through Cambodia.  So I lent her about 10 on the basis that she wouldn't lend them on at all, but it fell on deaf ears and the same happened, so I now refuse to lend books.

Makes me feel like I'm not a very nice or generous person but most of my books are bought new and I've always wanted a library (and in the new house we can sort of have one) so like them to stay nice.  Just dreading if, when she comes to the new house and sees them on the shelves, she just helps herself!!