Curbing the ridiculous

astrocytic_kitten

I love that book gift idea!! I really don’t understand why some people who borrow books treat them with such disrespect, I’m with you on that. Never mind all the other pros and cons and the gorgeous house you’re moving to, a MIL borrowing books without asking then giving them to others would be sending me to the mainland 🤣

I’m guessing you don’t have a particularly good local library service you could direct her to instead?

QueenJess

I'm with you too on the book lending.  I look after my books even though I love second hand ones and hate people who don't look after them.  DH often gets a new book for DS and immediately bends it right over and folds the spine.  It is so irritating!  Books are to be respected...

I have a library in my house (a childhood dream) using a spare bedroom.  It is the best!

Blackcats

A book advent calendar for the children is a good idea too.  Buy books from the charity shop if possible (lots of Christmas ones will appear soon).  I wrap them up and label them with numbers and it makes a nice snuggly bedtime story each day in the run up to Christmas.  

[Deleted User]

@astrocytic_kitten - ha ha, yes, that would be a factor in moving away!  We do actually, and they were delivering to pensioners during lockdown but she was too scared to have a book from the library in case of covid.  But I will def not be lending to her again.

@QueenJess - yes, books are def to be respected!  Oh wow, if you feel like it, can you DM me a pic?  We are going to use the dining room in the new house and make it a sort of library/music room as DH has drums and loads of guitars.

@Blackcats - that is a truly excellent idea and one I am definitely going to do!  I shall be scouring the charity shops in the next few weeks!

Not sure what we are going to do today - weather is abysmal so we might just nip to MIL's to get out the flat a bit later.  Kids been up since 6.  Hoping DC2 will go down for a nap soon as he is the hardest work for sure!  Need bread and milk (as ever).  Need to sort the laundry to get organised for the week as I'm back at work from Weds and DH from tomorrow (though he is WFH for the foreseeable).  

Currently working way through the River Cottage Handbooks on growing fruit and veg and keeping chickens and noting down things we need to know.  DH getting annoyed as I am nebbing in on what is his patch - ha ha!

warby68

I pass on all my paperbacks as I like to buy new - they go through 2 separate chains of passing on, probably 6 or 8 people on average and then to charity shop. Mine are popular as they're usually something current/bestselling rather than literary lol (I do read those too but keep them). Occasionally I get one back and the condition is still very good. I also take better care of anything I borrow than I do my own things. Your MIL and her crew are obviously people who don't value books as such. If I wanted it back I wouldn't lend either. I'd do a charity shop run and buy a stash of cheapies and lend from that !!

Not so easy though if you're planning a library.

[Deleted User]

Yes, I wouldn't mind lending them at all if they came back in a decent state!

Arghhhhh, we've started packing!!!!!  I'm just praying this goes through now because otherwise it will destroy me (us).  A lot of our stuff is packed already anyway (as in, we never unpacked it on moving here as we had hoped it would be short(!)) and a lot in storage, but there is still a fair bit to do.  Packed a lot of the DC's books but have left a decent amount out for the next 6 weeks.  Went through 2 big boxes of toiletries and biffed anything out of date then sorted into 2 boxes - toiletries needed in next 6 weeks and toiletries not (e.g. we have a lot of skin so soft which we only need in summer/on hols for mossies).

Flat is furnished so we do have some of our kitchen stuff out but we can also pack up a lot of it.  Won't be great being surrounded by boxes in the living room again but we just wanted to make a start!

Had to get milk and bread and so annoyed as supermarket didn't have any so we had to go to a garage so £6.16 for 3l of milk and a loaf of bread!

badmemory

Re the hot lunches, I also think it is a good idea because it opens them up to more variety.  They are also less likely to refuse to eat certain things when they are not at home & especially when mum is NOT there.

[Deleted User]

@badmemory - yes, that was one of our thoughts too - DC1 is really fussy but DC2 not at the minute and would like that to continue.

So, I appear to have norovirus - again!  Took a funny turn around 530 last night and had to go and lie down.  By about 7pm was both ends for a number of hours.  Managed to get some sleep with only a couple of episodes in the night but am just wiped out.  Been up about 20 mins and going back to bed shortly.  Not ideal as I was supposed to be watching the kids today whilst DH works from home but he's having to look after them.  MIL will take DC2 from 12 as DC1 is happy in front of disney!

[Deleted User]

So noro really hit me again.  I did, however, make it to work yesterday.  And proud as was about to go out the door and thought s*d it, I'll just buy chocolate and a baguette from the shop then said no actually, turned round and made myself a cheese sandwich (which was blinking miserable actually) and wrapped up some shortbread to take.  Took a pair of jeans back so £19.50 back on the card.  Picked up DH's credit card where he is additional holder and activated that which is good because it means all household spending then goes on the card, we get points which we convert to vouchers and pay off in full every month so no interest.

Dh bought milk yesterday but no idea how much it was as he did on his debit card as he didn't have our credit card.

Not sure what going to do today as appear to have a touch of the runs back.  Off with the DC, DH WFH but may take both to park in a bit.  Bank valuer going in today so going to give them a call later to check on value.  Friend going in to do HB survey Tuesday.

Got quotes for life insurance yesterday (we currently have death in service benefit but it's not enough) so forging ahead with that today.  Have decided on single policies with decreasing cover but with extra single policies of level cover which we can cancel later if not needed, all written in trust - idea being, whilst kids are young, if one of us died, the other would need a lump sum to help with costs, but obviously the older we get, the less we need that (for the kids anyway) - or at the very least we can review our financial position every 5/10 etc years to see whether we still really need to maintain it.

Was on course to come in well under half the usual month's budget (and had budgeted a reduced amount by a quarter of usual in addition) but we've booked the car in for a service monday (which it does really need) which, when coupled with this week's food shop I'll be doing Fri or Sat, will bring us to half budget, with the time to 20th to go, meaning we won't be under half, as there will be the following week's shopping plus petrol, but I still think we will come in well under three quarters our usual budget which is great.

Still not had a drink this month, so that is also definitely saving!

Keeping everything crossed the bank value goes ok today.  We could still borrow the same amount if it doesn't, but will push us into the next LTV bracket and a higher interest rate so if it doesn't come in on value, then we will have some decisions to make as to whether to inject more cash or simply take the hit on the rate.  No wonder I have the runs!

[Deleted User]

Spoke with bank valuer thurs afternoon - he said house was at the very top end of the range on the comparables, but they could probably justify it at asking price - basically said if we didn't buy it someone else would be along to tomorrow.  House is over 100 years old so obvs doesn't have the modern insulation etc and will likely have bits of damp here and there, but he said it had been pretty well maintained.  Heard from bank yesterday who are happy with valuation at asking price so we are a go on that one!  Have now got the lawyers to crack on.

So friend doing HB survey Tuesday and have asked him to consider if we can do the things we want to do to it - will speak with him after he's been in.

Been really good last few days and bought nothing but essentials (milk) apart from DH bought a pudding for last night - think we will just have puddings on weekends as a treat as we are not buying booze.  Weather is abysmal today so am going to do the big shop shortly then make gingerbread men with DC1 - he is currently obsessed with the Mister Man book involving Mr Greedy and the Gingerbread Man so want to capitalise on his interest!

DC1 had a haircut yesterday (£15 but MOST needed) and I cut DC2's hair myself as it was just the back which needed doing so didn't fancy paying for that!