Aim: Mortgage Free / Time For Me

killerpeaty

Hiya, your cakes look amazing!

I'm sorry you feel this way, you seem like a completely and utterly lovely person. Its understandable that you want people to think well of you, but they probably already do! You're a star, regardless of the past.

Fortune_Smiles

Wow! Those cakes look delicious!  I'm like you PM in that I go all in to make sure our guests have a nice visit.  I had a disfunctional childhood too so I'm always trying to create the fun, magic and memories I missed out on then.  However, I believe that our guests have a responsibility to try to enjoy themselves and make the occasion special too - it's not all down to the host.

I'm sure your guests will really appreciate all your efforts. There will always be some who are never happy - that is who they are.  There are some I haven't invited back and some who have been invited back but haven't come.  If you're not everyone's cup of tea it shows that you are living authentically and are true to yourself.  We are not designed for everyone to like us.  But many will.  I like you already and we've only just 'met' 😁

Fortune x

postmenopause

Todays quote: 

“Every new day is another chance to change your life for the better”

Before i start i would like to thank you for your lovely comments @Fortune_Smiles , @South_coastand and @killerpeaty , it really is lovely knowing people care.

Today’s mortgage / household savings :

1. Today at my allotment I dug up my remaining parsnips, they are quite big so I will make some parsnip soup tomorrow and also freeze some of them so they are ready to take straight out of the freezer and pop into the oven when I cook a roast dinner on a Sunday.  I also dug up my last two celeriac which i may also bung in the soup too.
2. Tonight at midnight all our funds from our old bank account will transfer to our new bank account, so today i made sure i have reconciled my latest bank statement and i have printed off all the payments and debits after this statement, just to make sure the correct balance is transferred over.
3. Our direct debit for our kitchen mortgage went through today, so that is another £159 off this mortgage….it’s lovely to see the balance going down.
4. Tonight we had ‘left overs’ from yesterday, so what a cheap, lovely meal that was.  All that we added was some tomato orzo and a couple of warm pittas for my DH and DD……the chicken, salad, humous and greek yoghurt were leftovers.

Wellbeing:

1. Well what can i say about yesterday…..i had a wonderful time and i really enjoyed it.  After our guests had left i texted to say thank you for coming and they texted back to say they had a really nice time and they look forward to getting together again soon.  Of course my head immediately told me that they were only saying that, but i told myself off and tried very hard to ignore the stupid voice in my head!
2. As i mentioned above,i went to my allotment this morning and did some weeding and clearing.  I dont now how i would have got through the last few years without my allotment, i find it so therapeutic…..i put my music on and just concentrate on the job at hand and nothing else, i love it.
3. I nearly forgot to say…..i  have now been healthy eating for a whole week and everyday i have also done my 30 minutes of brisk walking  (except Sunday when i gave myself a rest)…..and guess what, when i weighed myself i have lost 3lbs, i am now 13st 9 lbs, im really pleased considering I’m just healthy eating and not calorie counting.  I know i have a long long way to go and from now on i will probably only lose half a pound a week ( i always lose more the first week), but i am really pleased i am going in the right direction.
4. My mood has really lifted over the last week, this diary is really helping me focus….i’m so glad i started it.

Anyway, thats it for now.  Thank you to anyone who passes by and reads my ramblings

Fortune_Smiles

Well done on the weight loss PM.  I'm hoping to see some results myself when I hop on the scales.

Fortune x

beanielou

Good news on the weight loss 

postmenopause

Today’s motivation quote to help me on my way:

“Don’t wait till you reach your goal to be proud of yourself.  Be proud of every step you take”

……So today i’m going to say I am very proud of myself….I hope that doesn’t sound ‘big headed’ but i can already see improvement in my mood (apart from when i heard today about my dentist….see below). I am actually starting to see the return of a small amount of enthusiasm in life.

Also, thank you @beanielou and @Fortune_Smiles re my weight loss, i have so very far to go……i want to get down to 10 stones if possible but it will be a very long journey for me (only 3st 9lbs to go)🤣🤣🤣

@Fortune_Smiles are you trying to lose weight too, if so we can spur each other on?

Today’s Mortgage/ Household savings:

1. The last couple of days the sun has shone here so i put our washing out both days to dry.  I find as long as the slabs are dry in the garden then the washing will start to dry.  I always used to do this when my DD’s were young to save money, but i have got out of the habit over the last couple of years as i have been feeling sorry for myself.  I know the clothes / sheets wont dry completely but some of them can then just be finished off over the radiator instead of expensive tumble drying AND i do love to see a line full of washing ….is this just me?
2. This morning our money from our original bank was transferred over to our new bank account.  I was very nervous about changing banks in case something went wrong but so far it’s been quite straight forward.  I’m looking forward to receiving the £130 incentive we were promised for the switch…..i wonder how long this will take?
3. For lunch i made spicy parsnip soup.  To be honest it wasn’t as nice as i remember ( i last made it a few years ago), so i had to add chilli to help the flavour…..but its edible, healthy and warm on a cold day.  I made a massive pan full and it stretched to 9 portions to freeze and an extra two portions for our lunch today….and it only cost me the onions, spices and veg stock cubes to make it, as everything else was home grown.
4. Tonight we are having a treat.  My DH received an email from Toby Carvery yesterday offering 50% off meals booked for yesterday and today….so he booked a table for us.  We don’t go out very often so it will seem like such a treat and with the voucher the carvery is only £3.75 each!  Also it’s a healthy meal for me if I stick to the turkey and plain veg and avoid the cauliflower cheese and roasted parsnips….so win win. 
5. I have got to say, i am a bit worried about the increase in gas and electricity prices.  We finished our fixed contract on the 1st January and i am on the flexible tariff at the moment (Martins advice).  Our payments are £123 per month but the fixed tariff they are offering us is £284 fixed for two years or £333 for one year 😱😱😱.  In Martins email he said at the moment….“If you're offered a fix that's no more than 40% costlier than your current price-capped tariff, it's worth considering - especially if you value budgeting certainty” …..as ours is a lot more than a 40% increase we are going to stay as we are at the moment and keep a very close eye on the situation.  Unfortunately any extra money we will have to pay per month is the money we were expecting to pay towards our kitchen mortgage, but i know we are lucky as I really don’t know how people on a low income are going to be able to afford to heat their houses in the coming months.

Wellbeing:

1. Well i got in a bit of a state today as my dentist had text me to say they need to alter my appointment this month.  When i rang up i was told that my dentist had retired as he was finding everything difficult with covid, he was apparently 65.  When i was growing up i went to a real butcher dentist who had a reputation for filling teeth possibly to make money, but i will never know….all i know he never used injections.  I also had various milk teeth taken out when i was very young but this was probably due to my mum feeding me condensed milk in a bottle 😱😱😱.  Anyway i refused to go again when i was 13 as i hated going so much and my parents weren’t bothered that i didnt go, but my teeth weren’t in a good state back then.  When i was 18 i had terrible tooth ache and had to go to see a dentist, so i went to a new dentist who was wonderful with me (even though i fainted twice when i was there).  So i have been going to this same dentist now for the last 37 years and the thought of going back to someone new is terrifying to me…..but i haven’t got a choice.  So ive booked another appointment this month and i’m going to try really really hard not to think about it.  I’ll just have to tell the new dentist how terrified i am when i go.

Anyway thats all for today, i’m off to do my 30 minutes of brisk walking (dragging the dog along with me)🤣🤣🤣

XXXX

beanielou

If you have transferred to FD then you will get the pennies pretty quickly

Fortune_Smiles

I'm always trying to lose weight PM 😆  The thing is, I do so like cake... and chocolate... and food in general.  I'm about a stone overweight which doesn't seem that bad, only I can't get into some of my clothes and I'm short so, any weight gain, leaves me looking very frumpy. I don't give myself too hard a time about it because I'm post menopause too plus I have a health condition which makes losing weight more difficult.  But I would like to look the best I can for my age and to keep active in later life.  So I do make an effort and will do so again once all of the Christmas food has been used up 😆  I hate food waste so I can't just chuck it away.  Not much left now though and then I can tackle the extra lbs.  Like you, I've already started getting more exercise.  It was belly dancing yesterday 😂  Fortunately, a little extra belly doesn't matter for that 😂

Fortune x

postmenopause

beanielou said:

If you have transferred to FD then you will get the pennies pretty quickly

Thanks @beanielou ….Yes it’s First Direct so 🤞🤞🤞

Fortune_Smiles said:

Like you, I've already started getting more exercise.  It was belly dancing yesterday 😂  Fortunately, a little extra belly doesn't matter for that 😂

Fortune x

Wow @Fortune_Smiles, bellydancing is supposed to be really good for you…….i reckon if i had a go though i would knock everyone over around me with the size of my belly 🤣🤣🤣

Kantankrus_Mare

Just dropping in to say "Well done on starting your diary" Love your lay out and enjoying the daily inspirational quotes!

Your user name grabbed me as I am 55 and going through the journey of menopause with all the ups and downs this turbulent time brings. I also have an allotment and find its my happy place where I can put my radio on, do something constructive or even just weed and my whole world feels better.

Good luck on your journey and keep at that healthy eating and walking! Have you tried yoga? Not known for weight loss but great for calming the mind.