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Rolling Down the Green Hill Towards REtirement ππππ
Comments
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Greent, that's so pants for you
you sound like it's bottomed out, sort of, but it's not getting any better yet?Β I hope you can get plenty of rest. 2023: the year I get to buy a car6 -
Rubbish timing Greent, how annoying for you. Glad to read you are feeling brighter and fingers crossed for negative pcr soon.Β5
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Enforced relaxation time methinks.Β Just take some time and chill.
4/10/22One Year Mortgage Free Yay!
NSTurtle # 55 π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’π’π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ No Turtle gets left behind.[/b]
******PROUD MEMBER OF THE TOFU EATING COALITION OF CHAOS !!!******5 -
Sorry to hear this. Make sure you take the time you need to bounce back. Chest infection on top? horrible! I hope it doesn't spread through the householdSave Β£12k in 2025 #2 I am at Β£4863.32 out of Β£6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at Β£1286.68/Β£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here5 -
HALF YEAR UPDATE:
Lots of things aren't happening as planned because of cancer treatment, but I thought I'd have a look and see how we are doing to the original plan made before we knew how this year would pan out!
Β Health (& Wellbeing)
Lose weight β having lost 2.5 stone in 2020 I regained most of this in the lockdown at the start of 2021 β I found that one really hard mentally and ate my way through it. New job hasnβt helped at the end of the year β so much food is around in a school! I want to get back to where I was this time last year β and maybe even a bit more. Am limited in what I can do exercise wise compared to before, so it will be more about getting my food right than burning it off.. -Β Nope. Not at all. Chemo sees me eating all the carbs to combat nausea (honestly a preferable solution to extra anti nausea meds and their grim side effects!) - although I've only gained about 3-4lbs. And onc team said they would prefer a slight weight gain to a massive loss (as that generally means you're unwell) - but definitely one to deal with
Frozen shoulder β caused by jab 2 going into shoulder joint, not armβ¦.. ouch! Movement has been getting more limited βΉ -Β Ha! This happened to be the same arm as the side affected by cancer and so therefore operated on - movement has actually improved (possibly helped by all the steroids from chemo!!) Chiro thinks it's a rotator cuff injury, not a frozen shoulder. However, I can't have chiro or physio whilst in chemo - one still to sort....
Dodgy big toe nail β a fungal infection years ago meant it mostly fell off and then started growing sideways and ultra thick β itβs very ugly and means I can only wear certain footwear (from a pain point). I have tried several podiatrists but none are taking on new clients. GP wasnβt interested. Need to sort it. -Β Another still to sort - can't see podiatrist for any non urgent whilst in active treatment...
Other niggling issues will most likely improve if I achieve the weight loss (eg knees and hips) -Β And again....
So..... other health issues have been overtaken by the surprising diagnosis of stage 2, grade 3 invasive breast cancer in Jan -Β with the resulting treatment (lumpectomy, node removal, chemo, radiotherapy & hormone therapy) all taking priority over everything else - and will essentially do so for the rest of 2022. The best laid plans and all that........
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Wellbeing/ personal grooming β I should really get my hair cut more often than I do β especially now that I have a βproperβ job and interact with SLT and parents (and my photo is out there!) Β β Iβm thinking that upping it to 3x/ year seems doable!
β I also should get my brows done professionally about the same number of times/ year β and then maintain them in between by myself. I bought more work clothes when I started this job- and then a few more Winter-y tops. I should be ok for a while (although I do still have a very small work wardrobe) until I get into some smaller clothes (bought when I lost the 2 stoneβ¦) -Β Had hair cut in late Jan/ early Feb (good start) - and then had loads chopped off in April pre chemo. Am now lacking in hair - and eyebrows... but do have a selection of hats and 2 wigs. Β
Wealth
I started loosely monitoring our net wealth in 2021 β will continue this in 2022 on a monthly basis would like to see a decent improvement over the next year (with the note that a decent chunk of readily available monies currently held will be used on home improvements)
I have Β£300/ mth going into my S&S ISA and ad-hoc an average of another Β£200/ mth on top β should probably up this. I also make ad-hoc payments into my SiPP β not so much into DHβs, even though is a HR taxpayer, as he has way more pension than I do already.
Sort out transferring my old TP scheme (in it less than 2 years) to LGPS and figure out whether I want to merge my old LGPS with new scheme LGPSβ¦
Some of our accumulated savings will be going in the βHome & Gardenβ category β but would like to cashflow some of the jobs.
New rewards based CC to be applied for to use for our joint everyday spending (eg food shopping, fuel etc) and paid off as we go along β just to get the rewards β a case of every little (with basically no effort) helps
Review savings accounts β 2 reg savers mature early Feb β fingers crossed rates are improving.
Money still going into ISA and SIPP - but values not exactly climbing....Β TP pension sorted and transferred. Old LGPS not merged - can take it earlier than new LGPS (and it is very small)
New CC applied for and being well used - rewards (N3ctar points) are being spent on shopping and cash equivalent transferred to savings.
Reg savers reviewed at maturity and new ones set up (and additional one also set up for DH with FD)
Net worth - hmmm. I spent just over Β£20k (shhh!) on a car in April for me.... kept old one for DD and DS1 to use (they fill it with fuel) Ready cash balance is under Β£10k less than it was in Jan, so we've clearly made some of the spending up! Ready cash + ISA + shares is up about Β£10k from Jan. Pensions are... variable in value!
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Happiness
A holiday would be lovely! β but Iβm not going abroad until I feel the βvid situation has improved. Β Look at something in the UK β Centreparcs, maybe?Β We have the money from our 2020 Florida trip stashed in PBs for sometime in the future (2023??)
Graduation ceremonies can hopefully finally happen this year for DD & DS1
We have a comedy night out in Jan with friends, another in April, a couple of music gigs and 2 vouchers for afternoon teas β although we wonβt be being silly at any of these.
Get back into regular walks and family games sessions. We enjoy it once we make the effort.
Oh dear...... well, holidays haven't happened - hopefully a week away in Aug in UK - assuming I can sort out PICC flush/ dressing.Β
Graduation ceremonies are both happening thsi month - whoop!
Jan comedy night out happened - and then I didn't go to 2 music gigs and another comedy night out because of treatment. Did go to MAdness at Westonbirt (a Xmas present from Dec 2019) and have a couple of small comedy gigs later this year. One afternoon tea eaten out - and several more consumed at home - either delivered or homemade - not helping with point one of this round up!!
2 afternoon teas out still to consume (received one as a gift for chemo)Walks have been sporadic - sometimes I am just too fatigued to go more than literally the end of the road. And also too tired to play - have fallen asleep instead in front of tv during some family movie nights
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Home (& Garden)
There is a list of jobs for around the home. Bigger ones include:
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β Β New bathroom for the boys β hopefully happening in Jan, but I havenβt heard anything from the chap for a while β will chase him up on it, as he was meant to be sending us details of the suite etc for our approval -Β Now happening in August - super long story and now using a different guy
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Family room and home office remodelling β quiteΒ a big job, as the floor has sunk (not on a sub frame) β meaning possible removal of a couple of walls, installation of sub frame, insulation and flooring (engineered oak) and new doorways β changing them slightly. Moving the 2 existing radiators in the family room (and chaging the type) and installing a radiator in office (currently has an electric wall panel heater). New skirting boards, new door architraves, new windowsills (3 β 2 are large β they are the plastic type and have cracked) and new lighting in both rooms -Β not touched this yet - want bathroom completed first!
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β Β New outside lighting in front garden, back garden and one side of the house. Garage wiring to be brought up to current spec (currently unsafe) Possible CCTV. -Β still to do
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β Β New oak internal doors (possibly new architraves) β we have a LOT of internal doors and most are fire doors. Not Β a cheap job. -Β still to sort
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Would also like at some point (maybe not 2022) β railings at either side of front garden, new driveway (extending it slightly), new patio and side paths, retaining wall rebuilt in back garden -Β on hold until at least next year
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Smaller jobs β redecorate living room, dining room, touch up kitchen, paint fencing, new hallway and landing lights, repaint our bathroom, new curtain rail for DS3βs room, maybe redo DS2βs room entirelyβ¦ -Β have started painting fencing. Everything else not yet touched!
OOF!Β That's a lot not done/ not getting done this year! - understandably so, but.. just oooooof! I'd forgotten how much I'd planned, tbh - still, it makes next year's plan much easier - it's essentially going to be this year's rolled over!!
Β I'm not complaining - I can still make plans for next year and following years. Others are not so lucky!
I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soulRepaid mtge early (orig 11/25) 01/09 Β£124616 01/11 Β£89873 01/13 Β£52546 01/15 Β£12133 07/15 Β£NILNet sales 2024: Β£2010 -
Quite understandable that plans have changed! You've still got things done though, which is fantastic given the circumstances. Next year you'll be ticking all these things off your list like a list-ticking whirling dervish π6
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4/10/22One Year Mortgage Free Yay!
NSTurtle # 55 π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’π’π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ π’ No Turtle gets left behind.[/b]
******PROUD MEMBER OF THE TOFU EATING COALITION OF CHAOS !!!******7 -
Well, planning takes a long time, so using the same plan next year is a time-savergreent said:HALF YEAR UPDATE:OOF!Β That's a lot not done/ not getting done this year! - understandably so, but.. just oooooof! I'd forgotten how much I'd planned, tbh - still, it makes next year's plan much easier - it's essentially going to be this year's rolled over!!
Β I'm not complaining - I can still make plans for next year and following years. Others are not so lucky!
Β Seriously, that you've managed to do anything other than look after yourself and a bit spare for the kids and DH, it's amazing.Β Β I like the sound of the pleasant treats you've still got lined up, like the afternoon teas Β 2023: the year I get to buy a car8 -
It can all happen in its own sweet time GT.Β The main focus is health and happiness.What I do not give, you must never take by force.
Mortgage outstanding - 30/12/22 - Β£25,900. 31/01/23 - Β£22,300. 28/02/23 - Β£20,500. 31/03/23 - Β£17,500. 30/04/23 - Β£15,800. 30/05/23 - Β£13,800. 31/06/23 - Β£11,300. 31/07/23 - Β£9,800. 31/08/23 - Β£8,300. 30/09/23 - Β£6,000. 31/10/23 - Β£3,000. 30/11/23 - Β£1,200. 06/12/23 - Β£00.00
God save us everyone, As we burn inside the fire of a thousand suns, For the sins of our hands, The sins of our tongues, The sins of our fathers, The sins of our young. Linkin Park8 -
Thanks all π
Some gentle decluttering has been going on - 4 tealight holders have gone in CS bag (from the family room and are literally just dust collectors), along with a new still inΒ sealed box gym ball (oops!), an outgrown and hardly worn pair of Summer shoes from DS2 and some books from DS2.Β I've also listed some sets of kids books on fb00k and an awning on flebay (having sold the caravan in 2020..Β ) A mostly used sticker book was recycled (any pages with unused stickers being set aside for the shoebox appeal) and a hardly used sticker book set aside for my nephew. One flebay sale of a fancy dress outfit - money already in my bank accountΒ
Today we are off to a family fun day where DH works - open only to employees and their family - everyone has to be on a list beforehand as its a secure site. Free bbq and ice cream (apparently), dodgems, shooting range, gaming rooms, stalls, go karts and lots more. Seems an ok idea - dragging all 4 kids along, so we shall see how entertained they will be (ages now are 24, 22, 16 and 13) Before then (event starts at 3pm) I want a walk along the canal path to see the swans and ducks and to put a load of laundry on (whites are on the line already) - it looks a bit grey out there, so I may leave the laundry inside on airers in the family room (gets super warm in there if any sun is around) I also have a couple more big things to list on fb00k/ flebay (both big in size and bigger in terms of money) - 80% off fvf offer this weekend, so I want to make the most of that whilst I'm feeling okΒ
Before then I need to have a shower - and give my remaining hair its weekly wash! πΒI am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soulRepaid mtge early (orig 11/25) 01/09 Β£124616 01/11 Β£89873 01/13 Β£52546 01/15 Β£12133 07/15 Β£NILNet sales 2024: Β£2010
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