Pay off mortgage and start having even more fun 😁

newgirly

Why has dh woken me up and gone to work at 5am 😩 oh well I’ve lots to do today I guess. Son in law needs collecting from hospital after a minor op today as dd doesn’t drive and I’ve been so busy I need to catch up on lots at home. 

Took a newish friend out yesterday (wife of an old friend of dhs who we don’t really see often) it’s become a more regular thing, a nice lady but a fair bit of driving as she’s reduced mobility and it’s a good 40 mins away before we go anywhere.   To do list:

• Sort out early Tesco delivery 
• Collect sil from hospital
• Clean and tidy house 
• Do all washing and hang out 
• Look at finances and what an emergency plan might be 
• Update mfw challenge 
• Post parcels and arrange collection of parcels 
• Chase double paid parking charges from Manchester (paid twice as dh put o instead of 0!) 
• Chase ordered item that didn’t come 
• Check finances and tell dd what she owes me after we went out a couple of weeks ago to ikea
•  Put together an autumn /winter capsule wardrobe and see what’s missing    

There’s no way I can get all this done today, but I’ll make a start 😆

newgirly

Well I managed about half the to do list yesterday, I shan’t be returning two of the parcels as I have to pay for two evri collection charges even thought they were delivered together, plus I got such a bargain I think I can make more on fleabay. 

I’ve booked some theatre tickets as Xmas presents, we are going to see the Enfield Haunting, originally was just going I be dd and I and now there’s nine of us 😆 all of us and partners and step Dgd, I’ve bought the VERY cheapest five tickets on the small back row at £25 and then four in the row in front at £39.50 , but dd knows the theatre and says it’s small so should be an ok view still, all coming from their £100 pp Xmas allocation, I shall average out the costs per ticket though otherwise it’s a bit unfair. I might start doing a bit of online Xmas shopping soon, it’s likely to be second hand books for all my lot plus records for the boys and dr who stuff for dd. 

Dh’s  birthday is soon and he wants to go away for a night, the birthday allocation is £100 for all now though so that might be tricky! Will have a look at premier inns nearby maybe. 

newgirly

Dd has a new kitten! So now I’m a nanny to her as well as step DGD 😆 she’s a  British blue cross and very cute ❤️ 

Met with best friend yesterday for lunch in our favourite cafe which has changed hands and is now awful sadly, there are loads of others here but that was was good and also cheap. Nothing planned today, but busy for the rest of the week. Bit upset as I’ve noticed my doctors appointment next week is with a different doctor ( a young man) not the female menopause specialist I’ve seen the last few times who is very easy to talk to, it appears she’s now longer on the list to book 😩 probably the number one reason for not moving to the next cheaper town is it’s not the same health authority and I’d have to change doctors and ours are brilliantly rated, I seem to be there a lot lately too 😆 

I’ve started a bit of Xmas shopping this week, a couple of vintage dr who books for dd from world of books (worth a look for second hand books) 4 for three on cheap ones plus free delivery. Will need to think of other stocking fillers for everyone, it gets harder every year! 

newgirly

Well my week has ground to a halt, ds1 has covid, so my aunt who was coming over for the day cancelled, plus I’m supposed to be at a funeral tomorrow (mum of the boys childhood friend, although we had lost touch)  so I think although i’m negative it’s probably better to avoid as it will be a big funeral and you don’t know if there’s frail people. 

Fridays friend has not got back to me yet and tomorrows friend has switched to a garden meet up as she works with vulnerable people. It would have been a busy week! 

Spending is getting very tight, I splurged on food at the start of the month, thinking my extra £50 pm on the food budget was a lottery win, I’m about to start paying the price now though as there’s not much left 😩 way better organisation and tracking needed next month…

themadvix

Hope DS1 is ok with it. Good on him for testing - don’t imagine many do these days. Wise to avoid the funeral, I think. Covid is still so disruptive! 

newgirly

He’s ok thanks Vix, we have a ton of tests dh was given by our security firm neighbours during the pandemic so it’s easy. Last friend cancelled me Friday so that’s three cancelled and one change of location to garden, I’ve friends who say it’s treated like a cold now which I don’t agree with, we don’t take any other precautions but if you know you have it I’d say be careful and lots of people have issues you may not know about and might get quite ill, I would tell people I had a cold too to be honest.

Great game yesterday watching the lionesses beat Australia, not much else done except for some deep cleaning of the main bathrooms. Spent £25 odd in home bargains on air freshener refills and toiletries and I’ve just had a look and now I’m down to £89.52 /£500 until 1st sept 😱 I’m doing worse than usual 😆 

Still not booked anything or bought anything for dh for his birthday on 1st sept, I have a £30 odd of hotel vouchers with club card, we did have the York flat booked for bank holiday weekend but have said dd can go which she says she still is - I guess ds2 might be staying with kitten, don’t really want to book anything incase she cancels as we might go there instead as it’s free and my brother would have gone that weekend but now can’t.

themadvix

I'm definitely more wary of germs in general since the pandemic - I'd tell people if I had a cold too (and don't want to see them if they have one!).

I know you have issues with opening some windows to get fresh air (smoky neighbour), but can you not do that in some places and eliminate the air fresheners? Not only do they seem to cost you a fortune, but they are not good for you - some have been found to have carcinogens in. I'm afraid if I find one plugged in when I'm cat sitting, I turn it off! (I turn it on again before the owners get home, but I don't want to be breathing it in and if the house smells catty when it's just me and the cats, I figure no one cares!). I don't breathe when I find myself taking a short-cut through the (inevitably empty) air freshener aisle in the supermarket either!

newgirly

The spray air fresheners are a recent thing, I don’t have them everywhere due to ds2’s asthma but will defiantly look into that as it would be quite concerning! Unfortunately we can only have the windows open a crack due to the cats getting out 😩 I have the top floor windows open all the time so they don’t go up there, I need somewhere cool so it’s a must at my age 😆 i am a sucker for a scented candle or air freshener , clean cotton in the summer and spiced orange in the winter! 

themadvix

I realised after I posted about the cats! We have very unattractive window restrictions on our upstairs windows (basically like a cable between window and frame) so we can open them more than a crack but not enough to get their heads out - very necessary in the heat!

 If it’s a scented candle then try to get a soy one with natural scents (I.e. pure essential oils). We have some of these and use them sparingly - mainly after unpleasant visits (by the cats!) to the litter tray 🤢 one has in fact been in use this afternoon!! They do make the house smell nice, so I totally get that!

newgirly

It drives me mad not having all the windows open, but I don’t think I can let them out 😩 

Lots more random spending done, frozen pizzas and chips/ice cream as treat for tonight and so I don’t have to cook for them all as not feeling great today, plus a charity donation in memorial for the lady who passed away. I’m now down to £42.03 / £500 left this month, normally I’d make a challenge of this, but it feels like a lot of effort and I’m run down. 

I think I need to give myself a slap around the face and get on with it really 😂 hopefully back tomorrow with a bit more joie de vivre!