Dusty's Frugal Fortnights Return!

dustydigger

Well,I went for my MRI scan yesterday. So glad I had a family friend to take me. And VERY glad I cancelled the appointment on 20th Dec,in the midst of the snow and in the dark at 4pm. After about a quarter of a mile of corridors I was met by a nice young man,the radiographer beside an outside door round the side of the centre. We went outside and continued our march around the outside of the clinic and finally located a mobile MRI unit round the back amid stacks of wood and dustbins!. Imagine if I had had to trek all that way in the snow and gale!

They always have to park the mobile unit round the back of a building,or beside a side door. At list they had the funny little ''lift'' at the sideof the unit,I didnt have to climb all those 8 narrow slippy wet steps this time. I have had to do it before,and its not fun.

Anyhoo,it all went OK. I explained about my shoulders,but they quite satisfied for me to have my arms by my sides. But it was a very long scan this time,nearly 30 mins.and lying with arms and shoulders in one position all that time was a bit uncomfortable,but nothing like the other scan at the hospital which hurt me so much..Was uncomfortable in bed last night,but much less painful and traumatic than last time. Wouldnt you think in this day and age they could get rid of all those horrendous noises from the machine. I didnt feel as if the earplugs did anything,but presumably they did help at bit.

So thats that,we'll see what the scan shows,soon. Then the joys of physio..........

No other news or excitement of any sort. Just the way I like it,but seldom get. House is looking cold and bare after taking down the decorations,it takes a few days to get used to it. Have only seen one granddaughter and her twins,plus DS1 for 5 mins since Xmas.Everyone is super busy at work. DD2 is particularly busy,her boss was diagnosed with breast cancer is off work with chemo sessions,and my daughter is doing the work of two. My meter fitting son,the only person in the whole of the area for his company is working night and day,regularly finishing at 10.30pm,and on call each weekend,and is always called out at least once on such occasions. The smart meters sometimes close down if the wi-fi cuts out,and a human has to start them up again. It was a nightmare during that terrible cold snap,but  a bit better now. That whole generation of smart meters seem to have lots of problems. Glad mine isnt like that,never had a problem in the 4 years,touch wood.

DS1 is swamped with work in Scotland,checking and inspecting heating systems out on farms etc all over Scotland. He tries to pack in as many inspections as possible in a 3 day visit,but word has got around and there are more and more calls for his skills,he is just swamped. and in between he has to fit in training and certifying new gasfitters all of the place

So its all go for them,while Me and Mr Dusty just sit here bored to tears!

Lamb for dinner,slow cooked,beautifully tender,straight from the farm,not stuck in freezer for months.Delicious Off now to do carrots and spuds.

slm6002

I am glad to hear the scan went much better than last time and the people doing the scan listened to you and made you as comfortable as possible. 
Your relatives sound extremely busy and I hear it so often these days of someone having to cover for someone else as well as their own job.  We have been doing that this week too but hopefully the lady will be back Monday so only a short spell of covering.
Enjoy the lamb. I've not had lamb since living at home with my parents as no one else likes it here so tend to just stick with chicken or beef

beanielou

So glad that the scan was a much better experience  this time.

dustydigger

Not been on here as Mr Dusty has been a bit demanding lately. Plus LOADS of football on TV . have wanted to do my budget all day,but never got round to it. Then I got DS2 and the littl'un for an hour or so,and once again football,so I will be finally doing this post in snatches between the TV and making supper.

Dusty's Frugal Fortnight #18  Budget for  9th January to 22nd January

Part is online,part cash

online income: £79  pension ,£250 added to bank from our Pension Credit.making £329 in total in bank account

Then £73 cash to HBB (Home Budget Box) 

Total income  for fortnight.-£402.

All bills paid online as follows(rounded up)

Water Rates - £36

Charity DDs - £6

Kindle Unlimited - £8

Life insurance - £20

phone top up - £20

Asd@ food deliveries (estimate)  - £160

total online bills - £250 To bank buffer - £79

-------------------------------

last month for water rates bills. Two months free,then we are expecting  a few pounds reduction in monthly bill because Northmbrian water have to pay out over £20 million in compensation for dumping raw sewage on the beaches. This happens every few years.We get to around £36 ,they get fined,our bill goes back to £32-£33 pm,it mounts slowly up to £36,then surprise surprise they get caught out yet again,and it goes down to £32 again.

Right,off to kitchen,just veg with roasties left of dinner.Will make some sort of chicken bake tomorrow,so will get chicken thighs out tonight to defrost.

dustydigger

wow,its so dark in the sittingroom,can barely see the keyboard. 4C,and bucketing. I am 10ft away from the radiator and cant feel any heat,my feet are freezing. I really need to get up and get active,but for some reason I am feeling so weak and lethargic despite my B12 needle a week ago.I am yawning all the time,literally dozens of times in the last half hour alone.No idea if its a by product of the anaemia,thyroid,or diabetes,just know I am so tired and lethargic. Just last week I was feeling optimistic that the needles were finally taking effect,was hoping to start getting things done,but nope,back to square one.  My get up and go has got up and gone!

MrsCD

Dusty, I always yawn when I'm cold. Please get yourself warmed up! It can't be good for you. 

beanielou

My get up & go is gone too.
Maybe it's the time of year.

dustydigger

Morning all,,I've been AWOL for a couple of days,not feeling well,sick and dizzy a slight touch of vertigo - just a haphazard group of symptoms really,not unusual. As beanielou says it may be the time of year making things worse,cold and damp and dark and depressing dont exactly make for cheeriness!

Nothing happening,nothing to report,which is good actually,most things that turn up are usually bad ,so no news is good news.

I am seriously thinking about closing down this thread now. I set it up end of May to focus on sorting finances in the wake of the crazy rises in energy prices and the cost of living,monitoring and budgeting my outgoings and savings etc. I have been quite pleased about it. OK,I have to find £110 a month extra to pay for the rises,but I am one of the fortunate ones,on pension credit,so the govt has given us good support,and I have scrupulously tried to use as much of the cash help as possible for the right purpose,squirreling it away for the future. I dont think a lot of people are realizing just how long this situation is going to continue,probably 3 or 4 years,and will NEVER go back to the good old days. I have reduced energy consumption by 15% this year,which is good.changed light bulbs to LED,got a mini oven which is only 2/3 the size of my old oven,(its definitely saving money),and of course the long hot summer saved money.

So apart from posting my fortnightly budgets I have little to say about finanaces etc. I have settled on a fortnightly system,paying all bills by direct debit online,rolling over the remainder from a fortnight with lower bills to support the fortnight with more expenses.It works very well,and every month the buffer gets a little bigger. I have £73 a fortnight for daily expenses etc,but rarely use much of it,as I get my weekly home delivery from asd@. Anything left is savings. Its way down past savings levels,but still I can save around £70 a month,which continues Xmas and birthdays for the tribe,so thats not a worry. I have several thousand squirrelled away for emergencies,cost of the next household items to replace,various savings projects,so I am comfortable enough. As long as I have a few t shirts and trousered around,with one or two outfits for going out - which I very rarely do! - I have few expenses,I do spend £8 a month on Kindle Unlimited for books,as I no longer go to libraries. I get around £60 a year amazOn vouchers,but when they have been used up,thats it for book buying till next Xmas. So I dont spend much  cash,.

So all I seem to do on this thread is moan about my health. Its very embarrassing looking back over the posts and seeing thats all I do except for rambling on about poetry,the good old days or in general being a grumpy old woman or talking all sorts of rubbish,to little purpose. It may be time to end the thing now. I see I have an incredible 99.4k views.Perhaps i'll just get to 100k and end it,and let all you people find more useful and interesting threads to follow..........We'll see...........

beanielou

Please don't give up your thread.
I love hearing about all your adventures & ups and downs.

MrsCD

Are you ok Dusty? I know you said you might close down the thread, but there are folks out there who worry about you!