Prosperous soul, mortgage neutrality & creativity Year 2

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie and @Humdinger1

I struggle with phrases like 'living life on my own terms'. I'm not sure what that means.

• I am doing less of what I don't want and more of what I do I suppose. I am happier overall than I was before - but still a way to go.
• I have had a lot of financial blessings this year - so grateful for that and feel that part of my life is headed in the right direction.
• I feel the house and garden is better maintained and is getting back on track.
• My friendship network has improved this year and I've strengthened some family relationships. The friend I went out with the other day is another aspiring writer - and she really encouraged me on my recent writing which was nice. She is also going to an art class that is £8 a session but you can try for free - so I may pursue that in the new year.
• I am however still neglecting my health - as I've regained a lot of the weight I lost and am not currently going to the gym. Tackling that feels like the elusive holy grail - and I'm not sure how to achieve that. I discussed that in counselling yesterday - but that's not the same as taking action! 
• Tackling the dental stuff was a huge step forward - even if it cost over £1K this year. 
• Progressing p1p and my ADHD diagnosis was also huge. I'm on the waiting list for various other non-urgent stuff. 

Originally I was disappointed that I won't meet my £6K savings goal - but when I take account of the dental work - and that I am currently at £5.1K and have a nudge further to go before the end of this year - I have done really well. Especially given I've also sent £1.15K extra to pensions over the last 3 months and been able to buy 10 days holiday (spreading the cost over 6 months from Oct). Plus the home and garden improvements I've made. I am too hard on myself and need to celebrate more. Thanks for the reminder.

savingholmes

Frost not snow

My waterfall

beanielou

You are indeed way to hard on yourself. 

As I am. 

jwil

You've made so much progress.  It's really nice to see

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie and Jwil

DD had a horrible day on public transport due to the strikes - she ended up having to go close to where Ex lives miles away to even get home from college - I was good to me though and made her ask him for a lift - which he came through on. 

I slow cooked some lamb today - and made some roasties to share with her. I should be able to make the food last a few days.

I really struggled with concentration today. Only 3 more working days before I break up for Xmas. 

I've had the heating on a lot of today as it's so cold. Really hoping the temperatures rise again soon. I think they are due to improve after tomorrow with Monday being amazing. Apparently it could go to -9 overnight. It was -7 to -7.5 when I took DD for the train this morning. I'm going to leave my heating on a little overnight so it doesn't get too bad. My sister's pipe's froze and so did a colleague's. Thankfully mine didn't. I have in the past gone up ladders with a hair drier to defrost an outside pipe - but doing that in your 20s is very different to doing it in your 50s!

I've been watching more of 'Til debt do' and trying to trace back where our bad habits came from. We were doing okay until a series of people died in our early to mid 20s - and then developed a bit of a life's too short attitude when it came to managing £. Before that I had a book and used to write down every single spend religiously. We were debt free after 1 year out of uni but then went we bought our first home things spiralled... By the time I ended my marriage I realised I was still married to a man child and had had enough. I think that's part of what makes me wary of even dating again. I don't want to take that weight of responsibility on again. Hopefully, I'd find someone who is a better fit for who I am now but there are no guarantees. 

My counsellor (nicely) challenged me to get fit and healthy and go back to my balance class or an equivalent. May be I can take until after Xmas Day - and then prioritise it. I theoretically want it but despite the manifesto I put on my last diary - I still can't seem to be consistent. I think I will go with the flow on festivities until after Xmas Day but then try time restricted eating again to reset my body and see how I go on from there. I walked to a post box today so that was something at least. 

I finally got the £co Am gift card for £10 plus today after chasing and used part of it to order more insulation tape. I've finished doing the first layer of the lounge and kitchen windows. There are still areas of draught - so I need to think  about how I resolve those. The issue is particularly the bottom opening as I wrote yesterday where it seems to have buckled - so changing the glass wouldn't solve the problem.  I also want to do my bedroom window but had run out of tape. I am still having issues with it curling back down - but the outside temperatures won't be helping.

badmemory

Just something to put in the counselling pot.  Have you thought that any weight issues you may have are related to not really wanting to date?  I do suspect that some of mine were.

savingholmes

badmemory said:

Just something to put in the counselling pot.  Have you thought that any weight issues you may have are related to not really wanting to date?  I do suspect that some of mine were.

Thanks. I have wondered that - whether I am using my weight as a defence in lots of ways from things I don't really want to do / am fearful of doing. I should probably talk to my counsellor about that in my next session (January).

savingholmes

£25 went into savings today.

I have however bought an outdoor cat house. The cat used to go into the shed but I can't get the cat flap to work and besides it brought its catches with it.

Cost just under £45. Used some of voucher towards it. Just hope he uses it now 

savingholmes

Oven seems to be playing up again. Need it checked out. Intermittent fault so could be shorting.

In better news DS has a new job starting January in potentially cheaper city.

I am keeping a spending diary again at the moment. Will keep you posted.

Paspatur

Frost on plants is cute
Not so cute when most of your plants are buried under snow!
For context the driveway across from my house was cleared at 8am and the photo was taken at 9:30 am yesterday