A new season

Starlight_at_Sea

Gosh, are we really half way through Saturday already?  Have retreated to bed with a HWB while the house is quiet; dad is out somewhere doing something to a neighbours rose, mum is sleeping.

DD arrived safely back at uni, we enjoyed tracking her flight with her younger cousins yesterday. I have mothers day flowers from her, but will likely re-gift to my mum, as I am fairly sure my hayfever is starting very early this year. I usually get to enjoy flowers in the house on Mothers day, but by late April can't tolerate them until about October! 

Washing has been in/out all morning, but think we have got a number of larger bedsheets dry without the tumble-dryer, despite rain showers. I've left it on clothes horses in the conservatory in the hope its dry enough to remake beds later on today. One load of my own done at my parents, and now all of the dishcliothes are in having been soaked in bleach for a while prior, 

Saturday is Olio day, and bread and pastries abounded. I did deliver a number of flyers around the neighbourhood this morning, and one extra neighbour has got in touch and enjoyed a range of pastries, so thats good. Seen a couple of the regular collectors, who were delighted with their haul, and the network of six households who are not on smartphones that my cousin and I support have done very well this week. It was nice that there were a few things we would normally have bought (hot cross buns etc) as usually the things I hold back for home are extras that we perhaps wouldn't have shopped for - and not necessarily part of our usual diet either! 

Gained a few free tomatoes as a takeaway from helping at a fundraising breakfast this morning, and also a few odds and ends of fruit and veg by buying bigger packets and splitting between several households. So grocery challenge is going quite well this week. Had a smoothie for breakfast with frozen oilo bananas, a leftover apple from freebies at a hotel for work this week, and the dregs of oat milk that was bought with work expenses. Sadly at the end of home grown frozen berries at this house I think - will have to bring over some of these from my freezer at home. 

Made use of the quiet and completed my ziffit parcel that has haunted me for most of 2023. Came to £14 but better in my bank than theirs, so that is in the car ready to be dropped off when I pass the parcel drop off later on today.  Glad as this also has the benefit of being a large thing out of my bedroom at my folks! Found a 2007 national trust guidebook that I am sneaking out into the recycling too. 

Made a half-hearted attempt to do my work expenses - system wasn't playing. Having read all the guidance, I could have progressed to photographing the receipts and readying the details for it, but I didn't. I will over the weekend though! 

That leads me to other MS related jobs: 
Complete the tasks for switching to the new account (for joining incentive)
  Talk to UD & lodger about their plans for summer onwards, as need to get another lodger in when this one goes travelling, if that is still her plan
  Prompt DD for the financial aid submission form for her uni next year, we have about 6 weeks to do this but it is a long, slow and painful thing!
   Summarise expenses. If I could just do an hour of this it would be a start. 
  Sort out next few weeks and plan ahead so work travel complements seeing friends / fits around care responsiblities 
  contact hotel where I left my raincoat and see if I can collect in a few weeks time. It was a lovely raincoat!
  research life insurance - not sure I understood fab mortgage broker's message about this. Need to work out what to best do re second mortgage. 
  use national trust to go out with UD tomorrow - shes not with her mum, I'm not with my daughter, but we can still have a nice day and celebrate those relationships. Plus, her free 6 month voucher expires soon so I need to look into whether you can get nat trust entry with clubcard vouchers etc, or if there is any extension available. 
  DD doesnt seem keen on coming to eurovision as timings are tight for her re international travel. Am going to explore how I could sell one ticket on, as I think the three ukranian girls would be fne by themselves, and I would welcome the cash back as we ended up buying expensive tickets x 4            

Starlight_at_Sea

Some of the above happened, but not many of the MS yaks completed! Feeling a bit of overwhelm as we enter a new week, so a list may well follow! 

🇺🇦D had a shift at a restaurant yesterday - I spotted on local FB post they needed help at short notice, and she was interested, so our day out changed into taxi-ing her for this as it was close to my folks house not the town she lives in. A positive experience I think, good to get some practical experience, as she is not very work-ready at the moment due to inexperience, and being in a warzone since she was 14 reduced opportunities for normal young people part time jobs. They were very kind to her, which was great for confidence after a trial shift with a 🇮🇹🇺🇸 chain in which the staff seemed disorganised and threw their weight around a bit. She also got a lovely meal at the end of the shift, and we went for a walk by the sea afterwards. She was keen to buy me a ice cream with her salary, but the lady at the shop asked if we were related, and when we explained she said, well, you are standing in the place of a mother aren't you, and so have us my ice-cream free for mothers day! Unfortunately 🇺🇦D's icecream got stolen by a seagull when she was only midway down it, but we had a lovely time none the less. Having grown up by the sea I know a tub is less vulnerable than a cone to thieving birds, so I was able to share!

I used the time when she was working to visit with cousins nearby and we had a lovely lunch with their mum who was able to come out of a nursing home for a few hours. Then after our walk,  I saw another cousin who was describing trying to take his 90 year old parents out for morning coffee and the juggling of needs that this now involves. I think it will really help my mental health to be in the same area as my wider family as we all go through these elder-care challenges together and learn how to do the best we can.

Then home for my weekly night at my house, turned an excess of olio bread and gifted garlic bulbs into garlic bread, defrosted a veggie chilli  and uses up bits from the salad drawer - an easy, cheap and communal supper with both girls.

Turning then to the week ahead...and the looming list, big and small.....

Contact district nurses as dressing schedule needs to be altered for DM, amazing service, just needs to be coordinated so we know if help is coming  

Shower ahead of my hospital appointment today, this is a bit of a palava due to wound dressings in awkward places, but as they are changing the dressings today I can risk it! 

Short walk with lovely and much missed friend. Before my life turned upside down this was a daily thing . Possibly combine with getting car cleaned, which is not MS but would be a big mental boost.

Call with mortgage adviser re cover etc

Whilst in vicinity of hospital pop in to see another friend, we have some complicated arrangements to make that would be much easier in person, pass on to her some of the free olio potatoes 

Progress a number of the work tasks that weigh heavily on my mind at the moment 

Go to the gym - free class booked which will give some structure to my return to mum and dad's this evening.

Wish me luck! x

Swayingseaweed

Sending luck
Seaweed x

Starlight_at_Sea

Thanks Swaying Seaweed! (love the name - it makes me think of a wild swim down a fast flowing river a couple of years ago, where we drifted along with the current and could admire the seaweed swaying below). 

Yesterday achieved all that I set out above, and felt so much better for the balance of life admin, work tasks progressed, and friends seen. Dr happy with the way my wounds are healing, but still another month at least before they will be closed and I can swim, bath etc. Maybe for May, she said. Gosh how the year is galloping away with us! 

Also did a couple of job applications with 🇺🇦D.... have yet to establish lodgers plans post her uni course, but the Easter hols would be a good time to progress that conversation I think. 

Dinner was an olio haul over the months, retrieved a sprout gratin (nicer than it sounds) from the freezer (post Xmas, when there was a surplus of sprouts, bread and cheese!) potatoes from this week, and carrots that had been frozen a few weeks ago. Its tasty but glad I can share the 3 portions remaining. Have also bought a couple of hm soup from the freezer to mum and dad's so operation healthier lunch can continue. 

We had a rough night with fall alarms accidentally activated, hot water bottles leaking and other palavas that cause you to wake up suddenly and fully! 

So am going gentle this morning, having a cuppa while house is quiet, ahead of my first call at 9. 

I made progress with expenses last night, they are all now listed, photographed etc. Hopefully the system will allow to submit them today, it's £250 worth plus plenty of mileage so it will be well worth it to do so. 

I have got the paperwork through for working the elections as a poll clerk. Still not sure if this is the best idea given other pressures on me, but as long as the folks are stable around that time it should be ok. £175 for a very long day and £50 for the online training in advance. Need to return contract, book day off my real job, and register for a postal vote, which I was going to be doing anyway this year due to my living situation. A shame as I quite like to vote in person, but at least I'll be seeing a lot of the inside of one polling station! 

Speaking of which, I need to finalise the bank switch, am fairly sure I have everything needed. I'll definitely come back to FD at some point, have been very impressed by their service and the app. But as the NatWest switch pays almost as much as the election day, it will be a welcome boost to savings for the house. 

I have a query for the solicitors that I will email today; and need to chase estate agents for something for mortgage company. I think that might be all of the balls currently in my court on that saga. 

Planning to head to gym tonight for a Pilates class, went last week and definitely felt it afterwards.  Also need to pop out to post office to send off some documents and to Boots for something for mum, and to use my points voucher plus gain airtime cashback. 

Right, on with the day. The news around trust and confidence is devastating and grim; it will resonate sadly with lots of people I work with.

Starlight_at_Sea

Am enjoying a seat on a slightly busy train, winding our way up to the big city, looking out of the window at the countryside and and knowing I'll be in the hustle and bustle of London town soon enough. Work funded travel and a nicer than normal hotel was allocated, so will enjoy two nights of R&R (with no waking care required) if I manage to hold some boundaries around the hours I work. It's all going to be about the prioritisation this week! 

Am going into the week a bit wiped out both personally and financially. Took a long road trip with a friend on Thurs/Fri to wrap some fun around a difficult medical appt for her; it was nice to spend some time together and although tiring (and a bit emotional) was at least a variation on the tired and emotional time at home!  

Got home to find laundry had mounted up and tempers amongst elderly parents a bit frayed. Took most of Saturday morning to stabilise everything and I was also trying hard to get all the cleaning at theirs done, as I knew I had nail appt in the afternoon. Managed to fall asleep while getting my eyebrows waxed (!) luckily it was a friend doing it and I was her last client so she let me sleep on the bed for half an hour while she packed everything else up. I was totally zonked...I have some recollection that I was growling in my sleep but was a bit too embarrassed to ask her 😳

Then today, oncology scans for DM. Complicated family relationships all around mean that my sibling coming with us didn't really add anything bar complications and stress to the day, there were a lot of tears and worry about plans, but at least my dad agreed not to come too. I just can't navigate that many different people's needs at once. Anyway, it was predictably difficult but we got through it, and even managed to stop for a very late lunch on the way home. 

Was planning to work on the train but it's too busy to be conducive to that. Its also running late ... currently 22 minutes ...so delay repay looks like it might be on the cards!

No updates yet on the house purchase...we are in the doldrum-like phase where waiting for various legal things to work their way through! 

In a stroke of very bad timing, am dipping into my overdraft tomorrow. I lost track of the days and forgot to move my mortgage payment back now that my new job has a payday is a few days later than previously. Should only be there for 24 hours but am really hoping it doesn't affect my affordability analysis. Its also cos I  moved too much into the higher rate savings account this month, just bad planning all round on my part, have taken eye off of all of the money plates! 

After tomorrow's payment, two more monthly payments will take me under the 80K mark on my first mortgage. If I was still overpaying I could easily do this in one month, but it doesn't make any sense to overpay at the moment - better to save every penny towards the new house deposit and future overpayments, as that interest rate is about 4x the one my house is on! 

Starlight_at_Sea

Some good news to focus on... The mortgage has been approved 🥳 and the solicitors update is that they have had all the searches back, and the paperwork they needed from 'the other side', and should be able to report back to me sometime next week. Sounds reasonably positive!  

Other events (many hospital admissions for multiple close family members) have been understandably the focus over the last month. Sometimes time has felt like it stood still but the weeks have also flown by. Events have also made it more important to have a base closer to everyone. I've made it home to my own house for about one night a fortnight recently. 

Some things to do, of varying urgency and importance, but all currently buzzing around my head.  Anticipate a few bits of time to myself between things over the next couple of days and hope to make a dent in this list. 

Work-work:

Am off for a couple of days, but need to log in so I can check a few diary dates for next week, as have a number of appts to rearrange.

When back: need to update expenses so these come in May paycheck

Temporary side hustle: 

Do online training

Take my ID in

Arrange call with supervisor

Bank switching:

Activate new account and begin switch process  

Savings account:

Transfer deposit (part 1) into high interest but easy access account

Organise release process for rest of the deposit 

Current house: 

Finish sorting out third room to use for short term lodger 

Sort out bedding for short term lodger

Do thorough clean of communal areas as cleaner is still unavailable. Saves me £50 a fortnight but I really hope she's well enough to come back soon! 

Trial night with new lodger later this week. 

Keep on with the doable DIY while I have only the one place to worry about! 

New place:

Arrange viewing to make decisions about flooring as this is part of the conditions of sale.

Also to find out how long it will take for the remaining conditions to be met once we can confirm going ahead. 

Talk to people who are rehoming furniture to me, I know some are keen to move on promptly and I can possibly arrange short term storage if the flat is definitely going ahead. 

Other cash-flow stuff:

Complete financial documentation that DD needs from me for her overseas uni place. This is a major task - tiresome, emotional, requires attention to detail - but also doubles as a useful overhaul of all finances! 

Sell on extra ticket for concert. Not just any concert ... Eurovision! 

Transfer music lessons payment details so 🇺🇦D starts paying for these herself (we've already agreed this).

Make sure credit report trial is cancelled. 

I can now see why my brain is buzzing. Will see how I get on tomorrow!! 

beanielou

Good news on the mortgage approval.

Starlight_at_Sea

Thanks Beanie! I am feeling pretty daunted. Increasing and prolonging my mortgage paying days by buying a second property when the end was just in sight (about 4 years away) for the first wasn't exactly a plan, but am rolling with life's circumstances a bit now. And I can already see this will make this season of life much more comfortable, being able to have mum and my friends to stay nearby for example. My godmother is just booking a B&B to come down for a few days next month, and I am really looking forward to that. 

Starlight_at_Sea

All side hustle (election poll-clerking) tasks completed, and a few extra... Now nothing to do for that bar pack up food for the day and turn up on the 4th. Public service announcement though to all - don't forget your photo ID or you won't be able to vote. 

All current house tasks done, new temporary lodger is there for a trial night tonight, before one of the girls has family visiting and using the room this weekend. Then if they all get on, temporary lodger will move in on Sunday/Monday, for up to 3 months. She seems very nice and think they will enjoy each others company. I'm cooking tonight so we can all eat together - in clearing out space for her in the kitchen, I found a gift DD gave me for Xmas. It was a artisan veg chilli mix with all the beans and a spice packet, so I've made that up whilst back at my folks for the afternoon. Its currently simmering away and smells great. Together with olio salad and olio baguettes turned into garlic bread with my friends excess stash of garlic bulbs, it's a pretty frugal meal! 

savingholmes

Just catching up. Great news on the mortgage approval. Your life sounds full on!