MeandO's money-shuffling

debtfreewannabe321

Oh well done on that much compensation! 
Hope you have a nice weekend ☺️.

MeandO

Thank you NewStartForMe and DFW321 xx

The weekend wasn't the rest or refresh I was hoping for. Nothing particularly bad happened, it was just very frustrating for several reasons and I spent most of the time doing everything for everyone else and nothing to recharge my own batteries, which was sorely needed. I ferried DS around, helped friends clear a room of unwanted furniture to charity (which they could have done themselves tbh as it was a job two could have tackled easily, but OH and I ended up doing most of the work), did loads of washing and ironing, cleaned the house through etc. I feel like I need a weekend now, but back to a rubbish day at work instead. Can you tell I'm down in the dumps today?! Have been there most of the weekend really.

I did list a few more things on v!nted. Three out of four have sold with just one left to post today, making £29 in total towards the sofa fund. Now the rain has stopped lashing down I may walk to the post office later to send the remaining parcel off.
Yet more washing has been done and put in the dryer today and the bits that can't go in the dryer are on the rack or radiators as I've put the heating on today as sitting here freezing would just make me more miserable today. It actually came on by itself this morning for the first time this season, so the temperature must have dropped. Later on I'll do some baking for DS's snacks for the week and cook tea for DS and myself which will be a chicken and rice based dish, probably a sweet & sour or stir fry type meal as that doesn't require much effort on a Monday night. I didn't get to do anything 'electrical' within the peak saver time yesterday as I had to take DS to a sports match and then help friends out, otherwise I would have tried to get the washing/drying/baking/done yesterday.

I received a refund on some veg which wasn't up to scratch in the last grocery delivery and also had a £2 bag recycle credit refunded, so the total shop was under £48. There's just over £142 left in the grocery budget with one or possibly two more grocery deliveries needed before payday, so I'm going to try really hard to ensure I'm under budget for groceries for the first time I can remember. Any surplus can be swept towards my new sofa. Next month is also double CB month so that extra payment will be going towards the sofa too which should then be paid off once I receive the promised compensation payment previously mentioned. 

Urgh, it's just started pouring down again, so that was a whole 10 minutes of no rain! Good job I didn't set out to the P.O. as I would have been soaked through.  

Mrs_Money_Penny

Sorry to hear you are down in the dumps. This weather certainly isn’t helping.If it wasn’t for having to take the dogs out I wouldn’t leave the house until spring! xx

MeandO

The weather is just awful, Mrs_Money_Penny. I can completely see the draw of hibernating!

MeandO

A tough few days (is there any other type?!) of ‘teenager-ness’ and me not being in the best mood or having the energy to deal with anyone or anything. We also spent yet another evening in minor injuries last night after, you guessed it, another rugby injury from the day before which I knew nothing about and his father failed to do anything about. Another broken finger, more tape bought today to tape them up and a lecture from the nurse to DS as to the future issues he may have if he doesn’t let the injuries heal properly before returning to the sport. She could see I was at the end of my rope with it all and also had a grown up son who sounded much the same and sustained several broken fingers himself through playing the same sport so I was grateful for her kindness and sympathy last night. Two messages to the ex asking him why he failed to do anything or inform me again were ignored. 

I had a bit of a meltdown this morning, lots of tears and stress and wasn’t sure how I was going to get through the day, so I messaged my boss to ask for a quiet day of getting on with work without distractions and dealing with people; he was surprisingly kind about it all and offered support for which I was very grateful today, which leads me onto the next bit…

…I have decided to talk to my GP about the possibility of starting HRT, if I can get an appointment. I’m so over emotional for at least a week every month, not dealing with situations very well, fly from having near anxiety attacks to not giving a fudge, my joints are just horrendously painful constantly and I seem to get teenage-like spots on my face again now, my skin has become awful. I can barely stand in the mornings and my wrists and finger joints have been so painful the past few days. I’ve been aware I’m peri menopausal for a while, but I’m really struggling now and I think the emotional issue is having a real effect on me and DS not getting on so well. Wish me luck convincing the GP I’m not too young at just over mid forties. Any tips or advice from those with experience would be much appreciated. 

In other news, I received the £125 compensation cheque today, so have paid that in via the banking app and it’s been allocated to the sofa fund/CC. I also ordered DS some clothes for Christmas last night as they were half price in a pre Black Friday sale, so I’ve taken that from the gift fund to transfer to the CC shortly. I’ve paid the sofa off now (or have the funds sitting there to do so). I really hope it gets delivered within the next couple of weeks as promised. It sounds a bit sad, but I’m really looking forward to receiving it, sitting comfortably and changing that room to become a bit of a retreat for me in the evenings.

I’m cooking a steak for DS tonight which my sister kindly bought for him from her local butcher and has been in the freezer for a couple of weeks. It’s huge, he will be very happy! He’s having that with a jacket potato and some veggies, I’m having some beef stew my lovely Mum made me and froze in portions for me to bring back. It’s a favourite dish she used to make when we were young so brings back lots of good memories. 

The rain is currently hammering down. Did I mention the roof is leaking again?!  OH thinks he can see where the water is getting in but we just need a dry day to try and fix it. Not sure when one of those will happen again! 

badmemory

I think HRT is a good idea.  I also think you should make an appointment for DS too, because breaking fingers so often frankly is not normal..

MeandO

Thanks badmemory, I’m going to try the go appointment lottery tomorrow…

We did actually ask the nurse practitioner this question yesterday as even DS was getting concerned his fingers or bones were ‘dodgy’. She said she gets asked that question all the time and sees numerous kids of DS’s age with the same repeated injuries, especially those who play netball or rugby several times a week. It’s not down to his bones or anything wrong, thankfully. 

debtfreewannabe321

I think HRT is a good idea. I started it this year (I'm 46) and the hot flushes going, being able to sleep has been life changing for me, my moods had already evened out somewhat though tbh. I wish I'd gone years ago!! I was peri menopausal and suffering on my own for a decade. I really think it would have helped me navigate the teen years better too because I spent far too long crying about silly things 🙈.
They might want you to do a blood test first to confirm drop in levels (they did me and basically it came back post menopause for me!!) but I think it will really help you. 

I hope your DS finds a different sport. .. could you convince him to try something else? My son eventually found weight lifting which produced far less injuries than rugby and he gave up the rugby without any input from me 👏🏻. 

MeandO

Thanks DFW321, from a fellow 46 year old.  

I've spoken to the Dr this morning and they won't consider HRT for me unfortunately, at all, ever, because of the severe maternal family history of blood clots (some which were sadly fatal for some female family members  :'( ) and my dodgy blood, which shows I have a raised risk factor for a blood clotting disorder. 
She has suggested one specific anti-d which is know to also have some benefits for menopause symptoms, but I think I'm in for a rough 5-10 years ahead as HRT is not an option. I will give it a go and cross my fingers that it helps as I don't know how I'm going to make it through the next few years if it doesn't.

I had to pick up more milk this morning, some hash browns for DS's weekend breakfast I sometimes cook him and some squash. I also picked up a pack of YS crumpets as a treat for me.  
I collected a parcel which were boots I had ordered for myself as  I had literally walked holes through both soles of my current ones and my feet were getting wet. They were only cheap boots so not worth getting re-soled. I've paid for these on the CC for now but it will get cleared before pay day.
I've also ordered a 2nd cupboard to match the one I bought in the CS last week to go the other side of the chimney breast. This one will house all of DS's console/games etc with the TV on top once I've drilled a hole in the back for the cables to go through. Sadly, it's a lot more than the CS price of £15, but it will completely alter that room and is part of my ongoing project to make the space we have available work better for us. I've been putting it in and out of my online basket all week but just bought it as I have the money available in the 'house' pot so am trying not to feel guilty about the purchase as I always do. At least I had one of them for a bargain price! I went via TCB too so have a little bit of CB on it which has already tracked.

It's actually not raining so far today and there's a wash in the machine, so I may be able to hang it outside if this weak watery sun stays in the sky. Hopefully it will get the laundry at least a little bit dry. I have the dehumidifier running in DS's room at the moment as it showed 78% humidity when I turned it on. His room is on the North side of the house with a large window and small radiator so it does get a bit cold in there, not that he seems to notice. The window were running with condensation too this morning so I've window-vacc'ed through the house and have the windows open in all but DS's room where the de-humidifier is doing its thing.

I've had my porridge and fruit for breakfast, lunch will be some avocado on crumpet(s)  and OH is cooking for me tonight which will be a nice rest.

sashybo

MeandO, I'm de-lurking here to urge you to look into the HRT information and NICE guidelines - a lot of GP's don't know much about HRT, they get very minimal training in menopause. There are so many different types of HRT now rather than just oral - sprays/patches/gels and from what I have read the transdermal methods don't raise the risk of blood clots and neither does body identical progesterone.

I would look at the menopause charity and Dr Louise Newson websites, they have links addressing the risks of blood clots and HRT. There are of course lots of other resources with the most up to date information and research online.

It may be worth your while going to a menopause specialist as it's not really on for the GP to say you can't have HRT ever and just leave you to suffer. I hope you can get something to help you feel better, it's worth looking into in any case.