Escape to the country & living off savings

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks MF. Pimmz sounds wonderful SQS 🍹

Puppy dog continues to recover ☺️ For those who haven’t read my original thread she is 6yo now. No longer a puppy but the name just stuck. 

DS & his gf are both working. I had a short dog walk this morning (across the road to the park & back). It was grey but warm & now the sun is out so hopefully my washing will dry on the line. I cleaned the hoover a few days ago & washed the filters (was my shark which I gave them) so I have put it back together and hoovered downstairs. Puppy dog is fast asleep so I will do the stairs & landing when she wakes up. I had forgotten how loudly she snores 😆

I picked up 2 books in the phone box book exchange before I came away and I have nearly finished the second one so I am trying to keep busy and help out. 

SuzeQStan

I bet they love having you around SYA  - don’t work too hard tho pls.  Nice of you to clean the sh@rk out - mine clogs up drop of a hat wish I’d never bought it

[Deleted User]

So pleased the PD is recovering. Must also be good to spend some with your son and his partner once again.
Best Wishes..

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks SQS and @[Deleted User]

Have just been checking finances as money seems to be flying out of my account since I got here. 

Element & light bulb blew on cooker so ordered a replacement & showed DS how to fit it £17.35. Money transferred from household bills fund. 

B n M - bought 3 bags pork crackling 55p each (snacks instead of crisps -almost carb & sugar free)

Also 2 x Xmas pressies hot chocolate gift sets £5.79 and £3.50. Money transferred from Xmas / birthday fund. 

Current balances
Gas & electric £450 (£50 a month)
annual bills £400 (£100 a month)
car fund £900 (£50 a month)
xmas / birthday £280 (£50 a month)

Bought more food for this week jacket potatoes, tin tuna, tin baked beans, 8 pack max cola, apples, eggs, cucumber £10.90. Paid from this months food budget. 

I am meeting some friends for lunch on Saturday as DS has a day off work & can keep an eye on the dog. We are going to the local pub so only a short walk and food is reasonably priced. 

MovingForwards

I hope DS and GF are refunding the element cost.

You've got used to DF's allotment goodies and will notice spends more while away and without them. When you're back home it will settle again. Also, this is a holiday, albeit a 'working' one, and more money is usually spent while away.

Hope you're enjoying catching up with friends.

Skint_yet_Again

It’s very grey here today. Rain due at 9am so I walked the dog at 8am. It started raining on the way back about 8.10 am so I threw my waterproof coat over her medical recovery suit to keep her dry. She’s a big dog and is wearing the suit instead of a cone. I can get changed out of wet clothes but she would have had to sit in it wet all day. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have told people looking at me strangely that it’s a medical suit, she’s had an operation! Got a few more weird looks today when I took my coat off & put it over her. 😆 The suit does have a label on it saying ‘I’ve had an operation’ but it needs to be 10 x bigger so people can see it! At least she doesn’t have the stress of wearing a cone & she doesn’t care if people look at me like I’m a weirdo 😬

I won’t be charging DS & gf the cost of the element. It’s minimal and I have the money. The oven is over 20 years old and hopefully will last now until they remodel the kitchen. I’ve changed the element before years ago using a u tube video so DS can sort it out himself if it goes again. 

Can’t believe it’s Friday already. If all goes well with the stitches being removed I will be on my way home by the middle of next week. I will take £100 out of the car savings pot for petrol. I will be starting a holiday pot when I get home and everything is settled down again. I was intending to put aside 2 months council tax money for visits/petrol as I pay it over 10 months, but I would like to put some in monthly even if it’s only £10 

Skint_yet_Again

Have booked my free flu jab at my local dr for the end of this month. Should definitely be home by then. I had my covid jab the day before I came down south. 

Also forgot to mention how I got on with my hba1c review. I lost another 2lb so lost a stone in weight over 3 months. Hba1c went down from 64 to 46 😁 Really pleased with that as the target was below 48 and I didn’t expect it to be so low. 

I’ve probably put half a stone back on since I’ve been here but will get back to healthier eating & aquafit when I get back. 

SuzeQStan

Well done on the weight loss and even better hba1c review! You deserve it with all the work you have been putting into it.  Although to be fair the meals you are having have all sounded so tasty that it mustn’t really feel like a restrictive diet.

DS will always be your baby - and it’s good to baby your baby when you can for less than £20 😊👍🏻

bless you for looking after PD so well - true love

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks SQS. I think one thing I will re-introduce is baked potatoes. I have missed them for lunch with half tin tuna, grated cheese & mayo. I have been just eating the whole tin of tuna with loads of grated cheese & salad and soup. Been filling up with protein which is more expensive. I will stick to swede and carrot mash & butternut squash rather than potatoes. Will also stick with the hot deli roast chicken from asd@ after aquafit instead of K fc. 

Yesterday I used 2 mc D tokens and got a double cheese burger £2.19 with free fries and a free ice cream 😋 Will be the last one for a while! 

This morning is bright and sunny unlike the grey rainy day yesterday. It was cold walking the dog this morning but I was up and about & it meant DS & gf could have a lie in. This is the first day they have both had off together since I arrived (2 weeks ago). 

Skint_yet_Again

Lovely sunny morning but chilly 🥶 Have fed the dog earlier and just back from taking her a short walk & she is now snoring 😆

Had a lovely day yesterday. Met up with 5 friends in the pub and had a great time with lots of catching up and laughter. I had chicken skewers, jacket potato and salad £8.99 and a bottle of fruit cider £3.50 

DS and gf are off work today and offered to cook a roast so I will look forward to that later. I am meeting up with my no-dogs friend for a walk this afternoon. 

It’s looking likely that I will be going home on Tuesday. Puppy dog has her stitches out monday morning. She has to be sedated starting with tablets tonight and in the morning. DS is off work to take her as he will need to lift her into the car. At 35kg she is too heavy for most mere mortals to lift 🏋️‍♂️

Will see what the vet says afterwards.