Watty's Awakening

Watty1

Aww thank you all for the very nice comments, and the reassurance that some months are indeed more spendy than others.  January was certainly that but February is shaping up to be nicely economical.

The VNM and I did have very frank discussions about this being my house.   I fought hard enough to end up here, I'm want it to be "mine"  and his response was heart warming.  He has his own house, it has been rented out for a few years whilst he rented his mothers, and then shared with her when she moved back in.  He totally understood "mine" and yet said all the time he stays here he should help with the bills and the food.   In time maybe he will move some of his stuff in, but for now, he is happy enough "staying here" and going back and forwards as needed and is conscious that as I continue with my renovations the house remains very much "mine" and with my stamp on it.   He just stays here rather than going to his home.  

As we had the conversation I realised how important that was to me and I am so pleased he saw that and respected it without any thought that it dimmed my commitment to the relationship.

PennysIntoPounds

Really glad you said that as I was trying to think of a nice way of saying 'make him sign a disclaimer for any work he helps with so he doesn't have a chance of being owed equity if you sell and he's not happy about it'!

Watty1

@PennysIntoPounds   So nice of you to say that.    The friend who came to court with me for the injunction against PPH also faffed and faffed and finally simply said I don't want to come to court with you again.  I rarely see her but that and your comment was very touching.

Simply put I trusted PPH and, not being married, that was my undoing.  However nice the VNM is, I do not intend to make that mistake again.

Watty1

A very small online shop done.  Keeping budget low but have run out of rice and so bought that with bread flour and a few other bits means I should be able to go another week as the cupboards are still very full.  (financial goals/house goals all being ticked with this)

Right, must stop here as this weekend I have some stuff in the house I want to do, there is work to catch up on and the VNM is going to look at goat proofing the field.   I don't have a goat but the neighbour has the cutest little tiny goat ever that visits regularly. I don't mind, but WattyDog is insistent he should meet the goat and I do not think making a "best friend" is the intention.  This morning the VNM made the point that it is not fair that WattyDog has to remain on a lead in his own fields for the goat's safety so it is time to stop the daily visits.

Watty1

Pain in one arm has been steadily increasing so I've made an appointment to see a massage therapist tomorrow evening.  I have a hunch it is coming from my neck and was ideally flicking through social media when I saw someone had recommended a therapist about 20 mins from me, checked her page and she has an appointment free after work tomorrow so booked.   Usually I would do a little more research but I just decided to go with it.

In other news kitchen almost decluttered.  I think decluttering is an ongoing project as I've done the kitchen before but,  I found some glasses to donate, some stuff to throw, stuff to go back to a more appropriate place and generally tidied. The VNM wanted to keep the glasses as he really liked them so I have instead removed 6 lovely retro glasses and will donate those. They are lovely but I've never actually used them (second-hand findings I thought I would use a year ago, have not used in a year so!)  One deep drawer left to do.  This just leaves the office and the barns to do.  The barns will be done in 'nicer' and 'warm' weather so they can be emptied and stuff considered.  

Today the plan is to do the deep drawer which is stuffed and measure the living room for curtains.  I was going to have some made, but, I'm now thinking I would be better saving the money so if the huge double doors window can be curtained with ready made then that is now the plan.

KajiKita

I agree with decluttering being an ongoing project as it ends up being too hard to let everything go at once. Both difficult to make the decision(s) to do so and to actually shift the resulting ‘stuff’!

Sorry to hear about the arm. Hope the massage helps and good luck with the curtain quest! 😊

KK

savingholmes

Well done on your boundaries conversation and the decluttering. 

The horse 🐎 talk is always interesting even if I don't understand it all.

So proud of you for all you have achieved in recent years. 

Alchemilla

Watty1 said:

I do not own a body protector. I may put this on the shopping list!   Most Handsome took three flying leaps over three tiny fences, which I did not enjoy (that is putting it mildly) and then decided to walk over everything because his rider clearly did not appreciate his skill level or his sense of humour.

Charming Cob watched and then came for a cuddle. I would easily have tackled bigger with Charming Cob and done well.

As it is I feel in need of a stiff drink and  nerves of steel to whizz Most Handsome around some fences (I will ask the Fell Pony's person - she is not a teenager but she is sensible and confident). Maybe if Most Handsome can be persuaded that the effort to do a jump no higher than 1 foot 6" is not equal to the effort to clear 4 foot 6" I will regain some confidence with him.  The person who came out said just keep doing it until he is bored, umm, Most Handsome makes his own fun if bored. Part of the time he refused to trot in favour of acting like a giraffe on a pogo stick.    I will however not give up, I have left everything up and will have another go on my own later in the week.  (hashtag having fun with horses goal)

Ponyplops used to do this over jumps. With her it was lack of confidence I think.

LadyWithAPlan

Brewerspride said:

Watty1 said:

The one thing this really brings home to me though, is I actually paid all this. Yes, I did get a contribution for food and bills from the VNM but the rest is purely down to me and I paid it.   There was a time when PPH told me I could not manage without him financially.   I am so pleased, my business is at a point where it genuinely can support me and support me well. 

This is so fabulous to read.  Well done you.

Woohoo ! Go you.

Watty1 said:

@PennysIntoPounds   So nice of you to say that.    The friend who came to court with me for the injunction against PPH also faffed and faffed and finally simply said I don't want to come to court with you again.  I rarely see her but that and your comment was very touching.

Simply put I trusted PPH and, not being married, that was my undoing.  However nice the VNM is, I do not intend to make that mistake again.

Glad you had a great conversation with VNM and its natural to be v wary after PPH

Watty1

Winners and losers in the decluttering:  I have lost the head torch. I think it was on the dog crate which is where all the leads that were to be thrown away were put. I have checked the bins, it does not seem to be there but it is most def  missing so that is annoying however a win, in the deep drawer with dog towels and assorted cr*p I found an ink for the franking machine and a brand new computer mouse (?? no idea why they were ever put there).  The ink is around £150 so that is a huge saving and if the head torch never turns up I will have to replace but I'm still up

Tonights dinner is in the slow cooker, a curried veg and rice soup that I will serve with a huge sausage roll for protein.

I'm trying a new butcher which mostly farms his own meat and unusually has his own slaughter house.  I dont do well as a vegan or even veggie but  I've become increasingly concerned that even those meat companies that talk about ethically raising meat do not always slaughter appropriately (my sister spoke to the owner of a well know meat company that having lost his local slaughter house went to one in the next county and was so appalled with how his animals were treated he is giving up beef farming).      Anyway new butcher farms, slaughters and butchers all very locally.    Whilst there, a lovely customer told me to try the sausage rolls, made on site with pastry from a local baker.  She assured me that it was a good as the sausage plait she used to make but so much less effort served with veggies and potato and would make a lovely dinner.    I haven't made a sausage plait since school days but she was so lovely I bought said sausage roll (it is very big and will easily serve two of us).

Interestingly the butcher was really busy, it was a very chatty shop, the customer behind me having driven 30 miles for the same reason I was there (ethically reared and butchered meat).