Settling in for the long haul

Dakota_Rose

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82041238#Comment_82041238

Thank you @Sun_Addict - you too!

Dakota_Rose

It’s been a very happy, restorative weekend.

We made it to the seaside today, which is just over an hour away from home and my goodness, it was stunning. It was a quieter spot with a mixture of white pebbles and sand with low tide. We arrived at a good time and got to enjoy both. Money has been spent on parking, fish and chips (delicious but expensive!), and an ice cream for the children. I have to say though, it was worth it. If only we didn’t have to go back to school and work tomorrow. Sigh!

Next weekend will have to be spent at home, as my current account is currently laying in the recovery position.

Boys had their home haircuts so that saved a few pounds at least.

The house needs a smarten up, and uniforms need prepped. Other than that, it’ll be early nights all round and dinner doesn’t need to be cooked.

DancingInTheRain

Sounds like a lovely day!

ohdearhowdidthathappen

sounds lovely - fish & chips by the sea always tastes better 😁

Dakota_Rose

Thank you both. It really was a lovely day.

Today has been busy and I’ve lurched from one meeting to another. The weather hasn’t been too unbearable but I am not looking forward to the rest of the week as I don’t cope well with high temperatures.

Oh well 1 down, 4 to go.

Dakota_Rose

I’m starting to regret joining the 26 books for 2026 challenge 😂 I’ve been reading so slowly with work being really busy! I’m hoping to have a good burst of books during the summer holiday to make up for my laziness this month. 

I have just finished a Martina Cole (and Jacqui Rose) called Guilty. My mum recommended it to me and it was really gritty. I don’t mind a gritty novel and love a detective story but this was pretty shocking in places. It didn’t feel as though all the storylines or characters had been as deeply explored as they might’ve been, more that it had been written mostly for the shock factor. Quite a few typos in the final chapters too. I’d rate it a 7.5/10 being generous, and apologise to any Martina Cole fans. 

26 books for 2026

1.You Are Here (easy read) 9/10

2. The Seven Murders of Evelyn Hardcastle (time-travelling murder mystery) 9.5/10

3. Love Untold (ending made a middling read worthwhile) 8/10

4. Way Back (engaging easy read with a farm theme and a few typos) 8.5/10

5. The Cuckoo’s Calling (first of the Strike detective novels) 8.5/10

6. Yellowface (‘too awful to look away’ page-turner) 10/10

7. A Thousand Splendid Suns (emotive, heavy but worthwhile read) 10/10

8. Before the coffee gets cold (Japanese coffee-shop time-travelling scenarios) 8/10

9. Us Three (screenplay-style friendship story) 9/10

10. The Twyford Code (a puzzle within a puzzle) 9/10

11. The Shock of the Fall (first person narrative with flashbacks - includes childhood trauma told sensitively and with humour woven throughout) 8/10

12. Guilty (lots of shock factor details, but predictable storyline) 7.5/10

Dakota_Rose

The heat has properly got to me today and made a lingering migraine far worse than it might’ve been. I’ve had an early finish from work, a sleep and a cool bath. Hopefully tomorrow will feel better!

I hope everyone else is holding up okay.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

That is a lot of reading!

Recently, I enjoyed the 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy and the 6
Generally, I’m a bit of a smutty book reader 🤭

Hope your migraine goes away soon

Dakota_Rose

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82045635#Comment_82045635

Thank you 😊 I have the 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo on my TBR shelf. I watched Daisy and the 6 on Netflix a while ago. Well the first half of the series anyway - I enjoyed it.

Dakota_Rose

Like most other people, I am melting today. My full size fan has come to work with me and back again 😂 it’s my best friend this week!

I’ve nothing financial to report as I’m in that frustrating spell between all spends being spent and payday. Roll on next week so the money shuffle can be shuffled. I’ve overspent this month but have managed without going into the savings or EF (just!).

Really looking forward to a weekend at home enjoying a good book and a glass of wine, both of which I already have in. Eldest has his prom tomorrow night so it’ll be lovely seeing him dressed in a suit rather than his usual bedroom goblin attire. It wasn’t cheap but it was his leaving gift for the end of high school and it’ll hopefully last him through to job interviews should he be able to get one in the near future.