Tales from The Shire

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  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,033 Forumite
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    The high of my indulgent day didn't last long. Although we didn't have wind or rain last night, FDawg woke us in the night and early this morning. I am now grumpier than a grumpy thing on national grumpy day because I am still tired :mad:

    Mr F is partially responsible for FDawg's bad behaviour. He doesn't give FDawg sufficient time for his ablutions before putting him to bed (too impatient) and will insist on getting up to him if he barks. As I am living on my last nerve we have had words about this today and are now in for a long night whilst we try to break the pattern. Lets hope our will power is stronger than the dog's!

    Despite being grumpy, I did manage to get a couple of things done:
    • we fitted two new toilet seats. Mr F had broken the one in our en-suite and the one in the cloak room was very chipped and scratched and I couldn't get it to look clean. We bought cheap ones from $cr£wfix and, although they aren't a perfect fit, they are clean and fresh and soft-close ;)
    • I completed my tax return. Very quick to do this time as I didn't earn anything from painting or other sources last year
    • lunch was leftover Risotto and supper was Red Lentil, Chickpea & Chill Soup with mediterranean bread. Plenty leftover for lunch tomorrow too :)

    Not much but at least something and the tax return was hanging over me.

    FDawg has redeemed himself by being very funny today. He has started hiding his treats around the house and then acts surprised and delighted when he finds them again. He tried to dig a hole in the dining room floor boards today to bury a chew :rotfl:

    I may not be laughing tomorrow morning though.

    Wish me luck

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 90,296 Ambassador
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    Wishing you lots & lots of luck & positive vibes.
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.     ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • greent
    greent Posts: 10,671 Forumite
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    Wishing you a better night...x
    I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul
    Repaid mtge early (orig 11/25) 01/09 £124616 01/11 £89873 01/13 £52546 01/15 £12133 07/15 £NIL
    Net sales 2024: £20
  • Karmacat
    Karmacat Posts: 39,460 Forumite
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    Fortune_Smiles wrote: »
    FDawg has redeemed himself by being very funny today. He has started hiding his treats around the house and then acts surprised and delighted when he finds them again. He tried to dig a hole in the dining room floor boards today to bury a chew :rotfl:
    My brother's dog does this! He has us in fits of laughter when he first gets the treat, because he scampers around the house whining, he sounds like he's in trouble, but he's trying to find a good hidey-hole. The hidey holes are always in plain sight of us humans, but the dog's happy :)

    Hope you managed to catch up on your sleep a bit.
    2023: the year I get to buy a car
  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,033 Forumite
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    beanielou wrote: »
    Wishing you lots & lots of luck & positive vibes.
    greent wrote: »
    Wishing you a better night...x

    Thank you both - I'm rubbish without a good night's sleep.
    Karmacat wrote: »
    My brother's dog does this! He has us in fits of laughter when he first gets the treat, because he scampers around the house whining, he sounds like he's in trouble, but he's trying to find a good hidey-hole. The hidey holes are always in plain sight of us humans, but the dog's happy :)

    Hope you managed to catch up on your sleep a bit.

    FDawg's cheeky side is coming out more and more Karma. We bought him a frisby for Christmas which he likes to play with for about 10 minutes. Then when he's had enough, he runs off with it in his mouth and drops it in the corner of the field farthest from us so we can't make him chase it anymore :rotfl:

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,033 Forumite
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    Last night wasn't as bad as I expected. FDawg did bark at about 1.00 am and kept it up for a while but not for as long as we thought he would. Mr F woke up early and got up to make sure FDawg didn't whine so that I could get some extra sleep :A I must have scared him yesterday with my grumpiness :rotfl:

    I'm feeling a little off track already so thought I'd do a mini review to see whether I am going in the right direction:

    Make and Save Pennies
    • make mortgage overpayments. Still on plan to start March pay day.
    • generate income from annex. I may have a tenant from July which gives me plenty of time to get things organised
    • bolster emergency fund. I've re-crunched numbers and we're fine with what we've got for the moment although I'd like to carry on adding to this monthly. Will start from March pay day - I have high hopes for March pay day :rotfl:
    • finish Help to Buy ISA contributions. We'll be making the last payment February pay day.
    • complete outbuilding renovation. The construction work is complete and I have a plan for the remaining ancillary works.
    • furnish our new home. I'm picking up things from antique/charity shops and the Bay when I see them. We bought a bookcase on the Bay this morning to tidy away all the board games we have sitting in a box in the corner of the living room.

    Stay Well
    • eat less move more. I have reduced my coffee and snack intake.
    • have a few treats and things to look forward to. We are planning these around visitors at the moment as lots of people want to come and stay... or stay again :rotfl:
    • see friends and family regularly. See above :rotfl:

    Have Fun
    • explore the area. Again we are planning to do this when we have visitors so we can make best use of the fun money.
    • find out what's on. I'll be doing some research for next weekend.
    • have a plan for the weekends Mr F is home. This is happening although sometimes it's for him to do some chores :rotfl:

    I think I felt a bit off track as I'd forgotten it was in the plan to pick up things for the house opportunistically. At the moment I am doing this by shifting budgets around but from March payday - that great awaited date :rotfl: - I shall put a specific budget together for that.

    My plan for today is to catch up on my mountain of ironing whilst Mr F does chores. I have a BBC drama on DVD to keep me going :)

    Having said to Beanie yesterday that we didn't have snow but might get a little today - blizzard conditions have arrived :eek: It will be interesting walking FDawg later although he doesn't get so muddy if the ground is cold. Silver linings.

    Keep cosy and warm this weekend folks.

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,033 Forumite
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    FDawg thought he'd try barking louder and for longer last night :eek: We stayed firm and eventually he quietened down though I suspect he will try upping the ante again tonight :( We will prevail! But I am tired again and grumpier than ever.

    We braved the snow to pick up the bookcase this morning and it is now looking fabulous in the living room. The journey took longer than we thought though so it was a mad dash after to FDawg's follow up session. He is improving :D and we have more socialisation homework.

    The ironing didn't get done, however, I did do some research for the weekend and have a plan for entertaining our guests.

    I am just taking the edge off now with a glass of red before starting supper.

    ... it may take more than one glass :rotfl:

    Hope you're enjoying what remains of the weekend.

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,033 Forumite
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    FDawg barked once Sunday night and not for long :) He didn't bark at all last night :j He is still whining for us in the morning though but that's from about 7.00 am when he's used to us getting up. Sadly, I didn't benefit fully from an uninterrupted night's sleep as we had to get up at 5.00 am today to get Mr F to head office. This morning, I woke FDawg :rotfl:

    I have plumbers here :T They were supposed to arrived at 10.00 am which gave me lots of time to walk FDawg, have a shower and tidy up a bit. They got here at 8.00 am :eek: Not that I was going to turn them away ;) They have fitted a bath/shower mixer tap and two new showers :j I am ridiculously excited about it :j And am actually looking forward to an afternoon of cleaning bathrooms :rotfl:

    I was out last night for my WI Christmas meal and had a very lovely evening. The restaurant usually close on a Monday but they opened up just for us :) The food was fabulous and very reasonable too. The cost was met from my personal spends but I need to keep an eye on these now. I had been squirreling away a little of my personal spends each month before we moved and had a nice little buffer in my account. However, I've used a lot of this to buy things for the house. Not that I mind that but funds are getting a little low now.

    I am out tonight too at the local writing group. Just parking and a glass of wine involved there though.

    I so wish the rain would stop. Our fields are waterlogged and there is mud everywhere in The Shire. Apparently La Nina is to blame :p I discovered some snowdrops in the courtyard garden this week :D So lovely to see a reminder that Spring is coming.

    Have a great week folks.

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • maddiemay
    maddiemay Posts: 4,986 Forumite
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    In the south of the shire we seem be missing the worst of snow and rain. Sunday was evil, we had both. OH has taken Miss Border Collie for a road walk a couple of times when the field they walk on was at it's soggiest, she doesn't seem to mind and it helps keep her claws down and her leg and feet muscles toned up.

    WI meal sounds good, hope that you have a good time this evening too:D

    Had to grin when you mentioned waking FDawg, sometimes this one is so fast asleep she has to be gently shaken to wake her, my revenge for the occasional times she bounds up onto me in bed because she thinks it will be play time if she can get me up:D
    The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time. (Abraham Lincoln)
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 90,296 Ambassador
    Academoney Grad I'm a Volunteer Ambassador Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
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    Glad that you had a lovely night.
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.     ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
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