Hi greent, I've just caught up on your whole diary (!) as I was reading it earlier on and then fell of the whole MSE wagon, but have very much enjoyed reading about your journey. We too have a DS halfway through A levels and hopefully off to university next year. We've just been to our first open day, but the rest aren't until September/October time so nothing to compare it to yet. It will probably be the preferred choice as it is very local (only about half an hour away) and as he has been diagnosed with autism we want him to be reachable if necessary.

Glad to hear things are ticking over nicely in greent-land Mr Greent's work situation sounds soooo much better now, what great news xx

Hi easylife - am very impressed you've read the diary through! Our DD is only an hour away at uni and that's been handy at times. DS1 is looking at 3 unis an hour/ hour and 15 away, 1 1.5 hours away and the other in London..... Hope the rest of the open day visits go well

I got home from work one day last week and he'd told his boss that he wasn't extending his contract (various stressors caused this) - anyway, hissy fit of his is now over and he's agreed the extension until 15th Dec. Am very glad - those 5 months are worth over £50k to the company - and I still haven't finalised my new kitchen plans!

Phew! Exam season is now officially over - although I have spent the morning volunteering, so haven't gained any time! I've been invited to apply for an exam- admin role (full time for 8 weeks in the Summer) but think I'll decline - the hours are just a bit too hassle-y to sort with DS3 still being at primary and that being the first summer for DS2 at secondary (which will involve a drive to go and collect him if he ever has to stay after school and therefore cant catch the school bus) The other invitee has 2 older children (same ages as DD and DS1) and is therefore not as limited as me (plus her husband works from home/ very locally anyway) I think I'll go for the senior invig role instead - more pay and still flexibility of hours

Went with DD to Cardiff to collect the keys to her new student flat for next year on Sat - the flat was advertised as suitable for students or young professionals and had been fully refurbished the previous year, so I had high hopes...... the front garden was full of rubbish (assume the cleaners cleared everything out left by previous student tenants...), the back garden has waist high weeds/ nettles/ brambles (although a lovely patio with furniture (some of which is slightly broken) They (DD and bf) have chosen the first floor flat (ground floor was also available) - the first step of the stairs is really high - almost 2 'normal' stairs in height - all of us fell up/ down it at some point Both bedrooms have mould on the walls - cleaned off, yes - but not treated and repainted. One wardrobe broken and missing doors. One bedside table broken. 2 bulbs missing (out of 3 ) from the kitchen ceiling, missing lock on the bathroom door, falling down plasterwork in the one bedroom from the ceiling, dirty paintwork everywhere covered In bits of blutack/ blutack stains, broken toilet seat lid (hanging off) bedrooms had beds pushed up against heaters - we rearranged both bedrooms - they'll only really be using one anyway - but wanted the flexibility and room for two desks. One bed base has mould on from where it was against mouldy wall. Both chairs for the desks do not have rolling castors - they should have, but I think both are gunked up!! Oh - and the coffee table is broken (appears someone has stood on it) and there is an IKEA poang (?) chair in the living room which is dirty and missing its cover..... Left her and bf there for the weekend - will collect DD from train station tonight. Long list of issues (with pics) to be emailed to agents...

Money news - lovely amount from invig job 1 received last week - transferred to kitchen fund Timesheets submitted today for invig job 2 - that will be transferred when received ( end of Aug?) Will pay off sub acct 3 from BTL mtge next week once rent has been received - that will leave the remaining balance at approx. £64775 - will see how much of that I can clear by Xmas - should manage at least £1775, maybe even £2775 Tenants have asked if they can have a kitten - despite being told before they'd even looked at the flat (and a couple of times since) that no animals was part of the deal (legally I think it's actually an unfair terms of contract if they chose to push it... so I think I'd have to agree, sadly) I really don't want a kitten - new carpets and flooring (all less than a year old), there's no catflap in the front door, all woodwork and walls newly done less than a year ago.... both tenants are out at work all day (and one also works evenings) so I can't see it's fair on a kitten, tbh.

Right off to sort wet washing out (was spitting rain when I came back earlier) - and do some iroing in front of catch up tv before school run/ train station, I think. I really need to catch up on mf diaries (have neglected those whilst exams have been on and I've been re-reading Tilly's (am almost there - around 50 pages to go now)) - will hopefully manage that this week
xx

Lovely lunch out today (scorchio weather here) with fellow invigilators plus the boss (exams officer) - Head picked up the drinks tab (only averaged around £6 pp inc any coffees afterwards - very restrained). Then went to collect DS2 from his transition day or whatever it's called at his new school, along with his PE kit (ordered late Mon - most impressed) PE top won't go over his head! - so will need a bigger size (or even maybe up 2 - he does have rather a large head....) He had a fab time, which was good

Won £25 on PSB today (have £1100 in psb) - whoop! - will transfer to kitchen fund next time I log in (so tomorrow! )

Have DD sorting paperwork for charity thing out for me (ready so I can get rid of it by end of year) - she spent around 3 hours on it today, just sorting it into years (it is in a helluva mess) - it is definitely the right thing to do (for me) - have been doing it (treasurer role) for 7 years (in 2 incarnations of the charity) and it is time to pass it on. I will still be a Trustee of the charity and maybe an occasional volunteer but want to pass the finance responsibility on (TBH - it will be a good thing - the 3 trustees currently operate as chair/ treasurer/ secretary - new blood would be good) I'm also looking to the space I'll gain from handing over paperwork!
x

Sounding good. But to carppy flats and tenants with no sense..

Have a good weekend

Weekend mixed - but overall positive. Sold a decent amount at NNS. Watched Minions 3 with OH and smalls (quite enjoyable!) Had disagreement with Chair of charity and tendered immediate resignation rather than leaving at end of year (at latest) - will still do the banking I've got here and get paperwork and records up straight but am not doing anything else going forward. Don't think I'll be selling there in the future, either - good job I don't have that much nowadays!

Best bit? - my beautiful cousin got engaged this weekend to a lovely chap and they came to visit today, which was wonderful. Very, very pleased for them both - such a lovely couple

Off out with OH for a short walk now before dinner
xx

Glad you had such a good day with rellies

But oh! Saw you mention stopping work with the charity on the kondo thread, didn't realise they precipitated your planned resignation timetable hope you're okay with it - you sound it, actually, which is good

I am, Kc - the Chair and I haven't seen eye to eye on some decisions for a while now. Sadly, the charity needs to be run on a more professional basis - I hoped the move to new premises would help to facilitate this, but it doesn't appear that that is the case. I am not there enough nowadays and struggle with how things are done and the lack of understanding for financial forward planning (new premises have a 5 year lease at almost 3 x the cost of previous premises) It is a shame it has ended in a not-good way, but not everything ends well in life.

On a more positive note, this afternoon I watched DS2 in a Y6 musical production of Romeo & Juliet - it was fab! They were all brilliant Almost can't quite believe they only have 9 more days left at primary school!

Just repaid sub acct 3 of BTL mtge - 1 down, 2 more to go.......

Have you read 'The Diary of a Provincial Lady"?

You sound just like her.

Great enforcing of boundaries re: kitten, crappy flat and charity.

fantastic, well done!
Onwards and downwards.

Umm... no - never heard of it - off to check out Amaz0n to see......

Oooooofffff! Been thoroughly immersed in charity accounts/ paperwork for the last week - spent around 10 hours on it yesterday alone! It is 'getting there' though and it will be lovely to have it all straight - and then gone! - there's a large space behind the office door where there was 2 large bags for life full of stuff and 4 files off the shelves in the family room - and then there was a bag/ pile of stuff in the dining room. Lots of bits have been recycled, but I've also printed out lots of stuff I kept just on laptop. Have been using weird and wonderful paper up to print it out on (various shades of yellow and some fluorescent colours too - and I used a pad of plain paper which was one of those 'glued' at the top edge - I ripped each sheet off and put them in the printer upside down and they worked fine I am trying to get it so that there are no queries and everything is set out clearly and cross referenced between cheque/ credit books, paperwork and computer records.

Aside from that, it's been a slightly spendy week - various bits on DS2's leaver's stuff, donations for non-uniform and to 'buy' DS3's school artwork(!), collecting buckets at DS2's play (Romeo and Juliet - he was fab), PE kit and some uniform for his new school (about £170 so far and counting...... still need 'normal' stuff like shirts, socks, trousers, jumpers - and then there's the optional items of sports kit.....) Have also bought DD a duvet set for her new student flat (reduced in A5da), a bunch of clothes for DD, underwear for OH, lots of casual socks for DS2 - and 2 Ed Sheeran tickets (for DD & bf - to pay me back) - and paid for swimming lessons for next term. Current account is somewhat depleted now!

Smalls break up on Friday. Am looking forward to the hols - which is why I'm trying to get charity stuff cleared asap so that it's not hanging over me. Have no plans other than a tentative plan to go to HP Studios again one day and a good blitz of the house. Oh - and to re-start c25K

I really *should* do some ironing tonight.... but wombling around MSE is a far more attractive prospect!

x

So this morning I have taken a box of stuff to CS (and threw in a couple more things just before leaving), posted RM survey stuff and updated the site, taken 2 pairs of OH's shoes for re-heeling, picked up my repaired glasses, bought 2 birthday presents (for 8yo girls) and a small amount of groceries from Tesc0, done the school run (natch ) with 2 smalls in non-u (cost me £2), done online banking and bill payments and dealt with a couple more charity paperwork items. Good start so far! Quick catch up on blogs and then I'm going to do some ironing with catch up tv and then clean the kitchen

Very productive greent...am in awe.

And well done on that contract extension...gotta get that kitchen extension done somehow

Thanks brizzled Yep - we have about half the cash for the kitchen in our accounts - will draw the rest from the co (Have directors loans in there from previous undrawn dividends but was planning on low drawings this year so want to use some of those to top up our day to day cash)

Last day at primary for DS2 yesterday - did do a post but no idea where it's gone - emotional day for him. He is the only one going to his new school (high performing grammar in next town) - most are going to the local comp (nothing against comps, but I've worked in this one and would not want my child going there...... - and it's improved over the past decade) He's academically very bright - was working at/ beyond Y6 level in maths & English when in Y4 - but emotionally very young, although has always been quite stoic about dealing with situations. (he's not a special snowflake - I'm NOT one of those parents! ) It's going to be a massive change for him - as is going to secondary school for any 11yo, really - he just won't have anyone he knows there to share it with. Am sure he'll be fine come Oct half term, though.

DS1's first driving lesson yesterday - he seemed to enjoy it...... DD has now gone off for a week dogsitting at bf's house (parents on hols) and then they're staying in 'their' new student flat for a few days and DS1 is off on army cadet camp on Weds - so it's just going to be me & the smalls for a couple of days. Am hoping the weather will be decent enough that we can get out and do some stuff Would also like to finally finish the charity stuff by the end of the week (might mean some late nights inputting data) and then the hols are truly mine

Getting the charity stuff sorted has also inspired me to re-visit paperwork here - I think the huge amount of charity stuff overwhelmed me and put me off sorting the rest out (I also need OH to do his - he has boxes/ shelves/ drawers full of the stuff - most of which he never touches....) and I'm looking forward to doing ours (it's not too bad - I have to keep on top of a lot of personal and business stuff for HMRC anyway)

Have been awake since before 6 (first day of the hols... what's that all about?!) - am sure I'll crash by 10pm tonight as a result!

Whoop! Just booked flights and a villa for Oct half term
x

It's good to have something to look forward to!

Indeed, ETE! Am hoping it might incentivise me with weight loss and fitness too......

First tomatoes picked from the garden today - will finish shop ones with dinner tonight and can then have HG ones for lunch tomorrow
x