NST March: Marching to a different beat

Hi turtles.

Hugs to everyone who needs one.

Laurenh hope you run of bad luck is over now.

Sashanut. Try and get a look at your leak if you can, last weekend I spent helping elderly friends whose ceiling, kitchen dining room, hall and 2 bedrooms were damaged. They put plastic pipes in new houses now and this one had been overstretched.

Today cleaned washing machine filters out, mould that starting to show on sealant around windows. Then started to clean windows really:o Thankfully came to my senses and went for a walk along the seafront. So nice to get out and then went and did a cleaning job.

My dd has put me in a weekend Fitbit challenge with her friends made me do 10k already was going out for another walk but wind is bitter outside now.

Avoided spending at all today NSD 2/18

Fmess my dd2 is a dog walker and first snow day she had 4 cancellations. She was gutted that's the risk you take being self employed I suppose.

Still no plumber available, no gas oven in use but hot pot for tea. Thanks slow cooker. Am I weird quite like challenge of finding food I can cook on hob/ slow cooker. Probably use my oven too much as it warms my kitchen - no radiator in there.

Stay warm folks we can always do an energy saving month in the spring

Was a spend day. Only had to do a food top up. Also got a jigsaw puzzle carrier. Already have a jigsaw puzzle.
Cancelled a social ex work colleagues get together this month as not a lot of us were able to come. Said that I would try to rearrange for June.
Done a donation to charity.
Grateful for:
Having a chilled out afternoon and evening.
Managing to do what I had to do this morning.
Ex work colleagues were understanding as to why I cancelled.
For doing a few bits of housework.

Thanks Lauren - will give it a read when children are in bed. D on Ice sounds amazing. They will love it! Thats it isnt it, all abt being able to budget for it and wrth using CC if youre discplined to pay it off. You made me LOL with the cake story!
I was wanting to add the 20 degrees is just while the weather is as it is. As a rule since Jan I set a timer to come on twice a day, all radiators upstairs on low in the day and middling in the living rooms, then I turn thermostats down on all radiators in the evening except DD and DSs and it goes off around 9. Like someone else posted - there's always next month to pull back on energy. Im thankful that we have credit balance so hoping the bill wont be too steep come May.
This afternoon I made a df crumble with the bruised apples and pears ( pre Jan I would have thrown them away), I had df irish potato cakes for tea with mushroom, egg and beans. This is something I wouldnt have eaten before but I loved it and love the fact that it was a very cheap but filling dinner.

Another NSD planned for tomo! onwards I go x

I would love to get rid of my Tumble. Apparently' we need the tumble' (like a hole in the head) Hubby dries everything on "Uberhot" setting - so there's me freaking out cause my jeans won't fit, and wondering why they're half way up my ankles too...

I'm still trying to find a smart meter that's smart enough to work across all the suppliers and work for the customer, not tie the customer to a supplier - or be charged for the pleasure or switching.

Today was a spend day, but more so than planned.
1. because of train strikes. (Which I completely support) I had to drive in to the Pi club, and ended up buying lunch. MEH.
2. because Mr T was selling off their frozen stock. I had a 'bit' of a yellow sticker binge. Now have a life times supply of fish, sausage meat, and ice lollies - which for some strange reason no one wants in this weather Also some other bits and bobs. No more spendy now till payday.

Managed to finally FIT the tap I bought to stop the leak. It wasn't doing any good in the box it came in.:rotfl: I also re-sealed the bath. Never mind frogs and elephants, this was a full on Oliphant. Some how I'd convinced myself that it was a man's job, that it would take all day. 15 minutes later no more shower swamps.


Gratitudes:
Raspberry Jam Club. - 10 years of coding and Pi meant a bit of a party atmosphere at the club today. DDs enjoyed it. It got us all out the house and is building DD1's confidence in computing (coz you know, what do mums know about anything...) its also free.

Getting stuff out. Frustrating, but not tripping up over it any more - ousted decent bedding, curtains and a scrummy coat but neither kid will wear. Learning my lesson...
Also took a box load of chocolate and pasta to the foodbank.

mothernerd wrote: »

the taxi arriving promptly (more people using them because of the weather

All the snow has melted here & it's just been drizzly. Everyone took the opportunity to restock essentials and it took our drivers an hour to get the the door of Tescos cos of the traffic.

clippy_girl wrote: »

Think it's caused by being too dry. Got little ramekins of water on each radiator as well (too tight to buy a humidifier!).

We use those little pots with the beads that sit on your windowsill, from poundstretcher. Not sure what their called, but we've found them very effective. The windows used to be running with water, now they are dry.

Debtfreewannabme wrote: »

Hi Dolly84 thats great if it suits you but for me with a baby and a toddler living in an old house we have ours on 20 in the day and 16 at night. I refuse to leave my children cold whilst we can afford it - no judgement please. I guess we all have different allowances.

The last couple of nights I've set our timer to pop on and off overnight as I was worried about Donna getting too cold. She's far too young to hibermate so I don't want her temperature dropping to low. She has a heat pad in her little bedroom that's on 24-7, but the air is so cold it's not doing much.
I've been giving her nice warm baths everyother day (it helps keep them hydrated) and she seems to be doing okay.

• · For the striders: [STRIKE]18[/STRIKE] 25 NSDs 3/25 achieved today. BF got a few supplies from Aldi, apparently most of their shelves were bare as the deliverys couldn't get through. It's his month for grocerys so a NSD for me.
  
• · Set your budgets before the challenge starts £50 skimmed off for mums fund.
  
• · Be generous. There are many who are far worse off. Do not forget to give to your choice of charity. Off to the petshop tomorrow for dog food to donate.
  
• · As ever, always take your lunch to work, and drink and snacks when out and about Lunch was chicken & cheese salad.
  
• · [FONT=&quot]Pay towards your debt first! Additional funds scraped togather.
  [/FONT]
• · Plan. Look ahead to the month and what your commitments are. Mum down Thursday. Photo session Sat. Coffee date with a couple of friends. Maybe a trip to Bristol Zoo.