Busy but still reading...and a maybe New Beginning!

Hello Peeps,

Am alive and still reading  I just have so much going on that I can't find the time to write it all down.,


I shall respond first!
I still have the Herman the German Friendship cake reproducing - I have passed on a few Herman off spring. The thing with Herman is that he needs to breath and bubble and so being transported in an air tight box would cause his demise!   I can drop off locally - North East, Scottish Borders. Shame....  He is very tasty! And freezes well in  cake form to be brought out for a dash of custard!!!

London - went well - enjoyed, saw dinos etc At the imperial War Museum Weeny asked where Biggles photograph was and this time didn't confuse the RAF blue uniform with being a Nazi  in grey which is a good thing.  On catching a clip of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas she exclaimed look its XXXX when one of the Nazi's came on screen.

We return on 8th March to the big smoke. Tickets were only £42!!! return which is ace!!!!



Plans............... I will be moving to Durham.. I hope!

I have applied for a PGCE to start this year and have been told by the provider I have a strong application and will get an interview.

I am also investigating the Podiatry course as well. Pros and Cons for both.

I am excited. I have been advised that I can claim housing benefit as a full time student who is a single parent. Houses are cheap to rent and come in under the LHA benefit rate!

Oh Lordy another move!!!! ( eyes roll skywards)


This means however I need to bust my backside to pay off debts asap. I will be on super frugal measures. I have approx 1k to pay off asap. and money to save for the car and weeny.

Am managing so far.

If anyone has any advice re finances for a mature return to learn student taking either a Post grad or a three year NHS funded course please let me know.

So much so do and so little time. I am hopeful and excited!!

Meal Planning to the last bite, use of utilities are my main focus now and snowballing a few debts. Means no gardening this year but I can cope, also any extras for weeny like trips, classes will have to be achieved on a super budget!!!!

I am also taking a short OU course- costs 200 quid but helps with either option and gets the brain back into academic gear!

January nearly over...........

We are now four!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I shall have to change weeny's name as she is no longer weeny! Maybe I can get away with it for a bit longer.... Bless.

She had a lovely birthday. Friend for tea on her actual birthday with homemade birthday cake, then another party at the local soft play for her chums. Not frugal at all really  but its her birthday and worth it. She got loads of pressies - many I have snuck away and will recycle for other birthday pressies for other other children. You do not need three of everything..... I have at least two more birthdays coming up so it will save me money!!!


My phone is knackered. The touch screen is not working.. I have till May before the contract ends!

I have I believe saved £200. I have probably tempted fate now!

Next month I need to pay off the gas fitter - Fifty odd quid and  start my cooker payments. So £100 out of the  paycheck.

We are off to London to visit Biggles next month. Though this does not need to be too expensive. We have a free ticket paid for by loyalty points ( Biggleses),  we shall stay in and eat and do all the free things and catch up with friends.  Travel around London will be the biggest expenditure when we are there.  Flask and bottles of juice. Might buy some pigeon feed in Trafalgar square....


Eeee am excited. I am going home lol. And though it is very metropolitan, busy etc it doesn't really change too much in essence still the polluted smokey old place it ever was. roads in the same place, shops might change but other than that.....


I have Herman sitting on my kitchen bench bubbling away. If anyone localish would like a portion of Herman to grown their own I am sure I could work something out.....

Herman is a sour dough friendship cake passed on around the world.....

Am going to write my resolutions on Weeny Girls blackboard which sits in the living room.

1. Be a more patient mother. Shout less talk more.  I have slipped into bad habits. This is not good for our relationship. I can focus now. No Excuses.
2. Cook something new each week - frugally of course! Add to my repertoire using leftovers, back of the fridge, yellow stickered goods.
3. Get fitter and loose some weight. I bought three full length evening gowns approx three years ago for some militiary functions. They do not fit anymore. They need to fit again,
4. Save and pay off debt. yes the frugal challenge - should be higher up the list really!
5. See more of friends/family who live further away. I will be visiting London, Scotland and as such should combine visits  and catch up.
6. Take the weeny camping again
7. Once the four day week has been mastered!!!  Dancing lessons for the weeny and maybe some horse riding if we can.
( Piano would be nice but I have no where to put an upright anymore.... .. well unless I got rid of a chair...... and siad piano would need tuning and I know nothing of music stuffs.).
8. Justify any further clothes purchases till at least September. I have everything I need in abundance as does Weeny girl who ok may grown out of shoes.
9. freecycle all other requirements - carpet, paint, plants etc etc etc
10. Do one nice thing for the Biggles at least once a month - something special nice not just general nice!


that was the ADRIAN MOLE ten now for the biggie....

I need to decide on a few things...

career stuffs - circumstances outwith my control may effect this ... house exchange in good time for example.

I shall make enquiries to sources tomorrow.

Home ownership or pension investment???? 


The last one is the biggie . Any suggestions??? or advice???

My Year....

Hmmmm

Good things by month
January 2011 - Burns night with friends and weeny girls 3rd Birthday
February 2011 -  Valentines - we always do something just the two of us.
March -  New Job
April : Getting accepted onto a PGCE - ok coulnd take the place but it done the ego good!!
May - Caravan weekend with Biggles and Weeny for Mums birthday in Scotland
June - Camping in the lakes - Ullswater -  finding Nara with weeny and a boat ride
July - Summer - barbecues and the beach! alot
August - Camping in the lakes - keswick - troll hunting
September - A new term! Visiting Scotland and my sisters new home
October - A sold house and halloween and Weenh girls first day at big school
November - A lovely anniversary meal just Biggles and I
December - a new home, and a first nativity play - I couldn't go but B iggles was impressed as was weeny!

Biggles doing well and lovely as ever
Weeny girls troll hunting in the lakes and her speedings development, my mum settled in her care home



bneed to think about what I specifically want to achieve for next year and what I want to do for weeny and Biggles!

Review- the end of 2011.

Well this time last year lol or rather the year before that at the end of 2010 I still felt we had much to be grateful for. B had returned from Afghanistan safely - mentally and physically.  Though I miscarried we were still full of hope for the future.  My house was on the market and thought a reasonable sale may occur and we could plan our lives together with a few bob to cushion us.

We considered postings to Germany and all that it woudl entail!!! returnining to uni, I really did not believe that we would see another Christmas in either Northumberland or as a threesome!

neither of us would  really give two figs about the negative equity and loss of funds if  we could become a foursome.

Lol onwards and upwards eh and as I have nowt left to loose things can only really get better!!


B wants to do well at his job to contribute to his case for promotion to Wing Commander. I hope to be able to have something arranged for September - more training/return to uni etc.  Infact maybe something for Feb through OU.   But these are all consolations really - plan B's


BY next year bar losing weight and getting fitter I woudl liek to have achieved something tangible - or  be in the midst of achieving something tangible. - a qualification or something. I can' t let my self even think about plan A. It has to be put to bed.


Onwards, upwards and forwards the ascent out of the financial mire starts tomorrow lol

Christmas adventures 2. Sheffield to Stirling and home again

We set off on Boxing Day to South Yorks for two nights then journeyed back to Alnwick for a ngiht before heading off again to Scotlandshire - Dollar, Clackmananshire to be precise. Biggles family and my family. We spent the 30th going to Ayr for lunch and to see my mum in her care home.


Lovely time spent with famillies. B and I managed to get to the pub two nights in a row!!!!  My 17 year old neice looked after her little cousin. Whoppeee!!! 


We came back home for new year which is also my birthday ( 39sigh). we ordered a curry for last night curled up on sofa and drank wine. Phew tired.com

Today B is having a blast on the bike. I have made some more brownies and have a roast dinner prepped to be cooked for his return around 4ish.

Christmas and other adventures. 1- Pavlova in a gas oven.

After baking ones biscuits and brownies on 23rd having taken delivery of th enew cooker on 22nd ahh I endeavoured to make the pavlova ... ooops   Not as simple using a gas oven as a fan oven. I miss my electric fan oven. sigh


The pavlova cooked on top but not the bottowm and took forever much much longer than the 3hrs it normaly takes.  Anyway it broke up and looked as if we would be having eton mess on Christmas day. It was salvagable and using a quiche dish it looked very nice in the end.

We had our tradditional fajitas on Christmas eve before retiring .. falling into bed.

Woken up at 7:30ish which is good time.  Weeny girl very spoilt. As ever. Loved all the bits and pieces. We took our time with starter and chicken and pavlova before falling into bed again ...