Countdown to a Frugal Christmas, The Friendly Frugaleers still knitting,nattering and money saving!

[QuiteFabULousDahling]

New Fred

I got my ASD diagnosis this morning. £850 but not yet billed.

Apparently I qualify because of the the sensory trouble I have, coupled with my tendency to write long articulate books from a young age, and to build fantastical and working scientific contraptions.

I'm going to be given a list of people who might be able to fix various bits of me. Woohoo!

Eyes first I hope, as bright lights are doing me no good at the moment.

Girlie I'm so sorry to hear you are having tummy trouble. I've had it for years and it's honestly such a nuisance isn't it? The good news I imagine, is that since you never had it before, presumably when you stop taking the drugs for your neck pain, then hopefully everything should grow back. Is that right? I will cross my fingers.

Nursie That’s a huge increase, no wonder you switched too. I can see the sense in it but doubling a bill is always going to piss consumers off. I’ve switched to Ovo. £60 a year back for online account management, £40 cashback & its only £6 a month more.

Loads of freebies on checkoutsmart.

Nsd.

autumn I'm sure you have already been to just an ordinary high street optician...but I was in town buying my new glasses (Oakley titanium frames ♥️♥️♥️♥️ but £288 ), and she offered me the "new" coating. It takes all the blue out of led screens. So amazing for anyone who cannot cope with the led or are prone to migraines. It is a coating on clear glass. I haven't gone for it myself, because if the blue pigment is dulled, my mixing paint will all come out wrong!

I had a blast christmas shopping. I got the free bracelet in Pandora, it's very pretty. A ring for dd1's 16th, an adorable reindeer charm for dd2 and a little daisy charm foor dd1's new (free shhh) bangle. Qualifying spend £125, my bill £125!

Lots of stocking fillers in primark, wilkos and the range. Possibly too much, may need to wrap some things up as 'lucky dip' bags! Also spent 3x£10 long forgotten book tokens on the 3 girls' fave authers new books (again sssh, they need never know I used their lost book tokens) in waterstones.

We had a sit-in costa, their gingerbread latte is lovely but very sweet (I found out after I'd added 2 sweetners!).

Now I have to literally dig out the washing machine. I have bought new bin bags. To be honest, that corner has needed one hell of a blitz for some time. Enough mn, off I go...

I got the coating on my glasses. It’s ace.

£39 in boots. Epsom salts, bubble bath, deodorant, sudocreme, teething powder, metanium cream, three presents.

I’m done for the abroad gifts (apart from biscuits). But will get those tomorrow/Thursday.

Dh is a bit 😱 at the amount I’m spending but he wanted me to deal with presents. So am doing it. The last few years they’ve either got nothing. Or really rubbish gifts.

Well Dr wasn't a lot of help just have to wait for the gastroscopy and put up with it 😕

Bought some bits in Holland and Barrett to try £14.
£6 in Marks on lunch food
£2.40 parking

autumn I guess having a diagnosis is useful and will help you (and other people) understand you a bit better. I think I've got a stomach ulcer so unfortunately there's not a quick fix 😓 am doing all I can though.

I'm really sorry to hear that Girlie. You've really had a time of it this year, haven't you? I hope the gastroscopy and the consultant that comes with it, can help you out.

lonely I didn't know about that coating. Thanks for telling me. My optician said there is something wrong with the tear film in my eye so I am following that up next. I have eye drops, and just need to wait for a quiet few day when I can try them out.

Ds is having speech therapy in school today, so that will be exciting too.

Also I still have passed my Grade 1 clarinet exam, and frankly, who cares about anything else on a day like that. Woohoo!

Girlie that is disappointing. I hate going to my GP and coming out feeling like I didn't get any further forward. Have they still never considered testing you for Helicobacter?

Autumn hope your diagnosis is useful for you.

Sorry to hear that Girlie. You must be really fed up.

I hope your diagnosis helps you autumn.

NSD. Haven't done much at all really. Been talking to ds who has started saying two words together and is very chatty. When dh left for work he said "daddy gone" and later he said "eddy eddy go!" before launching his toy cars across the room!

I need to find my wooly hat and get a new umbrella as mine has totally had it.

That's great about the talking snuggly. Yay!

snuggly 😍 so cute!!

Ds greeted me at nursery today with a grin, toddled over and I swear said mummymummymummy. I also think he said bumblebee today. But that may just be my imagination.

Spends yesterday:

£54 supermarket

Spends today:
£2 work canteen
£69 Debenhams on a gift, and stocking up on my own make up essentials while they are reduced/part of a gift set.

Interesting to read back on all the make up chat over the weekend, I am very attached to my own skincare/make up routines but I keep them pretty simple, by necessity really, with two smallies to get ready in the mornings too.

Yes he is cute. Too cute - he will get away with all sorts when he's older!

Evening all.

Alarm didn't go off this morning, so was running late, but still managed to get to work in time.
Thanks life, will have a look at ACAS later.

Girlie, you poor thing, I really hope things improve for you soon.

Aww love the baby talk, and them turning into little toddlers x

Girlie have you stopped taking the neck-fixing drugs that caused the trouble in the first place? I've lost track a bit. I thought that if you did that then the ulcer would get better, but I don't know much about that.

I just hooted the pieces from my grade 2 book and I feel very cosy now. I don't know what this clarinet does to me but it's very gooooood.

As always (groan) I have a dp story...he took diclofenac (sp) it's the anti inflammatory in voltarol, and swallowing two tablets burned two holes in his stomach (over time, he took them for about 6 weeks). Bled so much he went to a+e. It took a long long time to heal. But no recurrance. He's had the camera down 3 times, each time he comes out and says "next time I'm going for the sedation" but he never does! Oddly, even if he uses a bit of voltarol topically now, his tummy hurts straight away.

Feeling rotten tonight, such a sore throat. Dp just made me a mug of honey&lemon. 2 lemons, spoon of honey, spoon of brown sugar. It is the most delicious thing I have ever had slight exaggeration so tart and sweet.

Evening All.

We have had snow. Not enough to cancel my meetings, but settled on the roads. Considering the forecast was saying 8 degrees and mostly dry it has come as a shock.

Girlie that is not good. I hope they find out the cause and are able to treat it soon.

Baby burbles are the best. I miss them now my 2 have developed a grunting system to communicate. Unless of course they know it is pay day and they miraculously turn into delightful articulate human beings. I love them still.

I only have another 3 days before June twerk off work. I cannot wait.

June twerk=another week.. no me either

Annoyingly I’ve misplaced my internet banking log in deely. I can log in via my phone but am limited to what I can do. Not that I need to do anything.

Tax rate arrived. Down to 19%. From 23. I’m pretty sure I still owe the tax office from maternity leave so will keep it at 23 until I’ve paid up.

I’ve checked my toiletries and make up spares box. (Think huge plastic tub with a lid...). I have enough I don’t need to spend on anything (except maybe deodourant) until March.

Satay chicken stir fry noodles for dinner.

Have sorted laundry, thrown another load in the dryer and another load in washer. Dishwasher on. Emptied handbag to see if I can find banking thing. Nope.

Annoyingly I had it yesterday. And am sure I used it at work. So will have to check my desk. Probably threw it in the drawer with my other online banking things.

Unescorted have you seen the photos of snake pass? I’m glad I came home this evening a significant number of colleagues have stayed over for a thing tomorrow that I can’t go to

Car is running on fumes and local petrol station closed. Will need to nip out at lunch tomorrow and get some so we can get to ds's appt at teatime

£10 charity donation at work
£5 lunch
£ 8 dinner
£10 parking
The latter two I can reclaim.

Snuggly and Em so lovely to hear about the boys chattering away

Unescorted I love snow! How festive! [santa]

Snuggly and em That's such a huge milestone and so cute! My ds has started 3-word utterances - most recently 'Nobody eat it.' (His chocolate that he didn't want to eat just then, but also didn't want Daddy to have either! )

Autumn making music is good for us in so many ways that we're discovering more all the time.

Spent about £5 today on food at work and planning but at least I brought my coffee this morning and £1.90 for the bus.

Snow already! Winter is here it would seem...

Just dog walker today so £15. Will have to go to Tesco tomorrow and get petrol. Am pondering slopping off work tomorrow at 4 and going to see the fantastic beasts film by myself late afternoon. Our lovely local cinema has it on but that's the only time I can make it. Much prefer it to the big chains. Have been once before by myself to see lady in the van

wolf do it.

Tomorrow I have to pay in coop stamps and change addresses on my account. It is also payday tomorrow. Yay. So I need to wiggle money around.

I’m also trying. To work out what to wear. It’s cold. I had planned on a skirt with tights. But it’s cold. And was freezing in the office today.

Wolf yes the Woodhead as well. I have put the chains in the car. Along with the winter snow shovel, sleeping bag, winter coat, walking boots, stove, camp meals and water. If I am going to get stuck I am going to be comfortable. I don't understand why people get into the papers for getting stuck and only having a bikini and half an out of date snickers bar me!ted to the glove box interior for company.

Unescorted that’s the sort of stuff I used to keep in my car when I commutes over your side every day. Along with six bottle of lucozade and water. It’s also the reason why ds came home embarrassed from cub camp once because he’d got in his sleeping bag and found a pair of my pants (clean). I’d taken the pjs out of my emergency sleeping bag but not the emergency pants