Lockdown (almost) over and frugalling continues!

[ememem84]

New thread. All welcome

God yes the pain of packing and unpacking on the train. I hear ya sisters

NSD today.
Was touch and go for a bit though because I really couldn't be bothered to cook, but just cracked on and glad I did as my dinner was really nice.

Today was not a nsd. Can't recall the last time I had one.
£40 cake deposit, £30 beach hut hire, £20 stables £12 masks, 20p elastic £3.49 Greggs, ££ little Sainsbury's

This is probably a stupid question but DCat1 is having dental surgery tomorrow and has to fast from this evening. Is he still ok to drink water? I never thought to ask the vet and it's too late to phone the surgery now.

Tayto, when our cat went in, he couldn't have food 12 hours before and water 6 hours before. I just removed his water at night.

Yes I think tayto, maybe not tomorrow morning but overnight will be fine.

£22 on gifts at the garden centre for my step mother and my sil.

Fingers crossed 4 u unescorted

The shoes r so cute em!

How luvly u were able 2 c ur mum again duchess It is vry relaxing with sum bubbles :)

NSD

I am glad it isn't just me that has train pain. Lonely you are the one with the skills.

duchess that meet up sounds lovely. My mum had been shielding, but we started to get her venturing out again when she got a date (next Friday) to have her second cataract op, so now she and dad are in complete isolation again!
unescorted glad you've got the interview out of the way. Fingers crossed...

All good here. We had a chipy tea last night in celebration of the fact that it was 4 years yesterday since I went into hospital with a brain haemorrhage. I was incredibly lucky and had no residual effects so doing something a bit celebratory feels appropriate.
Work is particularly crazy busy as I've got 2 weeks of leave coming up. Nothing planned for next week, but then 2 nights camping at a friends place and then 4 nights in Devon to catch up with family. We had booked an apartment, but due to a cock up by booking.com we had it cancelled a couple of days ago so have had to scramble round and find a hotel instead GRRRRR!!
I have a day off today but am going to do some work to make tomorrow easier. Trying to get it all done this morning so that I can go out with dd this afternoon.

OK so I did spend £1.99 renting a movie based on a Sophie Kinsella book, glad I didn't buy it as it was crap!

OK, now I know you lot are being super nice to me, but I'll need help with the idea. Here's some pics... I'd need to know what sort of sized pockets (A6 or A5 notebook etc) but it's doable. Could also work it so it zips down the middle, so you get an equal size each side of the laptop.

The big bag is for an A4 sized bundle of stuff, and the little one is sized for a school reading book and reading record (belongs to ds). I was thinking of making bags for kids with vinyl both sides to keep library books safer in school bags.

I'm that mum who had to dry a paperback on a radiator after a water bottle leakage! sorry school librarians

As an aside I use a lot of up-cycled denim and my vinyl has glitter in it!

It's pouring with rain here so the laundry will have to be respun and tumbled today.

Lonely a5 notebook but one that's at least 1cm deep. Phone but would be amazing. On the pockets to the side of the laptop these should ideally also be able to hang down the side of a train tray table without anything falling out (moon on a stick)

Denim and glitter all good

Was that really 4 years ago North? I remember it but if pushed I'd have said it was maybe 2 years ago. Where does the time go? Plessed you did something to celebrate.

Been for a lovely walk in the woods this morning with the dcs. They came home covered in mud, ready for lunch and exhausted so I feel like it was a good outing!

I’m a tube commuter so I strap hang and don’t get to sit down, so I’m not your audience Lonely! I can’t quite envisage what the others would want, sorry.

(Pouches look good though - are they clear fronted? A gusseted version would be really handy)

Someone (Wolf? Unescorted?) recommended a cloth face pattern available on line - I think it was Rew clothing. I’m after that style that hugs the face, not the concertina-at-the-sides style.... but the rew clothing pattern doesn’t seem to be actually on their website - i am sure I saw it before but it might have been taken off. Does anyone know of any other pattern they would recommend for the face-cupping style? I really MUST do some sewing this weekend!

Lots of spend here. Mat for Pilates, some activity books for the kids for the holiday, a bread board/slicing guide (I cannot evenly slice squishy bread!), headrest holders for the kids’ DVD players for the car, those net laundry bags for delicates, bulk bag of choc chips for baking... you get the idea. Still need to do an audit of DS’s uniform. And they’ll both need shoes before term starts but I’ll wait till nearer the time for that.

Work today but my head is not in the game. HAIRDRESSER TOMORROW!!!!!

Exciting news...

I've just been to a cafe for a coffee with a friend!! First time since pre lockdown!

sea lots of good patterns on Pinterest for face masks. I'm making a hybrid, which has pleats at the side but a dart for the nose and chin, so very snug. I'm using hair elastics as you cannot buy any elastic around here!

Been to hobbycraft and dunelm, and stocked up on vinyl and cute kids fabrics. My mind is whirling... Key stage 1 age - library bags and reading record bags, key stage 2 (so Harry Potter type fabric) paperback sized library book pouches, and pouches big enough to keep a library book nice for grown ups. I just hate it when a book that doesn't belong to us gets ruined!

I treated my poor sewing machine to some new needles too.

And I only spent £8 in Lidl mostly pastry I've never spent so little in there!

Dd1 used her own money in Hobbycraft, I hate making her pay herself, but she gets £10/week into her account so fairs fair! I'm getting off lightly there aren't I? I think that's a very low allowance for a 17.5yr old.

sea this type are good! Just pulled off Pinterest and the pattern has little sizes (my slightly touch sensitive ds hates them, so I'm guessing yours will too).

Lonely they are the ones I have. They are quite comfy,

I hadn't thought of having a sideways pocket on the pop up desk. I was thinking more like this But not in Bloke colours and less accountant.

My mum is out of hospital which is good news.

Wedding anniversary here.

Bought dh some chocolates and were out for dinner. I also got him some flip flops.

He got me some yummmm gin and fancy tonics.

9 years today. Two babies. And never a cross word. Ha!

Happy Anniversary em

unescorted that's a better layout! I've no idea really as I don't have to commute and work. Will have a think!

It would be hard to make the sides stand up like that with fabric maybe

Happy anniversary Em

Happy anniversary em

Listed a load of old china on eBay. If it doesn't sell I will donate to the scouts to sell on the tat stall. Got a pile for the tip.
Got a free flicker scooter some one donated. DS is made up.

Happy anniversary em

Ooh exciting sea, I’ve still go two weeks until my haircut. My hair is the longest it has ever been. It keeps getting caught in my handbag straps 😂 . It may have to be significantly chopped post wedding.

Busy few spendydays. Finally on my summer holidays ✔️

Photographer booked. Wedding hair booked. Off to cake shop this weekend and giving notice to marry tomorrow. Far too many £££s

Just been for my first meal out since before lockdown with an old school friend. School friend has just given up work, had big inheritance years ago and is a frugal person and now investing in property. She is the most chilled I’ve ever seen her. Not jealous much!

Happy anniversary Em!

I have just bought a pile of clothes online to try on. A pretty top and summery dress and all the rest work tops/trousers. My current work wear 2 bobbly tops, a cardie with a hole in and trousers that are dry-clean only which isn't very practical with covid around, I want to be able to wash things very often! I don't think I'll keep everything I've bought but got plenty to try on and can return.
I also ordered dd's school uniform from M&S as the supermarket didn't have much choice and the pinafores I got her from Asda were a really odd fit, simultaneously too large in some places and too small in others! I returned them last week.

DCat1 survived his dental work. He had four teeth out on one side but will have to go back and get more out on the other side. He's a bit subdued tonight. They also tested him for cat flu and the test was clear (he came from a house with 30 odd cats), so that's good news. We normally feed him dry food but we've switched to tinned food temporarily, as dry food would be too hard on his mouth. He scoffed the lot. We've to go back for a check up on Monday.

I survived the vet's bill!

Duchess that's lovely you got to meet up with your Mum. I'm sure she was over the moon to see you at last. It's been so hard on families.

north that particular anniversary is definitely worth celebrating!

Seacow enjoy your trip to the hairdressers.

Sayaka glad you got to the cafe to meet your friend.

Happy anniversary em

Snuggly hope the new clothes suit.

Sssstttteeeeeeaaaaaakkkk