It would be great to see you as well Ginnny. .
HW, I do know what you mean about feeling out of control. That's SO important to one's wellbeing. I felt like that through much of my marriage, that I was a great wife and mother but I didn't feel like ME. When things are difficult with DP now, I think what bugs me most, again, is feeling that I don't know what's going on - and losing a handle on my life sucks!
Incidentally, if you do try HRT, one of my close friends who had an hysterectomy in her mid 30s, recommended the patches. They transformed her life! (I went through a mini menopause when I had chemo, then had to go through it all again, but in milder form, 10 years later & seem to be ok so far).
Baffy, sorry to say your bills could be right. DP keeps complaining about ours too, and in my old flat I only paid about £50 a month, but now it's more like £150, and that's with most of our bulbs changed to energy saving, turning off lights and standbys etc. We cook with elect., no tumble drier but I do use the dishwasher a few times a week and the elect comes to about £50 - but the heating etc is a new combiboiler and boy, it's expensive! I set up a DD for £100 a month for gas, and that seems to work out about right . We have a small Victorian house, but being an old one, it is less 'green' than a newbuild, no cavity walls, no double glazing, etc. And I can't bear being cold so the heating HAS to be on when I'm home! I've changed suppliers about 3 times since we moved but the price rises seem to follow me!