Hello. How are you? Sorry I’ve not been around lately. I have been so busy over the last couple of months that I haven’t had the time or energy to write my blog. I’ve basically been busy sorting out things for the extension (which is getting there, I am hoping it will be finished within the next three weeks), home life and I’ve started an OU course in English Literature and Creative Writing. Added to that, we are currently living in extremely trying living conditions…I have boxes of stuff everywhere, I can’t access certain things (my desk for one) and normal living is difficult, especially when I can’t find anything. We don’t have a shower – but we do have a bath – and my kitchen has only this week gotten worktops and, more importantly, heating. And it has been freezing downstairs. Luckily I can shut the heat in the living room and have been camping out there during the day. However, there are worst things and this ‘pain’ will not last much longer…I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Anyway, apart from living in a house that looks like a tornado has blown through it what with the boxes of stuff and building detritus and dust everywhere, we are doing great. Life is trundling along and we are looking forward to the spring. My garden is a hellhole – it served as a storage facility for building materials (front and back) – but it will recover over the coming months. Despite the stuff everywhere, spring flowers are already showing their little spears of green and I’m looking forward to their annual show. The dogs, in case you are wondering, are still as mischievous and fun as always. Our guinea pig is still hail and hearty… he must be well over eight now, which is ANCIENT in guinea pig terms. He is fat, bright eyed and full of life. I wonder what his secret is!!
What else has been happening? Well, I’ve just finished binge watching Burn Notice, which is a US show about a burned spy trying to clear his name. I loved it. Can’t believe I missed it the first time around. Now that that is over, I am looking for another tv series to binge watch. Any suggestions?
Also read Kit Marlowe’s Dr Faustus as part of my OU course. It was great, better than I thought it would be. I always like Shakespeare, but had never read or seen a Marlowe play. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I have it as a DVD so am going to watch it soon…probably next week when the kids are still languishing in bed (they are off school next week). They’ll only moan if I watch it when they are around.
I am toying with the idea of having a no spend month…that’s a month where you only spend money on essentials and save on stuff you don’t need like eating out or sweets or magazines. I think this family could do with a bit of self control with money… my kids seem to think I have loads of cash to spend on them. I don’t, but that doesn’t stop them asking for money for sweets. Yes, the idea of having a no spend month is looking even more attractive the more I think about it. The idea comes from some of the frugality blogs I read especially Living Well Spending Less by the splendidly named Ruth Soukup…I read Ruth’s book about spending less and it has some great tips.
Anyway, that’ll be something for when the extension is done.
Right, on that note, I am going to say adieu until next time. See you soon…promise!
Dawn xxx
