Monday 3 February 2014

New Years Resolutions 2014.

So G is eager for me to point out to anyone who I happen to mention it to that he has not asked me to do this. It is something I have decided that he feels is pointless.

I am cutting back my spending and limiting myself to £1per day. Resolution 2014.

Some of my friends might say, I'm playing poor but it is intended for me to get a handle on my spending and not leaving the bill to G.
I don't think twice before picking up a T shirt for the girls, or buying something in the charity or buying wool or some other craft materials and actually I have nothing to show for it and no clue how much I spend.

Luckily I don't buy magazines or drink coffee so I am not loosing money in Starbucks but I think I still have a problem.

I cheated a little on New Years eve and hit the shops, buying SPF's for the summer, pants and socks, a few sale items including a stupid amount of hair bands.
To be honest I had three pairs of crap pants and socks and I was likely to hit an underwear breakdown before I saved enough for new knickers. Everyone needs an SPF on the face and seeing as I am sensitive to a lot of products it would probably take me forty days to save for that tube of cream. Luckily I found a new product, much cheaper so bought two tubes and a face wash!

On the 4th of January, LH invited me antiquing in her town. How was I going to manage that with £4?
I explained the £ to her over a home cooked ham chowder, the Vegetarian resolution from 2013 now finally over and then hit the flea markets.


Linen towels, enamel and baskets all a weakness for me but I have variations so I don't need it and don't miss it.

A few other things poke my interest.


I like these waste paper baskets.

What happens next there are no photos for.
Except this one of the most lovely prints that get my heart beating.


There on the shelf on SALE are beautiful muted Christmas prints, loads of them at £6 per meter.
WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE???
Well none says LH, you've only got the £4.
It briefly hits me that I've bragged New Years Resolution chat over lunch and getting round it/her, here, might not be so easy. Loads of people try and quit the fags in January and fail, what would it matter just this once if a bought £50 worth of cloth.
I forget who I am with,,,, and so has she!

I approach the counter to get the story straight.
£6 per yard, what is the smallest amount I can buy? I figure I can leave with 3 prints and get my fix.
As it's on sale, 50cm minimum cut.
I restrain from screaming at upper middle class post menopause and return to the shelf to make my selection, picking up three or so bales and bursting into floods of tears.
Turning to LH and saying, you don't understand cloth is my cheese.
It's my weakness and LH comforts me now understanding fully.
Tears flow.
Never mind she says, you can buy some next year.
No, I sob, these patterns will not be available next year, it's called a textile industry.
I buy half a meter of teabag colour cloth with a small dark grey star.

I hatch a plan to avoid parking charges and come back within the week and get another meter.

We carry on.




Look FMH! Such a pretty tree.

When it is time to return home. My cloth is in my pocket, in a paper bag. It is raining and the bag is in my hand, brown paper is a weakness also and I feel for the first time ever that I have made an un gluttonous purchase.
I like the feeling.
As it happens I have spent only £12.35 this month most of that is on cloth. 
Will plod along over the next few months to see if a real saving is made. G says it is quite normal for me to go a while spending nothing but then I can't spend quick enough.

What's nice is another mum at the school gate, is also doing no unnecessary spending, apparently you can have too many white shirts for work.

I think I am a bit high from it.

CM


and here is a really BIG Dump.




I am sure we had the best tree ever and it was the display model.



The girls went through all the decorations and literally threw the ornaments on the tree in clusters and there they stayed until I, lonesome, packed it all away.


Twas twinkly most evenings.

The girls had a joint party briefly, really stressful, but the party bags looked amazing.


P's birthday is right before Christmas, she wanted to go ice skating, my ankle said no, so we dragged in the Lion Man as extra parent. P never wants to go again, T is well up for it at the most annoying moments.


I think having your birthday around Christmas sucks unless you are Jesus.


Christmas pretty much rocked this year.
G asked me what type of 'Day' did I want and I read him the passage from Ballet Shoes. He looked at me as if I was crazy.
Ultimately we went for something that kept him out the kitchen for hours. He usually cooks at Christmas. The kids don't like a roast dinner that much and by not cooking it he can enjoy their company.
As it happened they received a Robot Fish each and they spent most of the day in the bathroom swimming them round the tub. I knitted and G read and the TV didn't go on till about 8.
Amazing and beyond stress free.


The girls got bow an arra's, and so did G. His more of a weapon and has to be carved yet.
P wanted one of those flashing badges and we have put it away for next year.



T is all about the joke, can't stop telling and laughing at the non gag.


My family came for Christmas on the Eve. And that's a strange event that I am not sure I will repeat in the same way. Mum and I have only ever done Christmas on the one day, there was never enough of us to do more. Whilst the day was lovely, and the company wonderful and it was special, when we sat down for lunch you didn't get the feeling that so was the rest of the country. Because you could hear the rush outside.
I think next time if celebrations are to happen on the Eve then it should be from the very late afternoon, when everyone can't DO anything else and it is a bit more twinkly.



These are my most two favourite photos from the holidays.


More pics of me with the girls in 2014 me thinks and my skin looks great.

CM