What's on the menu today

1. Finish freelance job for tomorrow
2. Feed cats, feed me*, tidy house, bake for visitors
3. Spend time giggling with the Clap-along girls and other knitterly visitors who are descending this afternoon.  Yes, I started over.  With stitch markers, in the Debbie Bliss silk. We'll see how it  goes on the increases section with this version - hopefully the stitches will drop better and I'll get it right!
   
   
   
4. Iron the two baskets of laundry that have been sitting there for a while now, ahem, and which were unearthed during the epic housecleaning and laundry marathon yesterday
5. Head off to watch the Bourne Flimflammery, or whatever the last one is called, with Jen (Matt Damon - phwoar, frankly)
6. Make some more appointments for the flat next week - I'm trying to get in there to do some final measuring up.  I have been stressing the estate agent about various last points and have to do it by email as I can't really make personal calls at work.  And of course emails can come across as being stroppy.  So it was delightful last night when I met my estate agent in the queue for the loos at Prince** and the first thing she said was 'I read your email this morning...'... bee-atch... This is the second time I've run into her and both times I've been with Ting.  So she thinks I only have one friend or we are a couple.

Do you think there will be enough hours in the day (given it's already 10:30?)  Well that's what happens when you procrastinate and hang out on a limb (not just today) waiting to see how this or that or the other thing will pan out, not just today but recently, and for a while now.  Some things I'd been hoping for now won't be happening but easy come, easy go.  Now it's time - no, really, the deadline has passed -  to embrace and be positive about the options that are open to me - like buying my little flat. I am SCARED TO DEATH about it because it's kind of madness but if I don't do it now, I'll never be able to afford to buy somewhere.  I am extremely fortunate in that my parents are able to help me financially for a while, but jesus, I am 33.  When am I going to turn into a grown up?

*It's also time to get myself in shape physically and possibly mentally.  I've tried going back to WW on a number of occasions now and can't stick with it, for some reason, though I know it does work but I guess I wasn't fully committed to it.  Head stuck in the sand - or the bag of crisps.  A friend recently told me she'd lost 20 lbs and I thought 'Oh my god that's amazing, well done!'  My next thought was 'And f*** me, I found them!  They're on my hips and thighs right now.'  How many times have I said that I have to change this? Well probably not enough times.  I may be boring you all rigid with it over the next while.  Or I may say nothing at all.  I have to get over the fact that I've made things somewhat worse over the past three months and now it's only going to be harder.  And to borrow a phrase, just do it.

The other thing I have to face up to is my financial health.  It's pretty much terminal.  I have to accept that I need to make major changes to my lifestyle because it is time to face up to the fact that even if I get the salary I am targetting, it will only pay for my basics and not for the amount of socialising or fabric buying I've been indulging in. Being in debt just scares me, particularly as it's not especially good debt - it's lifestyle debt.  But one thing I'm going to be investigating for the new flat is Sky Plus - because I'm going to be spending a lot of time at home! 

** Ok, so Prince didn't play very long, which was disappointing but he was just amazing, he does ooze sex appeal and he's a superb showman.  Highlights were Controversy, Pop Life, Let's Go Crazy, a snatch of DMSR, Raspberry Beret and U Got the Look.  I'm off to crank up the stereo with some of the Prince albums I bought last week, (lifestyle spending!!!)  and get it all started around here...

Comments

[Sarah]

Good luck with the buying the flat! Parental help is all good, I have no idea when (or where) I'll buy what with my current nomadic lifestyle, but it'll have to be with parental help when I do.

As for the eating, what is it with us crafty ladies? I think we need to treat making and eating food as a crafty endeavour too - put time, effort and thought into it. Although I don't need to lose any weight, I do need to start eating better and I LIKE cooking - so it shouldn't be that hard, right?

[claire]

I'm hearing you loud and clear on a good few of these points, Ms Flib!

It's nearly Autumn though, which is always the perfect time for gathering on sofas and watching trashy tv while knitting/sewing. Goddess knows we have plenty of supplies to see us through xx

[Jade]

Hmmm, the fabric buying does make a significant dent into the bank account, doesn't it? And isn't the cold weather upon you soon? Which means lots of indoor time actually making inroads into the stash and other similar activities. I reckon cable TV is a lifesaver. How else can I get through late night sewing?! Good luck with the flat and the healthy eating (I gotta get into that, too)!

[Claire (Bahrain)]

There is one thing that I'm dreading about coming back to the UK is... all the money that I will spend on fabric and supplies that I can't get here.
But don't spend your time worrying, things will gather at their own pace and come together nicely. All you will do is make yourself ill. Definately a good idea to get the curtains made before you move in though. And to finish of, aren't parents great!!!!

[Ting]

"and both times I've been with Ting. So she thinks I only have one friend or we are a couple"...

or that you take your Filippino maid everywhere instead of leaving her locked up in the shed at the bottom of the garden!