Ruth Rules

Only in Essex would this happen!

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:42:20 +0100

Only in Essex would this happen!

My new KA (he’s called Percy)

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:37:18 +0100

My new KA (he’s called Percy)

My courgettes are growing

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:17:46 +0100

My courgettes are growing

Yoga

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:15:18 +0100

Once upon a time used to be a member of Fitness First. I started to get annoyed with the lack of classes my local FF offered me so left and joined the local leisure centre. Not only was it cheaper to be a member of but I got more for my money. Then they refurbished the gym and I really did not like it. They out treadmills in front of majority of the mirrors leaving only the ‘heavy weights’ section clear. I am not a heavy weights kind of girl and I was very put off going in there by all the big men who were only concerned with lifting more and more! They also re-did the changing rooms and left the showers open, without doors or curtains. Now call me a prude if you want but I like showering in private. All in all it started putting me off the gym and I found myself going less and less. The one thing I was dedicated to thought was my Monday night yoga class.

Yoga gives me such a sense of well being and stretching is really important as I get such a stiff back half of my body. But all in all it seemed like a lot of money to be paying for one class which, since I have started me new job, is not even amazingly convenient to get to. So this got me thinking about how I could still do yoga but at a time more convenient for me. The solution – yoga at home. Now I am the kind of person who need someone telling me what to do in order to do it so yoga at home wasn’t as simple as laying my mat down and cracking on. Then I found, through the joys of google, online yoga classes. I looked through a number of websites and most required a subscription fee to view their videos. YogaYak however offers free online classes. They have a limited number compared to the other paid websites but all the classes I have tried I have thoroughly enjoyed.

This has allowed me to cancel my gym membership, thus saving me money, and allowed me to do my yoga at a time that suits me. That time is getting closer and closer to 10pm every night but at least I am still trying! I think eventually I will pay and download a selection of classes from one of the other websites so I have them to keep and can rotate through the ones I like. But for now I am happy with the ones on YogaYak, especially the back and neck class. The money saved will be going straight onto my credit card to help clear that.

Green Fingers Update

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:51:33 +0100

The courgette plants have now gone into the garden. The big one has rooted well and now has at least 6 leaves! The little one is still little although new leaves are growing, just small ones. Hopefully this will provide us with staggered growths of courgettes. I think we are a long way off that yet though.

The spinach and mixed salad leaves I planted are growing well, although I think some weeds are also growing amongst them which could be an issue when it comes to eating! The spring onions dont seem to have worked at all. I found 2 little shoots that could possibly be spring onions but I am not holding my breath. I need a container to grow them in I think.

I am excited about the prospect of being able to bring salad into work for lunch that has come out of my own garden. I am sure some pictures will follow.

New job, New car

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:38:03 +0100

So I have a new job. It is a contract job working for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. I will be working with in IT training in social care. It should be interesting, and is only for 4 months until my Masters starts. The best part for me though is the money. It is almost double what I was earning working in my last post. And when saving for a Masters the extra money is extra handy. Since it is working in London it does mean I have had to pay out for a season ticket for the commute, which isnt cheap, but I am still making more once you deduct that than I was in my old post.

Which is also a bonus since I just bought my first car :) I need one to commute to and from my Masters so started saving a while ago. Then the idea little car popped up, but it was slightly out of my budget. I would literally never have found as good a deal as I had with this car so my Dad lent me the money. This, plus the insurance, means more debt added to what I owe :( It is rubbish but, fingers crossed, I will be saving in the long run by buying a newer car. It is a 2008 Ford Ka. I get to pick it up on Saturday. A photo will be posted :) I am going to call him Percival, or Percy for short.

Maybe I should give this a go.....

Wed, 19 May 2010 12:12:24 +0100

Maybe I should give this a go.....

Clothing and customising

Wed, 19 May 2010 12:11:07 +0100

So as part of my trying to be frugal I have decided that rather than always buying new clothes I need to get creative with the ones I have. I mean I have tonnes of clothes and I know there is stuff that sits in draws never worn for months and months at a time.

So based on this I have been reading up on a lot of different things to inspire me. Firstly I have been looking at blogs such as whatiwore & Style on a String for some inspiration. I have also been looking at websites such as Thread Banger for ideas on customising.

And they have done a pretty good job of inspiring me! I have found myself putting together outfits that I never have worn before. And planning outfits around an item I know I havent used in months. It is challenging me to be creative with what I have already. It also inspired me to tidy my wardrobe which I did on Sunday.

What I would like to do now is start customising the clothes I currently have and ideally make my own. The problem at the moment is time. I know my mum has her old sewing machine in the garage that I could use and I know I could do it but I am always busy!

I have a couple ideas for some easy projects to do already - I have a pair of trousers that are too short for me so I am going to make them into shorts. I also want to try and make a sleep mask (I keep waking up early due to the sun!) So that, and the fact I am learning to knit, should keep my evenings at home busy!

Budget

Mon, 17 May 2010 14:52:40 +0100

So I sat down yesterday and looked through my current credit card debt and worked out how much was left to clear and how much I would need to put aside each month to clear it ready for my masters. I wont go into massive details as my debt is not something I am proud off. Anyway I have worked out that to clear all my debt and leave me with a little amount of savings for my masters I will have a budget of £200 a month. This is after all my outgoings. So that will be £200 a month for travel, presents, clothing etc. It should prove interesting. I think I can do it but I will def have to give up the shopping. I think I am going to record my spending on here too so I can keep an eye on my spending.

In aid of my new thrifty living I reserved some library books and picked them up today. They are:

The Thrift Book by India Knight
Yeah! I Made it Myself by Eithne Farry
Ultimate Sewing Bible by Marie Clayton

I’ll let you know if I learn anything useful from them!

Blog Number II

Sun, 16 May 2010 21:48:54 +0100

Blog Number II:

I’ve got blogging fever. A different blog for different things.

Letter to fibro, GREAT...i didnt write this.....

Thu, 13 May 2010 09:51:00 +0100

Letter to fibro, GREAT...i didnt write this.....:

I dont have fibromyalgia, I have chronic fatigue syndrom, but it is all under the same ‘umbrella’ and I really thought this was an excellent desciption.

How Does FMS Make Me Feel?From: http://oldghostshome.com/fibro.html

My pain - My pain is not your pain. It is not caused by inflammation. Taking your arthritis medication will not help me. I cannot work my pain out or shake it off. It is not even a pain that stays put. Today it is in my shoulder, but tomorrow it may be in my foot or gone. My pain is believed to be caused by improper signals sent to the brain, possibly due to sleep disorders. It is not well understood, but it is VERY real.

My fatigue - I am not merely tired. I am often in a severe state of exhaustion. I may want to participate in physical activities, but I can’t. Please do not take this personally. If you saw me shopping in the mall yesterday, but I can’t help you with yard work today, it isn’t because I don’t want to. I am, most likely, paying the price for stressing my muscles beyond their capability.

My forgetfulness - Those of us who suffer from it call it fibrofog. I may not remember your name, but I do remember you. I may not remember what I promised to do for you, even though you told me just seconds ago. My problem has nothing to do with my age (Young people can get fibro) but may be related to sleep deprivation. I do not have a selective memory. On some days, I just don’t have any short-term memory at all.

My clumsiness - If I step on your toes or run into you five times in a crowd, I am not purposely targeting you. I do not have the muscle control for that. If you are behind me on the stairs, please be patient. These days, I take life and stairwells one step at a time.

My sensitivities - I just can’t stand it! “It” could be any number of things: bright sunlight, loud or high-pitched noises, odors. FMS has been called the “aggravating everything disorder.” So don’t make me open the drapes or listen to your child scream. I really can’t stand it.

My intolerance - I can’t stand heat, either. Or humidity. If I am a man, I may sweat…profusely. If I am a lady, I perspire. Both are equally embarrassing, so please don’t feel compelled to point this shortcoming out to me. I know. And don’t be surprised if I shake uncontrollably when it’s cold. I don’t tolerate cold, either. My internal thermostat is broken, and nobody knows how to fix it.

My depression - Yes, there are days when I would rather stay in bed or in the house or die. I have lost count of how many of Dr. Kevorkian’s patients suffered from FMS as well as other related illnesses. Severe, unrelenting pain can cause depression, but it is a result of the Fibro.. not a cause of it.. Your sincere concern and understanding can pull me back from the brink. Your snide remarks can tip me over the edge.

My stress - My body does not handle stress well. If I have to give up my job, work part time, or handle my responsibilities from home, I’m not lazy. Everyday stresses make my symptoms worse and can incapacitate me completely.

My weight - I may be fat or I may be skinny. Either way, it is not by choice. My body is not your body. My appestat is broken, and nobody can tell me how to fix it. Often the medication I must take causes weight gain, but many of us with fibro suffer from severe IBS and lose weight.

My need for therapy - If I get a massage every week, don’t envy me. My massage is not your massage. Consider how a massage would feel if that Charley horse you had in your leg last week was all over your body. Massaging it out was very painful, but it had to be done. My body is filled with painful knots. If I can stand the pain, regular massage can help, at least temporarily.

My good days - If you see me smiling and functioning normally, don’t assume I am well. I suffer from a chronic pain and fatigue illness with no cure. I can have my good days or weeks or even months. In fact, the good days are what keep me going.

My uniqueness - Even those who suffer from FMS are not alike. That means I may not have all of the problems mentioned above. I do have pain above and below the waist and on both sides of my body which has lasted for a very long time. I may have migraines or hip pain or shoulder pain or knee pain, but I do not have exactly the same pain as anyone else.

Being sick doesn’t mean I’m not still a human being. I have to spend most of my day in considerable pain and exhaustion, and if you visit I probably don’t seem like much fun to be with, but I’m still me stuck inside this body. I still worry about school and work and my family and friends, and most of the time I’d still like to hear you talk about yours too.

The difference between “happy” and “healthy”. When you’ve got the flu you probably feel miserable with it, but I’ve been sick for years. I can’t be miserable all the time, in fact I work hard at not being miserable. So if you’re talking to me and I sound happy, it means I’m happy. That’s all. It doesn’t mean that I’m not in a lot of pain, or extremely tired, or that I’m getting better, or any of those things. Please, don’t say, “Oh, you’re sounding better!”. I am not better, I am sounding happy. If you want to comment on that, you’re welcome.

Being able to stand up for ten minutes, doesn’t necessarily mean that I can stand up for twenty minutes, or an hour. And, just because I managed to stand up for thirty minutes yesterday doesn’t mean that I can do the same today. With a lot of diseases you’re either paralyzed, or you can move. With this one it gets more confusing.

Repeat the above paragraph substituting, “sitting”, “walking”, “thinking”, “being sociable” and so on … it applies to everything. That’s what FMS/MPS does to you. - Please understand that FMS/MPS is variable. It’s quite possible (for me, it’s common) that one day I am able to walk to the park and back, while the next day I’ll have trouble getting to the kitchen. Please don’t attack me when I’m ill by saying, “But you did it before!”, if you want me to do something then ask if I can. In a similar vein, I may need to cancel an invitation at the last minute, if this happens please do not take it personally.

Look how the courgette plants have grown (1 more than the...

Wed, 12 May 2010 20:38:37 +0100

Look how the courgette plants have grown (1 more than the other!)

Frugal Rules

Wed, 12 May 2010 19:22:08 +0100

So since my last post I have been doing research into frugal living and some rules to live by. I have found the following very helpful: http://www.cesidebtsolutions.org/CESI/blog/246/

Based on that and other reading I have decided that these are the basic frugal rules:

Make do with as little as possible
Learn to sew, mend, reuse what you have
Like what you already have
Do what feels right for you
Find meaning in your frugality
Start with small steps towards saving
Take control of your finances

One thing I have discovered since doing this reading is that I am already doing a pretty good job of being frugal. I already cycle to work as I refuse to pay the £3 a day to get the bus in, take packed lunches with me & tend to drive when I go out at weekends because it is cheaper than getting a taxi and I am not a massive drinker.

So why do I still seem to struggle with saving my money? I think it mostly comes down to to things. Firstly I like buying clothes, a lot! Secondly I have a tendency to just spend what I have in my purse with out keeping tabs of what I am spending it on.

So the plan for the moment is to start keeping a record of everything I spend so I can see where my money is going. And stop buying clothes! From there an action plan can be devised!

Masters & Money

Tue, 11 May 2010 13:11:45 +0100

When I graduated from University I decided that I wanted to become a speech and language therapist but didn’t really know how to go about becoming one. From my research I found out that you can get a masters in speech and language therapy from a number of universities, one being University of Essex, which is very near to me. So I started thinking about what I needed to apply and when to apply. I wont bore you with the whole long story of this process (it took 2 years) but I got on my masters. Which has made me ecstatically happy as I got 1 of 30 places on the course out of 100 people interviewed. So on September 27th I will be starting my course.

This creates another predicament though - money. It is a full time masters so I wont be able to work on top of it and I will only get a small loan amount to live off of. As well as that I will need to buy and run a car. So all in all I am a little worried about my money situation. So I have 5 months left working to save towards this. So I have decided that it is time to start living frugally. Firstly this will allow me to save some money for my masters and it will also help me adjust to life during my masters when I really will have no money!

I decided that by blogging about my ‘frugal’ plans I am more likely to stick to it so from now on I’ll keep this website updated on how this goes and all my pitfalls. Firstly I think I need some rules for my frugal living. I’ll have a think and post them shortly!

My courgette plants.

Thu, 06 May 2010 18:13:50 +0100

My courgette plants.

Green fingers

Thu, 06 May 2010 10:55:46 +0100

So in my family I am notorious for killing plants, especially cactuses. So when, last summer, I suggested growing some salad in the garden my parents were very dubious. But I persevered and the mixed salad leaves grew and were partially successful. I enjoyed growing something, especially something I could reap the benefits of. So this summer I wanted to try again and try branching out a bit. So about 3 weeks ago I planted spinach, spring onions, rocket, mixed salad leaves again & courgettes.

The courgettes are the plants I am most looking forward to growing. I love courgettes and my parents never by them so I figured growing them was the best way to get my courgette fix! So I planted 2 seeds in two little pots which are sitting on the kitchen window ledge waiting to grow. So imagine my excitement when I came downstairs this morning and I saw two little shoots sticking out the soil. I was sure they weren’t going to grow and it made me incredibly happy. I think it is one of the best parts of growing stuff – when the shoots come out!

I’ll keep you posted on their progress!

"I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes…"

Thu, 06 May 2010 10:25:31 +0100

“I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes…”

- Henry David Thoreau (via tressatullis)

My uncles new puppy Molly

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:04:19 +0100

My uncles new puppy Molly

Hungover

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:32:08 +0000

I am hungover today :( and at work :(:( after finishing our work at half 4 yesterday my manager said he was going to buy us a drink to say thanks. She we went to Ancient Lights - a cocktail bar in Chelmsford. To start with a had a couple of glasses of red wine, then moved on to drinking Kir Royales. After about 6 of them shots started being included in the rounds. Only a couple I think! My memory is a little shaky at that point!

It was a good night but I am suffering today. Only 3 hours of work to go…

Cirque part 3

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:17:10 +0000

A delayed response but Cirque du Soleil was AMAZING. The story line was more than a little confusing but the circus-y bits were amazing. I could go in to masses of detail but you can just find it on you tube which is infinitely easier!!