Tuesday 13 October 2015

Home and Away

As I mentioned in my last post it was G's birthday on Thursday and we had the day off together on Friday.
G decided we should go down to Gosport. It's been a while since we last visited, 5 years ago in actual fact!
We started off with a coffee and because it had been his birthday G had a cheesecake with his, very nice it was too.
Neither of us had been to a Coffee#1 before but we would certainly go again.
My decaf mocha was one of the tastiest I've ever had.
The decoration inside was fab too, with the nautical touches it was certainly very much in keeping with the area.
G wanted to visit the vinyl record store he had found out about and we had a leisurely mooch before stopping for lunch and then heading home.


Saturday morning a very colourfully dressed S and I went out together.


We walked over the very big bridge where you could get an excellent view of our destination. The Saints football stadium. I love that if you're in the garden on a match day, and if the wind is blowing in the right direction, the sound of the cheering and singing of the crowd floats over for us to hear.



Stood at the front of the stadium is a statue of local footballing hero Ted Bates.
This is the second statue, the first was roundly criticised and was replaced with this current one.
We weren't at the stadium for a match though, the reason for our visit was a vintage fair.


We made a few purchases, a couple of presents were bought and a couple of small items for ourselves too. One of the things I bought for me was this little button, he only cost 30p. I have glued a metal clasp on the back and turned him into a brooch.



Sunday morning we popped to the car boot. Not much to be had, just a couple more things for S. I really should try and do a post about our recent buys there. I tend to chuck them in the wash and then forgot to snap them to go on here. 

We were on the look out for school skirts this weekend but nothing we found was suitable. We've come to a decision about S's senior school for next year and so we just need to fill in the online form and then wait until the Spring to find out if we've been allocated our first choice. 
The school we have chosen has a stricter uniform code and in preparation I am starting to put a little bit of money away each month to help with the cost. 
Ever since I started work I have budgeted my money and am constantly recalculating amounts I need to set aside for those regular ones like Christmas and one off costs like G's 50th birthday next year. 
A big birthday deserves a big treat and I've been saving for quite a while now towards a trip to New York. It's somewhere he has always wanted to go. Part of me wanted to keep it a secret for longer but I know telling him now was the right thing to do.
So keeping to that budget is a definite must.


13 comments:

  1. Glad to hear that G had a good birthday, that cheesecake looks delicious and I hope he managed to pick something up at the vinyl record store. What a great idea turning the birdie button in to a brooch, it's so cute. Fingers crossed that S gets the school she wants, uniform is such an expense though, isn't it? You've done so well with your savings, a trip to New York, wow. I'm sure G will be thrilled with that. It's Mick's 50th next year too but he won't be getting a trip to New york!

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  2. New York is fabulous. Make sure you have comfy shoes!!

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  3. How wonderful to go to New York! Glad you had a nice day out for G's Birthday. It sounds like you had a good weekend altogether! I must start to save the pennies too but need to earn some first! :-) x

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  4. Pleased to hear the birthday celebrations were enjoyed. I too love cheesecake ... and use this low carb recipe http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/lime-and-vanilla-cheese-cake-low-carb.html

    I do hope you get your school choice it can be quite stressful waiting to hear, and everything seems to be done online these days.

    Exciting to be saving and planning a trip to New York.

    Enjoy the rest of your week.

    All the best Jan

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  5. I'm glad G had a good birthday! New York will be an amazing birthday trip! I'm good with a budget too - I manage our finances and save a little each month in separate funds for car expenses, christmas, clothes/shoes, general savings - everything really, so that as and when expenses occur, we have money set aside for it.
    I love the last photo in this post too - is it a wallet?!

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  6. I am glad you had a nice time for G's birthday! I spy a very nice TARDIS blue jacket on S!!!
    I hope you get the school choice- it's always an anxious time- I didn't get my first choice and had to go to appeal when I was in year 6!
    Been wearing my lovely grey scarf all day today. I keep it in my handbag handy if I forget to put on enough clothes if I am cold and this morning I put it on and it stayed on all day- some kids admired it!!x

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  7. Happy birthday to G! Coffee and cheesecake and a day out sound grand. And to have New York to look forward to will be a real motivator in terms of putting money aside, it's really a wonderful place to visit. xxx

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  8. That cheesecake looks scrummy ! Planning for New Your sounds exciting. School uniforn is so expensive especially if there is a blazer to buy. I hope you get your choice of school for S xx

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  9. Fingers crossed you get the school you want. Wow a Birthday trip to New York! I've been 3 times and it is fabulous. You will walk miles and come back exhausted, but it is worth it. x

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  10. I thought you had gone mad for a moment going to a football ground! New York!!!! Now that does sound fab! That'll be worth saving for xxxxxxx

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  11. Good luck with the school, and sensible sensible woman putting pennies aside for the uniform; it is so expensive!!
    Planning for New York must be fun, what a brilliant thing to look forward to!

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  12. Hello. I'm new to your blog, found my way here via Jo at Through the Keyhole. I like your bird brooch, and that cheesecake looks very yummy. Good luck with the school for your daughter and for the birthday trip to New York. Have a great week! Marion

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  13. Oooh, New York, how exciting!! It's a place that's been on my wishlist forever. x

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