ferrousland.com - single mumming news
i was initially resisting having a category which would be about me being a single mum, but i think that maybe one day in the future i'd like to look back & read all about it, so here it is.
only the fifteen most recent entries in this category are shown below. to see other entries in this category use the navigation to the right.
March 27, 2008
slightly depressed - 08:19 AM
i've been feeling a little bit down lately. i wouldn't go as far to say that i'm actually suffering from depression, but i think i'm just feeling a bit down because i'm a bit stressed about money.
my income has dropped since shroom isn't working at the moment & it's making a big difference. neither of us are starving (i would always go hungry myself before i let smiley go hungry, even if it did come down to that!), but it's coming down to the wire every week.
my rent is going up soon, too, by an extra $20 a week! i still live in one of the cheapest areas around, but that extra $20 is going to be hard to find. at the time of it going up, that'll be a total of $35 dollars that it's gone up since i moved into this place in november 2006. i am looking into ways i can earn a little bit extra, so hopefully i'll have some income soon.
there are still things that can 'give' financially, if i need more cash in the meantime, but that last thing that can give is what keeps me sane: my crochet. i have a weekly yarn budget so that i can have something to crochet all the time. if it comes down to it, then i'll just not buy any yarn that week, but it's the only 'me' thing i have, so i don't want to give that up.
i avoid looking at my bank balance online because it just makes me feel more down when i see how much money i don't have even before the end of the week.
when smiley's with me, i'm fine—i'm happy & feel like my usual self—but when he goes to visit his nanna & poppy & he's not here, then i miss him like crazy & feel lonely & kind of at a loose end & unmotivated to do much of anything .. except crochet. i still want to do that.
i guess i should keep an eye on it to make sure i don't actually fall into a real depressed state. even if i was depressed, there's no way i would take medication for depression, even if i could afford to pay for it. there are so many awful side effects from that stuff. i've heard too many stories from people who've been on the roller coaster ride of trying to find the 'right' medication for depression.
i've read that exercise is as effective (if not more effective) for treating depression as drugs, so maybe when i feel down i should go & take a walk. since i usually only feel that way when smiley's not here anyway, then i'm perfectly able to take a brisk walk.
i might do that now, actually. i need some more bread, anyway, so now is the perfect time.
March 26, 2008
tacos & a corona - 06:33 PM
smiley's having a sleep over at his nanna & poppy's place tonight. for dinner, i made tacos with fresh guacamole &—since i'm not responsible for a young child this evening—i had a corona as well.
i sat in front of the tv with my dinner & had my beer while i watched a show on the abc by a chef travelling through france.
what a nice way to spend an evening.
.. but i wish that i had someone to share with it with.
all in good time, i guess.
February 25, 2007
no one else to bounce off - 10:14 PM
one of the more taxing things i'm finding about being a single mum just at the moment is being the only one around when smiley's sick. in typical cold style, he's pretty much fine during the day, but come night time & he gets rather whingy & needy.
everything he does, he wants help with it. everything he tries, he can't do it & gets all complainy about it. ever just going up the stairs, he half lies down & wants me to drag or carry him up. (mind you, that stair thing is pretty normal, he's just more whingy about it when he's sick.)
when there are two people for a sick kid to rely on, then the load is shared somewhat, even if not evenly. i did okay today because he spent a fair wack of the day at nanna & poppy's house, so it was nice to have a break. he was really good all though, from what i heard .. again, it's that feeling-miserable-at-night sort of cold.
thankfully, he's gone to sleep now (relatively early for him) so i'm taking the opportunity to take a break & have some 'me time' before i go to sleep.
February 05, 2007
cheap groceries this week - 10:46 AM
hmm. $44 for groceries. think i can swing it?
at least the bills & rent are paid. i'm glad i didn't promise smiley any special treats this week. 
November 13, 2006
short this week - 02:24 PM
hmm. new category, do you see? i'll repeat here what i wrote in the category description:
"i was initially resisting having a category which would be about me being a single mum, but i think that maybe one day in the future i'd like to look back & read all about it, so here it is."
so my first entry in this new category is about being short of money this week. i'm not loking for sympathy or help, i'm just recording my feelings & thoughts for posterity & for my own benefit.
i'm lucky enough to live in a country where the government supports a stay-at-home-mum. i certainly can't complain about the amount of money i'm getting, but while shroom is unemployed & not able to pay child support, i can feel the difference. mind you, now that csa (child support agency) know of his situation, hopefully they'll increase my payments a bit.
it's my own fault, really. i suppose i hadn't really thought ahead enough to realise that i'd not have a lot spare this week. you see, on a two weekly cycle, one week i get a bigger 'pay' than the next week. that's because one payment is the family tax benefit & the other is single parenting payment & some other thing of which i can't quite recall the name.
if i'd thought properly about it last week, when i got the cash back for my returned weather shield things for the car, i would have kept some for this week. oh well, i would also have missed out on getting the house set up well & would be very frustratated this week at not being able to do things properly & having stuff everywhere .. as well as being poor.
i have enough for groceries & petrol (as long as i don't make any long trips anywhere), but only because i reduced the loan repayments to my mum & audrey. fortunately, they're family & they love me anyway, especially if i let them know rather than just not paying them as much.
i'm not whinging or complaining. i'm just stating facts so that i'll remember this for next time & be more prepared. lol!! 
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