22 January 2019, update.

It’s now been a month since I stopped taking tramadol and I think I’m finally done with the side effects. I’ve not had a brain zap in a while and my mood has lifted. I’m able to concentrate [as well as I ever did anyway 😂] and I’m sleeping better.

Works going well too and my girls are picking up the new things brilliantly.

That’s not to say January hasn’t thrown us a few curve balls…. MrH’s motorbike had needed a new exhaust 😡. If we wanted to put a genuine Kawasaki replacement the parts alone were priced at over £650, then there would be the cost of fitting it on top. We have opted for a different make saving £400 on the parts but the fitting cost is still to be confirmed.

The engine warning light on my car decided to stay on permanently and an argument with a pothole caused some damage to the airbag sensor a few weeks ago too. We decided that, as she is 16 years old, has almost 98,000 miles on the clock and is starting to show it, the time has come to replace her.

So, new exhaust for the bike and a new car means we won’t be going to any expensive hotels any time soon!

That is of course part of being grown up though isn’t it. Making compromises and deciding what’s most important.

Our son [who turns 21 in October this year and is still at home] is doing his forklift truck licence this week and all being well he will soon be gainfully employed. This means three things…

He will be out of the house in the day time and if we take time off work we can play freely

He will have money to go out on a weekend with friends more often so we can play freely

He will eventually leave home and we can change the locks and play freely!

Now don’t get me wrong I love my boys, I wouldn’t be without them. But I am really looking forward to MrH and I having the house to ourselves!!!