And that was that

Summer's over in my mind as September is here in the morning, and my birthday month is [in my mind, anyway] autumnal, sunny and bright but fresh and a wee bit windy, leaves on the ground, conkers to collect soon, a sharpness in the air, and the smell of woodsmoke from the fires on the chillier evenings. The nights are drawing in, and the clock change is on the horizon. Harvest festivals abound.

(image from kardsunlimited.com)

August has been a busy time but we are ending it in a good way. The EF [Education First] girls are happy with their lot here: having heard dire stories of other host families, they are of the opinion that they have fallen on their feet. What they will make of the school will be another thing, but we are welcoming them, and enjoying their company. In a strange way, they make us better versions of ourselves, and that is good.  We have enjoyed long talks over dinner the last two evenings, and they have kept my girls off their laptops for hours, as they have been chatting away and exchanging stories, comparing lives and prices in their home countries - we are fast learning that Denmark is a very expensive place to live and they pay 50% income taxes!  I think the Danish girl is going to need another suitcase to take all her loot home with her as she wants to make the most of the good prices here - and her mum would like some golden syrup for her baking as it is hard to get hold of over there, she says!

(image from theguardian.com)

August has been wet, and the grass has grown like mad - my dad has finally rung up today and said that he knows that there is a petrol mower at UJ's house that was his [my dad's], and he will see if he can get it working for me - hooray!  It will beat all the huffing and puffing with the poor little electric one that I have at the moment.

Finances always take a hit in the summer, and I have just paid £180 odd to BT for my annual line rental so that is another stone in the road - but at least it is paid for another year.  And it saves a bit.  I was too late on Saturday to share that the Lidl voucher was in the newspapers, or at least the ones which carry the Lidl News supplement.  I didn't read the paper and find it until Sunday!  There was £5 off when you spend £40 - BUT when I went in to spend mine today, I noticed that there are heaps of the little pamphlet as you exit the store, so perhaps you can pick one up if it would be helpful to you - it is valid until the 6th September.  I shall be back on the wagon, tracking spending like a hawk, and making every penny count. I hope to be able to make some serious savings this month, although I don't get the girls' food allowance paid until the very beginning of October, so it is paid in arrears.

New job starts tomorrow - thanks for your good wishes - I shall report back!  Thank you xx