Experiment

Have had a long hard look at our financial situation.

We have had a successful outcome from our insurance company so we are not totally in the mire at the moment, but we have the dreaded fonciere and habitation taxes to pay - we are now in the income bracket for habitation, which we haven't been for the last three years, so that has come as a bit of a shock!

At least himself was up to discussing what we should do.

And so the decision was made to draw just 100 euro a week for our necessary groceries/toiletries/cleaning and what is left at the end of the week will be put in a jar. We are not to use our bank cards!

I have not had to budget like this for a very very long time and I really should have started to do this out here from the beginning, but no, there was too much going on for such discipline.

Should be fun.

First shop was done yesterday and we spent just over 52 euro and purchased enough meat for a couple of weeks, veg for a week as well as dry and tinned goods and, of course, wine.

We should not need to shop until next Monday (fingers crossed).

He is heaps better than he has been in a long time. He has had a change of medication and is now more animated and getting out of his 'shell'. He has been very depressed since being told about his emphysema, I think that maybe he thought that his world was ending, and now this new anti-depressant seems brilliant for him.

I am pleased to see him smiling and thinking for himself again.

The cloud is lifting and it makes me feel a lot better too.