Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

nimbo · 16 January 2017 at 11:25PM

The balsamic vinegar with some oil would be epic with home made bread dipped in it?

And bread and butter and jam pudding....

Sorry I e been reading the diaries for inspiration. I can't be any help with the mortguage overpayment ideas yet. But I seem to be fiaxating on the food ideas. Haha.

themadvix · 17 January 2017 at 2:28PM

Hi Nimbo :hello: thanks for popping by. Absolutely agree about the bread, oil and vinegar combo - we love it... but.... there's only so much homemade bread with oil and vinegar we should eat! And the main problem is we forget to do it. Having said that, we've managed to get through about a third of a bottle now, since I discovered the backlog!

A tiny bit of work done so far today, and answered a query from a client. The PM's speech this morning has been very concerning, from a business (and everything else) point of view. It seems Brexit is going to be as bad as possible for my work. In the meantime, I imagine the £ has just dipped again, so I'll make the most of it short term. Between May and Trump, I'm thinking NZ is looking very appealing.... but is it far enough?!

In cheerier news, I have mainly spent the morning cuddling niece

A few other jobs done and I'm about to start looking at car insurance as we've had the renewal through this morning - it's a multicar one, so we have the joy of price comparisons for two cars to do!

Off to give blood for the first time this afternoon :eek: Looking forward to the chocolate biccie afterwards (and focusing on that!). Went with my friend just after Christmas and although there wasn't an appointment for me then, I felt less worried about it all having seen the process... So hopefully it will all go smoothly later.

I will have to get fuel on the way - that £25 didn't last me long

And unfortunately I think it might be a fairly heavy month for it - meeting friend for lunch tomorrow, Brownies each Friday, and no doubt visiting sister and niece a few more time ... Will have to combine that with other things!

Things I am grateful for today
* cuddles with gorgeous niece
* sunshine!:j:T:j:T
* having done my homework already for evening class tonight!
* phone call with my great aunt this morning

themadvix · 18 January 2017 at 11:35AM

Hmm.... blood giving itself went well - felt fine, no problems.... and then yesterday evening I became better acquainted with my kitchen floor! Fortunately I realised I was going to faint, so I'd managed to sit myself down. Felt terrible for the rest of the evening, but hopefully it can be avoided next time - I'd not had any more to drink when I got home, which the advice says to do, and then I got up quickly and walked into the very hot kitchen - a combination of things that probably didn't do me any good. Am still feeling fragile this morning, so taking it easy (in between dealing with cats and postmen and window cleaner - why does he always know to turn up when I'm having a bit of a lazy day?!).

Have done a little bit of work this morning, still waiting for the proper projects to arrive (glad they're not here today though). Having lunch with a friend later - hoping I feel a bit stronger by then. Was going to park for free and walk to restaurant, but now thinking health takes precedence here, so will be paying extortionate price to park but know I'll get to the restaurant without passing out!

Not a lot of moneysaving expected today.

Things I am grateful for:
* my normal good health - I can imagine how frustrating poor health must be!
* sunshine for a second day in a row!
* seeing Dad's neighbours at the blood donation place - saved me from sitting stressing on my own whilst waiting.
* the same man taking my blood who took my friend's in December when I went with her - he's lovely.

Watty1 · 18 January 2017 at 10:33PM

Hope you are feeling brighter. And well done for giving blood

themadvix · 19 January 2017 at 1:00PM

Thanks Watty - I was feeling brighter, but have now acquired a cold.... Woe is me!

Lunch yesterday with friend was good- £10 (we had a voucher, of course!) + £3 parking and all I had for tea was a bowl of cereal. DH had leftovers from the night before (as I'd not eaten much) so no wastage there.

Today I am *still* taking it easy

Have done a little bit of work - a proper chunk is due to arrive this evening. Have also ordered something from Am from my mum's birthday tomorrow - it's a big birthday and a small present as she doesn't really have anything in mind. Will save the rest of the budget and treat her throughout the year I think. We're meant to be having lunch tomorrow to celebrate, but I won't be going if I feel like this

I need to go out soon - got to get the cat's chicken I ordered from the butchers. Don't really feel like going anywhere though! Before the cold fully hit yesterday evening I did manage to pop to Sains on the way home so at least we won't starve (or, more worryingly, run out of toilet roll!). DH will be cooking again tonight!

Job for this afternoon (apart clearing up the bombsite that is our kitchen), is to look at car insurance as I still haven't done this. And probably start another book (finished reading the latest this morning) - it's the only thing to do when ill!

themadvix · 22 January 2017 at 12:40PM

Finally feeling much better! Friday was a washout - didn't even get to Brownies, but at least that saved me some fuel. Instead I sat and watched the most depressing thing on TV, the inauguration. Had leftover curry from Tuesday night for dinner and slowly began to feel better. Missed lunch for my Mum's birthday though

Yesterday I took mum out for a cuppa and cake - £10.15 spent, but very necessary. Bought a couple of bits in WR too that were needed. Got home to find DH, his brother (with my belated birthday pressie

) and that one cat had been sick and the other wasn't feeling well (he didn't want a treat - he is obsessed with food!). Turns out they'd got into the kitchen and gorged on day-old chicken fat (I'd managed to cook off their chicken on Friday, but had left the mess for the next day

). Ill kitty spent the whole day moping, until we were about to leave for Uncle's (mum's twin) birthday do and then threw up everywhere.... why do we always turn up to social occasions with excuses for being late related to our pets bodily functions?! :eek::o:rotfl: (Not sure which is most appropriate here!). Had a great evening, took bottle of fizz from stores for present, so no spend bar the card. DH drove, so I got to enjoy a glass or two :beer:

It's a beautiful, if very cold, day here today, so we're going to head off for a walk shortly. Man has been to quote for fitting carpet on stairs and landing - it's going to be more expensive than I was expecting, although probably not if I'd actually thought about it properly.

Dinner will be 'roast' sausages or toad in the hole with roast veggies. Will enjoy having a relaxing, homey Sunday

Things I'm grateful for:
* feeling better - hooray!!
* cats feeling better - hooray!!
* gorgeous sunny day - a chance to get some vitamin D
* scented candles.... removing the delightful smell of cat sick
* an ancient Vax to clean the carpets!

ETA: I'm not sure where the money saving comes into this post - erm.... we're eating dinner from stores?!

themadvix · 23 January 2017 at 6:47PM

Have spent today catching up on the work that I didn't get done last week - both projects handed back to clients now, which is a relief. Also manage to fit in various housework tasks and taking my Dad to and from a hospital appointment. Dad had had to starve himself for the procedure, so was starving afterwards and took me to one of my favourite pubs for lunch - I had a huuuuge fish finger sandwich (less Birdseye, more handmade, not-that-small pieces of cod in doorstep bread and chips), so no dinner required for me! Have got DH a Christmas turkey curry out of the freezer instead of planned casserole.

On the money saving front (feeling the need for a bit of focus, this diary has been off topic for too long):
* £3 PC survey completed
* VB, 1P and YSP checked regularly and surveys done
* 50p YG survey done
* 2 items sold on the Bay... some bizarre payment shenanigans going on, but we'll get there (buyer seems lovely, but these people who have second homes in Spain do like to complicate matters!)
* work done
* free lunch

Did have to top up fuel to take Dad to appointment - mainly because we'd used my car over weekend, rather than DH's. As he's paying all the cc bills, it's neither here nor there really. He has a hire car tomorrow, so will save on some fuel there.

Have just checked my pension and the money in there has grown quite nicely in the nine months since I opened it - up nearly £1000 on what I put in/tax relief. Unfortunately I then decided to log into ISA and so far I've lost 40p

DH did car insurance quotes last night, so I think I need to ring current provider and haggle - he's found it for £454 and the renewal is £547. It will be interesting to see if they're prepared to match it.

Things I'm grateful for:
* Dad's procedure showed the all-clear, great news after the concern since his friend has been diagnosed with cancer.
* lovely lunch
* work finished!
* kitty cuddles
* new series of NCIS on Channel 5

and we hadn't realised so still have Saturday's episode to catch up on
Right, must have a quick catch up on diaries!

themadvix · 25 January 2017 at 12:50PM

Yesterday I posted the bay of E parcels, at last, and decluttered some rags to the charity shop and broken electrical bits to the recycling - it felt good to get them out of the house. E bay man overpaid P&P in the end for postage to UK - so after I'd posted it I refunded him the extra bar 40p - he didn't seem to expect anything back and having spent quite a bit of time faffing on it, I decided this was a fair compromise.

DH worked from home yesterday afternoon - so we enjoyed a nice cooked lunch from stores, which used up the last of the leeks and carrots from the last veg box. Veggie bolognese for dinner tonight, which I'll make enough of to turn into chilli tomorrow. Butter beans (the last bean jar in the cupboard) have been soaking overnight, so I need to cook them off and freeze them - they're so much more useful when you can just chuck a few in from frozen. I baked bread and some biccies yesterday too, so we've got plenty to eat in the house (this used up the end of a jar of ground ginger - another jar gone!)

Next on to-do list is to ring the car insurance company about out renewal... at last.

themadvix · 25 January 2017 at 12:54PM

Well, scrap that - car insurance co is having system issues - website is down and phones are overloaded. Better get off of here and actually do some actual jobs then!

themadvix · 26 January 2017 at 3:19PM

Made a huge batch of bolognese yesterday - DH had some for lunch today, I had a tiny bit for lunch (on toast, mmm) and there's enough to make more than two portions of chilli tonight (depends how many beans we add!). Hopefully there'll be enough to pop some in the freezer.

Didn't ring insurance company in the end - once they'd got their system back online it said there were back logs... so I'll do that a bit later this afternoon.

I have actual decent amounts of work today - yay!:T Not having much work really impacts my mood and productivity in other areas. I've lost the work I was getting at the event venue (staff changes there mean I've fallen out of favour, which I knew was likely to happen), so I think I need to try and pick up a new client or two. To start with this will involve updating an online profile and being more present on a professional website/forum. If that doesn't work I'll have to be more proactive. I'll also be asking my clients about the upcoming prospects for projects - if there's a lot in the pipeline, then finding a new client might not be the best idea!

In other MS news:
* bolognese used a freebie packet of seasoning from a recent supermarket delivery
* 2 x YG surveys completed
* SBs daily clicks done (now the website is behaving again). I think I'm close to pay out and a break from it
* will walk to drs appointment this afternoon
* am thinking about making this recipe to use up some oatmeal lurking in the cupboard - I'll mix it with proper oats, so it doesn't deviate from the recipe too much.
* need to ring Sky re the broadband and phone line offer from Plusnet
* an item sold on the Bay - another £5.00 for the pot
* entered loads of competitions - have decided to see if I can win our holiday for next year!

Things I'm grateful for today:
* a warm office due to super-duper new radiator
* actual work to get my teeth stuck into
* nice new neighbours
* more energy today than I've had in the last week!

Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

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