The Ultimate Incentive to get debt free… again. Dinah & NIM go head to head!

Birdie85

Your baby shower sounds lovely Wendz, I promise I did *not* go all gooey at the thought of a tiny swimming costume!

Poddle, OH had his pockets rifled through on Saturday whilst he was playing rugby because some losers broke into the changing room, luckily they just took the change he had in there, the other lads lost wallets and phones. Then on Sunday we noticed that his bike was missing so someone had nabbed that either on Friday or Saturday! Luckily OH is 'Glass half full' about life so isn't too upset... but I'm upset about the £100 excess we have to pay on the insurance!

How's NIM today?

N.I.M

Furious that the Taxman has basic rated me tbh. Apparently this is my second job as I am still on the books at the farm I was at 2 years ago. Even after I spoke to them to sort it out. Paid nearly double my usual PAYE this month!!!!!!

Birdie85

That's no good! I'm guessing the sickness is over if you're well enough to be ranting about the tax man! How have they just decided to change your tax code?!

N.I.M

I was never taken off the books on the farm it seems. But I havent taken a penny from them in 2 years so how the hell does that muppet of a taxman think its my primary job. Also if I had still been ill thismorning I'm now too angry to feel it.

Tete_en_l'Air

Nightmare about the robbing Birdie and the tax NIM - seems strange that you've been in your current job ages and they've only just decided to put you on that rate?!

Sounds like an interesting Friday Dinah, I'd never get that much cooking done even with a full day in the kitchen. Thinking of doing a Guinness cake tonight as it's a colleague's last day tomorrow - haven't had it in a while and quite fancy it Plus that's the only baking tin I have out of the loft

Did a 20 minute run yesterday - best yet, then took my sock off and discovered my toenail lifts right up on one side _pale_ - makes me feel sick and it's my own body! Going to the docs in the morning, hope he doesn't just rip it out but don't know what else he can do. Supposed to be going up Scafell on Saturday for a practice for the Three Peaks - oh boo hoo, why me??

Birdie85

You're doing so well with the running Tete, you're going to be super fit in no time! That's not so good about the nail, happened to me when I was younger after doing the DofE and it just had to come off. Wasn't painful though, which is a bonus. It just kind of died. :pale:

Just looking at your list of challenges makes me feel tired, you're going to feel such a massive sense of achievement when you've finished everything! And all I want to do is run a mile without dying! :rotfl:

Dinah93

I want the ice rink near us to open again so I can go for a spin after work, fun and no pressure on the knee.

I managed to miss a load of posts yesterday, sorry about that! And now I've forgotten what I was replying to so prod me if you asked me something.

Got my new Hummingbird book last night. It's a much heaftier book than the first one, it does repeat some recipes, but they seem to have addressed the quantitiy issues (anyone else find their 12 chocolate cupcake recipe made 8-9?!), although they did this by making batch sizes a bit odd (16 cupcakes anyone?!). There are some very nice looking things in there, although I'm annoyed a lot of them are things I'd been writting up for my book - makes it a lot less unique!

Tete_en_l'Air

My issues with quantities were that I ended up with much more than I was expecting! And their frosting recipe makes LOADS, I always made myself ill eating the leftovers! Is it all cupcakes or are there cookies and big cakes/loaves as well? Cupcakes take so long to make what with having to decorate them as well, I like having something you can just shove in the oven too. Thinking of ordering mine on Amazon as it's cheaper than Book People once they've added the P&P!

Yeah Birdie - this toe doesn't hurt or even look gross, I'm just worried how I'll look nail-less! And with summer coming too!

Dinah93

Lots of big cakes too, and loaves, there are about 3x more recipes than the first book. There are lots of biscuits although most are more oats based than cookie based. Know what you mean about the frosting - I usually make a 1/3 quantity. Looking forward to making a few recipes soon.

Tete_en_l'Air

*Baking head firmly ON*

Has anyone tried the Nigella Guinness cake as a sandwich cake - how does the batter work as thinner cakes? Is it still as moist and gorgeous or does it lose some of that? I don't remember being that impressed with the recipe as cupcakes...

EDIT - nevermind, just remembered my smaller tins are in the loft! Head is in a tizz!