misscousinitt's MF Diary

misscousinitt

Had a very productive day on the paperwork front. Procedures for production of jams/chutneys complete, just one more form to do. Couple of emails fired off - one for a stall for Christmas!!!! And the other with details what I want on my business cards.

Tomorrow my friend and I are going to check out a new market in the morning and I have jam, syrup and lemons to sort in the afternoon.

Baking Thursday and Friday and have my regular adventure on Saturday.

Busy busy, but very happy. Just getting into the swing of things - more Stalls to be booked for September.

Decided not to do any Stalls next week so I can finish my paperwork hopefully without interuptions (can't see that happening) and have a proper weekend with DH which I haven't managed since I got back from Denmark.

Meal planning and eating from the freezer at the moment - which is hopefully saving some money. Gas and electric meters changed now so hopefully should save a bit there too. Being quite successful not spending my own money at the moment - there are fewer temptations now I am at home - but hope to stop for a coffee tomorrow as a treat. I have got my hair cut booked in for next week though which is way overdue!

We had Turkey Stroganoff tonight with yellow stickered turkey - and now a DH has gone round our friends (4 doors down) to help with a diy problem!! So I thought I would catch up on here while I wait for him to come back. I might be asleep if he is too long.

Did another 20 mins yoga this morning (the lovely sun sequence - hope I did it right) and planning a quick session of warrior in the morning as my friend is coming here for 9am. I must keep it up and see the benefits - the aim is to do 2-3 short sessions a week in addition to my class on a Friday. It is good for focus!

Have a good night everyone.

MCI

misscousinitt

Recon mission was good - going to ring up next week and see if I can book a stall. It was an old market with a few new things and I think I see it as an opportunity. It will either go one of two ways, we will both do really well as we are something different or we will stick out like a sore thumb and not make anything!

We did have coffee and cake, but it was a morning out and it was good to sit down and have a good chat about our businesses. I was a bit surprised that my friend didn't have a business plan! Although mine isn't formalised in writing at this stage I do have a clear idea as to what I want to do, how I'm going to do it and how much I want to make.

Jam for filling scones and tarts made yesterday when I got back and made some more cinnamon syrup ready for Saturday's market.

Today I have made preserved lemons, contacted a supplier about getting bulk buy courgettes and more lemons. What do people feel about green lemons?? this time if year (I have been informed) that the first fruit from southern Spain and Italy is green and is not necessarily unripe. I need lemons, but I am worried about the perception of using green ones (it does however depend on 'how' green they are). I would appreciate your feedback on that.

I have also done my first stage baking for my Saturday market. I have achieved today what would have taken me two nights when I was at work full time and I have tidied up, had a shower and got time to relax before making tea! (This is despite realising I had forgotten to buy an orange I needed for one of the recipes and having to stop, walk up to the shops and walk back again before continuing).

I am pretty shattered though as I woke up at 3 am with stuff whizzing round my head - I had to get up to get a drink of water and I decided to get it all off my chest and practically wrote a blog! I managed to get back to sleep about 5 am, and I did resist the temptation to go back to bed after DH left this morning - it would have been all too easy, but I would have wasted the morning.

Tuna steaks and jacket potato with avocado is on the menu tonight - going to try out one of my recipes I concocted when I was up last night to try it out. I will be using the remaining half an orange left over from my cake that I had to go out an buy earlier - so no wastage there!

MCI

misscousinitt

At least I made some money this weekend! I had an average haul at my most regular market - very pleased.

Haven't felt very well today though after over indulging in bbq food at a friends party yesterday - too many carbs and way too much meat.

I have a big list if things to do in the coming week and I am glad that I haven't booked any Stalls for the bank holiday weekend (though it would have been a good time to do one!) I really need to concentrate on paperwork this week.

- Charity stuff: minutes, gift aid, wages, other personnel tasks and records up to date, also need to look at a bid I've been meaning to finish off for a long time.
- Personal stuff: household finances, pension details, HMRC phone call, cancel savings direct debit, pay CCs, savings figures, 3 x personal yoga sessions this week, meal plan and shopping for the week
- Business: receipts, figure how much I can pay myself this month, trip to wholesalers, product making, food management system stuff, recipe card and label details to my friend who us doing some design for me and most importantly 3 calls regarding Stalls.

Need to fit in a visit to mum and one to my friend who is on bed rest after an operation.

I feel oddly better after writing all that down; even though there is a great deal if that - need to transfer it all to my action plan and get going in the morning on the tasks.

Off to MILs for tea tonight - small tea for me - don't think I can face much - hopefully back to normal tomorrow.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend.

MCI

Karmacat

Sounds great, MCI, and once you're running smoothly, you'll be able to focus the paperwork onto the quieter weeks

Your previous post on green lemons - I'm really sorry, I didn't even know they were A Thing but whatever you're doing, bulk buying sounds much more helpful than just down the shops. Don't really know *where* you are - would it be worth a trip to a big wholesaler, even into London? Sometimes, anyway

Save

misscousinitt

Karmacat wrote: »

Sounds great, MCI, and once you're running smoothly, you'll be able to focus the paperwork onto the quieter weeks

Your previous post on green lemons - I'm really sorry, I didn't even know they were A Thing but whatever you're doing, bulk buying sounds much more helpful than just down the shops. Don't really know *where* you are - would it be worth a trip to a big wholesaler, even into London? Sometimes, anyway

Save

Be glad when all the basic paperwork is done and it's just record keeping.

Really not sure about the green lemons thing, I suppose it depends 'how' green they are. Going to be checking out a cash and carry this week, so may be able to get some from there that are yellow. I am afraid that I am in the Midlands and don't really have the London option - I am happy to say that we have some good produce round here and I intend to take advantage of that.

Just making my plan for the week prioritising my tasks - I it will change but at least the sentiment is there...

MCI

misscousinitt

It's been quite an exciting week.

2 Stalls confirmed on Monday - one for a very popular Christmas Market in December and one I really didn't intend to get which was a stall at the Sunday market at a VERY popular food festival. This one is in a little over 2 weeks and I have got my work cut out to get enough stock sorted and packaging done, plus got a tonne of baking to do for that one. DH is going to come and help - bless him. It's very exciting but also very scary too.

I am making progress with the food management system and I just need to finish typing everything up tomorrow - I have a meeting with my environmental officer on Tuesday afternoon and hopefully we can make some headway into getting it all signed off and getting my food rating. Will be really glad when this is done - I am hating being stuck behind a computer again for hours on end!

I have also got all our finances straight and entered up all the receipts both for the business and household. I also know exactly where we stand with all the savings pots. Good job really as DH has convinced me we need a new boiler - it's an expense we could probably do without, but it's no good shoving good money after bad on an old boiler that is perhaps not efficient enough to heat our house effectively. It will be worth it in the long run I suppose.

Still eating to plan, though DH took me out for a cheap and cheerful yesterday (it was planned) and he paid - I must admit it was nice to go out after spending a lot of time at home since I got back from Denmark.

Tonight's offering is chicken and rice. Reduced garlic butter chicken drumsticks I got from the farm shop (bargain at £1.30ish), so looking forward to them.

Had my hair done today as it was long overdue - hopefully it will be slightly easier to manage. But that's it on the spending front - got to start making some money now!

I did have my petty cash back in the post today from my former employer - no holiday pay, but that was just wishful thinking (would Have been nice, but not going to worry). Got my P45 too - makes it all very final!

I am happy to say that I am going to be able to pay myself a little bit this month - not that I will a see much of it as it will be going towards the bills! I do still have some of my wages from last month as I have been very frugal with my spending, so I have a little spending money.

Things are coming together and exciting times ahead - I just hope that I can pull this off...

MCI

misscousinitt

Aaagggghhhhh to paperwork...Having trouble getting my head round the last bit!

MCI

misscousinitt

Glad I managed to go back to slept after being awake since before 5 am. Feel a lot more refreshed and renewed positive outlook.

Going to have a day off today - we are going to a local antiques market after breakfast that DH is currently making - sort of checking out for next year as a possible stall opportunity (going to the food and craft market at the same place tomorrow too) and also to catch up with retired work colleague who does antiques. A good mooch around might be just what I need to focus my mind better when I get back to the paperwork.

On the money front we are on target to make another OP on mortgage payment day (5th) - we have received the remittance for the rent and that will be in the bank next week.

Happy bank holiday weekend all.

MCI

smallholdingsister

I had no idea you'd been an engineer.

Can you put green lemons in a bag with a banana so they go yellow?

misscousinitt

Thanks for stopping by SHS..yes engineer for 23 years following in the footsteps of both grandads. It will always stay with me.

Got a feeling I might have to use the lemons in something else as they seem to be going mouldy as they get just ripe enough. Got courgette & Ginger Marmalade to make so need lemon zest and juice for that so will probably utilise them there before I loose them all to mould. Will just have to go and get some yellow lemons from somewhere and process them straight away.

Had a lovely day out yesterday mooching round the antique fair, caught up with a retired colleague - so lovely to see him and DH bought a couple of toys at a bargain price that he will be trying to sell at his toy fair next weekend (yes we will both be out next Sunday trying to make money in separate places!)

Today we are back at the same place to check out the food and craft market partly because I love it and partly as a recon mission for next year.

We a a are having a little bbq later mainly using stuff we have in the freezer, just the two of us...It will be fun.

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend.

MCI