Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

Pippilongstocking

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

Plan for today

[STRIKE]
Into college office and begin to clear up debris from thesis write up
[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Find out if I can help at the Hort dept garden sale at the weekend [/STRIKE] probably he'll let me know!
Pot up jalapenos and Rosemary which are in greenhouse at work
Do a bit in my veg plot at work but its blowing a hooly - might not
[STRIKE]Text chums about eggsn and take some into work[/STRIKE] £3 made 1 1/'2 doz eggs safely rehomed
Relist some stuff on ebay
Get Lucielles plants ready to post
[STRIKE]Water tomatoes at home[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Fill in timesheet for p/t college work done last week[/STRIKE] 28 hours of lovely invigilating!
Read local paper hope for free somehow - had to pay 90p but helpful to have
[STRIKE]Email lady about my website very exciting![/STRIKE] will wait and see what I've to do
Do a bloglet
Pick up a writers desk from the recycling place
Plan garden event for recycling place - going after work
Measure polytunnel tubes and find out if I can get the bases here - priced this up = can do recycled scaffold poles (£60) but will see if I can somehow or other find some on freecycle or somethign before I buy anything
Get in touch with polytunnel people about a cover - gulp and think about how to buy that soon and get it here - is there a way to avoid the delivery charge.....£266+vat :eek:
HM dinner - dunno what yet - maybe meatballs - left over from Monday
[STRIKE]Walk dog [/STRIKE]and take some photos
Bank to go to take out gamerboy money and put it into CC - do on way home

Well thus far thats the plan for today - hope I can make some money (?) and not spend anything

OK a bit of progress there so far

Chev thank you - I'm self employed to get WFTC - I think perhaps I'm entitled to housing benefit (I earned 5430 last year lol) - but its a dark area for me - OH doesn't live with us but does come and stay - he also contributes to the rent - whilst I'm legally entitled to housing benefit I don't feel comfortable claiming it. I think its a bit dodgy in my case if that makes sense?

KC - thank you what a lovely thing to say! When you said glee I immediatly thought of the show!!

Starnac, Uni thank you for popping past and you Triciaxx and Lottie

There are bound to be a few adventures on the way I hope.

Starnac you're right we've had less money in the bank that's very true - !

Off to find out if I can pootle about a bit in a polytunnel for a bit today

Then meeting after work time with a fellow recycling charity board member (I'm a secret womble) to organise our garden day next saturday - I want to take my specialist very efficient household recycling machine with me on the day - but not sure what she'll say to my mad plan.

specialist very efficient household recycling machine = chicken (you feed it your waste food, it gives you eggs and fertiliser thats darn efficient recycling n my mind!)

:rotfl::rotfl:

starnac

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

specialist very efficient household recycling machine = chicken (you feed it your waste food, it gives you eggs and fertiliser thats darn efficient recycling n my mind!)

:rotfl::rotfl:

can't get better than that surely??

MrsMoo2U

Hip Hip Hooray, thesis done, posted and a whole new chapter in the flowerpot, patchwork wombling life beginning. All on a lovely sunny day (hope its grand there too). In honour of your new lifestyle I think we need to listen to this

KC is so right, your posts over the last 24 hours show just how busy you have been. Look at all the people here behind you willing you on. £26 is more than enough for your needs today. After all you will never starve with all those chucks around.

Re WFTC I agree it is what you are entitled to. In fact, are you sure that you are getting the right amount. Have you asked for a review since finishing your write up and the money stopping. Remember you should let them know about any changes so that they can review it.
With regards to the housing benefit. On the face of it I agree that you need to be careful if OH is contributing. However, how do you appear on the rental agreement? Are you tenants in common or joint tenants. If you are not officially a couple and named as a couple on the rental agreement but joint tenants and both receive rental bills then there may be a case for you claiming housing benefit for your half. Needs to be looked at carefully. Also I dont know if you have anything like council tax there or rates but is there something there that you should be claiming?

Good on DS for paying his bills. You are bringing him up well there.

With regards to the polytunnel. Would it be cheaper to hire a van and get the stuff delivered to Mr Stripes and then him drive it across? Alternatively - how about offering the company a free weeks board and lodge in return for free delivery- you never know if its a small family firm they might be up for that :rotfl:

Dont forget to check Up the Lane forum too somebody over there might have some ideas about how to get delivery to you cheaper. Meanqueen (I think I gave you her blog details) used to be a truck driver and she is always pootling around on cheapish holidays so she might know somebody who knows somebody. Worth being cheeky and asking. As my Nana always said "you dont ask' you dont get"

lucielle

Helllloooo, well done on sending it off. Time for some fun??????
L

taka

Well done on submitting your thesis! Yaaay!

boredofbeingathome

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

A plan EH?

Um, I don't know if I have a plan - um, thats normally bobs department

I've more of a fingers crossed - kinda eyes shut kinda a deal

That will work right, I know I can grow stuff - I know ebay works - I'm hoping other work will turn up, I'll also fit up a chimney if needed! :rotfl:Turn my hand to anything me!

And you're right - £26 positively rich.

Progress tonight - after the glory of mailing thesis was Mr T for half a dozen loaves of reduced bread (25p each), a packet of chicory (30p) and 6 x 5p packs of grow your own tomatoes

Now, I know - my windowsills are bursting - but if this polytunnel goes up (somehow by finding money this month or so for the cover etc fingers crossed) they will fit in it and 5p for 3 plants makes them very cheap.

I did rescue them - honest guv

I guess I'd better start relisting on ebay and boxing up eggs - there are a few downstairs - need get them into work tomorrow!

No rest for the wicked eh?

Did i hear my name mentioned

Congrats on the Thesis Pippi and well done for having some dosh left in the bank..

Now as to cunning plans- i think girls we have to get our heads together..

One would be to make Darwin pay for his keep..i did have a breeding program worked out for him, but alas it was not to be( only for selfish reasons of course ) So how about doing something like Scooby hols around your lovely part of the world? Would it be feasible- you could make a bit of dosh this time of year?

Lodger? How's that plan coming along?

Ebay- well i know you are on there so maybe there is a better way to promote your goods..

I think that's about it at the mo...

Lemon_Tree

hi Pippi, found your new diary and you're tiring me out already lol

once again well done for getting your thesis finished and in the post.

good luck with the job interview.
well done for selling some eggs.

I was also wondering if you still have to go into the 'office' are you being paid from there?

hope you get the poly tunnel up and sorted sharpish and little plantlets living in there, i'm sure based on your past determination that it won't be long, and you'll have such fun! Don't forget you need to start explaining to the chickens that they won't be welcome in there if they insist on eating things.

Lemon_Tree

oh forgot to say i gave my basil it's first hair cut last night and it's now all frozen and lovely.
Just been for a freezer dive, and beside frost bite on my extremities i've got out to defrost:
turkey meatballs which experimentally i will use with a curry sauce to make a curry, i've got no chicken so it will have to do.
garlic bread - just because it looks yummy and we have no nan bread.
lamb shanks which i'll put in the slow cooker for tomorrow with some mint and rosemary. I've never cooked them from scratch but i have high hopes.
Any one coming for dinner then? either today or tomorrow lol

greenval

Hi Pippi
Brilliant news that the dreaded PHD is done. A whole new life stretches before you and I'm sure you will fill it to the limit:j

vl2588

Hi Pippi, excellent new diary name, feel a bit late though - congratulations on sending off of pesky yet super-genius thesis! Wooooooo!

I think you are still a scientist (a compliment in my world!) and I would love to be a gardener :T

I have huge admiration for what you are doing and hope I have the guts to do something very similar sometime

Here's to the future :beer: