Its days are numbered ...

DawnW

Rubbish day at work Thought about leaving early (not really 'early' as such, as we supposedly have flexitime, and I am always way over hours) but then got caught up in something else :mad:

Sometimes I really hate my job I moved to a new post in the organisation after Christmas and it was not a good move. Still, I am lucky compared to many, to still have a job, and no debt apart from my mortgage.

Still, paid £40 off the mortgage, and OH is back

Sent work back to student, with comments

Pasta and meatballs for supper, and a couple of glasses of wine There goes the diet again :eek:

Must enquire next time I am in a branch about the new S*ntander 123 account and credit card - I attempted to do an online application but confused it because apparently my mortgage payments and outgoings were too low for the system to deal with and it came to a grinding halt even though acceptance is 'guaranteed' :rotfl:In fairness, someone in the branch did warn me about the online application process.

DawnW

It's Friday :j:j:j:j

Will try to leave work early today (I've been trying all week, as I am way over hours, but something always seems to come up at the last minute :mad:)

I would like to plant some seeds in pots tonight if not too shattered, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines for the patio later on after the risk of frosts has passed, and some salad leaves which can just grow in the conservatory thingy in a big pot

Plan to do the garden this weekend if the weather is ok We no longer have a big garden unfortunately but we challenge ourselves to grow as much food as we can in one raised bed and lots of pots

Also cook down some oranges and lemons from the big old freezer which I am plugging away at emptying, to make marmalade over the weekend

Thai chicken curry from the freezer for supper so only some rice to cook, and bamboo shoots, spring onions and coriander to chop and add, so minimal cooking, no spending on takeaways - and a Friday night curry (there will be enough for 2 days as well )

Haircut tomorrow, and must take laptop to the menders while in town, as it has some software problem which prevents Windows from loading and I have got to the end of my knowledge as system restore etc doesn't solve the problem. I could reinstall Windows but would rather avoid if somebody much cleverer than me can cure it without :T

Using a slow old netbook at the moment, so I will be glad to have it working again

Oh well, better get ready for work, but at least it is downhill all the way to the weekend :T:T

cafelady

Hi DawnW

I am enjoying your thread. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the tip about Zapper by the way!

DawnW

Hi cafelady, nice to have you along. I would recommend Zapper by the way. They don't pay much per item, but pay all postage etc, are straightforward to deal with and are great for decluttering

Didn't get home as early as I had hoped :mad: so didn't get any seeds sown. Still, I can do them tomorrow I guess.

I hve cooked down the citrus fruit from the freezer though (oranges, lemons and limes) and will finish making into marmalade tomorrow.

The chicken curry was nice, and there is enough left for another day

Concentrating on getting the big chest freezer in the garage emptied and freecycled (unless DD wants it that is) as OH is desperate for the extra space for his small business activities. So I took out some pheasants which now fit into the indoor freezer, a duck to cook tomorrow using a Chinese recipe, and possibly refreeze, and some stewed fruit for my breakfast porridge for the next few days.

Haircut and shopping tomorrow, and some gardening if it is nice, and going to see DS and his family on Sunday to take down some old chairs that they want to paint for kids' rooms and some old shelving, all from the garage loft, so more decluttering

Back to the grindstone on Monday though, as I have to get the 6.25 am train for a meeting

DawnW

Just relaxing with a coffee after doing an epic clean up in the kitchen :eek:

I made marmalade last night with the odd bits and pieces (literally) of citrus from the big freezer I am trying to empty. I got 13 jars, or lovely orange,lemon and lime marmalade.

I actually had a few proper Seville marmalade oranges this time (I don't always - I tend to use escapees from the fruit bowl that look past their best ) with odd bits of lemon and lime that I had cut up for drinks last summer, or in some cases, grated the zest off for some recipe and froze the rest. We don't do waste here, not when so many people don't have enough to eat Anyway, saving food saves pennies and these can be paid off the mortgage

I also made a Chinese duck recipe in the SC, which is now in the fridge ready for Monday - I think I will need to scrape off a bit of fat before I reheat it.

Off for Sunday lunch with DS and his family later, so not much cooking today

OH and I also did the veg garden yesterday. It is tiny, really just one largeish L shaped raised bed, which we will supplement with things like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in pots on the patio later after the danger of frost has passed. We planted potatoes, carrots, beetroot, spinach and radishes

Also harvested the rest of the leeks, and weeded round the broad beans and spring cabbages. I need to buy some mangetout pea seeds, as I discovered I didn't have any of those. That means a trip to the garden centre I think, as Ald!s etc don't tend to stock those.

We used to have a really big veg patch, but there are only the two of us now, and our garden here is small, and we also need some space for the chickens, some flowers and fruit, the washing line and somewhere to sit and have a barbecue

Still, it is a challenge to see how much can be grown in a small space. Most days I can pick something from the garden to eat, even if only a few herbs

I also sowed salad leaves in a big trough thing in the lean to, tomatoes, peppers, chillis, aubergines and leeks in smaller pots. All except the leeks and salad leaves have gone to sit on the windowsill in the small spare bedroon-!!!-study as it is warmer there to help them to germinate. I must remember to visit them every day to water them though!

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Our veg growing sounds pretty similar. I am loving watching our seeds shoot.

We use big plastic cloche type things and apart from 3 months have had salad leaves growing through the year. Enjoying reading your diary.

Best wishes Tilly x

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Hello,

Also enjoying the diary, I would like to grow some veg too but there is currently a pond in the way so I just enjoy your veg patch vicariously!

Have a good Sunday,

Squirrel:j

DawnW

Had a lovely lunch with DS and his family, and was very spoilt - got wine and chocs for Mother's Day

Home now, and curled up by the woodstove as it has turned really cold :eek:

Friend in France phoned to tell me about her new dachshund puppy - can't wait to meet him in a few weeks time

Just coffee and toasted crumpets for supper, as we had a roast lunch - but might have to investigate the chocs and wine later

Early to bed as I have to catch a really early train tomorrow morning - Monday again

DawnW

Thank goodness Monday is over! I had to get the 6.25 am train for a meeting and didn't get home till after 9pm. I am fed up with doing such silly hours

I am going to go in a bit later and try to leave early today (assuming nothing comes up just as I am about to leave that is).

A t least it is warmer this morning - my car thermometer read minus 4 degrees yesterday just before 6 when I left :eek:

OH is out today, so just something on toast for supper for me I think

DawnW

Managed to go in to work late (well, just after 9am) and finish just before 4.30, so a shorter day today. I am way over hours again, and just lose them every month if I don't manage to take some time off. In theory I could take flexi days but in practice ....

Out of the office again tomorrow for meetings, but at least not stupidly early or late.

Little things done towards becoming mortgage free today
Low spend day - just bought some mushrooms from A!di
HM meals - took a salad for lunch at work, and made macaroni cheese with mushrooms for evening meal. I made enough for tonight plus 2 individual ones for tomorrow

On the downward slope to the weekend again

Clocks go forward at the weekend, so lighter evenings

The weeks seem to go by so quickly though :eek: