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

Karmacat

That sounds like you stacked your vouchers and discounts really well on your London trip always nice to do that. And here's to work-life balance

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks TH, and yes, Karma, we did, although it wasn't what we'd intended to eat!

Had a lovely day yesterday - mum and niece popped round for lunch and we wrapped up and went for a walk to the post office and play area. Had a use-up pasta dinner of various bits and pieces - was lovely and enough for lunch for both of us today too.

This morning I have more work (yay!) and have washing on the line (forecast is for it to brighten up!) and more in the machine. Bread is proving too, so feeling a bit more back on track. Have been to the post box for a survey item already and have another to do later.

HMRC **still** haven't repaid me my overpaid tax. I rang them on 4th and the man I spoke to assured me it would be back in my account within 5 days. So I'll be ringing again this morning and asking why it isn't there and can I please have the interest owed too! :mad: It's really taking the mick now.

If I get the chance I'll pop to town to pay in a couple of cheques from the Brownies (including for lunch on Saturday - lots of airmiles earned )

Gratitudes:
* Time with mum and niece yesterday (I definitely see less of niece now sis is back at work 4 days a week )
* Thick alpaca wool socks and sheep-shaped wheat bag (still no heating )
* Autumnwatch in New England - what an amazing variety of wildlife!

Work beckons.... have a good day!

Crumpets

Hi MV,

Good to see you back, Your day out in London sounds amazing value :j DH, dd1 and I are off there in a couple of weeks and I expect we will spend a fortune :cool:

Well done on keeping the heating off :T We've had the wood burner lit once so far. Like you say though, it hasn't felt much of a challenge (to me )yet as it's been so mild. I've also still putting my washing on the line - it mostly dries :T

Hope you get your money from HMRC - quick to take it it, not so quick to give it back :mad:

Have a good weekend :beer:

themadvix

Thanks Crumpets - it wasn't intended to be that way, but it worked out like that. It helps that we're easily pleased - enjoy walking and geocaching (great for exploring and free).

Pity part alert (ignore me, I'm just having one of those days/weeks!)
Things are still plodding on here. I don't feel anything new is happening, so haven't bothered to post. I'm still busy with work, HMRC still haven't paid me, the Americans owe me - who wants to read this, day in, day out. DH and I are both feeling a bit lacklustre a the moment, both mentally and physically and so there's not a lot to report.

I have planted cabbages and my garlics are sprouting . I tried sprouting some seeds in a jam jar, but I think the seeds have had it (they were well past their use by date). Have started knitting a present for Christmas and have made some redcurrant vodka for GMIL. (All the above done in one burst at the weekend - otherwise, it's work, eat, sleep, repeat )

We have had the heating on for a couple of hours - one hour each the last two evenings. I don't want to be cold all day and then in the evening too (sitting here with blanket over my lap at the moment). One hour is more than enough though to warm the house through and we haven't had it on in the mornings at all yet.

That's about it. I'll be back.... when there's something to report!

Crumpets

themadvix wrote: »

Pity part alert (ignore me, I'm just having one of those days/weeks!)
Things are still plodding on here. I don't feel anything new is happening, so haven't bothered to post. I'm still busy with work, HMRC still haven't paid me, the Americans owe me - who wants to read this, day in, day out. DH and I are both feeling a bit lacklustre a the moment, both mentally and physically and so there's not a lot to report.

I feel exactly the same this week MV, I'm just trying to ride it out. Look after yourself, you are always so busy it's not surprising you need a bit of down time.

the_cross_rabbit

You've reminded me I need to pant my garlic and onion sets.
CRx

themadvix

Thanks Crumpets and Cross Rabbit

I'm feeling much better today - some yoga and a good night's sleep (courtesy herbal sleeping tablets) have vastly improved my mood. There's the possibility that the Americans will pay tonight too... fingers crossed.

Still cracking on with work, although in discussion with a client about a weird change to policy that they have made - it smacks of not being thought through and is just plain wrong! We'll see what he says.

We're going away for a night (with friends for an event) in a couple of weeks and I'm considering adding a night in a TL (£39) on - I think a 'proper' break (i.e. without other people or things dictating our time - see wedding last month) might be what we need. It seems a bit unnecessary, as we'll have had a great time with our friends, but it would also be somewhere that we've planned to visit (having been just for one night before, we'd like to see more). I'll think on it and see what DH says. I've ordered some more LV from S&S in any case, so we'd have some food money if we needed it.

MS things:
* Good SBs day yesterday, clicks etc. done
* Very much full-time wor
* Super economical hm pizza dough proving - less yeast and less liquid (and mostly mozzarella water)
* Washing on line
* Heating just going on for an hour in the evening

Gratitudes:
* Mum popped round for 'lunch' with cakes from C0sta (which constituted lunch!)
* Sun is shining We ate in the garden!:j
* Pizza night tonight

Have a good afternoon all! (Beginning to feel I'm finding that elusive motivation - amazing what a good night's sleep can do!):T

themadvix

Hi all,

Well, the Americans haven't paid yet (so's I've noticed), but I have finished *all* my work and resolved the issue with the client (not entirely to my satisfaction, but enough that I don't feel I'm compromising my standpoint).

I've made some brownie this morning and we've got enough bread for the weekend, washing done yesterday, so I'm hoping we might manage a weekend of fun stuff - going to a free event tomorrow (potentially having to buy lunch as we'll be with others, especially as I avoided it last time, but miht just take some anyway) and then perhaps out for the day on Sunday

We've not booked the hotel yet as DH might have to be in the office on the day we were thinking of. If we have a good, relaxing weekend this weekend then it might not be necessary anyway. We'll see.

Didn't need the heating on at all last night, but I think it'll be going on in the mornings for an hour from Monday (that's the only timer-controlled heating time we have, otherwise it's the hour override). It was chilly this morning.

Going out for a walk in the woods with Sis, Niece and Mum later (and possibly lunch out, but this will be mum's belated mothers' day gift, so accounted for).

MS things:
* Logging in to Prolific! Haven't done that in a while... 25p survey done
* VB, MS rewards and SBs done (creeping ever closer with both of the latter)
* Brownie, bread, hm cooked food - all better for health, planet and pocket.... I must keep remembering this
* DH bottled the most recent brew last night Some will be destined for Christmas presents

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine, despite a wet start
* Chocolate brownie mmm
* Promising weekend ahead

Have a good Friday all!

Crumpets

Hi MV,

Hope you had a lovely weekend and that your mood and sleep continued to improve. I think I might need to get me some herbal sleeping tablets, would you recommend your brand?

Chocolate brownie and homemade beer sound amazing, wish I lived close to you

Did the Americans pay up? (Hope so x)

themadvix

Morning all,

Crumpets I replied on your thread about the sleeping tablets. The brownie recipe is here - it is good, and I've tried a few! The beer needs more work, but we'll get there!

The Americans still haven't paid yet and it seems to be a cashflow problem, which is not good. I'm doing any more for them until I've been paid. Plenty of other work coming through from clients who do pay though

We had a lovely day on Saturday, out in the woods with my uncle and FIL geocaching. It was SO cold though. As a result, we decided not to go out for the day on Sunday, although we did go out for a short walk in the afternoon. It was a lovely relaxed weekend (£2 spent on a cuppa was all - I took brownie and lunch, although the roll came back with us.).

I have booked the hotel for next week as it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. BIL can cover the cat care

Other stuff all pottering on. Taking B&W cat to the vet later though as he has goopy eyes - imagine they'll give him some antibiotics as it looks like conjunctivitis. poor thing!

MS things:
*A friend has ordered loo roll from WGAC and used my referral, so we both got £5 off our next order
* Very low cost weekend
* Cashback from £co and TCB claimed- about £5 combined
* Made lentil bolognese last night - was delicious - consciously trying to cut down on quorn both for planet/health reasons and cost reasons. So a winner there!

Gratitudes:
* A lovely weekend
* Great walk in the woods with niece on Friday afternoon She's so into everything at the moment!
* Washing line dried yesterday

Have a good day all!