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

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Earthie.

Bit of a mixed weekend. Cousin's baby shower on Saturday, which none of us were particularly cheerful for. I think cousin enjoyed it though, although she's pretty upset about Nan too.

Yesterday DH and I went to Bletchley Park. This was our Christmas present from Mum *last* Christmas! It was really interesting and very well done. We took advantage of a free one-hour guided tour and will go back again as our tickets are valid for a year. This was great as I'd not slept well the night before, so when we'd had enough we went home (it's about an hour away and near IKEA, so not too bad for returning) - no pushing ourselves to get round all of it. We took a picnic lunch which we had to eat in the car as it was too cold to eat outside, but this meant it was a free day out.

Food budget has taken a veg box hit - with a couple of extra bits it's now at £29. I've also ordered a marmalade making kit. I've not included it in the food budget as hopefully I'll be able to make some Christmas presents for next year from it!

We finally had the sweet potato and chickpea curry last night - it was good. We had it with couscous not rice to stretch the rice.

It's my birthday today (don't really feel like celebrating), so we'll be eating something we've not cooked ourselves.... I haven't decided if it'll be takeaway or a restaurant yet.

MS things:
* Clicks etc. Swago done and a SB survey. Aiming to claim my birthday swagup by next month.
* Will transfer 'leftover' birthday money from last year to savings, as I've already been very lucky to have received quite a bit of birthday money today. This year's will be squirrelled away for things I want/need just for me - very rare expenditure in other words!
* Meals from stores and picnic taken and cafe resisted!
* Naughty American client has paid when they said they would - late, but at least consistent!:T
* RM survey item to post

Gratitudes:
* Lovely family and friends, wishing me a happy birthday.
* A day away yesterday and fascinating stuff to learn
* Blue sky and sunshine - not a given on my birthday!
* Lunching with Mum and Niece - nothing special (a tuna sarnie, I expect), but lovely nonetheless

Have a good day all!

Busy_Mee1

Happy Birthday MadVix - I am sorry you don't feel like celebrating but hope you enjoy your meal whatever it is.

Why don't you pick a day in the summer when you are feeling a bit less sad and designate it as your "official birthday " this year.

Take care lovely x

Karmacat

Hope you enjoy your birthday as much as you can, madvix - it's got to be difficult. Enjoy that tuna sarnie and its a good idea to have a meal-not-cooked-by-either-of-you. Good idea of BusyMee's too, to pay birthday-type attention to yourself later in the year.

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Busy Mee and Karma. We had takeaway last night. It seemed silly to go out and spend when I wasn't feeling it. We may well go out another night (sooner or later, I don't know, but when I feel like it). Busy Mee, I've always fancied an official birthday as it's pretty rubbish having it so close to Christmas anyway! Perhaps I'll give that a try!

Well it was nice to see Mum and Niece yesterday and we popped out and I used my JL free cake voucher in the afternoon - I love their chocolate orange and redcurrant cake, it's delish! Chinese for tea and there's enough left for this evening too. Which means we can stretch the leftovers from the weekend's meals to Wednesday evening. :T I also got out in the garden for a short while and tidied some bits up. It looks much better, although there's plenty more to do.

VB paid out overnight, so £16 has arrived Have paid my car tax this morning (reminder *always* arrives on my birthday ), and overbudgeted by £10. So this and £8 from TCB have moved to savings.

While I don't think I've posted, DH and I have done some workings out. We managed to saving about £10k last year as well as OPing our target amount. :T Looking at the cost of moving, including stamp duty, we need about another £10k in savings, so that's our current target (leaving out any inheritance, but I do know some is coming my way). We're £800 in to this amount so far. So now you know as much as we do about our plans for 2019.... *everything* is up in the air at the moment!! (that includes holiday plans, moving plans, did I mention I'm stopping Brownies in the summer.... it's a year of change ahead, I think).

MS things:
* Clicks etc. Halfway to another Pizza voucher with MS rewards
* YG survey - 20 points away from payout now!
* Listed two small items on the Bay
* Free birthday cake from JL :cool:
* Transferred savings to Marcus account (most of my buffer fund takes up the current account/RS complexities)
* Car tax paid

Gratitudes:
* Some thoughtful cards yesterday
* Chinese takeaway (with prawn toasts.... mmm)
* Blue sky today - washing is on the line!

Have a good afternoon all x

themadvix

Morning all,

So the funeral is set for 17th. It sounds like it will be a pretty simple affair, although the food at the golf club afterwards might be interesting... soup, then cold buffet of meats, cheeses, bread .... and hot roast potatoes! (That's what they offer apparently!) I need to get a skirt for the occasion. Will go out later today and have a look in the CS nearby (I feel I'm more likely to get what I'm looking for in a CS, but I will buy new if necessary, I'm not that tight!).

I had evening class last night - I wasn't really looking forward to it, but it was good to use my brain,
concentrate properly on something and socialise (I've really struggled with this recently).

Plan for today is work, see Mum at some point and a quick trip into town for skirt hunting (that has other connotations in other contexts!) and to pay in lose change and birthday money at the bank. If NS&I will let me, I need to withdraw some money from PBs to pay tax bill - but there seems to be something wrong with website at the moment.

DH and I will be listing some bits on the Bay at the weekend, so hopefully this will help to increase the savings amount.

MS things:
* Clicks etc. done
* RM survey item to post
* Leftover Chinese for tea last night, supplemented by rhubarb crumble (hg rhubarb from freezer) and leftover cream (feeling very smug at the using-up-ness!).
* Leftovers from weekend meals tonight, supplemented by rest of rhubabrb crumble (and custard)

Gratitudes:
* That the funeral is as soon as it is. Sometimes they can be so long after the event that the waiting must be terrible for the family. (Also DH is grateful as it's got him out of a speaking commitment for work that day!)
* Blue sky again today :T
* Veg box being delivered... lots of lovely seasonal goodness ooh, and marmalade-making kit!

Have a good day all x

Crumpets

It must be nice to know a date is set for the funeral, like you say sometimes these things can drag on. Good luck with the skirt hunting.

Well done for using up your left overs, I did this yesterday and I also felt very pleased with myself You've reminded me that I have some fruit crumble in the freezer...just right for this cold weather!

Enjoy the blue sky :j

themadvix

It's definitely crumble weather, Crumpets! I've just got back from town (local, not the nicer nearby one as I decided I couldn't justify the parking cost when I hadn't looked at the local CSs) and put the heating on. No luck with skirt.... tbh I don't think my heart is in it. I'll head to M&S later/tomorrow.

* Paid £5.33 in change into savings + £5.96 NW rewards
* Used £1 L2S voucher to subsidise purchase of muslin for marmalade making - my current one isn't big enough.
* £2 spend on muesli, so food budget now £27 (oh dear!)
* About to make leek and potato soup for DH's lunch tomorrow (ETA he doesn't need lunch Friday as a supplier is buying! :T ) with veg box contents (thus avoiding making bread!)

Our broadband is due for renewal and I think we're going to switch - we can get fibre with Vodafone for less than we're paying (at best haggled price) for standard with Sky. DH is taking charge, which is lovely as I won't have to do the haggling in future years!

the_cross_rabbit

mmmmm crumble sounds good, need to check the freezer to see if we have some sort of fruit to make one for this weekend. Thanks for posting the waste free network web address on crumpets diary. Found a couple that are closer to us than the one I already knew about.
CRx

themadvix

No problem Cross Rabbit They're popping up all over the place!

Just lost a quick update. No luck in town with skirt. Will head to proper shops tomorrow. £5.33 loose change paid in and £5.96 NW rewards money claimed, so £11.29 added to savings. Poor sheepbank is hungry now!

Currently making leek and potato soup for DH's lunch tomorrow (and a portion for the freezer).

Bought muesli in town so food budget down to £27 now ( :eek: ), and that's without counting the milk bill (currently £2.95). Oh well....

Crumpets

DH made leek and potato soup for lunch today - it's a firm favourite in this house