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

themadvix

Hi all,

We're having a lovely weekend. Friday night the in-laws bought us Chinese takeaway for tea and MIL forced a load of foodie goodies onto us (from a hamper she'd received from a complaint) - the biscuits didn't last long! I also had an email saying that Sky owe us money and would be repaying us £40. I'd seen they'd taken a chunk after the end of our contract, but wasn't sure whether it was just what was owed.

I finally had a reply too, from the pub co. about our stay. They want to offer us a complimentary stay.... (hopefully after the renovations they have planned!). I'm not sure about this as there's the costs involved in going there and meals etc. I have to ring the manager to discuss it, so I think I'm going to push for a refund of the first night instead as we don't really want to be going back there again so soon.

DH did lots of stuff in the garage yesterday - car bits, mini bits and tidying up (it looks lovely in there), while I got on with some gardening. I planted a few spring onion seeds and peas and cut the grass and did some weeding. I also pulled the first of the triffyd rhubarb and made this into a crumble. We invite BIL and fiancee over for 'pudding and games' in the evening - as we'd got leftovers for dinner. It worked well and we had a great night.

A nice walk in the sunshine this morning and two loads of washing dried on the line too. I'm off to help mum at Nan's house shortly and we're having a bit of a family get together later (low key - what we used to do when Nan was still at home). And now Friday's stir fry will happen tonight

Have also listed a few bits on the Bay and have a couple more to do.

Lots done, lots of fun had too - an excellent weekend! Hope you're all enjoying the sunshine too!

themadvix

Morning all,

Plenty of work to be getting on with today, but I will definitely make a point of getting out for a walk in the sunshine at some point. No car today (although I could use the mini if I really wanted to get out), so will enjoy having a 'home day'.

Mum and I achieved lots yesterday and I brought home more 'stuff' from Nan's - useful things though. We had a lovely 'doughnuts' session with the family too - niece was playing for a crowd and hilarious

On the NSWeek - I bought milk and eggs as expected on Friday and DH ordered/bought £52 of car bits (covered by car maintenance fund). Also doughnuts - see below! Otherwise we're still on track

MS things:
* £40 refund from Sky due
* Free food - takeaway and goodies
* Free food from the garden - rhubarb
* Planted more free food!
* Have asked on Freegle for some old net curtains to protect my cabbages
* Stuff on Ebay
* Almost a NSWeekend, but I did pay for the doughnuts yesterday - £3.08. A small price for a lovely weekend.
* S&S and clicks etc. done

Gratitudes:
Feeling super prosperous from all the good things that came our way this weekend - sunshine, freebies, family time and laughter - it was truly a great combination of productivity, socialising and relaxation

Have a happy Monday all!

themadvix

Hi All,

Sorry, I was really far too happy for a Monday yesterday, wasn't I?!

Another day of lots of work today, although I am slowly catching up with it. Popped out (in the mini ) to help a friend with a Guiding ebay account today and have also baked some fairy cakes as snacks. Evening class this evening and as I've done my homework I'm looking forward to it. Still no spending that's not on the list - have had to get some freezer meals out for tonight though as I'm out of onions. Veg box is coming tomorrow, so I really didn't want to break the NSW for them. Fridge is looking very empty, so very glad the veg is coming!

Have replied to pub co. about complaint and asked for a refund of the first night's stay - we'll see what they say.

MS things:
* Clicks etc. done
* YG survey done (first one in ages, just haven't been bothered with them lately)
* All food from home
* Heating remains OFF (it was very cold this morning!)

Gratitudes:
* Cuppa and cake with Guiding friend
* Safe adventures with the mini
* Sunshine

Have a good evening all!

Karmacat

We like Happy Mondays



You're very determined to have had the heating off this morning - even down here, there was frost on the grass!

themadvix

Morning all,

It didn't last that long Karma - we had it on twice yesterday. (Am currently typing with fluffy ginger tail flicking across the keyboard.... makes life tricky!) Only an hour each time though and it's not been on today.... yet.

Should get caught up on my work today, which will be good. Tomorrow we're flower arranging for mothers' day at Brownies, so I need to be out foraging greenery!

I paid some cheques in yesterday and have just checked and can't see them at all online - not even as uncleared balance. Surely they should be showing by now? I'll keep an eye on that - it was about £55 so not a sum to be ignored.

Am currently reading the 'Live on £4,000' threads on DFW. I started at the beginning in 2008.... so it's making for interesting historical reading Hoping to pick up a few tips though.

Our Almost No Spend Week finished on Tuesday and we did stick to it (apart from the £3 on doughnuts and the £35 holdall (that may yet go back)), so I'm pleased with this - it made me stop and think a couple of times and saved me buying things when I checked what I had. Will do it again, not yet though. I bought many birthday cards (some on the 5 for £1) yesterday as April is a busy month; we also had a veg box delivered and I bought a few bits in WR, although I used gift card from Christmas for this, so it doesn't really count! Went for a walk with mum in the afternoon, so got my 10k steps in

Have had a supermarket delivery of the few bits I get from there - more stocking up for Brexit mainly. Did not buy DH his organic Weetabix - they were £3.40, up from £2.99! I've not been watching wheat prices, but this seems steep. He'll have to eke out the boxes we've got and have muesli instead.

MS things:
* Only 2 pints of milk were delivered on Monday, so rang up for a refund for the 3rd
* Clicks etc.
* Cheques paid in
* HM pizza for tea last night

Gratitudes:
* Have moved all my jewellery (that makes it sound like a lot, which I'm sure it isn't and I wear even less!) to a jewellery box that belonged to my Great Aunt (was at Nan's). It takes up much less space than the individual boxes I had everything in and I can see everything
* Very purry ginger boy this morning - lovely to have 'help' with so much
* Lovely walk with mum yesterday through her local nature reserve - beautiful primroses, daffs and birdsong

Better get back to work now, waffled on for far too long!

Karmacat

Waffle on about furry boy wafting his tail around as much as you like

earthgirl

Spring walk sounds lovely and also your jewellery box. OH got me one once and its totally massive! I just don't know how he expected me to fill it!

themadvix

Morning all,

So much for 'nearly caught up with all my work' above.... then I got hit by a load more! Managed to fit it all in and collect greenery from parents' gardens for Brownies. The flower arranging went well I do love their creativity!

Had a super productive Saturday, doing lots of jobs I don't enjoy, so felt very satisfied (washed my car, cut lawn front and back - the front garden is a wilderness!, hoovered the leaves out of DH's car). Also made soup, pitta breads and unblocked kitchen sink (with nasty chemicals sadly, bought using a L2S voucher though).

Sunday Sis and I cooked a roast for mum, uncle, niece and other halves. It was very nice and then we went for a walk. Much cheaper and nicer than going out on the chaos that is Mothers' Day.

Managed to get all my invoicing and accounts done yesterday (money shuffle is on my list for this morning), and a temporary lull in work, so Mum and I took niece to local NT farm. We had a lovely time - Mum packed sandwiches and I bought cake and tea using a voucher we got for Christmas, so no actual money spent, apart from fuel. Niece loved the animals, but was scared too, so I got lots of cuddles (and an aching arm, she's getting heavy!).

MS things:
* Comps entered yesterday
* Clicks etc. (today, forgot yesterday)
* Good invoicing month!! All that work should pay off!
* Discovered campsite for Mini London to Brighton in May is still there (they thought they'd have to close at the end of 2018, but still there! :T) so booked for L2B
* Trimmed chicken carcass from weekend for cats
* Pizza Exp dinner last night - cost £8 inc tip - Meerkats and MS rewards helped us out
* Natwest cheques eventually showed on online banking - transferred to savings

Gratitudes:
* Lovely time at the farm yesterday
* Relaxed and enjoyable Mothers' Day
* Caught up with in-laws on Mothers' Day evening at BIL and fiancee's

Trip to Costco planned for tomorrow as Mum and I are visiting a rellie who has been ill and lives nearby. Also the Swedish furniture store - I don't think I need anything, so just a free cuppa and maybe (less free) cake!

Sorry, that was a bit epic!

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

That's a fantastic (very) long weekend, though how annoying of the work to keep interrupting you

themadvix

I know Karma, it's very naughty, but good for the savings (I think we're onto ensuring we have enough for our trip to the US next year now). At some point we may start OPing again!

That said, because of recent increases in DH's work-related shares and the fact he's had to buy some options, we're actually mortgage neutral. As the money's in shares we don't want to sell though, it's all a bit moot!

In other news, an Ebay sale needs posting today and we'll split the proceeds between us and BIL as it was his unwanted (even to sell) item. Money shuffle completed too.