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

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Karma - feeling much more positive this morning (although the overall concerns remain). We had a good weekend. DH felt ill on Saturday, so didn't do a lot (spent the day in bed, which is very unlike him). I attacked the front garden though and it looks much better for it. It's quite a big area and the neighbours like to sit in theirs, smoking and chatting and we don't really like being out there when they are - I know it's a front garden, but there's no road, just a path, so it's quite quiet and you feel like you're intruding on their space even though you're in your own garden! Fortunately they were out (and it kept raining!), so I could get on without feeling awkward. I also went to the nearby garden centre to use the £5 voucher. Bargain alert: they had peat-free compost in, which was £1 cheaper than the bag I bought last week (which had to be organic to be p-f), and with garden centre membership card I got 15% off too, so 50 litres of p-f compost was 70p!

Yesterday we went to the nursery we discovered last year - bargainous plants but sadly they'd sold out of all their tomatoes I think my freebie from the other garden centre will have to do. Have more plants than space now (whoops), but got most planted up yesterday as well as my freegle bean plants (in an old recycling box and with canes cut from mum's garden and hm compost. Afraid we were both so exhausted by the end of yesterday (DH's quick fix to car for MOT was anything but - who designs these vehicles??!) that we ordered takeaway. Still, it's doing lunch today too, so that's something. Menu plan has been pushed back a day.

After all that, I'm rather achy today! MOT retest at 11.30 (the last for now) and I'll pop to the zero-waste shop while I'm up that way for the monthly top up.

MS things:
* Bargainous plants planted up
* 70p compost
* homemade compost
* Clicks, comps etc.

Gratitudes:
* Gorgeous weather
* Takeaway
* A good night's sleep has restored my energy levels, if not the full range of movement! :rotfl:

Have a good day all!

earthgirl

Glad you are feeling more energetic and your gardening sounds amazing. I think you are right to focus on the things you can control/effect with the environment, as it is so vast a problem to ponder.

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Earthie! I'm quite pleased with the garden at the moment. I had a count yesterday and we're growing garlic, cabbage, potatoes, runner beans, Brussels sprouts, chillis, peppers, tomato, rhubarb, redcurrants, raspberries, strawberries and apples, as well as various herbs and I'll replant some peas too, but DH needs to mend the fence first. Of the annuals, the only money paid was for the chilli plants - all the rest were freebies from garden centre free vouchers, very generous man on freegle or bits saved from kitchen (garlic, potatoes and peppers). Nothing in huge quantities, but enough to keep us busy and fed some of the time and definitely the most I've ever grown! :j

Time to confess to rather a big error. At the end of March I forgot to send the invoice to one of my main clients (formerly known as the Naughty Americans). Only realised this this week when I emailed to check whether payment was scheduled (all Americans pay in 45 days, which is carp). AP had no record of invoice and a check of my email showed it hadn't ever been sent. So they won't be paying this month and it was going to form the main chunk of my income. It was also a rather large amount. This is a royal pita as it also means I'm extending them waaaay more credit than I'd like, as they are the company I'm doing the big project for at the moment alongside all my other work for them and the outstanding invoice from end of April. AP have said they'll do their best to get the March invoice paid in 30 days, which is something, but I don't feel happy about this situation at all. I'll be checking and double-checking I've actually sent the invoice in future.

DH/savings will be subbing me come the end of the month, I think. That's what my buffer fund is for! In the meantime, frugal May continues, although it's the L2B this weekend (we can still be frugal though!).

MS things:
* Clicks and comps done (nice 100 SBs survey for 4 mins work yesterday )
* Bargainous (but not plastic-free) fish purchases on Tuesday - 24p for 7 pounds worth of smoked cod - all in the freezer for a lovely fish pie or two at some point.
* Garden being watered from water butt (at the moment....)
* 5 pound L2S voucher from RM survey
* 6 1st class stamps as compensation for Ebay parcel damage.... cos I haven't got enough 1st class stamps :rotfl: If I'd paid cash for the postage I think I'd be a bit peeved at getting stamps as compensation, but as I only put RM survey stamps on, I guess it's okay. No refund for value of item though as I didn't have proof of value.

Gratitudes:
* Saw 1st-cousin-once-removed yesterday - she was visiting her mum and Mum and I called in - was lovely to see her and catch up on the news
* Quick cuddle with niece yesterday afternoon when we got back - she was pleased to see me
* Projects from other clients - while I don't have a lot of time at the moment, at least this helps spread the risk/guarantees some short-term income!

Have a good day all, I'd better get back to the grindstone.... kettle on first though!

Karmacat

What a shame about the error! Sorry to hear that I'm glad you can scratch around and make ends meet, but it doesn't feel too good, does it (Just re-read your post - not good about the value of your ebay item, either ).


Your garden *really* sounds wonderful though, thats a lot of crops when you're not even mentioning herbs individually. All power to your elbow!

earthgirl

Wonderful gardening!

Sorry about the mistake but hopefully it'll be paid soon.

Have a great weekend!

themadvix

Thanks Karma and Earthie.

Still really, really busy with work and the moment, although have returned a couple of bits this morning, so feeling slightly more on top of things (my mind is even turning to leaving the house!). Hopefully this will pay off soon.

Had a great weekend at the L2B. Spent quite a bit of money on food, but Mum paid for lunch for us in Brighton on the Sunday and we did opt for McD's breakfast both days (I had porridge which doesn't really count and actually DH didn't bother with breakfast on the Monday).

Went to an NT place on the Monday on the way home - used my Christmas present voucher to pay for half of lunch. Tried to use SBs-bought gift voucher for the other half.... It had expired.... It was two months old, and meant to be valid for 24 months. :mad: SBs have very kindly refunded me my points 'as a one-off'. Bl00dy cheek! This is the second time I've had problems with SBs and NT vouchers, so I'm sadly going to avoid using them for these from now on. Instead have hatched a plan to use them for DH's music subscription (he's been tarting around on free offers for 2+ years now, but the offers are coming to an end) and he'll give me the value in cash as my 'cake fund'. :rotfl:

DH and I both struggling with sleep at the moment - we need a new mattress. Have found one we think we'll try - it's quite expensive but it's wool (unlike all these plastic foam ones about at the moment), and has a long guarantee. When I get paid by the Americans (the big bill), I think we'll be investing in one.

MS things:
* Cancelled NT membership - runs out end of June. Will be using some of the money from Nan to purchase life membership, so didn't want to have to pay for a year's membership in the meantime (£120 saved!). Not expecting the money from Nan's estate yet (house isn't on market quite), so will see how we go. If necessary (i.e. I want to go to an NT place after June before the money arrives), I'll use savings to pay for the life membership and return the money when I receive it.
* Won a DVD of Into the spiderverse.... Hmm... didn't win the TV which is what I entered for! Will be ebayed!
* Clicks etc have been kept up with, despite mega work volume. Yesterday was a super day on SBs - 140-odd earned! (Comps and surveys have been lacking this week though -something has to give and these are they.)

Gratitudes:
* Lovely weekend and it stayed dry
* Beans (and other things) are visibly growing every day!
* My alliums have come out - I've wanted some for years and finally planted them in the autumn

Have a great day all. I have been reading, but not posting on others diaries... there's not enough hours in the day at the moment!

Karmacat

Glad to hear you're good but grrr to SB/NT - I've carried on just getting Amazon vouchers, I must say, there's always something I can usefully buy on there. And now that I've just joined the NT again, I'm going to make better use of the year - last time, I only broke even, I think, life kept getting in the way



I'm with you on the spiderverse I'd rather have alliums too

newgirly

Hi vix, sorry to hear about your invoice problems, hopefully they will pay promptly

earthgirl

SB/nt was ridiculous - glad you complained.
NT life membership sounds like a great thing to buy from your nan.

themadvix

Thanks all,

Earthie I can't take credit for the idea of using inheritance to pay for life membership - a friend of mine used some money she'd been left for life membership of NT, EH and YHA - I thought it was a lovely way to remember them. I don't have the urge/need to buy all three though (tempting though it might be!), but I love my NT membership and Nan loved gardens, so I think it'll be a great way to remember her.

Well DH and I were meant to be working today. He'd decided to go in as he's only got a couple of days leave left (new year is Sept) and would rather have worked today and had another day off.... unfortunately he's woken up very dizzy and sick-feeling this morning, so he's not gone in. I am working - too much work to do not to, even though the US has a holiday today too. It's rather annoying, but I intend to have most of Weds off, so I can't complain. I'm taking it gently though and won't do a whole day - just enough to feel on top of things.

Spent the weekend doing lots of house/garden jobs. Progress is slowly being made in the front garden :T And it rained, albeit briefly, yesterday, so didn't need to water and hopefully water butt is a bit fuller. Have been being very good about reusing kitchen water in garden and when I defrosted freezer on Saturday all the ice lumps went into the watering can!

MS things:
* Planted up pepper plants (and donated one to a friend who has also rehomed some of our fish)
* Comps and clicks done today (lost my streak over weekend on Bing though)
* Had BIL and fiancee over for BBQ last night as thank you for looking after cats
* Shopped at Sains for bonus nectar points and triple points on fuel

Gratitudes:
* Rain - although annoying, we sorely need it
* Reduced double choc chip cookies in Sains
* Have already ticked 4 projects off the list for today - small and easy jobs are very satisfying
* Lots of leftovers in fridge, although now worried that if DH isn't well some of it might go off!

Have a lovely BH Monday all! I'll get out and enjoy it later!