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

themadvix

Evening all,

Didn't end up in Star bucks but did get most jobs done in town. Came home and had guilt-free (ethics, not calories :rotfl: ) homemade cake instead.

Have just claimed another £6-odd from TCB.

MS shop for dinner tonight and we're going to walk, so saving on fuel costs. Just need to walk the cats' vaccination cards down to the vets first so that they'll take them at the cattery.

Received training RM posting pack, so back on the survey now. Came with stamps

newgirly

Well done completing the “big project” :T where are you off to?

themadvix

Thanks NG We're off to Brittany - DH's godparents have a house out there. It's not my first choice of holiday, but the stay there is virtually free (20 euros for the week), so it'll be good on the money-saving front (although hotels en route and the ferry/hydrofoil are not particularly cheap!). Looking forward to a baked camembert and baguette for teas while we're away! (And crepes ).

themadvix

Morning all,

The sun is shining here today and I will finally get entirely caught up on all my work - hooray!

Didn't walk to the MS last night in the end - set out, but my hayfever was too bad after walking to the vets. Parked for free though and had a very nice meal (much better than last week's at a different branch of the chain).

Work will take a fair while today (might still go for a *bucks in a bit, just to get out of the house), but have rhubarb stewing as we speak and will spend some time in the garden too. Dinner tonight will be lentil bolognese I think, but will serve with a side of this, which probably won't go! The veg need using though and I'll freeze the leftovers for another time. Hopefully it will solve the 'what to do with kohlrabi' dilemma for the future too.

MS things:
*Clicks etc. done
* MS report submitted
* Santa cashback moved to my current a/c. May TT it to savings later.
* Banana cake made to use up 3 bananas that turned rather quickly in the heat last week
* FOTG submission for the MS meal (for which I've just had a bonus survey sent through - another 1500 points )

Gratitudes:
* A good date night MS last night - the service was good enough that I was able to relax and enjoy the meal
* 10k steps done from walking to the vets
* The local mallards that live outside the new flats (no pond, just two males and a female!) were in evidence
* Saw a thrush, blackbird and lots of poppies on walk to vets

Have a good day all!

Suffolk_lass

Just popping in to say hi, :wave: - I have been reading your diary for a while and keep meaning to post. Now I have an excuse.

I am looking at going to France in Sept in the car (Eurostar seem to have stopped the "any French Station with one change" option and it would add between £30 and £130 each to the cost of a ticket to/from Lille ).

I have looked at several so far - have not been over on a South Coast route for years and years (we always go from Harwich to the Hook in the summer) - the cheapest of the Dover/Folkestone-Calais/Dieppe routes is under £100 with DFDS in September on a five-day ticket (with no loyalty schemes or vouchers but) there is an offer on their website that took 30% off. I have not looked at Brittany yet but they have always been more expensive. I need to check what I need in the car for France, other than the standard triangle, first aid kit, set of spare bulbs and fuses as I seem to remember something changing. Any insights greatly appreciated please

themadvix

Hi SL :hello: Nice to see you! Not sure about any insights tbh, we've never been to Brittany before (apart from a school trip) but we looked at the cost of fuel and a hotel on the way from Calais and decided to take the longer ferry but cut driving time down (it's still 4.75 hours to our destination from Cherbourg). One thing to check is age exclusions on European breakdown cover - most don't cover vehicles over 10 years old unless you pay an extortionate amount (have no idea if that might apply to you). Nationwide Flexplus makes no mention of an age exclusion, so it was worth us getting that account just for European travel (went to Germany last year).

You'll need a hi-vis jacket for each person travelling (accessible from within the car, not in the boot) and two in-date breathalysers. And the bits to make your lights European The AA website is really helpful for the list of bits needed.

Think that's all?!

themadvix

Morning all,

Just been booking up a theatre visit with a voucher from two Christmases ago from BIL - we're off to see 9 to 5 and with cost of voucher off there was just £8.65 to pay! Cheap seats but shouldn't matter and seatplan.com gave them reasonable reviews. Have also booked a llama walk which was my Christmas present from my sister (have an alpaca walk to do later in the year from BIL.....!). Will order some more Leisure Vouchers I think so that we can eat out on these occasions.

All my work is up to date at last (been well over a month since that was possible) and have done a couple of PA surveys this morning too.

Have an eye test later this morning (found a voucher for a freebie online after I'd booked) and might go and treat myself to free JL pastry when I buy a hot drink afterwards. Will take my lunch with me and eat it at mum's (she won't be there) as eye test is in same town and en route to Brownies (will need lunch despite pastry as don't get in from brownies till 8.30pm).

Going to view a house tomorrow. Pretty sure that despite being lovely, it won't be for us - it's top end of budget and already has an offer on it from London people, so couldn't get into a bidding war. Ideal location though - views to fields front and back and a chicken house already installed at the bottom of the garden (we'll gloss over the lack of garage and pond - easily rectified!). Will make an interesting start to the house-buying process though.

Right, going to make the chard and kohlrabi dish as I didn't last night - will freeze it for another occasion.

MS things:
* Clicks etc. done
* PA surveys
* Voucher use left, right and centre
* Leftovers for lunch

Gratitudes:
* Generosity of family with their gifts
* Excellent yoga session last night (on Youtube) - slept well as a result
* More strawbs

Happy Friday all! (Must get my head round Brownies tonight - still in holiday mode!)

themadvix

Just a quick update on the go (get me!), while I'm enjoying my (paid for) cuppa and (free) pastry in JL. Had my eye test and for the first time ever I don't need new glasses! :T New glasses fund should be up to the amount needed, so will start siphoning off the month extra to savings. Parked for free and used voucher for eye test too (can you tell I'm feeling smug?!)

(If this all sounds too organised, bear in mind I forgot my lunch and had to go back and then turned up at wrong branch of opticians for my appointment! :rotfl: )

themadvix

(Should add that at£2.20 for a cuppa, there should be a free pastry included :eek: Mr Cheery wouldn't stand for this!)

Karmacat

Cuppas and pastries Cheery is proud of you, I'll bet

Sounds like things are going really well, madvix - hope the house viewing tomorrow goes well, it sounds great too. And I'm glad somebody else is well organised for the most part, and then is suddenly completely daffy :rotfl: I've made a few howlers this week


Brittany sounds great - tell me you're going to go to Carnac? I've never been yet But I *can* confirm that walking a llama is fantastic :heart2: