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

the_cross_rabbit

so many homeless in London - really heartbreaking, especially as many looked to be newly on the streets - donation to Shelter made)

What a fantastic thing to do.

CRx

themadvix

Thanks CR. It feels like a bit of a cop-out really - what I wanted to do was buy them all food and have a chat, but it's not so easy at the moment with social distancing and we were trying to have a day out. One guy was sat between the Ritz and the entrance to Green Park station with a sign that just said 'homeless and lonely'. I'd have had a chat with him, but it's probably the worst place to try and chat - loads of people, noise, buses. He looked like he was recently homeless, quite clean and possibly had had a good job until recently (I know I'm making face-value judgements, but what can you do?). It made me so thankful for what we have and so aware of how easily things can turn, especially at the moment.

Suffolk_lass

When I worked in London there was a former serviceman who was always on the corner by Euston Tower and whenever I had a meeting near there I bought him a hot drink or gave him a couple of pounds, offered him my uneaten lunch, that kind of thing. I have Shelter set up as the charity for loyalty points from one of my store accounts and I always make donations to the Salvation Army for my birthday and Christmas, but it isn't enough really.

Karmacat

Oh my god   I'm so safe and comfortable here, that's a horrendous eye opener, madvix.  Thank you for writing about it.

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks SL and Karma for chipping in. It does make you think, doesn't it? We are so lucky.

Manically busy with work today, which is great, but am beginning to think I won't get much of a weekend! The problem is you can never say 'no' (or only rarely) as you never know when it's going to be quiet again. 

My sister and her partner should be completing on their house purchase today! They are FTB - they'd had their offer accepted before the stamp duty exemption came in (yes, their house was over the price of the FTB exemption) - so they've done really well - saved on the stamp duty but avoided the hikes in house prices. I'm so pleased for them as now Niece will finally have a garden to play in. Will be popping in tomorrow with card, gift (yet to buy/finish making!) and some other bits. Looking forward to seeing it.

MS things:
* RM survey item to post later
* PA ongoing survey done
* Work, work, work, work, work....

Gratitudes:
* Home
* Food
* Warmth
* Work

Have a good day all!

Suffolk_lass

How exciting for your sister and family (and you!). 

I watched the TV programme about the Southwark local authority housing department - I thought the staff came out of it really well. Imagine being the first on a list for a four bedroom apartment and not going to view it. The lady who was second could not believe how lucky she was. You just knew that home was going to be loved and appreciated. I love social housing.

themadvix

Evening all,

Thanks SL. Interesting about that programme - can't imagine being on the list and not interested in what's offered! (Can't really imagine being on the list though, either, to be fair, although I recognise the need for social housing.) We dropped bits off at Sister's on Saturday and then went round for a cuppa yesterday, complete with Dad and his GF, who we finally met (she seems lovely, very normal).

Am completely snowed under with work at the moment, hence the late post. I did a bit over the weekend, just to get the little American jobs out of the way, leaving space for the bigger stuff today. Neither of the projects I'm currently working on fill me with joy, but that's the way it goes sometimes and I'm grateful for what I've got (and the fact that these big projects will be out of the way by the end of the week).

We had a viewing today - the agent rang about 55 mins before the viewing was due and asked if we could move it forward by half an hour! We compromised on 15 mins earlier! Cue manic tidying, made worse by ending up chatting to the workman next door who I had to ask to move his van (he was blocking our drive and we don't want it to look as if there are parking problems (which there are)) - very nice guy, but I didn't have time for a chat!! The agent and viewer turned up at the originally scheduled time (of course) and then we had to catch the cats as she was scared of them (??!). Seemed very nice though, and the cats didn't seem to mind being left in their carriers in the garden for 15 minutes. Fun all round!

MS things:
* Clicks
* Ongoing PA survey £26 waiting to be approved now
* Bread baked, Herman baked (very nice), pizza dough ready for dinner
* Work, work, work

Gratitudes:
* Meeting Dad's GF went well and she's nice
* DH made millionaire's shortbread at the weekend - mmm
* Lots of family time over the last few days 
* Mum and Niece popped round briefly earlier (and they'd got the bits I needed from Costco too , saving me a trip)

Have a nice evening all!

themadvix

Afternoon all,
 
I've got rid of one of the pieces of work I was doing and plan to finish the other this afternoon. I'll feel a lot more caught up then (still more work on the pile, but I won't be trying to manage clients' expectations so much). DH is currently enjoying a meeting within a 5-hour meeting (i.e. he double booked himself). I don't envy him the 5-hour-long one though. Once he's finished this one, I'll get him some lunch (of course he's missing the lunch break in the long one, while he's on this one!). 

We have another viewing booked for Saturday.

MS things:
* Clicks done
* Ongoing PA survey done
* RM survey item processed
* HM pizza for dinner last night was lovely - it's been a while
* Sausage and mash tonight, with runner beans and sweetcorn (all veg need using up)
* 1P surveys - @ £24.55 now!

Gratitudes:
* That work is done! (And I'm hoping I won't see it again, but wouldn't bet on it)
* The end is in sight for the other large project
* Evening class returns (virtually) tonight

Have a good afternoon all!

themadvix

Morning all,

I feel there's a strange sense of deja vu.... are we heading back into lockdown? It feels like we should make the most (sensibly, within the rules) of the freedom we have!

I finished the other large project yesterday afternoon, so pretty much caught up with everything now, which is great. I'll be done in a couple of hours (if I focus) and then I need to sort out the wine, which I think has finished fermenting (need to test it). I may meet Mum later, either for a walk or will give her a hand in the garden. DH is off tomorrow and Friday, so it would be good to keep work then to a minimum.

MS things:
* Clicks all done
* PA survey done (penultimate day, looking forward to that payout!)
* Mozzarella Mum got me from Costco portioned out and frozen; leftover pizza sauce and salmon from yesterday's delivery also both frozen
* Dinner tonight will be this, with homegrown patty pans rather than the courgette.
* Picked a whole handful of ripe toms from the garden this morning, most we've had this year!
* Lunch will be a pasta concoction for DH using up some ham from the TGTG box the other week; I'll have toast of some description to use up the end of the loaf

Gratitudes:
* Did almost 10k steps yesterday (9,900), due to putting a bit of effort in - feel much better for getting out for a walk
* Saw a family of long-tailed tits on our walk - they're so sweet
* Good return to evening class - my skills weren't as rusty as I thought
* Garden produce

Have a good day all!

ETA: Just cashed out on 1Poll!

South_coast

themadvix said:

I need to sort out the wine, which I think has finished fermenting (need to test it).

Ah yes, the old "quality control" 🤪!

Thanks for the recipe, might give that a go 😋