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

themadvix

Thanks SC... hmm, it’s going to be fun invoicing for them then...!

themadvix

Morning all,

Work has been got out of the way very quickly this morning (there may be more yet). I need to take DH's parcels to the PO shortly (while the sun is still out, but after the Monday morning crowds have died down). We have a viewing at 1pm today, so housework to do before then. We brought some more charity shop/freegle stuff back from the in-laws yesterday, so after the viewing I need to get it all out and sorted ready for donating tomorrow (which is when our local CS accepts stuff). If the sun stays out I'll do some gardening - pansy planting and removal of dead plants.

The cheque I paid in by app at the weekend is not showing at all on my FD app. I'll give it until tomorrow and if it's not shown up, then I'll redo the paying in.

MS things:
* Improvised lasagne for dinner (the squash I was going to use as layers was rotten inside, and no lasagne sheets, so just used fusilli - it worked!
* Clicks done
* S&S transmitted
* TV survey done
* Heating on for 1/2 hr only to take the chill off this morning
* Gfk TV survey points draws entered

Gratitudes:
* Online Boggle on Zoom with Mum and Uncle yesterday - only the three of us turned up for our family Zoom call.
* Sunshine this morning
* Cat lap warmers for chilly evenings (In less grateful for cats news, naughty ginger cat has eaten - yes, eaten - the elastic off of my brand new, not particularly cheap, organic cotton face mask ). I hope it comes out the other end

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Have been and posted ebay parcels - queue wasn't too bad fortunately. Also ventured into charity shop and got 6 cards for £1.20 - needed one for a friend's upcoming birthday and there was one in a five pack that will do perfectly. I can make kids' cards, but my skills (and resources, which I don't intend to supplement) aren't up to adult men's cards!

Time for a cuppa and some housework before the viewing (boo!).

Suffolk_lass

Naughty ginger! what are they like!?

We call that sort of pasta dish a pasticcio - much easier for dishing up!

Karmacat

I can't imagine what the elastic's going to be like when it comes out **horrified**  dear me!  I was chuffed at managing Zoom myself yesterday, feel like I've finally joined in a few elements of our culture now.  Was the smaller family call nice?   Charity shop cards definitely sound nice

themadvix

Morning all,

I like that name for it SL and you're right, it was much easier to dish up and tasted just as good! Karma, I don't want to think about what it comes out like but usually (and yes, sadly I spend far too much time examining cat poo to see if things have passed through) it's just recognisable by strands of the colour. It was nice to see my Uncle - I miss seeing him in real life! It would have been nice to see cousins, as it sounds like there's lots going on in their lives, but it was quite nice to have adult conversations that weren't interrupted by Niece calling for everyone's attention every two seconds - 'Everybody! Look at what I've got' (or similar, always the 'Everybody'!) is her favourite phrase on a Sunday afternoon - and usually it's a Yorkshire pudding or an ice lolly!

Had a good sort of CS/Freegle stuff yesterday and my next task this morning is to take this over the road and drop it off. A couple of bits have already been requested on Freegle. I've listed two things on ebay from it (doubtful they'll sell) and found 20p and 10 euro cents... I think that's fair profit from clearing other people's junk! I managed to get the pansies planted up in a break in the rain yesterday and did a general garden tidy (removed the giant sunflower - cut the head off first, but it was still really heavy to move!). The pansies have definitely cheered the garden up!

We've asked for a break of a week from the EAs and already have a viewing booked for Monday next week. Hopefully today DH and I will get to the dump with some scrap metal bits and I need to go to Costco for cat chicken (cats have been enjoying freebie tuna bought with Z00plus points ).

My RBS switch is now complete, but I think I'll have to wait until January for the £100? We'll see. I can't get in yet anyway as I've not yet received a card reader (although I have one from another bank, so maybe I could?).

MS things:
* First Streetbees survey has been approved, so presumably will pay out soon. 
* 1P surveys
* Still resisting putting the heating on regularly (or this morning - it was fine once we got dressed but harder to get out of bed!)
* Did have takeaway last night (but DH paid), so leftovers for lunch today
* Have snagged a hen's-tooth-rare bakery TGTG bag from local branch of the bakery for tonight!

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine currently
* Managed to get plenty of walks in yesterday
* Takeaway last night 
* DH heard naughty cat getting up to mischief and put a stop to it (before ginger cat could eat the RM survey RFIDs!)

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Morning all,

Work is back to being very quiet, with two tiny projects out of the way already this morning.

Having read an article the other week about preparing for this winter, which talked about getting little things that are daily irritants sorted to minimise stress (and I thought no more about it), when the replacement dishwasher cutlery basket, ordered by DH turned up yesterday, I suddenly realised what the article was getting at! (The basket has for at least a couple of years had holes in the bottom so cutlery could fall through, causing the bottom drawer to get stuck or worse, the sprayer not to spin during the cycle.) So, to eradicate (hah!) irritations in the kitchen, I've just ordered a second shelf for the oven. I did *not* pay the £35 quoted by the manufacturer, but have ordered a universal one from ebay (with cashback and nectar points) for £7.99 posted. How bad can it be?

Our TGTG bag last night was excellent - we've got lunch sorted (tuna salad sarnie for me, mozzarella, pesto and tomato panini for DH) plus two filled cheese rolls in the freezer, a large loaf and some tiny rolls (also in the freezer), as well as a pretzel (instant snack), two cupcakes (which tasted better than they looked - dessert) and two Chelsea buns (snack/lunch today). Such good value. Dinner last night was shakshuka with some bread and butter and tonight will be BNS and chard risotto. Need to use the half a squash up that's in the fridge as discovered another whole one in the drawer last night and have another coming tomorrow! At least they last well.

Hoping to meet a friend today, but will wait and see as she wasn't sure - if not, I need to get out so will pop and see Mum. DH is off to the office for a bit and then meeting a colleague for a walk. Family quiz tonight. Popping to the in-laws tomorrow to collect another round of Herman starter (and taste test the two cakes MIL made from him). She's also been given some flour for me from a friend - OOD (only just) but the friend knows I'll use it R'ford delivery tomorrow too. After in-laws we'll meet a friend for a early evening drink (which may turn into dinner, we'll see).

MS things:
* TCB and Nectar points on much cheaper additional oven shelf
* Free flour, cake and starter
* TGTG
* Clicks
* 1P surveys
* Streetbees have paid me my first 75p

Gratitudes:
* People see OOD food and think of me... I think this is a good thing!
* My new cutlery basket (first world problems)
* A good evening class last night (leading to better motivation today!)

Have a good day all!

South_coast

New cutlery basket sounds great, you'll definitely notice the difference with that and be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner. I can totally relate though, my place is full of "workarounds" that I'm so used to they don't even register any more!

I think the OOD thing should be taken as a compliment - it shows that people think of you as resourceful 😀😀😀

Karmacat

When I replaced my dw last year, I took the old cutlery basket to the charity shop, and they nearly pulled it out of my hand, they were so pleased!

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks ladies. I think MIL's friend sees me as resourceful too - and she knows about my hatred of food waste, so I'll take it as a compliment. Cutlery basket is already bringing me joy and the oven shelf has been dispatched and cashback arrived in account - kicking myself though as there was a £2 bonus offer and I totally missed this!

R'ford delivery has been put away in a clean fridge (reduces food waste, ergo saves money, as per new rules) - very satisfying!

Loving not having viewings this week... I think realistically we've made the decision to take house off the market. Will have a proper chat at weekend and run the figures. If we do that, we'll wait until March when our deal expires, drop onto SVR, pay off our moving savings (eek!) of ~£20k and shorten the term, with the aim of being MF in 2/3 years and then making a new plan then. 

MS things:
* RM survey items to post x2
* RM survey items processed
* Maxmiles surveys done (rarely do these, but work is quiet)
* Work done (more than yesterday thankfully)
* Clicks done
* Mum's rent-a-cherry tree bought - and split with sister
* Think we'll be able to use vouchers to buy Dad and GF's Christmas present (buyagift)
* No heating on
* 1P surveys

Gratitudes (help me be contented, ergo less inclined to spend money!):
* Saw Mum and Sis yesterday
* Walk in the sunshine
* Family quiz (tbh it's becoming a bit of a strain now, but good chat with the BIL I struggle with afterwards)

Have a good day all!