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

Cheery_Daff

Lots of good stuff there! Sounds like the right decision with the house, and some exciting savings plans instead. There always seems to be a bit extra you can shave off doesn't there? (Well not always, for some people of course ).

I didn't realise about the microwave either, although we do use ours a LOT, especially in our temporary kitchen. I'm sure the little 2 ring induction hob is better than the previous gas hob anyway. Mr Cheery loves a microwave and will happily cook EVERYTHING in there I do always do porridge in there as I HATE washing porridgey pans - the secret for me seems to be the right amount of water and limiting it to 2 mins so it doesn't boil over...

I confess we are always a bit less prudent with the heating... Central heating doesn't go on til about 7, or even later, when we're both sitting together in the living room of an evening. But I do usually have an electric heater in the study - it's bloody freezing in there even with the heating on, so we figured since I'm sat still in there for several hours, electric was the way to go (I do have a fireplace in there but it still needs sweeping at the minute!)

Sorry, waffling as usual

themadvix

Morning all,

Feel free to waffle away Cheery The ease of cleaning the pyrex bowl was a big plus point for me with the porridge (it would bubble over in a breakfast-sized bowl, so still a little bit of washing up, but nothing like scraping the soggy, soaked porridge remnants and then scrubbing the hard dried on bits (sorry, yes it did get left to soak for too long sometimes). Re the heating - I'm sure you're pretty tough - remember we're down south, in a mid-terrace not on a hill (and no hole in the ceiling either), so we can wait it out a bit longer! We need to find our oil-filled radiator - it was on long-term loan to sister, but she says she gave it back but we can't find it. Might be in the loft?! I think DH is going to need it soon (his office is the dining room with its French doors - not the warmest!). In the meantime, it's Turtle Doves, extra socks and, soon, thermals. Being at home all the time the heating could be on for far too long, so the longer we go before doing that, the better.

In other news, work is back to 'very quiet' (should I have a three-tier system for this, I wonder? With restrictions - no heating, porridge only in the 'very quiet' tier ). I've got an RM survey item to post this morning though and have done a couple of surveys. I've splashed out a whole £1.60 on some jeans on Ebay (+P&P) - hopefully I'll win them as I really need another pair. This will come from birthday money.

MS things:
* YG surveys
* 1P survey
* Streetbees payments - at £2.90 now (and keeping the invoice up to date!)
* VB payment eventually came through
* Evening class to continue online for next half-term - so saving 1/3 of normal cost (normally 1.5 hrs, but when online 1 hr is enough)
* Cancelling veg box this week - we have enough and stuff in the freezer. Have added milk to supermarket delivery as it's coming tomorrow (normally get milkman to top up, so this is a saving - veg box milk is plastic anyway, so no change there)
* Supermarket delivery looks to be pretty small

Gratitudes:
* Mum and niece visited yesterday afternoon - we went to the park, which was lovely
* They also brought home made fairy cakes (with lemon and gin curd in for the grown ups )
* Sun is currently shining
* Freegle man picked up puzzle as expected

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

It *does* sound a good idea to withdraw the house, much more peaceful.  As far as frozen veg is concerned - I take it out of the freezer before I need it, I don't need to use energy to defrost it then.  I don't do that for things like quorn though.  And I too do my porridge in a mahoosive pyrex bowl, so it can bubble and do no harm

themadvix

It's mainly not frozen veg here, although I quite often get the peas out before I need to put them in anything - but they're rarely just peas as DH isn't that keen on them (I've no idea why not, peas are some of my favourite veg!). I've just got to get the timings right for various other veg in the microwave. And now I'm wondering what else I can cook in the microwave - maybe I'll have to get the instruction manual/recipe book out! I already have a jam sponge pudding recipe that goes in the microwave which is pretty good.  

themadvix

In the interests of keeping the money coming in, I've just placed my first matched bet since we decided to put the house on the market. Rounded up some money from a bookie account too (left £10 in it, just to look keen) - at about the £200 mark.

I've also finally actually done some work for a Fiverr-style (but more specialised) website. Only 9.90 euros but it's a start. I've been registered with them for a long time, but have always found excuses/other work that have meant I've avoided doing anything with the account! Annoyingly have since discovered that I'll have to get my balance up to 100 euros before they'll pay me (which is fair enough, but I would've liked a trial run to start with!). So will be keeping an eye on emails coming in (and actually opening, rather than deleting them!).

South_coast

I'm with your DH on the peas - I can't stand them! I can just about cope with them mixed in with other food, but if you gave me a serving of peas 🤢🤢🤢 

I do like mushy peas though 🤔?!?

Busy_Mee

You are so resourceful in terms of finding alternative income streams. Hopefully you won't be quiet for too long.

I use my microwave quite a lot, but hadn't really thought about the energy saving. I tend to use it because it is quicker and means less washing up.  Also when we were doing the house I only had a microwave and a George Foreman grill for cooking, so got to be quite a dab hand with it.

I do porridge in mine, oats measured out and a deep breakfast porcelain bowl ( stoneware ones get too hot for some reason) for 2 mins. 

I also make perfect scrambled egg, two eggs plus dash of milk in a Pyrex jug for 1.50 mins. I stop it half way through to mix with a fork. The trick is to under cook not over cook or they end up like rubber because they carry on cooking.

 I cook jacket potatoes through and then chuck them in the oven to crisp the skins up. 

Frozen veg, leftovers, Christmas pudding, custard are all done in the microwave. The only thing I don't do are baked beans ( they taste funny).

I only like frozen garden peas. Mushy peas and tinned processed peas are revolting 

the_cross_rabbit

Regarding pea thoughts. The hubbster isn’t a fan of peas as he feels he has to work too hard to get them in his mouth. He doesn’t like the fact you have to chase them around your plate🤣.  You can see him visually wilt if I serve peas. Personally I think he’s bonkers I just mix mine in with my mash.
CRx

themadvix

Who knew peas could be so divisive?! DH loves mushy peas (and I've learnt I quite like them - my mother always put me off them!), so we have them sometimes. He will eat them though, just not his favourite. Love the image of Mr CR chasing them round the plate. Busy Mee - that's what DH says about baked beans in the microwave! Although I did them in there the other day and no complaints about taste (just didn't cook them for long enough, so a bit cold! Oh dear!).

Have only ever managed to over cook eggs in microwave - something else to be revisited, although we don't do scrambled very often anyway.

themadvix

Morning all,

It's quiet around here at the moment... or is it just that I have more time on my hands than normal and fewer people to chat to?! A late start this morning as a very disturbed night - cats wailing (for pleasure, with favourite toy in mouth), fighting (you should see the amount of fur everywhere) and then breaking into our bedroom and joining us in the bed.... And I was already struggling to sleep anyway.

Have done a couple of small work projects for 'proper' clients, and then another small job for the new platform thing - my computer makes a heck of a noise when a new job becomes available! I think it might be quite a nice addition to my income though . An electic selection of jobs to do today, including baking Herman (did I mention he'd returned for a second visit?), making soup for lunch, a trip to Aldi and some (financial) adminny bits.

MS things:
* Clicks done
* 1P surveys done
* Extra small job claimed from platform
* Aldi for cheapy bits

Gratitudes:
* DH discouraged B&W cat from hassling me too much when he decided to join us in bed
* Sun is shining (for now)
* There'll be Herman cake (going for double chocolate with dates and walnuts as I have some of these to use up - Paul Hollywood wouldn't be impressed with the quantities though) - looking forward to it!

Have a good day all!