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

Karmacat

You're doing so well, madvix! I like Dunelm, its a sort of smaller, more accessible Ikea, without such a huge Scandi heritage.

themadvix

Thanks KC, although I think I must be guilty of projecting too much positivity.... at the moment I'm just fed up and want my kitchen finished so I can get the house back to an acceptable standard of cleanliness and tidiness.... Plumber isn't coming until Monday so we're getting the last piece of worktop cut and installed today - FIL and BIL coming to help DH as I cannot help him lift it - it's 3 metres long and incredibly heavy (yet the guy who delivered it picked it up on his own!!). Fed up of not really being able to cook - we had takeaway last night because there's only so much 'oven-cooked meal and chips' that I can take. Until we have plumbing it's just too much mess to start cooking properly (especially with pesky cats!).

Hoping by the end of tomorrow we'll have finished all dusty stuff, so I'll be able to start wiping out cupboards and putting some things away.

MS things:
* I won a book (have had email... awaiting actual book) :j
* Freebie DVD from Sky arrived - Viceroy's House, looking forward to watching it (normally wouldn't have a DVD at all (it's plastic), but really wanted to take advantage of offer.... annoying that there wasn't an option to say I didn't need the disc).
* Admin all sorted with new client and they seem happy with my work - I hope it leads to more
* Cashback on takeaway??!
* Comps entered

Gratitudes:
* Have spent last couple of evenings catching up on some TV with DH - normally we don't sit down until about 8.30 and by then I'm too shattered to want to watch something that involves concentration.
* Popped round to mum's yesterday and she helped with some washing up (nice not to break my back doing it)
* Pear, banana and cinnamon loaf *cake* cooked by dippy sis!

Have a good weekend all!

Karmacat

Oh boy, I *really* know what you mean about projecting too much positivity - I fell down that particular rabbithole myself last month or so, so I feel for you.

The work surface sounds amazing - is it composite, or actually granite? Here's to having workable kitchens

themadvix

It's laminate (i.e. chipboard made to look like a granite worktop) - budget wouldn't stretch to real granite sadly (that's one for our 'forever' home).

Still waiting for the in-laws to turn up..... Can't complain, they've gone to look at a house for BIL and GF... if they move here then cat care costs will plummet!!

earthgirl

Themadvix fingers crossed you'll be in your kitchen in no time! Cash back on Takeaway counts

themadvix

Thanks EG!

Plumber is here today, so hoping we'll be more or less finished by the end of today. There's still some bits to do (putting handles on cupboard and drawers, for instance!) but I'll be able to unpack and move stuff in and.... most importantly of all ... use the dishwasher!! (Possibility we might not have a tap in place by EOD, not the plumber's fault).

Have just written a lengthy complaint to the Swedish company, as they've royally messed up on one of the pieces of worktop - it was a custom length, cost an extortionate amount of money and it's turned up in a different design to the cheap bit we bought for the other side (sharp edges, not rounded). No mention was made of this at the point of ordering. We'll see what they say, but I want (and intend to get) my money back - we installed it because I cannot wait another 4 weeks for them to deliver and install another bit. Grr!!

Have been busy doing comps and surveys this morning - and won £1 on the TCB summer prize giveaway Also had a massive (sofas out) clean of living room - it's so much nicer now.... rest of the house, here I come!

MS things:
* Didn't like the handles we'd bought from IK**, so going to return them and have found better ones from Screwfix for £1.88 instead of £4.50 - love it when cheaper is better too!
* Have a list of bits to take back to IK**, looking forward to that money going onto my cc bill
* Found a receipt for some Brownie stuff, so need to sort a cheque out for that and that will help too.
* PA surveys - have done a few of these today, none in ages!
* NV survey
* YG survey
* VB poll done
* £3 PC survey (I think... I don't remember whether it actually finished.... it says it does)
*£5 Am voucher claimed from SBs - this will be put towards a worktop saver for hot things/kneading bread
* TCB £1 win!

Gratitudes:
* Plumber has turned up despite having a cold - he'd rather be in bed, so I'm so glad he's here
* I'm going to cook, using actual ingredients tonight
* Took a break from kitchening to wander round local car show yesterday with DH and an ice cream

earthgirl

Yey to cooking with ingredients! Pleased it's all coming together.

Kittenkirst

How rubbish on the Swedish company's part! Fingers crossed they reimburse you in full!

What have you planned to cook?

themadvix

Thanks guys! Haven't heard anything back from my email yet.... but it says allow five days and I imagine they want to get their response right.

We had risotto last night and it was lovely. I can't remember the last time I chopped an onion though!

Today I'm putting things away in earnest (despite the few bits left to do - none should make dust or cause disruption). Am finding a few bits to go in a boot sale (Mum is planning on doing one soonish), so that will help the coffers.

In the process of putting a shopping order together - we've not actually got anything to eat that isn't frozen! Veg box is coming on Thursday too (complete with sweetcorn - I was worried I was going to miss the season!)

MS things:
* VB poll
* SB surveys x 2
* PA survey (started another one but it was meant to be 2 mins long and seemed to be taking the mick, so I abandoned it!)
* Comps entered
* **Work** in progress.... roll on September, and no doubt I'll be complaining I've got too much to do!

Gratitudes:
* Things are fitting in kitchen (so far, fingers crossed - really worried I'm going to run out of space!)
* My dishwasher, my lovely, lovely dishwasher!
* Fushia berries.... forgot to mention this the other day - I got the T&M offer from MSE for a bundle of plants earlier in the year and one was a 'fuschia berry' - a fuschia with edible berries - I tried one at the weekend and it was quite nice (and I didn't die!).

Better get back to kitchen...

themadvix

Evening all

Another day of putting things away/cleaning and I've got another box of bits for the boot sale. Food delivery coming tonight, so we'll finally be more or less back on an even keel. And... we'll put the washing machine away tonight, so I can start on the huge pile of washing.

MS things:
* Have been remembering to check PA and now have ~£9 on there - thanks Kittenkirst for keeping on mentioning it, I have a tendency to forget.
* Have withdrawn £1 TCB win
* Won a bag of dairy milk buttons (which I don't buy because of the plastic.... I must get back to my plastic-free healthy ways!)
* Jiggled the stupid virtual m'card by topping up Am account so I could use the full balance - have used this and some survey/S&S vouchers to buy a worktop saver, new scratching post (the other is a sorry sight and the cat still tries to use it) and another matching litter tray.
* VB poll, SBs bits
* MS rewards searches and clicks
* More work
* Used a triple points voucher on trip to Sains (a whole 6 points as I only spent £2 on some fruit and veg not coming in the box)

Not-so-MS things:
* DH and I are planning to go camping for a few days at the beginning of September - nothing fancy, but after all the upheaval and disruption it will be nice to have a short break. Money being tight, I'll be keeping a close eye on spending (but we do have some money in our holiday fund).
* Can't remember if I mentioned, but we've been invited to a wedding in Ireland in Feb. Both DH's brothers are going (and parents) and as one has a baby and the other is about to buy a house, we feel we ought to go or we might look a bit tight! DH is a bit worried it's one of those 'invite everyone, they won't all come' kind of invitations though! Having never been to Ireland we'll make the most of it and stay for a couple of extra days to see some of the countryside. We're looking at airbnb-type accommodation, so hopefully not too expensive.

Gratitudes:

* Good chat conversation with friend - both encouraging the other with our sorting-out activities
* Food delivery driver has just rung to say he'll be early
* Normality is returning (I can see the floor in the spare bedroom!)