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

themadvix

30,000 steps is very impressive Michelle!

Kitties seem to be okay on new diet. I tested our water from the tap and filtered (we have test strips for the pond) and there didn't seem to be much of a difference sadly.

themadvix

Morning all!

Feeling very motivated and positive this morning - am nailing the NY resolutions at the moment and I think it's helping.

Have done all the work I can for the moment - am having trouble with one of the client's platforms, will keep trying though.

Today I must get on top of the Brownie finances.... I've said it here, so now I must do it! I'm missing a leaders meeting next week so I also need to write a report about fundraising etc, so that progress can be made - I need some decisions making before I can do much more.

It seems to be very quiet on the surveys front at the moment. I can only assume that either I'm not the right fit or the survey writers just haven't gone back to work yet!

MS things:
* Made pies for dinner (including pastry, my nemesis!) to use up some droopy veg last night. Enough left for tonight's dinner too
* SBs ongoing - no surveys here either so it's all taking a while.
* VB poll done
* Nearly at pay out on PA and MS rewards.... so close!
* Meter readings submitted and amazingly we're still in credit (heating off all day yesterday until 5pm)
* Ebay parcel sent and monies transferred
* Settled up with my sister for Christmas presents - up £6

NY resolutions:
* Yoga - done this morning
* Podcast - also this morning - beginning to get into this
* Kitty playtime - the boys loved the new attachments for their flying frenzies - a sparrow and a mouse, although there was less running around and more growling with them in their mouths! And ginger puss loves the treat ball we got - he's had two meals in it now and clearly missed his calling as a pro footballer - his dribbling skills are excellent!
* 8661 steps yesterday - again, mostly inside - it was sunny but too windy for a walk! Have been enjoying views of Yosemite using one of the challenges on the fitbit (the steps reflect actual distances and you unlock views of the park... gamification it may be, but if it works, who cares?!)

Gratitudes:
* Cats still going to the loo (maybe TMI, but it's the only way to tell that things aren't deteriorating with their health)
* Cats on nip are very entertaining
* Lunch tomorrow with sis, niece and mum has just been organised (and at sister's, so free)
* I'm oozing with positivity and motivation at the moment!

Happy Thursday All!

themadvix

Item on FB sold and collected - £3 to the sheepbank... there's real money in there now, should think about paying it in.

Watty1

Sending love for kitties. Hope they continue to improve. Many years ago I had a cat who kept getting blockages from the crystals. I remember how stressful that was. I managed to claim the cost of his food on an insurance policy he had .... I think I remained in profit for a few years on that. Doubt they still do such good deals!

themadvix

Thanks Watty. All seemingly okay here with the cats. We've got to test the urine again in a couple of weeks. I've yet to do the research on the prescription food to find out how much/if we can save by buying online (almost certainly, even with the prescription charge!).

Hardly slept last night, so was up late this morning. However, I have managed to stick to my new, healthy and educational routine, so I'm pleased with that.

Spent most of yesterday sorting out the Brownie finances since October - it turned my brain to mush but I got there!

Today I'm off to have lunch with sister, niece and mum, and I need to pop into town to pay in some cheques (Brownies owe me £20, that means we can have another veg box this month!) and do a couple of other chores. The sun is shining so we'll hopefully go for a walk to the park after lunch too.

MS things:
* SBs target reached yesterday (eventually) and today (surveys, thank goodness!)
* OP at £9.85
* Bonus MS rewards points claimed and today's points captured - another couple of days and I'll have done it
* All work completed yesterday in the end - and nothing new so far today (still the quiet of post-Christmas for my European clients)

NY resolutions:
* 10,000 steps done yesterday
* Yoga - yesterday evening and this morning
* cat playtime - done
* podcast - done, despite getting up late (no work helps - challenge will be when I'm busy and haven't slept!). It's definitely helping.

Gratitudes:
* Beautiful views of Yosemite on my phone from fitbit challenge
* Lovely skies here today
* Stir-Fri-day today - not had one in a couple of weeks and veg in yesterday's veg box looks delicious!

Happy Friday everyone!

Karmacat

The views of Yosemite sound wonderful! As you say, who cares about gamification

SB - I recently found out how helpful it could be to meet the daily goal, cos of the amount of bonus - so yesterday, after I got back from London, I set my phone to watching videos and the single thing I actually did, much later on, was to do the daily tasks - got 15points for the search, so I actually met my goal, I was astonished.

Loving the stories of the cats, no TMI don't worry - keep us updated And have a great day today.

themadvix

Hi KC - yes, the targets on SBs definitely help. It seems like a pointless task working so hard for such small gains, but the multiplier effect when you meet daily goals etc., actually adds up. I've never done it because I don't tend to be at my computer much at the weekends, but for meeting goals on a 7-day streak there are further bonuses too.

newgirly

Hi vix, our dog had the same issue years ago and had to have the crystals removed, the vet suggested the special food which she had for a long time, it was still dry food though and lot of what I'd read online suggested wet food would be better, so i did switch back and she was fine on it and we didn't have any more issues. I also switched to wet food for the cat for thte same reason.

However your vet probably knows best!

themadvix

Thanks NewGirly. They have half and half at the moment anyway - pampered cats get homecooked chicken (or turkey at the moment) as well as dry stuff. Definitely wet food is the way forward, possibly with cranberry extract too? (I need to do more reading). It really irks me that the vets recommend these 'special diets' (because their nutritional training is sponsored by the big pet food companies) which are full of rubbish and a few 'healthy additives'. The first major ingredients in the prescription food are rice and maize.... both grains and a grain-free diet is best for cats, not only generally, but specifically in terms of this condition! (So no, lovely though he is, I don't think my vet does know best!)

Expensive dry food will only be used to get them back on the straight and narrow before we make adjustments. As they're indoor cats, kitty playtime (NY resolution) is hopefully going to help de-stress them too.

themadvix

Morning all!

Have popped to the bank this morning and done some other money bits. Am waiting for some frozen spent grain from DH's brewing exploits to defrost to have a go at making Biertreberbrot (beer bread) - it's money saving as the grain would just have been thrown away otherwise. Will let you know how it turns out.

MS things:
* Found £1 on the floor yesterday!
* £11.56 (inc found pound) from sheepbank paid into bank account
* £12.36 NW rewards claimed
* Interest from TSB and Santa light cashback
* All the above transferred against debt
* Brownie cheque paid in and remembered Mum owes me £15, so will have plenty of float in current a/c for the month.
* OP at £10.05 now
* SBing as I'm on the computer

'Debt' / buffer fund deficit £1698

NY resolutions:
* 10,000 steps yesterday
* Kitty playtime - we're getting into a routine now - I fling the toys around on the string, the cats grab and won't let go - that's about it for 10 mins - no movement, no play, just quite a bit of growling and the occasional hiss at each other/imaginary enemies!
* Yoga stretches done this morning and I'm sure DH and I will do a full 20 mins later
* No podcast today - I'm not intending to make this a weekend activity

Gratitudes:
* aching muscles from exercise
* lovely lunch with mum, sis and niece yesterday - went for a walk to the park afterwards and niece loves the swings - huge smiles and giggles!
* pottering around the house day today - housework, wallpaper stripping, baking etc. DH is doing some car stuff

Have a good weekend all!