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

ch4rly2002

Have a good time

Karmacat

Have a wonderful time! No idea what the weather is over there, but the welcome will be warm as ever

newgirly

Hope you enjoy Aladdin, Dd went last year and loved it

themadvix

Hi Folks!

Thanks for all your good wishes. Aladdin was excellent and we had a wonderful time in Ireland - it's such a beautiful country and we'll definitely be going back. The wedding was *very* swanky (no. 1 hotel in Ireland on Tripadvisor, a soup course, a choice of mains and a free bar.... with cocktails!). I hate to think how much it cost!!!

We used the kitchen in our cottage to our advantage - ate in the first night, had lunch in on the Friday and cooked ourselves breakfasts on the Sat and Sun (as well as the other days, but we could have been tempted to go out for a cooked breakfast). Food out was not cheap though and we drank more than normal as we were within walking distance of the town (and it's Ireland, it would be rude not to!). It's safe to say we spent less than BIL and GF who we shared the house with. I won't say any more...

Work is super busy now, hence why I didn't post yesterday. That's my main focus for money-saving at the moment - making hay while the sun (metaphorically!) shines.

Lots of MS things; lots and lots of steps (28k one day) and even more gratitudes, but less yoga, kitty play and podcasting to report... When this week is out the way things should improve - carpet down Friday, grant application (for Guide hut) deadline Weds, work deadline Weds... once they're done I'll get back to the plan!

Happy Tuesday all (nearly wrote Monday!) x

try_harder

Lovely to see you back and so pleased that you had such a great time in Ireland ,i have missed you though and your daily updates

newgirly

The wedding sounds great!

themadvix

Hi All,

Things are back on a more even keel today - I've even had time to make bara brith and I'm popping out for lunch with Dad (his treat ).

Had to buy eggs and a couple of other bits - DH spent £7.84 and I spent £1.97 so total is now £22.78. There's a veg box arriving tomorrow so that's another £13.50 and annoyingly I forgot to cancel today's milk last night (veg box includes milk, so now we're going to be swimming in it). With all that's going on, I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

DH has been cracking on with the decorating in the evenings, while I've been working, so we're getting there (carpets arrive Friday!). Hopefully I'll be able to help him with this tonight. Submitted grant application for Guide hut this morning too.... and breathe....

Work is now all submitted, although I expect there'll be plenty more on the way from one of my clients. The schedule for 2018 is looking pretty good from the client I've had the rush job on for, so things are looking up!

MS things:
* VB now at pay out, so that should arrive next month
* YG survey
* Work, work, work
* Resisted temptation to order takeaway last night (determination to keep to budget helped) - and we had a lovely chilli instead (although the cooked frozen kidney beans had melded together - they've been in there a while - so now there's lots of kidney beans on the menu!)
* Leftovers for me for tonight and turkey curry from freezer for DH

NY resolutions:
* the least said here, the better, although I did work standing up/walking some of yesterday - better today, hopefully.

Gratitudes:
* Lunch with Dad
* Mum popping round later (enticed with bara brith :rotfl:)
* Lovely snuggly new jumper bought in Ireland - a proper Aran and paid for from birthday money (it wasn't cheap) - a further addition to my natural fibres wardrobe.

themadvix

Morning all,

Was painting woodwork (and the radiator - urgh) until 10 last night, and there's more to get done this morning.... so I'm here instead :P Nearly there though, at last, so I can put up with it for a little bit longer. It will be so lovely to have all the furniture back in the rooms it belongs in by the end of Saturday - it's not been like that since before we started the kitchen.

Dinner was very much of the fuel variety last night, so we still haven't had pancakes! Maybe tonight? Although we'll still have some painting to do, so maybe not. (We don't 'do' Valentine's day, so haven't missed anything on that front). I'm making A Girl called Jack's carrot, onion and kidney bean burgers for dinner tonight (now you know DH!) to use up some of the kidney beans. And I intend to make a batch of the carrot, onion and bean soup too.

MS things:
* Had a good run on PA last night - a few £ in there
* Caught up on OP too - over £15 now
* MS rewards, small bit of SBs and couple of decent VB surveys too - upping what I'll receive next month
* NSD today, I expect - no car, plenty of food in, lots of painting to do

NY resolutions:
* Steps - didn't have fitbit on when I went out yesterday (whoops) or in evening, but still managed over 5k, so pleased with this
* Kitty playtime - I can't take credit as I was still painting but DH played with the kitties (we discovered they stole a feather off of the frenzy.... and hid it under a sofa. Imagine much fun was had overnight with this.)

Gratitudes:
* Lovely catch up with Dad over lunch in the pub yesterday
* Mum popped up later for some bara brith (both parents now bored with the raptures over Ireland!)
* Great selection of veggies in the veg box - looking forward to using them

Have a good day all, can't believe it's Thursday already!

Karmacat

Sounds good, madvix! Loving the feather off the frenzy

Painting till 10 at night ... were you okay with the fumes? I'd do it with emulsion if I had the energy, not sure about woodwork/metal paint though. I bet you know the right "variety"

edinburgher

Sounds like a very productive day madvix - love the Jack Monroe burgers - once of the tastiest meals you can make that costs next to nowt!