Two Pennies Left

beanielou

A year for You Gov is actually quite quick.
Now they pay it diorect into the bank which is even better.

Fortune_Smiles

I have a raised bed! And, it has plants in it! Very exciting. We made the best of the unexpectedly good weather by putting the raised bed together and getting some planting done. So my vegetable garden progress so far:

Flower Borders (already established):

• Rosemary
• Lavender
• Sweet Woodruff
• Sage
• Golden Marjoram
• Oregano
• Tarragon
• Strawberries
• Chives
• Mint
• Lemon Balm
• Thyme
• Sweet Cicely
• Salad Burnett (one small and lonely plant survivor of the chickens)

Containers (sown today):

• dwarf runner beans
• dwarf green beens
• cherry tomatos (in the hanging baskets)
• swiss chard

Raised Beds:

• mixed salad leaves (planted out)
• cut and come again salad (sown)
• lambs lettuce (sown)
• parsley (planted out)
• coriander (planted out)
• courgettes (sown)
• carrots (sown)

Not bad for starters. Most were things I already had seeds for but I did buy a few plants from the garden centre so there was at least a little bit of green showing for my trouble

Can't wait for it all to start growing now.

In other MS news; finally reached the Y0uG0v payout so £50 will be OP'd as soon as it arrives. I also claimed £6.89 from TCB which will be OP'd too. Pitta Pizzas for lunch to use up lots of bits in the fridge and Speedy Meatball Stew from the meal plan for supper tonight.

I've got that tired feeling that only comes from a days graft outside so it's a hot bath and bed for me now.

Night, night

Fortune x

muddywhitechicken

Your garden sounds lovely Fortune

I didn't get to spend as much time in the garden as I had hoped today but I did plant out my courgettes and sow some more lettuce seeds.

MWC x

Fortune_Smiles

muddywhitechicken wrote: »

Your garden sounds lovely Fortune

I didn't get to spend as much time in the garden as I had hoped today but I did plant out my courgettes and sow some more lettuce seeds.

MWC x

Thanks MWC. I do well with herbs as they seem to thrive on neglect :rotfl:and have had limited success with containers - always forget to water I'm hoping my raised bed will make all the difference. Love, love, love courgette plants - they seem to just keep growing and growing. Plenty for making Jamie's Courgette Carbonara - one of my favourites

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

This week has been quite a balanced mix of spending and saving. Lots of admin work completed - general stuff and 2 special projects I'm involved in - and there'll be more to do on the projects next month as well :T

I did the paperwork preparation for our holiday - money, tickets, passport, etc. I've ordered some Euro's the cost of which will be met from this month's pay day so no need to raid the savings.

Unfortunately, when I examined my wardrobe for holiday clothes it was sadly lacking. I dropped a dress size last year and now remember selling and donating anything that didn't fit.

We are off to Surrey after lunch to go to my DB's surprise birthday party (it's a special one). We're spending the night at the venue and will probably have tonight's dinner and tomorrow's lunch out - all budgeted for though. Serendipitously, the UK's largest M&S is in Surrey so I have forewarned Mr F that we will be doing some shopping before we come home. He needs work trousers and I need a swim suit - amongst other things :rotfl: The extra admin work I've been doing will cover the cost. So excited about having a clothes splurge as I don't buy much these days.

General MS included a few Tillytidies and a TCB OP. I managed to get away with a small top up shop at the C0-0p this week instead of my usual Waitr0$£ so saved about £75 there.

The plants I potted on to the raised bed have taken a bit of a battering - wind, rain, hail, etc. However, they are still standing (just) and the promised good weather over the weekend will help. No sign of anything else germinating yet but I suspect it's a bit early for that. I have discovered some cut and come again lettuce in the front garden though. I had some butler sinks out there and grew lettuce in it last year. We emptied the earth out to fill around the new fence and some tenacious lettuce has come up. Mr F will be having that in his sandwiches next week :rotfl:

I hope you all have a fabulous time this Bank Holiday.

Fortune x

PS We're not talking about the diet

Fortune_Smiles

A lovely, lovely weekend but not an MS one I'm afraid.

Went to my DB's special birthday party and splashed out on accommodation and champagne :beer:
Popped into the huge M&S in Camberley whilst in Surrey. I bought 4 t-shirts for the holiday - all reasonably priced. Mr F bought 2 pairs of work trousers and THE MOST EXPENSIVE SUIT IN THE SHOP! Not in the budget but he was insistent he needed it. Whose splurge was it anyway? So the credit card has taken a bashing and the savings plan another hit.

Inspired by the good weather in the South East today, Mr F pressed our two old butler sinks into service again. This, of course, required a trip to the garden centre to get compost and more veggies :T I'm trying some things I've never grown before this time - weird round courgettes, aubergines, butter nut squash and cabbage. I don't know whether these will survive the windy conditions here (we're on the top of a hill and surrounded by open fields so quite exposed) but I'm giving it a go. No sign of any seeds germinating yet but it has only been a week :rotfl:

So off now to do some monetary damage limitation. Not sure I can bear to look!

Hope you've had a great weekend.

Fortune x

beanielou

Hope you had one of the 20% off vouchers for M & S!!
Hope your courgettes grow well

Fortune_Smiles

beanielou wrote: »

Hope you had one of the 20% off vouchers for M & S!!
Hope your courgettes grow well

Sadly not Beanie. Everyone in the store was brandishing them though.

Very wet today in Kent so the courgettes will be off to a good start.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

... it seems to be leaking money at the moment:

• the iPhone I inherited from Mr F when he upgraded has given up the ghost so another has been purchased
• costumes are required for a dinner party we're attending on Saturday. I could have done them more cheaply but have run out of time so just bought them ready made I did research the cheapest though and they will double up as Halloween costumes
• a few more holiday things have been purchased.

On the upside:

• lots of admin work completed this month and the claim will go a long way towards putting us back on the straight and narrow. Next month's is looking to be a similar amount too.
• holiday spending money is within this month's budget
• I'm back on the diet wagon
• all the plants and vegetables are still alive.

And the really good news:

• my half price Zatchels bag has finally arrived just in time for the Founders Day - lovely
• my Rainbow Chard has germinated :T Very excited about this as it's the first thing to appear from seed. I've already started researching some new recipes :rotfl:

I've been a bit lax about posting recently (bit embarrassing when the posts are all about spending rather than saving) but it does really help me to focus so I will double my efforts.

Mr F and I are off to an NT property today for lunch and a wander. We are members and want to make better use of it this year.

Enjoy the sunshine

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

What a lovely relaxing Sunday. Mr F and I went to Sissinghurst Castle which isn't far from us. No parking and entry costs but we did have a delicious lunch in the restaurant (£24.75). There were a few craft stalls on the green so we had a browse and I bought a natural Bergamot and Orange Soap from The Kentish Soap Company in a sisal hanging bag for the shower. I'm allergic to quite a few products so I'm hoping I'll get on better with this. The lady who owns the company started making her own soaps because she had eczema. Also bought a natural spearmint lip salve for Mr F (£9.00 in total). All covered by the entertainment budget for this month (yes, there is one although very much reduced due to holiday/overspend).

We came home for coffee in the garden (rather than spending more at Sissinghurst) and did some pottering. There is some evidence of carrots and lambs lettuce germinating :T ... or it could be weeds coming up :rotfl:

Supper was Halloumi & Puy Lentil Salad with Pitta served in the garden with a smooth bottle of red.

We are now chilling out in front of the TV with no particular agenda for the rest of the evening.

Happy Sunday everyone

Fortune x