our forever patch challenge

sammy70

The lovely warm weather continues..:j

We have another week off together booked for the end of june, so more stone wall/outbuilding repairs/rebuilding, and borehole to clean out, along with a few other tasks.

It will be a long while till all the tasks are completed, but it will be worth it.. then we will have to start indoor jobs :eek: it keeps us out of mischief, and we love beavering away listening to the birds singing and watching our chickens dust bathing.

The only downside to days off, and no overtime to allow jobs to get done , is less disposable income, but we need time while the good weather is here, and can catch up again on overtime when days start getting shorter/colder..

im planning a frugal summer to make up for lost income, we have most materials bought ready, and our time will be filled so no spending out and about we love it here, theres nowhere else we would rather be.

sammy70

The fencing guy has at last set a rough date to build my stable- beginning of July :j

We have a little area we need to measure up and do the fencing ourselves before we get the sheep- we are planning on buying 2 herdwick ewes at the end of july/beginning of august when they are weaned- cant wait and there will be plenty of grass for them!!

off to make tea- spicy chicken fillet sandwich and chunky chips and salad- yum!

sammy70

we have only a four day working week this week, then break up for a week- cant wait!:j

Weve got lots planned, and we intend to make a day or maybe two just to relax and enjoy being at home, you cant beat sat watching wildlife in a garden chair with a g& t, and after all what is it all for if you cant kick back and just enjoy the moments together

Ive set the next 4 week grocery and fuel spends, and to keep me on track im doing my cash/envelope system, where i strictly stick to the budget using only the cash set for it. It really makes me focus on what im spending.

Also hubby and i are still eating too much, i keep picking up the odd bargain packet of biccies etc, so im also going to focus on portion sizes (my downfall- wayy to much!).

I am setting myself a target- 7 llbs lost by tuesday 24th july, and to not spend a penny more than my cash weekly budget on food/petrol..

Day one- ive put this weeks shopping and petrol money in my purse, filled my car today after it passed its mot, had sandwich/crisps and yoghurt for tea, only had cereal for brecky and fruit and ryvitas for lunch, no sweets/cakes scoffed..

sammy70

Done well last couple of days, porridge oats with berries for brecky, special k for lunch, with snacks of fruit and a cereal bar for work, then sarny crisps and yoghurt for tea, no booze/cake/ mountain size portions:beer:

done this weeks shop, including toiletries and bird/dog food, and got a little change left, so week ones budget met. Im going to put next weeks fuel and food cash in my purse later, heres hoping week 2 of the budget is as good, but only i can make it happen with lists/meal planning!:)

My bargain of the week was porridge oats from aldi, large bag-£75p, 33 servings!! so thats me sorted for next few weeks brecky..

last day at work today, we are off now until 3rd july :j and the weather forecast is looking great.
We hope to have a relaxing time, along with getting jobs done.

People at work just dont get it when they ask arent we going away for a holiday, and i say we would rather be at home,i think they must think we are skin flints, or anti social or just sit indoors watching tele or something. But then we work with mostly people whos idea of a great holiday is laying on a crammed noisy beach by day, and cramming into pubs/hotels in the evening drinking, we prefer the company of birds/animals, and instead of loud music, the birds singing/owls hooting..each to their own i say..

heres to a low spend/small portion/sunny fun and productive 10 :j days here!!:)

EatingTheElephant

Enjoy your holiday, I know which option I would prefer too

sammy70

Well, another gorgeous day here :j

The chicken gang are being naughty, chasing the other birds off the food dropping from the bird feeders. We have half a dozen regular pheasant visitors who live permanently on our land, 4 of which are as tame as the chickens. The girls are really bossy with them, poor things

The hens are all laying every day now, so a good supply of eggs, and they are really tasty!

Ive just finished cleaning downstairs, just going to crack on and finish off upstairs, then out into the garden

sammy70

Well we have certainly had a great week, weather has been fantastic!!:j

We have worked hard - 8-10 hours each day- rebuilding a double thickness large arched doorway that will now form part of our stone stables when rest of work to them is completed.
We have used recylced building stone, which we uncovered last year ans stacked when we were digging out the lane access to our small field.

We have had to size, and carry each stone , ive been in charge of cement mixing, and have got through, in sand alone, a 1000kg bag, and a third of another !!:eek:

We are feeling really pleased to have achieved this mammoth task, at times we thought we wouldnt get it completed this week..

Hubby is out now tidying/finishing bits of pointing etc, and im doing the house cleaning/washing etc..

I cant help feeling so lucky ,every bit of time off in 2018 we have had off has coincided with a heat wave, allowing us to get jobs done in a lot pleasanter enviroment than 2017s constant heavy rain, i look back and shudder when i think what we had to put up with with all the heavy rain while we replaced the workshop roof last year..:eek:

sammy70

Heres the mortgage figures for 1st July

Direct debit- £1208.83
Interest for June= £390.46
Daily= £13.01
New balance= £221,381.63

Made overpayment 2nd July- £81.63

New outstanding balance - £221,300 :beer::beer:

Withdrawn £26 this morning from q.co, should hit my account this week

The grocery budget / meal planning going great, just need to keep it up, all the small savings make a difference.

With all the building materials etc to buy we arent making massive overpayments, bit chipping away helps get that balance down a bit quicker anyway

At last! the guy who does our stock fecncing etc has txt to say hes starting the stable base Wednesday this week, hurrah!!:j

At least now if i spot my ideal horse, i can actually consider buying now it will have a roof over its head..

Right, last day off work, so must get out there and enjoy the beautiful day in our lovely patch of green wonderfulness

sammy70

Yet another gorgeous sunny summer day:)

The base is down for my new stable- complete with spattering of tiny foot prints- dog and pheasant!!:rotfl:

He came yesterday and made a start building it, fingers crossed i should have a fully usable stable with fenced area in front for next weekend.. im then going to start buying a few essentials- buckets, haynets , perhaps a few small bales of hay and straw, in readiness for the new arrival.:)

We have had a guy out today to price up for a much needed heating system, including stove, radiators and boiler etc. we are now awaiting the quote- gulp- this, if the financials can be worked out- will be the 2019 summer project, along with continuing :)stone wall building/repairing for us..

right, house tidy, washing done, out for some sun..:)

EatingTheElephant

It’s all coming together nicely, great progress