Best wellyboot forward. Pips frugal edible garden adventures.

Pippilongstocking

Thanks Greyign I might just chuck that into the mix, you're a star.

sorry for the info overload.

Its a full-time post, yes, decent salary, really rewarding post, but a very 'country' centric commute and I can't take the train as the car is a post requirement and the railway is a good 13 miles fae me hoosey anyway so I'd be half way there before I even got the train and they've specified a personal car for work. Roads are wee and twisty and likely to be difficult in the winter.

£16/month for good reputable breakdown cover.

Sorry for brain dumping I think I'm at the crux of f/t job or /stay self employed or a mix of p/t or something patchworky.


Thanks love. Its my own fault I saw a great job, cracking community involvement and got all carried away but I don't want to waste their time either.

I'd love the job but the costs v time and practicalities of it are making my head hurt.



Hence the brain dump.

I'd also need to take the dogs or arrange someone to come in and walk them, but I'd rather have them with me and walk before work/during lunch/after.

I can actually hear myself talking myself out of this one.

Pippilongstocking

Just in from a nice stomp and a chat with TRG. Mused through all work secerios.

His advice was work out what you need (ie kids and pensions and treats etc) and work out what will make you happiest to gain that. So my responsibilities continue to be kids uni/pension/bonios/flowers/chook food.

He's a clever sort but he has also been saying this for the past six months.


Plan for tomorrow

couple hours paid work
Some admin/post office stuff to sort out
Currency for travelling
Work out what I need to live on
See about pension provision (to help work out above)
Meet TRG and DS later for a public debate on independance.
Potentially out for tea but not sure yet depends on timing.

That should sort me out eh.

Tomorrow I have a plan.

Pippilongstocking

DH is currently fretting about all the apples committing hairy-carry on the garden grass.

Its still windy.

Just to remind me

Edible in the garden
Herbs - most of them except oregano (cos I don't have it)
Lettuce
Beans runner coming, french ready
Peas.
Cabbage leaves
Cukes
Tomatoes
Sweetcorn is a coming
Strawbs
courgettes
Spinach sprouted
Apples coming

NO EGGS the girls are holding them in now for two days I'm sure they'll explode soon.

Except dear scarlet who had her first egg.

fannyadams

<delurks and swipes cup of hot coffee off the counter. Thanks I need this, bloomin weather and scardeycat dogs>

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

... and they've specified a personal car for work. Roads are wee and twisty and likely to be difficult in the winter.

just to throw another thing into the mix of 'talking yourself out of it'...
you might need to change your vehicle insurance if you are actually using the car FOR work and not just commuting back and forth.
it might be that the insewerants are cool with it but if there's multiple sites to commute to they do get a bit shirty (from personal experience with only 2 places I could work and only commuting to one on one day, ended up discussing insewerants with a supervisor who couldn't wrap his head round commuting to more than one place in a week _sigh).

<relurks, promise to bring mug back in a bit>

Pippilongstocking

Refills the coffee - thank you Fannyadams - had forgotten about that our last place had special insurance as part of their policy to cover cars but you're right a car/policy for work (4 sites+office) I need to check that out.

morning lands.

Its persisting down here.

But I've got a cuppa and me list.

Time to start the day productively I think.

Pensions.....I aint got one.

ETA RIP Robin Williams

Pippilongstocking

Banks looking OK

Must send invoice for last month and do expenses.

There aint much to claim but its all mine (insert evil laugh here)

Coffee time.

Pensions seem like a minefield.

Some suggest 9k OK to live on, seems crazy low.

Ponders more.

Pippilongstocking

So banks now looking a bit empty as paid off cc's as per clever martins advice, now cleared (if used) every month.

OK so no progress on the od's yet - but rome wasn't built in a day.



£55/petrol spends for July so far off to find more.

ETA another £45

So roughly 100/month petrol.

Although its been a bit of a gad about month.

Budget set for 100/August too.

I know I'm behind.........

Pippilongstocking

Oh well in exciting news I got £100/cheque for somethings sold in Orkney.

So having hummed and hawed about what to do about the chooks I've decided to 'invest' my money in some moveable chook netting so they can enjoy patches of the garden and the grass at leisure.

I'll build me 'stationary' chook house enclosure once I've got the area for the veg garden cleared (1/4 cleared nicely now thanks gals).

The netting can let them stay in (or out) of the garden bits I fancy and give them some freedom and a change of scene.

Netting cost £80 (I laid down and wept at this point, none to be found second hand dear hearts we invested in 'new'. Oh the shame) so I've put the other £20 into 'holding' in one of the o/ds.

I've also got two BT amounts off me account.

Nae clue what that's all about need to find out.

persisting down here.

Done a survey for draw after doggy grooming.

Had a nice text/online chat with a chum who's cheered me up no end.

Nae let up. Kettles back on......

Expenses next and a wee invoice I think.

Pippilongstocking

Oh and the girls contributed to their food.........

they've raised £9 since arriving and their grub was 9.99, well £16.94 with some meal bug treats too.

Clever girls.

starnac

Sounds like you know roughly what you want re job/employment. I've commuted 2hours and hated it. I now refuse to work anywhere where there is a decent commute (30mins+) However DH enjoys commuting. He says the commute allows him time to switch from home to work mode on the way there and vice versa on the way home. So it depends really on the kind of person you are I suppose. DH is probably going to struggle this week as he can't drive on account of his arm so me and the kids are having to take him there or back most days depending on his shift. Good job he's got 2 weeks holiday from next week.

Greying makes a very good point about road conditions, also Fannyadams on account of business insurance. Not many places offer it for nowt anymore

What is your neighbourhood like? Elderly? Families with kids? Money rich but time poor? Could you offer gardening services? Would that be viable? Obviously would be season dependent I would think but could you write/teach over the winter?

Just throwing out some ideas.

Must just add what a lovely husband you have (even if it has taken you 6 months to listen to him )