From debt to freedom...

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you for your encouragement Cherryfudge...that's a great idea...wandering through the year in the kitchen, the garden and the wider outdoors!!

Yesterday my plans didn't quite go to plan. The day out for the children, with the ex, turned into a couple of hours for only 2 of them, so I ended up waiting around lots in the morning and then getting a couple of hours in at work. At least the waiting time was put to good use and I got a couple of loads of washing done, bathroom cleaned and floors hoovered. At work I was able to get a few things done. The more preparation I can put in this week, the easier next week will be.

In the evening we headed for my favourite beach. It's one of the few beaches that allow dogs at this time of the year, so the elderly lurcher joined us. ( He needs respite from the lunatic puppies at times). The 2 older DDs had been working so were both happy to relax on the beach after work. It was a low, low tide so DD3, the elderly lurcher and I were able to walk round to the next bay which was a huge expanse of sand before us. I could have happily stayed and walked the length of the next bay as well but we were losing the light so DD3 steered me back to the beach we were on :rotfl:. I also needed to remember that the lurcher is ungainly to carry if we went too far and he got too tired .
The sunset was stunning, a really bright orange sky with clouds a beautiful shade of pinky grey. The orange of the sky was reflected in the wetness of the sand in the wake of the receding tide. I always feel such peace there, a true haven! It must have done me good as I slept really well last night, which is most unusual!

Off to pick some blackberries today. The brambly apples on the tree are looking ready to start picking so we might have Apple and blackberry crumble for tea. DD1 has kindly offered to cook tea today so am looking forward to sampling enchiladas later:T.

Cherryfudge

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

The sunset was stunning, a really bright orange sky with clouds a beautiful shade of pinky grey. The orange of the sky was reflected in the wetness of the sand in the wake of the receding tide. I always feel such peace there, a true haven! It must have done me good as I slept really well last night, which is most unusual!

How beautiful! We had a lovely sunset here too, but not such a perfect view of it.

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

The brambly apples on the tree are looking ready to start picking so we might have Apple and blackberry crumble for tea.

Is that a Freudian slip or have you been keeping quiet about a superb hybrid that makes apple and blackberry crumble a one-fruit wonder?

Honeysucklelou2

Yesterday was a NSD :T. We went out blackberrypicking and came back with 7 and a half pounds of blackberries:T:T. I've frozen about 5lb and used the rest in an apple and blackberry crumble ( at the superb hybrid). Many of the blackberries were picked around the edges of the allotment. I planted an apple tree and a plum tree there, about 4 years ago. We were able to pick 2 of the apples from the tree and a couple of plums from the plum tree. I was ridiculously excited about the homegrown plums:). When we looked carefully we could see quite a few green plums on the tree, so hopefully in a few weeks, we'll be able to harvest more .

It was interesting on picking the apple, that the first thing I noticed was the texture. It felt quite rough but then I realised it's because the apple hasn't been coated in wax. On our return home we compared with a shop bought apple and the difference was noticeable. I hadn't noticed with the brambley apples as they naturally have a thicker, glossier skin compared to an eating apple.

DS1 had his job confirmed yesterday . It would seem there will be some training as part of the job, enough to lead to a qualification . Last night he was in bed for 10. I'm so glad he is taking his timekeeping seriously...he has been quite a night owl over the summer.

Cherryfudge

I remember my parents grew apples, and they always had a different texture to the shop-bought ones - almost sticky? I got curious and after some googling found this article - I wonder why they replace wax with wax? Possibly so they can pre-clean the apples?

savingholmes

That's some blackberry picking - were you purple too at the end?

Drawingaline

Wow! Planning on some blackberrying here too, but doubt I will get that many.

Hope your sons dedication continues, and assume the training part covers the in education until 18 thing. The academic path is not for everyone, really wish the government would see that.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Cherryfudge, what an interesting article. Whenever we have made toffee apples, we've dunked the apple in boiling water and been amazed at the difference between waxed and unwaxed apples.

savingholmes wrote: »

That's some blackberry picking - were you purple too at the end?

.
Almost Saving Holmes. I used to go blackberry picking as a child with my grandparents and when I became a parent I just took the children along too, so all have grown up with blackberry picking as much a part of the yearly cycle as eating Easter eggs or birthday cake. That said it was my 3 oldest DDs and I who were picking yesterday...DD2 is particularly good at spotting them and picking!

Drawing a line - I'm so relieved that the job ticks the training box too.

Honeysucklelou2

Today I've been to work to try and get as prepared as possible for next week. A fair amount got done, still more to do!

I had to go to the bank today to query a cheque that I'd paid into my account but 10 days later was still showing as pending. The cashier quickly passed me to the bank manager who in turn had to ring someone else. It turned out that the cheque had got stuck in the clearing system. I didn't even know that was possible ! Apparently the bank manager had only seen it once before. He helpfully solved the problem so can hopefully access the money soon to able to use it.

In the evening DD1, DS3 and I went for a walk. There is a lovely public footpaths that crosses a couple of fields but the fields are currently planted with maize, so it was more like a trek through the jungle than a leisurely stroll . We did find potential blackberrying spots for tomorrow .

Honeysucklelou2

It's been a busy couple of days here. Yesterday my car had to go back to the garage for a couple of repairs for the MOT. The garage had been waiting on parts which is why it hadn't been done last week. Since I couldn't go anywhere we had a baking day. The younger children all did iced cupcakes...watching DS3 was amusing. The sprinkles were splodged everywhere and he had a ring of green around his mouth from the fondant icing:D. I made a lemon drizzle, some cupcakes, a gingerbread loaf cake and some blackberry and apple curd. The curd is one of the nicest ways to use a glut of blackberries:):). Some of the baking was in preparation for the village show, a part of the village year, which took place today. It's lovely to see people from different stages of life coming together to celebrate everything homegrown, home produced or homemade. It really makes you appreciate the skills of people who live around you and makes me realise anew how much we can learn from each other. We are now awash with cake:D:D.

The garage duly fixed the car and I had another £144 to pay on top of the almost £500 from last week :eek:. I have been scrutinising the budget and spending closely and trying to use savings accounts as pots more so that the money is there. Thankfully I had £40 already in the car pot and I'd allocated £80 from incoming money yesterday, so only £24 extra to find. It's still an amount to find but not as bad as the £144.

Payday was yesterday so have allocated monies and am waiting for the direct debits to hit on Monday. I can relish today and tomorrow when the bank balance looks healthy:D. September looks to be a tight month with the next 3/8 significant birthdays. I also need to factor in the cost of getting DD1 back to university. Unbelievably she goes back to start her last year:eek:.

Trying not to think too much about next week...

Honeysucklelou2

DS1's attitude to money is changing slowly. For a few weeks he has been doing odd days for the company he now works for. The evening before he would, more often than not, ask to be taken to Mr T's for a meal deal despite ingredients to make a packed lunch, being in the house. This week it was more like this:-

DS1 - Mum, do you think those enchiladas ( we'd had for tea) would be alright eaten tomorrow ?

Me - Yes, should be fine but I don't think there are any left.

DS1- oh yes there are. I hid 2 at the back of the fridge so I could make sure there were some for lunch.

He's learning :rotfl: