Tales from The Shire

Fortune_Smiles

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

It's two thirds of an acre :eek: it's traditionally been used as a hay meadow so has plenty of good stuff in (ox eye daisies, yellow rattle, knapweed etc), but needs a bit of nurturing back to full vigour. I'm going for 'traditional hay meadow' rather than aiming solely for wildflowers, so it won't be full of annuals like poppies etc.

To be honest I'm not sure I've got the strength myself :rotfl: but I'm far too stubborn to admit defeat at this early stage, and I'm spurred on by yesterday's success so we'll see.

No plan for the hay yet - I don't really need it as hay... more useful to me composted... and I'm sure if I was donating it to the farmer he's probably prefer it properly cut and baled for silage. The amount of rain we're having it'll never dry out anyway so I won't have to worry about it! :eek:

Will you be mowing yours for hay, and what will you be doing with it?

Just a little patch then Cheery :eek:

Our meadow has been used for grazing so very grass heavy with just a few flowers. I think it will take a while to convert it to wild flowers.

I'm still thinking about what to do with the hay - possibly mulching for the veg patch. There is a lot of interesting information on the net about hay mulching.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

I've been mulling over the new financial situation. Not reached any decisions yet though. There are a number of things to consider - overpaying the mortgage, saving, getting work done on the house, buying furnishings, having some fun, etc. More thought is required.

I met up with some girlfriends for lunch yesterday. Picked up a new book using a CP voucher and bought my ticket to an event we've chosen for September's Girls' Night Out. All costs to be met from personal spends.

Clever Mr F stayed at home and fixed the timer on the annex immersion heater :T

Supper was Fish Mappas which I made with three unsmoked haddock fillets I found in the freezer. I added 200g of peas to make up for the short measure of fish

I've listed one of my redundant vacuums on FB but there's no interest yet. I'll leave it a week or so and then think about lowering the price.

Our current Annex guests arrived yesterday and they seem very nice. I had a further enquiry yesterday but have declined it as it set my spidey senses tingling. I asked them to upload id as their account was brand new and they had no reviews. When they did, they also changed the name showing on their account. I can only assume the original name didn't match the one shown on their id. I declined the booking saying there was a problem with their id and they changed the account name back to the original one. They then set up an entirely new account under a third name and requested to book again. They explained this by saying the booking didn't go through the first time so they were trying again. I was able to see the profile pictures of both accounts. They do match but look as though they've been cut and pasted from a magazine - not the less than perfect selfies you usually get. It could all be innocent, someone new not knowing their way around the system. I'm just not prepared to take any chances when inviting someone to my home. Does it sound suspicious to you?

Mr F is in the barn checking out a very loud squealing noise coming from the brakes on my car which I'm hoping is just a stone. I should be getting some housework done as I have guests and visitors next weekend... I'll just have a coffee first :rotfl:

Happy weekend all

Fortune x

rtandon27

Fortune_Smiles wrote: »

...Does it sound suspicious to you?...

YES! - go with your gut Fortune, first instincts usually prove to be correct!!!

VintageHistorian

I'm another one saying to go with your instinct. Just because they want to book doesn't mean you have to accept them.

If they keep pushing just say that as they failed the earlier ID check and so you will not be accepting them, it would be best if they looked elsewhere for accommodation.

beanielou

You made the right call indeed.
I had a lodger at one point that I did not follow my instincts with & I wish I had.
Nothing wrong per se but I just did not feel comfortable with them at all.
DS thought he was ok though!

Fortune_Smiles

rtandon27 wrote: »

YES! - go with your gut Fortune, first instincts usually prove to be correct!!!

VintageHistorian wrote: »

I'm another one saying to go with your instinct. Just because they want to book doesn't mean you have to accept them.

If they keep pushing just say that as they failed the earlier ID check and so you will not be accepting them, it would be best if they looked elsewhere for accommodation.

beanielou wrote: »

You made the right call indeed.
I had a lodger at one point that I did not follow my instincts with & I wish I had.
Nothing wrong per se but I just did not feel comfortable with them at all.
DS thought he was ok though!

Thanks guys. They have been firmly declined and haven't tried to book again.

There have been a few occasions over the last year where I've ignored my gut instinct and I've lived to regret it so I'm absolutely listening to it now.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Mr F and I took FDawg for a long walk this morning and made some decisions about the finances:

• we'll make a regular over payment to the mortgage each month
• and pay a regular amount into savings each month
• we will aim to get our emergency savings back up to 100%
• whilst also saving for work that needs to be done on the house. I will have to strike a balance between the two
• JL reward vouchers, PADs, budget savings, windfalls, lottery wins, etc will be put towards furnishings, replacement items, general household tittervating, etc
• income from guests will be channeled into savings although we will be off season soon so I'm not sure how much we'll have coming in if anything.

I reconciled the bank accounts when we got back from our walk just to make sure the figures are correct. Fortunately everything balanced

We do still have a healthy sum in our emergency savings but I'm just risk averse so I never feel it's enough. As always, I am striving for balance.

My current tittervating pot has been spent this morning on the search for the holy grail of vacuums and a new draining mat. I noticed this week that my old rubber mat is going mouldy and smells of drains :eek: I was feeling a bit guilty about spending on the new vacuum but after finalising the financial plan I'm feeling more relaxed. I made a few PADs after reconciling the bank accounts and I already have £6.37 in the new pot. I think JL pay out their next set of reward vouchers in October which should see a nice increase to the pot. I'm aiming for a bathroom cabinet next as there is one I've got my eye on in JL. For over two years now my bathroom cabinet has consisted of a large L@ithw@it£$ cardboard box :eek: Everyone thinks we use our bathroom as a wine cellar when, in fact, it's full of toilet cleaner :rotfl:

Supper last night was the leftover Fish Mappas. Lunch today was Loaded Naans to use up some sulky veg from the fridge. Supper may be built around potatoes as I have a fridge full since digging some up from the veg patch.

Mr F has found why my car is squealing - a detached brake shield. He could fix it but I'm hoping it will be covered by the warranty. I'll call the garage tomorrow and, in the meantime, Mr F has done a temporary repair so that it's at least safe to drive.

Our conversations this morning have reminded me of how very fortunate we are. I am extremely grateful and would like to make sure I don't forget it when minor setbacks arise. Thinking about others more might be a good way of doing this. It doesn't take much to make a positive difference in someone's life. I'm going to start with gifting a book to a good friend of mine. It's one I recommended to someone else recently and I've realised my friend might find it very helpful in dealing with a difficult, emotional situation she's facing at the moment.

Have a great Sunday guys

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Yesterday was my WI's summer outing. We went to our little local racecourse Tickets were £25 which covered the £17 Paddock entry, £3 race card, a £3 bet and a £7.50 fish and chip supper. So buying the bundle was better value. I also bought two hot chocolates whilst there at £3 each (it was a little chilly) and spent £10 on bets (which was the budget I'd set myself beforehand). I won on a couple of the races - £7.10. So £33.90 spent overall. It was great fun so money well spent. Costs will be met from personal spends.

I sold the vacuum on FB for £75 :T and the guy picked it up yesterday. £70 has been transferred to savings and I've kept the £5 to add to our fun money for the weekend. DS2 and wife are visiting and, although, we're planning low cost activities I think we'll treat ourselves to fish and chips one evening so that I get a break from cooking. I'm planning to put another couple of items on FB today.

Updating of the bank accounts resulted in a PAD to the Tittivating Fund - one step closer to the bathroom cabinet

Lunch yesterday was a tuna and cheese salad as we still have lots of lettuce in the veg patch to use up. Supper last night was fish and chips for me and a sandwich for Mr F (he's a bit lazy when it comes to making meals for himself). We had pudding too as my guests checked out yesterday and left me a lovely box of chocolates

When I went up to the veg patch to get the lettuce I saw that the plums had started to ripen. I cut one open and... no plum moth! We may get a small harvest this year. I've picked all that are ripe so far and will have to decide what to do with them now.

Today I need to start turning over the Annex for our next guests who arrive on Friday. We're not booked for the following weekend yet but there's still time. I'm turn between looking forward to a little break from sheet washing etc and being able to put some earnings into the savings. I'll leave it to fate to decide :rotfl:

Hope your week has started well

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

A very busy day yesterday. I spent most of it in the Annex getting thing sorted for our next guests. There's still some work to do but it's things I usually leave until the day before.

The horrible, squealy sound coming from my car is a detached brake shield :eek: So a breakdown truck is coming today to take it to the garage. The cost will be covered by the warranty but, whilst Mr F was taking a look, he discovered that the front brake discs and pads are very worn and corroded. As the garage have got to take the brakes off one wheel to repair the shield, it makes sense to have the discs and pads replaced at the same time. We'll save a little labour money that way but it's still a big expense. I'm feeling a bit guilty about spending money on the new vacuum now However, the reason why I still have a cardboard wine box bathroom cabinet after two years is that I constantly redirect the Tittivating Fund to the Emergency Fund. So I'm going to take the hit - the vacuum stays

Speaking of which I made a little PAD to the Tittivating Fund yesterday so it is slowly growing.

Gate Man is due to come back next Thursday and he's promised to compensate us for all the inconvenience. If that comes through I'll put the refund into the Emergency Savings.

Lunch yesterday was Leek & Tomato Eggy Bread Bake to use up half a loaf my guests left. Supper was Matar Paneer to use up half a pack of Paneer left over from a previous lunch recipe.

As well as a box of chocolates, my guests kindly left me a 750g tub of table salt, a bottle of malt vinegar, two variety pack size boxes of cereal and a can of baked beans They used very little of the welcome pack I'd left for them too.

The grocery shop is arriving today. I'm about £10 over budget but I think that's good going considering we've got visitors coming for the weekend.

Today's tasks include ironing sheets, making up beds and shoveling a mountain of dust from the living room. Oh the glamour of my life :rotfl:

Happy Hump Day all

Fortune x

beanielou

Happy Wednesday:)