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HairyHandofDartmoor

I think lockdown is making everyone put on weight, I haven't lost my Christmas pounds yet. Maybe spring will help us do more exercise and motivate us.

I'm glad the tax bill wasn't too frightening. It's good that you've been able to fix your interest rate again as that type of thing can save or waste an awful lot of money.

Your garden flowers sound lovely. I'm too tired to work on mine at the moment but making garden plans for the easter and summer holidays is fun as well as soothing 🙂.

greenbee

Thanks for the salad recipe. I meant to make it for lunch but then forgot and just did cucumber which was a bit boring. This is why I actually need to use recipes and make something specific.

Seasidegal58

Salad dressing sounds really tasty!😋. I also like the idea of the sage and onion stuffing as a coating instead of the usual breadcrumbs.  

redofromstart

Thanks to everyone who posts, it does really help with motivation. I used to post on lots of diaries to encourage people but since I took the full time job I just haven't had time.
A regular saver matured this week, which is great. Big lump of savings like that was unthinkable a couple of years ago.  Now I don't know where to put it.  I might have to join the premium bond brigade actually.
Lots of house progress this week.  When we first moved in together 20 years or so ago we bought an Ikea solid wood table.   It was looking rather tired, complete with toddler damage, puppy chewing of cross bars etc, but Mr Redo has dismantled and sanded it.  It has made a bespoke desk for my not remotely rectangular work space, two shelves for the study, and then five shelves for my kitchen.  Last but not least some kindling from the dog chewed cross bars.  The puppy in question has been with us 12 years this week. We also repurposed some patterned glass so that my study has a window to the hall, which lets in light from the study, and means providers of drinks see when I am on a call and not stroll through in underwear.  The cats will not be amused when they realise they can no longer get in though.
Small spend in B&Q for shelf brackets, and a box of wood screws.  

astrocytic_kitten

Fantastic re-use of the table! The glass also seems very useful 😆

Sun_Addict

Recycling at its finest 😁 I always have a regular saver on the go, they are a great way to save.

redofromstart

Thank you - the second bit of glass will go into the bottom of the stairs wall and will make a repeating theme.  My study is lovely, so proud of it and a pleasure to sit in it.
Food - two good things this week.  The first was corn on the cob reduced to pennies.  I usually boil it but (as I had the oven on anyway) I wrapped it in foil with garlic butter and oven roasted at 180 for 30 minutes,  much nicer flavour and you could tweak it to the meal.  Himself had chipotle flakes on his and rated it highly.    I will always roast going forwards I think.  The second was fast tomato soup. I may have posted this before but it started life as delia bloody mary soup, lovely but faffy,  My lazy but easy version goes finely chop half a pack of cherry toms (or skip this, they mostly add texture/use a leftover bit of tinned chopped toms), and sweat in a little olive oil for  a couple of minutes.  Add a pint/500ml  of tomato juice (cheap, carton) and a table spoon of balsamic/Worcestershire/lime juice and a few shakes of tobasco.   Season and bring up to heat.  A nice kick, and much better than the nasty orange tinned stuff.

Naughty fritter of the week was a latest in beauty collection box as they had a 25% off code, its now sold out but worth keeping an eye on them.  The rose face oil and l'occitane hand cream made the whole box worth it for me, no boring face wash that I simply pass on (Emma Hardie Moringa balm forever for me) and I had run down my stocks of everything else.  A nice little treat, and I don't feel guilty as I had Christmas and  birthday money.  Books, even kindle ones, are essential spends not fritter so they don't count.

Sun_Addict

The Latest in Beauty collections are fantastic value for money. I will admit to being a subscriber to the monthly box, £9 for 3 items, always worth more 👍

redofromstart

I have bought the odd collection before but this was the first in ages @Sun_Addict, love the elf holy hydrating face cream which may just be a 'buy again'.  Wouldn't have tried it otherwise.  The monthly box appeals but I was on a long term mission to run down stocks for the last couple of years and can genuinely say I will use most of this.

astrocytic_kitten

Oh dear. I’ve never been into beauty boxes and hadn’t heard of Latest in Beauty....but this all sounds very interesting.