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redofromstart

I know @greenbee - hopefully some left to move back at the end of the month
@EssexHebridean - yes I miss ticking a little bit extra off the mortgage each month, ticking a little bit onto the savings should be just as motivating but oddly it isn't

Anyway, day 1 of the overpayment year and the 10% annual allowance cleared.  Reduces the monthly interest by £15 paid, and the interest earned by £5 based on my guestimates.  We could clear it all and pay the early redemption but having worked the numbers through my spreadsheet we are better sitting tight on the 'savings' till the day the fixed rate ends (May 23).  If the dream house comes up we might need that cash as a deposit if we end up temporarily owning two properties.  

No PB win for us this month.  
Fritter on 99p kindle books - 3 x recipe books (Keto, Hello Fresh and a Joe Wicks one)
Cloakroom renovations are spot on, but needed to buy more briwax today, and he will need more cladding wood this week.  All of the cladding frankly, because the wainscoting is just lovely.  

About to fritter on Prai neck cream on L00kfantastic.  60% off, and my fellow residents can present it later in the month for my birthday.  My neck/jowls distress me on Teams camera, I need to go back to doing the face massage stuff I used to do for lymph drainage.  

My nasty burn scar is healing well for regular application of bio oil - pleased with that.  

Sun_Addict

I used bio oil on my ankle wounds where I had the stitches after the repair surgery. The hospital recommended it. It did a great job of fading the scars quickly and they are barely visible 5 years down the line.

redofromstart

I remembered you saying SA, and it wasn't that expensive to buy so I thought worth a go.  And it certainly smells better at night on my hand than some of the other oils.

 

astrocytic_kitten

Interesting on the bio oil, I have a recent injury I’d really rather minimise the scarring on, will give it a go. Though I have dodgy collagen which doesn’t always respond as you’d expect.

My monthly book spend for February is…significant 😬 Fritter fund is all used up on the 2nd of the month.

redofromstart

It was about £7 on Amzn for me @astrocytic_kitten .  My hands are quite dry (late 40s) so it probably sucked it up.

I would have loved to spend my book budget but everyone I want to read is sadly long gone, I really need to find a current prolific author who has a good editor and doesn't irritate me.  @Alchemilla has reminded me of this a few times this week!

WinterWarrior

I love finding a new author who has already written lots. The joy of being able to read them one after the other without waiting for the next one is so good! What kind of things do you like, we may all be able to recommend someone to try 😁

redofromstart

@beanielou has set me off looking at favourites form my teen years over on the diary of @doingitanyway

I struggle to read hard copies now (crap eyes, and a preference for reading without my glasses in the bath or in bed)

Hard copy of Blyton 'Family at Red Roofs' £50 on Amzon!  My much read paperback is falling to pieces
Dodie Smith/I capture the Castle turns up on Kindle at 99p every now and then
What Katie Did, inc Book 4 'Clover' and book 5 'High Valley' are free or pennies.  I paid stupid money for reprint hardbacks of the latter two in the late 90s in my second hand bookshop drop out years.  Meh!
The Blue Castle (my favourite LM Montgomery book) is available but cut down for people who cant skip any dull bits. I am sure I have this on kindle, but it might have been a £X for her entire back catalogue as one download deal.  Jane of Lantern Hill is good too
Chalet School generally not available on kindle, so my rare editions and collectibles might not be worthless

Any other childhood favourites I should look out for?  I lived in the library - small house, several siblings - and then worked in a second hand bookshop for a few years before realising that if I had a proper job I could afford to buy books.  I do miss being paid to read the entire stock, with my legs sticking out of the window of a third floor Victorian shopping arcade.  I don't miss starving to pay the rent in the days before minimum wage.

astrocytic_kitten

I’ve spent £34 on 7 audiobooks. Thought it was a bit higher actually, and I do love audiobooks for when I’m not well enough to read. I second @WinterWarrior on the joy of finding a new to me author with a huge back catalogue! Especially when they’re available as library ebooks - I’ve been reading my way though Caro Ramsay via my library on Libby lately.

redofromstart

Diana Wynne Jones
Terry Pratchett
Georgette Heyer
Ngaio Marsh
Josephine Tey
Margery Allingham
Agatha Christie
Angela Thirkell

then if I am desperate and bored
Clare Darcy
Marion Chesney (read one, read them all - cant abide the MC Beaton formulaic Hamish/detective stuff though)
Patricia Wentworth

Own pretty much everything the above authors have published - hard copy or electronic

Really, really desperate
The Amelia Peabody ones - don't own all
MM Kaye murder ones - own all

Obviously all of the classic literature - Bronte, Austin, etc.  I've even yawned my way through the Russian stuff

I have/will read Jilly Cooper (prefer the earlier lighter stuff, Emily etc), Katie Ford, Carola Dunn (inc her rip off Heyers), railway mysteries, etc.  It was a bulk on the Book People then I have probably read it.

WinterWarrior

Love TP and GH, I have all of those. I’m fond of a bit of magic so love Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Charlaine Harris. I’m currently reading a series of 12 by Jennifer Blackstream, which I thought wouldn’t be special, but are surprisingly enjoyable. None magic I like Lee Child, Bernard Cornwell, Jeffrey Deaver and too many others to mention. 

The Russian stuff was hard going!  My favourite classics are Jane Eyre and A Tale of Two Cities.