"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee

Productive morning with builders. Although the dog has only had a short walk so I need to get some more steps in and he needs more exercise.

We had the old floor plan and the current one which helped. I now need to find someone who can draw up the plans for building regs purposes. Moving a couple of doors means we can make the utility room work better, the (not yet created) boot room work better, the kitchen work better, and create a HUGE pantry that I can also install spare appliances (DW, single oven, MW) and maybe the F/F in. Lots of open shelving for storing food so I can see it. I'll then be able to have all the stuff I need in the kitchen accessible. Chances are I won't do the kitchen design until this is finished, so it'll be another year of chaos. I need to work out how quickly I can get building control approval (which means finding someone to draw up the plans for me), and what can be done before then (not much I suspect).

A new cat flap is going in next week that means I can move the cat loos into the garage. So I can at least start sorting out the workshop and emptying the garage.

Sun_Addict

Going back a few pages to the flea/worm treatment, my older cat (16 this year) goes to a different vets to my younger cat and dog. Her worm/flea treatment is combined and she only has to have it every 3 months. So much easier. The young cat and dog have separate ones and have to be given 2 weeks apart like yours.

greenbee

They had a combined treatment as kittens, but then moved to this. Not sure why. And I'm pretty sure that I didn't used to have to give it two weeks apart (the vet nurse did it a couple of times and that was just one appointment. I guess it's about avoiding adverse reactions. And it may be less stressful for them to do them separately too. Having said that, I'm not looking forward to giving Stripey cat her flea treatment!

Weighed myself this morning. 3kg more than my last weigh in on those scales. 9kg more than my weight recorded in the Garmin app in Dec 23. 10kg more than my lowest. So 10kg to shift… Can I do this by eating properly, keeping up my walking, and adding Pilates? And in what timeframe?

Also looked at the building control portal and got confused so need to call them tomorrow to find out exactly

Heat pump engineer tentatively booked for next Thursday - hopefully we can work out how much space I need to allow for the plant room.

Sun_Addict

I was at the vets today with my cat having her annual booster check up and asked about the combined dose. It’s available but not included in the vet plan so I’d have to pay extra if I wanted it. It’s obviously included at the other cat’s vets.

greenbee

Thanks SA, it's interesting that plans obviously vary.

I've worked out a floor plan for the garage conversion/utility/downstairs loo/kitchen work. Measurements aren't accurate - I've used the estate agent's floor plan printed out as big as I could, blanked out writing with paper and photocopied it to draw on. I need to find out how much space I need for the plant room to finalise them. I've split the work into five projects, so will talk through with the builder on Monday when he comes to do the cat flap into the garage. I think I might also need to include getting a larger cat flap for outside in the plans as not-Fatty is HUGE and I don't want her to get stuck or be unable to get in and out. Obviously she's hard to measure (she's currently chewing the tape measure, but she appears to be about 30cm tall and 40cm neck to tail. Last weigh-in was 7kg. I really hope she's stopped growing…goodness knows what her genetic heritage is!

Called building control and it all looks straightforward - I just need a cost estimate for the garage conversion (and not the rest of the work!) to submit the paperwork, and then proper quotes for each phase. Getting the builders to understand that I need to know how much money I'm going to have to spend seems to be hard work…

greenbee

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81869369#Comment_81869369

Maybe we should have a challenge to find things to do in the evening. I probably do less now than I used to as I feel bad if I go and do stuff upstairs (like putting up pictures) as I feel I should at least be in the same room as Stinky!

greenbee

Gardener cancelled due to rain (I don’t have enough inside stuff for him to do), so have had a lie in which I may regret later!

Having seen my cousin’s spectacular snowdrops along her drive I think I’m going to keep an eye out for offers on snowdrops and bluebells in the green, as well as more daffodil bulbs. There’s a bank in front of the hedge, all round the drive, and the orchard that would benefit from spring bulbs, and getting them in now means they’ll get going (lots were planted in the orchard last year thanks to a generous friend, and quite a few in the front, but they take time to get going, so adding more this spring will be worthwhile). The straight row of bright yellow daffs by the hedge is going to be dug up once they’re over and redistributed into the orchard in the winter. They won’t look so bad in clumps and mixed with other varieties.

Have done Pilates every day for nearly two weeks, so must get up and do today’s. It’s only very basic mobility/stretching/core stuff for 20 mins, but I want to build the habit before I push myself too hard. And it is getting easier! Dog also needs walking, and lick mats and kongs doing. Have been excavating the freezer to use up pre-cooked meals as they’re getting a bit old, but need a freezer sort out to make space for venison. Not the stuff for the animals (which is old muntjac being culled), but people-food.

Watty1

Also looking for snowdrops in the green as I think the mole's activities has destroyed so many of them, the snowdrops have just disappeared.

Likewise I feel I should spend the evenings with WattyDog so do a lot less. In the lighter evenings we can go outside to the garden together.

greenbee

I've got about £200-worth of bulbs in a basket… I may have to cull it somewhat!

Stripey cat is now eating raw venison, but more slowly than not-Fatty. I'm not sure that not-Fatty isn't nicking it from her while she's trying to chew it - I may ned to put a camera in with them! Stripey has it chopped small - I gave her a bigger bit today and she didn't know what to do with it, so I guess I'll have to work up to not having to chop it up finely. It would reduce the pet food bills if I could up the venison and reduce the other stuff. Stinky has nearly finished the puppy kibble which is commercial UPF stuff and is mostly on complete raw in the morning and venison in the evening with a little good quality kibble and fruit/veg/yogurt in lick mats/kongs and as snacks.

I've made some more lick mats, and need to finish them before bed and stuff some kongs and freeze them. I did tidy the kitchen freezer and have freed up a drawer, so need to bring some stuff in from the garage freezer so I remember to eat it. There's a fair amount of meat and fish in the inside freezer which will take me forever to eat as I don't eat much of it. Or I can save it for when I have visitors. Or make stuff with it to freeze for when i have visitors…

Still managing to do Pilates in the mornings. Still getting some decent walks in (although Stinky would like more, but there's only so much wet and muddy I can do). Still eating properly. Eating window is still longer/later than I'd like, so I either need to shift breaking my fast to later (at one point I used to have lunch at 3pm) or have breakfast and lunch instead of lunch and supper. I might have to weigh myself at some point.

New cat flap has arrived for installation on Monday, and the heating engineer is coming on Tuesday (same day as the decorator). Hopefully the builder can give me an estimate for the garage conversion so I can fill in the building notice, and we can agree timelines for the various bits of the project and a start date (and get a detailed estimate completed). Then I can start thinking about things like flooring, lighting, loo/basin/tiles and maybe even going to look at kitchens…

It'll be nice to get to the point where I stop spending money and start saving again…

greenbee

Rajma Masala with tofu, salad, yogurt and (greek) yogurt flatbread.

I now need to soak and cook more kidney beans - the rajma masala would be a good thing to have prepped in the freezer along with dhal.

This is the last portion of the curry and tofu, so I diced and cooked a sad-looking yellow pepper to add to it.

Today has been spent putting my mum's ground floor back together after the decorator finished last week. Our lovely cleaner came to help us. It's all going to have to be taken out and put back again soon, as the repaint has made it obvious that the carpet needs changing (it's very old - predates the house purchase - deep pile, almost shiny brown). She also wants a wooden floor in the hall with an inset doormat, as then she thinks she'll be more likely to use the front door for guests.

I collected venison for the animals, so need to spend some time tonight cutting it up to freeze. I also need to soak some kidney beans overnight.

Tomorrow I need to excavate the people-food freezer further and defrost food to use up this week as well as filling the top drawer of the inside freezer. There needs to be space in the freezer for people-venison which will be back in supply again shortly. I could also do with measuring a few things in the garage and doing some gardening so the garden waste bins are filled. And shifting some more wood to the log store. But most important will be a nice long walk with Stinky even if the weather is vile, as he had a fairly boring day today.

Before I do any butchery though, I've got a blood orange and a kiwi fruit that need eating and will help get my plant count up!