julicorn's journey

julicorn

wh_em said:

@julicorn I didn't realise you lived in Brighton, so do I!

Oh how cool, yet another thing in common! 

julicorn

We've both been paid now, so I've just made our last overpayment of the year! 
Now it's going to get a little more complicated, saving up for larger overpayments, but keeping some cash on hand for when we want to move as well - haven't completely worked out the system yet, but I'm sure I'll get there YNAB is helping already. At the moment, our OP savings pot has £822.85 in it already, so that is a nice start.
On the weekend, we are going to try and tackle a few little DIY projects we've been putting off for way too long. The door into the garden needs sorting (we were going to get a new one, but apparently we need planning permission for that even though it's part of a 70s extension  ), so we're going to try to fix that up and paint it a fun colour. I'm mainly writing this down here for some degree of accountability, otherwise we'll probably never get round to it! 

South_coast

Good luck with the DIY 😀

julicorn

South_coast said:

Good luck with the DIY 😀

Thank you!  
My boss also dropped off some plants which is lovely, so we'll repot those two if the weather holds up. Quite cloudy at the moment, but better than that absolute scorcher yesterday (better for ridiculously pale people like me, anyway )

julicorn

Just got some money a few days earlier than expected, so threw that into the overpayment savings pot as well. That means that our adjusted mortgage balance (actual balance minus the savings) is now under £130k!  

Feeling a bit ill today, so am taking some sort of half-sick-day. Working from home has some pros when being ill (can just go off and have a nap), but I'm finding it a little harder to take actual time off without at least checking in here and there. 

Sistergold

@julicorn
Welldone you have gotten to the end of your OPs for this year! Good luck with DIY

julicorn

Hi everyone, 
A random little update - the DIY has been very much on the back burner (sooooon, I'm sure!), but we've done a fair bit of work in out teeny tiny little garden instead. That has been so enjoyable that we've reached a new phase of "lockdown" - the "putting your name on an allotment waiting list" phase, to be exact!  
Even though we're looking at around 2 years wait minimum (that is pretty good compared to other allotments, to be honest), I am irrationally excited about the prospect of growing more of our own veg. I'm 100% getting carried away with reading up on the ins and outs of having an allotment at the moment, luckily Mr Julicorn still finds it amusing We've applied for a half plot, which seems to be 125sqm. Fingers crossed the wait goes by quickly.  

Sistergold

hello hello @julicorn
An allotment sounds like an exciting idea! Did wonder if I should put my name down for one but I think this was just a phase I went through due to the lockdown as I don’t have green fingers. I was excited past few weeks as I planted some kale and asparagus and the seeds germinated. 

Welldone for growing your own vegetables I am kind of hopeless in keeping up with gardening. 

X

julicorn

Thank you @Sistergold! We'll have to see quite how green-fingered we are, haven't really had the chance to proof ourselves. At the moment we only have space for a small handful of plants, so are just growing some tomatoes, herbs and some rocket, as well as a few flowers. I've always liked the idea of growing more of our food ourselves, but the more I look at houses in Brighton (we want to stay relatively central as well, so entirely our own fault!), the clearer it is to me that we won't be able to afford somewhere with a decent sized garden that ticks the other boxes as well. And an allotment feels like it could be a great alternative! The plot is on route to our work as well, so once we get it we should be able to swing by for some basic upkeep before or after work as well. That's the theory, anyway! I'm now slightly worried that lockdown has made everyone sign up and that the waiting list might be much longer than it says online, but we'll have to wait and see  
Also, kale and asparagus sound great, those are definitely both on our allotment wish list. 

Karmacat

Good luck with the allotment!  Its definitely the only way grow much fruit and veg of your own if you want to live in Central Brighton.  Anywhere in Brighton, really!  Glad you're doing so well with it all.