the hedgehog's balloons.

the_cross_rabbit

Cycled to the allotment and had a lovely couple of hours, the weather played ball and stayed dry. Harvested more broad beans, spinach as it is trying to bolt, new potatoes, beetroot, kohl rabi, few small carrots, pruned the basil to encourage it to 'bush' and mint. Made pesto and added some carrot tops as I'd read on another diary you can use them. Also made broad bean pate which we will have later on toasted bread with feta and mint. 
I've been looking into how much money we have saved, incase the hubbster is made redundant (work is starting consultantion with some members of the hubbster's wider team). We've got enough money to cover the mortgage and bills for about 6 months, if we want to eat as well it comes down to about 4months. I've then had a look at what redundancy package/benefits we'd be entitled to and then money would last about 5 months possibly 5 and half months.. So the aim of the game is to try and see if I can save enough money over the next couple of months to pay for everything for 6 months, possibly 7. We've been buying lots food goodies for the last 3 months and we need to rein it in really, plus holidays are going to be limited this year. Need to consider upping our OP if he's not made redundant. 
SPENDS 
£2.40 paper
POSITIVES
1) Had white tailed bumble bees in the garden
2) Had long tailed tits in the garden
3) Minted new potatoes mmmmmm
Off for a archers and lemonade  cheers everyone
CRx

the_cross_rabbit

The hubbster had a reasonably good father's day I think. We went up to the allotment but within 20 minutes him and DD2 had to leave as her hayfever started and her eyes were streaming (already took medication). Will definately be shoving some stuff up her nose next time which she hates but will use it. I stayed for an hour to water, planted the cabbages and swiss chard, and picked a lettuce and some mint. Managed to find the portaloo up there as we will need to take it with us when we visit the coast this week as I suspect the toilets will be closed. Made lettuce, pea and mint soup which was surprisingly nice.
Today I've been waxing my coat which was a very relaxing way to spend an hour and a bonus is my hands feel super soft. Supervised DD2 with making bread buns for tea to have with the  soup made yesterday and we are going to make ice cream later once she's woken up. She nodded off after lunch. Been looking at different types of maths equations so she can do further questions on her bird survey. They've decided that they require more data so the bird survey will beginning again tomorrow. Some impressive graphs have been conjured up and pie charts to follow tomorrow.
Meal plan sorted for the week, shopping done yesterday didn't quite manage 2 weeks without a big shop but did 10 days. Need to try and stop the mini trips to the local shop as they all add up. Hopefully by reinstalling meal planning I can bring the numbers down. The diet starts again today so only 1 sandwich instead of 2 and a couple of pieces of fruit and no crisips. Love crisips and they will be my downfall, actually no baileys will be it, no wait a minute I think it will be colin's although they are easier to avoid as I have to go into town, so no brainer there really. OK replace colins with ice cream. Yes thats it. REally need to lose weight but my will power lies in a packet of crisips and a bowl of ice cream. Still weigh 10st 11lbs.
Tilly tidy of £50 to my ISA ready for when I can pay a chunk off the mortgage. Need to get back into the habit of TT everyday obviously won't be as big as today's but every bit helps.
SPENDS
£114.85 shopping
£50 TT
POSITIVES
1) Coat is waxed
2) Homemade food
3) Sunshine
Hope you all ge chance to enjoy the sunshine today
CRx
   

the_cross_rabbit

Been a spendy couple of days. Tuesday took Miss Giddychops to the vets for her booster injections and kennel cough.  Quickly called into N((T to try and get DD2 some new clothes as she has sprouted again ( which I've told her is banned but been a typical teenager has totally ignored me) and the clothes I bought a couple of weeks ago no longer fit. Some had to go back as it just wasn't her.
Yesterday we got up super early and went to the coast as a belated birthday treat, we had a lovely breeze that kept us nice and cool. Spent a lovely couple of hours on the beach. At the top end of the beach there wasn't too many people about but as you got nearer the village it got quite busy. Unfortunately DD1 pulled something in her foot whilst walking and was in agony and limping by the time we left. Which left the hubbster and I to push DD2 up the massive hill to the car park, its usually a joint effort. We called for fish and chips on the way home.
Today I've so far been to the allotment to open up and water the greenhouses, took the clothes back DD2 didn't like and picked up her medication. The hubbster is at his friends charity to help out again.
SPENDS
£59 vets
£45 clothes
£17 fish and chips
£16.53 petrol
£99 Food boxes
POSITIVES
1 belated birthday treats
2 sunshine
3 harvesting produce
CRx

the_cross_rabbit

Had a very late start as everyone very tired today due to the heat. DD2 gaining in confidence around the math problems she's tackling at the moment. THe Hubbster, DD1 and 2 went over to DD1 old school to pick up her leavers jumper and drop off school books. I really feel for her year group as they have missed out on some many coming of age/leaving school milestones but as she says it is what it is and no point on worrying about something that can't be changed. She drove over there for practice and only manged to freak her sister out once. I went to see a friend for a socially distancing catch up, mainly gossiping but we did try to put the world to rights, although its probably not listening.  Her and her hubbster are currently working from home and feel this will probably become a permanent thing. She is slighty fed up with those who she works with who are furloughed complaining or boasting about what they've been doing as they are on the same pay as her but she is working full time. I'm sure alot of people feel the same way. She keeps trying to remind herself at least she has a job and probably won't be made redundant. I called via the garden centre on the way back to pick up some mealworms/plants so another cost, but one worthwhile. I had to have seista this afternoon which was divine and we are now watching Iron Man as part of movie night.
SPENDS
£30.97
POSITIVES
1) My daughter tells me we (women) are the orginal iron man chemically.
2) Friends who support us throughout our lives.
3) ice cream
Hoping for rain later. Take care
CRx

 

the_cross_rabbit

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH the rat is back, well at least a relative. Managed to find a couple of old plastic salad bowls that we had from M and S back in feb which we saved. Cut a hole and inserted the bird feeder poles through the salad bowls and hey presto 2 rat prevention gizmoos . Hopefully they will not be able to shimmie up or pole dance around the poles now and pinch the bird food.
Had a fairly productive day, DD2 has decided she would like to go to my mum's next week(monday night), so she has decided to work through today, tomorrow and Monday. Managed to get most of the house tidied, just need to clean the bathroom and the little bedroom. Miss Giddychops walked early this morning before the rain arrived. Homemade pizza for tea and flapjack for pudding. The hubbster has nipped to the alottment to collect some lettuce..
Starting to rain again which will hopefully fill up the butts at the alloment.
DD1 foot still bothering her, she went for a walk down to the shop for the paper etc and it was very painful. Still not lost any weight but thats probably due to the crap I've eaten.
SPENDS
£5.60
POSITIVES
1) Upcycled rat prevention gizmo.
2) Potentially full butts
3) When life gives you lemons consider making something other than lemonade.
Hope you've all had a productive day.
CRx

greent

the_cross_rabbit said:

3) When life gives you lemons consider making something other than lemonade.

Lemon drizzle cake would be my choice

Good idea re the anti-rat-climbing things x

the_cross_rabbit

I made lemon and orange polenta cake greent, with with homemade lemon curd. As cake goes its ok,even better with lemon ice cream though. At least thats all the lemons are gone now.
Weekly TT done of £8.11, I used to do it daily but the new mortgage will only let me do DD every month, so I've opened an ISA to TT into and since DD2 is home I often forget to do it. Sorted out child tax credits as they had got the detaild wrong, tried do it on line and it constantly asked for ID number and password which I ended up changing. Even though I changed them both today it still wouldn't let me in so ended up ringing in them, queue bad music and  lady telling me every 5 minutes I could do it all online until someone picked up 30 minutes later.
DD2 has made bread buns for tea tonight and a victoria sponge. She's really struggled today and is really tired, probably the bike ride she did yesterday, combined with hayfever and lack of sleep last week from the heat. She has manged to do the first part of her art project (a cherry tree in flower). DD1 and the hubbster have been bindweed pulling on the allotment before the next lot of rain arrives.
The humane rat trap did its job just wrong animal. It caught a young blackbird but other than not been particularly happy it was fine and flew off as soon as we released it, so the wait continues. We're convinced its living either under next doord decking (found a hole in the fence) or the person's at the back rickity sheds. The homemade contraptions are working so once it finds there is no food available it will move on.
SPENDS
£8.11 TT
£6.50 (batteries and chocolate)
POSITIVES
1) The phonecall wait to child tax credits was relatively short.
2) Mum has just arrived with coconut macaroons mmmmmm
3) No wasted lemons
CRx

themadvix

Good news about the coconut macaroons!

You've always got so much going on, it's tiring just reading it! Glad the blackbird was okay and hope the rat gets bored soon!

Fortune_Smiles

Aaargh to the rat CR.  We've had to give up on humane traps unfortunately.  Our mice have super brains and were working together to plug the trap entrances so they could get back out!  Fingers crossed your rat isn't a clever one.

Fortune x

the_cross_rabbit

Just about to go to the allotment so whilst I remember 
SPENDS
£128.90 shopping 
£36.24 petrol
CRx