Life is a minestrone as the song says - my new diary

beanielou

Enjoy your break xx

teapot2

:wave: Had a good week away and managed all the trains with my case and stick. People were very helpful which is really kind. Journey home was delayed but not quite enough to be able to claim a ticket refund . It did mean I missed my bus home on the last bit of the journey so had to wait an hour and just paid for a train and a taxi from the station as was just wanting to get home at that point having been travelling for 12 hours.

Been working every day and quite long hours since I got back. Another long day tomorrow with an early start so going to get my stuff ready for work and will post properly over the weekend.

beanielou

Glad that you had a good break.
How is big old fuurry boy?

Karmacat

Welcome back! I'm off now, as you know, so I'll see you in a while. Glad to hear that people were helpful.

teapot2

beanielou wrote: »

Glad that you had a good break.
How is big old fuurry boy?

Thanks Beanie, he's doing ok as far as I can tell. I'd arranged for his usual cat sitter to come in twice a day when I was away. Its expensive but worth it, they like each other, she is good with his wee eccentricities and texts me every few days with updates. My niece also popped in a couple of times and BOFB sent a selfie or two with her assistance :rotfl:

teapot2

Went out to a craft fair yesterday morning with my sis and we had a coffee and scone as well as a catch up. I've started buying a few wee things for Christmas and got a nice heart shaped pendant for £5 which was my only spend. I'm even putting the things I buy away in the same place so I can actually find them at the relevant time

Not been out this weekend other than that, did a Sainbug online shop to be delivered on Tuesday eve as fridge stocks getting low. Will go back and edit it at some point as I'll inevitably have forgotten something.

Cashed out £8+ on Prolific this morning and paid that to a CC - still £3+ pending there. Also had a Pinecone survey on Friday so waiting for that to be paid. I'm at £24.50 on 1poll so hoping to cash out this week though no doubt I'll get to within 10p and the surveys will stop and I'll have to email them .

Have made a tomato, garlic and herb sauce which I'll have for tea with some prawns and lasagne and maybe chuck in some peas or spinach. Should be enough sauce for tomorrows tea as well. I've had a bit of an epic fail on the defrosting front. I took some 'smart price' prawns out yesterday morning to have with fried rice and veg. I also took out what I thought was some left over roasted veg which I'd frozen before I went on hols. I'd put them in a empty washed out plastic pouch that previous frozen prawns come in as it can be resealed, is not recyclable and I'm trying to cut down my single use plastics. Anyhoo, I didn't look closely at the bag so actually took more large prawns out of the freezer so had prawns in my tea last night had small prawns in a wrap for lunch and will have large prawns with linguine for tea :eek::eek:. Good job I like 'em

I've brought in my only Courgette plant which is in a pot and will put it in an upstairs window. It has several teeny weeny yellow courgettes so I'm hoping they might grow a bit more but guess they might not. I've used most of the green beans but there are a few there still. I need to get out and plant some bulbs for the spring if the rain ever stops before the soil gets too cold.

Am off to read a book, have a hot chocolate and sit with a hot water bottle. Need to put the bin out and check the meter readings before it gets dark though so better not get too snuggly.

beanielou

Clever BOFB

teapot2

beanielou wrote: »

Clever BOFB

I'm sure if he had opossable thumbs he would text me :rotfl:

teapot2

One bit of work was postponed today so after the bit of work remaining was done, I went to JL and used a voucher for a free bit of cake and a free coffee. After that I bought a b'day pressie for one of the tiny humans and another for my Xmas stash.

After a cold and windy morning, the sun came out when I was on my way home which was very welcome after all the rain and cold weather of the last week. Am hoping it might be sunny and dry tomorrow so that I can tidy up the garden and plant some bulbs. I haven't got any work tomorrow so can also catch up on a bit housework.

Did a Ugov survey today but the total is creeping up very slowly, at 4200 points now. Just need 35p to cash out on 1poll. My gas and leccy DD went out today and its gone up to the winter rate of £85. Have paid £150 to family towards roof repair loan - might be able to put a bit more in later in the month. Had an online sale this evening so will get that in the post tomorrow.

Just remembered I need to play online shopping basket tetris in the next hour so better go do that.......

teapot2

Not feeling the best so struggling a bit, I know why so am just going with it and will try to be kind to myself.

Money wise, I've paid the CCs that are due tomorrow including the 'pay it off in full' one. I had to borrow money from the EF, pay in some loose change at the bank and pretty much empty the online sales account to pay it :eek: The next bill will be produced in a week and it will be much lower and should be sub £200.

I'll have more money trickling in over the next few weeks so I'll pay back the EF and hopefully add a bit. I just have one CC more to pay this month and I'll try and make it more than the minimum which is around £50. My current account is at its lowest for a while which makes me nervous but again hopefully I can add to it in the next few weeks.

I cashed out on 1poll this week so will use that for the soon to expire CC when the £25 arrives. Have had a few surveys on Prolific and am up to £10 again which will also go to a CC when they are all paid. Won £10 for doing TV surveys so have put that to my Am@zon gift card total for pressies.

Am impressed with my energy provider, I send meter readings every month and the latest bill arrived a few days ago. My DD has just gone up to the winter payment amount and when the bill arrived, I am more than a monthly payment in credit so I phoned them to request a refund. They answer the phone immediately which is a novelty and agreed to refund £43 which arrived in my account the next day :T. Very different to my experiences with any of the big providers.

Yesterday I cleared some of the front bed in the garden and did a lot of weeding and tidying. Got some bulbs planted but might try and do a bit more today though the forecast is rain and its colder today. Also made a tray of roast veg and made a veg and coconut curry. I have some fish to use up today as well so might freeze some of the curry.

Best get on and do something useful