Cottage Countdown

savingholmes

Well done on all your OPs. There's a lot of peace to be had from a lower mortgage at times like these. Thankfully so far we've both kept our jobs and are on full pay working from home. Let's home that status quo remains. Depending on how long this goes on for though - who know who will be left standing job, wealth or health-wise at the end of it all. Just have to hope and pray for the best and find a way through. This too will pass. We are very seriously socially isolating - but tripped up slightly by needing to go to the chemist (in a supermarket) for meds

LeighofMar

Quarantine cookies made 😋 paleo chocolate chip macadamia. So delicious. Will make June's mortgage payment next week and then we won't owe anything until July. I may still make OPs between now and then, but I will be saving more just in case we need the cash. There is a water fountain I want for my front garden, so that might be my treat to myself but we will see. 

savingholmes

Quarantine cookies are a life essential. I think an emergency fund is the high priority currently although I have bought some soil and garden plants (delivered) this week. 

LeighofMar

savingholmes said:

Quarantine cookies are a life essential. 

Agreed😁
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one saving but also looking for deals on gardening supplies. I ordered a blue chinese wisteria for 30.00 and can't wait to plant it. Tonight is a thunderstorm and tornado warnings though. I hope my beautiful Japanese maple can withstand it. (His name is Abel) 😊

LeighofMar

Abel the Maple survived intact. But whew, the storms were intense and did not let us sleep with the thunder shaking the house. I am trying to find energy to get some work done. I did manage to send 48.28 to the mortgage rounding down to 39,600.00. And if all goes well and we get paid this week, then I will make June's mortgage payment and not have to worry about making another payment until July should we choose to or need to. I will definitely need a nap today somewhere between work. cooking dinner, and online window shopping😉

savingholmes

Glad Abel  the maple survived. Yesterday I planted some petit pois and strawberry plants. I have a couple of tomato plants so need to think about the best place to put them for maximum growth but also safety from the pets. Planning to plant beans and potatoes indoors today and then will put them outside when they have grown on a bit. It probably won't make much difference to what we need to buy but anything helps right now and it gives a feeling of controlling the uncontrollable. Sent DS to the shop and chemist today wearing a mask and gloves.  

LeighofMar

Wow, SavingHolmes, that is wonderful. Strawberry plants, beans, potatoes all sound terrific. I'm still intimidated about growing food since I'm such a novice gardener, but maybe I will try to grow one thing this year as you've inspired me. I hope all your plantings thrive and the family is safe and healthy. Now going to run as I made some honey-sweetened peppermint patties and I see my DH pilfering them from the fridge! 😠😁

savingholmes

I would have run too. I swapped some beans with a neighbour today for some pepper seeds so feeling blessed and have sown some of them too. I got DH to move some things around as the place with the most sun seemed to be the area covered with a storage box. I've now started by planting some more petit pois directly in the soil there. Will be interesting to see what comes up.  Don't let veg intimidate you. Radish or cress tend to be among the easiest things to grow.

LeighofMar

Received my fountain today. Love it and can't wait to put it in the front of the house with a bench and some containers. I paid June's mortgage payment last Friday, so now I won't have to worry about another payment until July. I think I might make it a goal to pay all the scheduled monthly payments for the year and once that goal is met, I can just OP the way I normally do. I don't know if it will make any bigger difference or anything, but with so much going on, it would be so nice to be paid up until the new year. We will see what I can do with my budget. Tomorrow I go to look at some decorative gravel for my front where the fountain will go and I'm determined to get a lime green hydrangea plant. The nursery said they will have them tomorrow. I planted my first bare root tree. It looks so pathetic, but I'm hopeful that I did everything right and it will grow and bloom to a beautiful blue wisteria. I wonder if that can happen this year or not. I hope so. Now I need to bake a dessert but I'm too tired and my neck is aching thanks to sleeping wrong. Ugh, the comedians weren't kidding when they said you can tell you're over 40 if you hurt yourself sleeping  I'll see if DH can try to massage the soreness out. 

Our state supposedly is set to reopen slowly for business starting this Friday. We will see what happens. The CDC is saying it's too soon so we will probably keep on as we have been staying at home more and limiting contact with others. Stay safe everyone.

savingholmes

Better safe than sorry. I'd stay home if you can or do contactless work only.