MF - now the 2 year journey to financial freedom 😁

[Deleted User]

Had a good weekend- replanted the trees into their new homes and finally made a decision on the rest of the garden!! 🙌 The new tree positions nicely break the garden into sections - one 'formal' and one wildlife based. There's a real flow to it and coincidentally is shaped roughly in a yin-yang manner which I'm pleased about! 😁 
The lads are here filling up the veggie beds with compost so that will be done by the end of the day and the seedlings are being put into the greenhouse during the day and brought in at night - I'm going to plant the 'sow direct' seeds tomorrow or this evening- depends on what dh wants to do as he wants to be involved! 😂 
I have dehydrated lots of potatoes, some celeriac and carrots to make a casserole mix for later in the year and as there were a mountain of potatoes, I have an extra jar of those on their own. 
I really need to start getting some more jars together for preserving- I've only got a couple left and I need to make some more onion jam soon 🤔 first world problems!! 😂

[Deleted User]

They underestimated the quantity of compost/soil needed so it is on order and should arrive and be sorted by the end of the week! We'll plant stuff at the weekend now - only just realised that it's a bank holiday on Monday so really pleased about that! 😁 It's the last day of my holiday today so I'm having a totally guilt free 'me' day - I'm going to do some planning, watch some rubbish on TV, play some games on my phone and have a long, hot and leisurely shower 🙌 There will be alcohol consumption too 😉 
Because of the work I've had done on the garden and the stuff that we still need/want to do on external renovations, I'm not going to get to financial freedom within 2 years and I've got to say that my idea of financial freedom has changed recently- I still have the ultimate goal of getting rid of the very old debts but having my home how I want it and not having additional stuff to pay out for is my real idea of freedom now 😉 I should be there within the next 18 months so I'm happy with that - I have a list of things that I'll need to do and we're going to be chipping away at that. 
We need to finish the rest of the garden, get the fascias and flat roof sorted, buy a new sofa, get a new heating & hot water system and replace the kitchen. 
The garden, fascias, flat roof and sofa are jobs for this year - the heating and kitchen will be in 2021. 
Anyway - I'm off to start my 'me' day! 😁

[Deleted User]

Fascias, flat roof and garden will all be sorted by the middle of August!! 🙌🙌 I've got quotes and booked the work - incredibly happy now 😁 The compost arrived and the beds are now ready for planting so the weekend will be getting my seeds in and planting out the squashes, beans and sweetcorn, the greenhouse glass is being picked up tomorrow so I will get grow bags sorted in the morning (very happy that this will be the last year of having to buy compost! 🙈) it's all very exciting! 
I've ordered another couple of chocolate mint plants as the one I have has been reduced to one solitary stem 😔 I'm getting close to finishing my chocolate mint and raspberry balsamic sauce so can't wait to see if I can revive it! 😂 
My Tuesday slob day was wonderful - I really enjoyed just taking time out to relax and not think about anything other than me - I'm going to have at least one of those days a month now as it did me the world of good! 

[Deleted User]

Slobbing day today!! Worked for 12 hours on the garden yesterday and I can barely move now! 😂😂 I'm really pleased with what we achieved though, we cleaned all of the glass in the greenhouse inside and out, cut down the low branches on the oak, elders and hebe that had got out of hand, did a load of re-potting of various plants, potted up my new chocolate mint plants (🙌) and started sorting the reshaping of the garden for the new design! We had a bonfire to get rid of everything we had cut down so the garden looks tidier too 😉 It was a really productive day and I am so happy with what we achieved - that's why today's slobbing is totally guilt free!! 😂 
I am going to do a bit of planning though as I can do that laying down! 

I was going to cook banana blossom today but I really can't be bothered so I'm going to eat leftovers - I've got some bbq black beans and a black-eye pea 'hommous' left in the fridge so I'm going to microwave a sweet potato to go with them 😊 I'll cook tomorrow when I'm mobile again and do more garden stuff - I'm hoping the weather will be better then as it's incredibly windy today and really overcast which is better in some ways as it makes doing stuff less appealing but I miss the sunshine! 

beanielou

12 hours!! Well done you 

[Deleted User]

Thanks beanie! 😁 did about 8 hours in the garden again yesterday! 🙌 The beds are planted now and we got a lot more clearing done 😁 I'm shattered again today though 🙈😂 planning on a very sedate day though; work, then ethiopian lentils and rice for dinner and an early night! 
Some really good news yesterday though - ds&dil have found a house and had their offer accepted 🙌 hopefully it will all go smoothly and they will be in before the new grandbaby arrives or very shortly afterwards! I'm really happy for them and pretty excited for dh and I to finally live alone 😂 It will be a real end of an era when it happens - all my adult life I've been responsible for someone else and it hasn't been a household of just two adults for 32 years so a huge shift for us (dh & I  have never lived together without kids!) but it's going to be a very welcome change for all of us - not to mention the drop in expenses for us as the washing/tumble drying/hot water use/cooking will be halved 😉 we don't use the nominal 'rent' they currently pay as we're saving it to help them out so there's no drop in income either - total win from our point of view and a win for them on finally having their own space (not so much on the freedom front with a baby arriving and the new financial responsibilities but they are looking forward to all that in lots of ways😉) 
I've already talked to them about overpaying the mortgage- even though they will have very little spare cash, they will be rounding up their mortgage payment from day one so I'm happy with that 😉 mortgages these days are given over such a long period due to the ridiculous house prices they need to start doing something about it asap!! 
Other things - my UK holiday has agreed to refund me so I'm waiting for that to arrive in the next week or so  (the money is going straight to the garden& house renovations) and I have emailed our 'bucket list' holiday company to postpone until next year - although I am really disappointed not to go this year, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be much of a holiday - I can't see an end to social distancing happening for the foreseeable future and I have no interest in being on hols in those circumstances- they may cancel it anyway but if they don't, it wouldn't be the way we want it to be 😔 the money will be used for the external renovations and garden - I'll also be getting a few other bits for the inside of the house to finish things off/replace what I'm giving the kids for their new place (they are taking the bed I bought for them last year, curtains from 2 rooms, a rug and our sofa which we've had for a couple of years but has barely been used - still has labels attached! 😂) I'm getting blinds for the kitchen sorted and also a unit for our bedroom in which I will house a new coffee maker and a mini fridge- by the time solstice comes I will finally have everything sorted until the kitchen and hot water/heating system are replaced in 2022 (unless the boiler dies prior to that and then I'll sort them both earlier!)   
Anyway, better get on with my day job - wasn't expecting this to turn into war and peace!!! 😂😂😂

[Deleted User]

Expecting another busy day in the garden today! 😁 I've been awake since 3am 🙈 my sleeping pattern is all over the place at the moment but I'm hoping that it will improve over the next week as I am 'on holiday' from work so can nap whenever I choose and catch up on some needed snoozing! 😉 
I've been working out budgets etc and have concluded that although I will be/have been spending a lot this year, it should be the final year of it being so full on - plus the fact that the house and garden will have been completed and our living circumstances will have changed so I'm okay with none of it really going according to plan! 😂 it will have taken 21 years, numerous schemes and a multitude of diversions but we will finally be totally happy with our home and comfortably living on our own! 🙌 it's a position we have always hoped to be in but I know that without these boards keeping me motivated, giving me inspiration and encouragement and making me 'accountable', it wouldn't have been achieved for years to come so a big thanks to everyone who makes them possible and those who contribute! 😊 
Enjoy your weekend!!!

beanielou

Enjoy your weekend 

[Deleted User]

Certainly intending to beanie- you too! 😊 
Busy day!!! We've cut down all the shrubs to make walkways around the garden, tied in roses, started the nettle fertiliser bin, cleared the weeds from some beds, planted the tomatoes in grow bags, tidied some additional shrubs and basically made new areas in the back and sides of the garden 🙌 I've given up now and come in to chillax! 😂 Yesterday, I did loads of planning- garden wise I sorted a 5 year rotation plan for the veg and have started to make some decisions on the flowerbeds 😉 all is going well - apart from my muscles and bones which currently hate me!! 😂
It's the first day of my holiday and I feel that I'm getting a lot out of this - a couple of more days of consistent work and we'll be ready for the brickwork in July!! 😊

[Deleted User]

I'm exhausted!! 😂 we've been working in the garden all day - all seeds are planted for the next 2 weeks, I've sorted the weeds and rubbish from one of the flower beds, I've repotted everything that needs doing, we've sorted the netting on the brassicas etc....it's been really busy but very satisfying! 😉 I've finally come to bed after a long hot shower and am relaxing nicely now with a brandy and coke! 🙌 
Work on the outside of the house starts tomorrow (workmen doing that though! 😉) so I'll need to be up early and get ready for them - once they've started I can leave them to it so I'll either spend the day in the garden enjoying the fruits of our labour or cleaning the house if the weather is poo 😊 however, r time for chillaxing now!!