The Last Leg; 6 years later, debt free in 2021

greensalad

Kakiste said:

I'm doubling down on tomatoes in 2021 given mine refused to ripen the year just gone. 
My mint went mental last year and tried to take over my herb border! It was safely contained in a pot but managed to grow out sideways and root in the border without me noticing. 

Your garden plans sound great. I like the sound of the charity woodworkers, what is that?

What variety did you grow? I grew Ailsa Craig, Sparta and Tigerellas in a nice sunny spot and had great success. Granted I do live in the South East where it's warm a lot of the time. Ailsa Craig's are a Scottish variety so might be good for you (you're northwest right?) - getting the sun on them is ideal but remember you can also harvest as soon as they start to blush to get them in before the frost comes. You can pop them all in a paper bag and they'll continue to ripen over a few days. Or make green tomato relish, which was my favourite recipe this year (and my Grandparent's got some for Christmas and loved it!)

The woodworkers are a charity group who employ people who are ex-offenders to make wooden furniture for sale. They made me some underbed drawers to fit exactly the spec I needed, and charged me about a quarter of what I would have spent ordering. They use mostly donated wood that they collect which they then cut and plane so you can also buy project wood from them. They're really great! I'm hoping I can just show them a picture and they'll be able to figure something out. The drawers they did for more are pieced together out of a few different types of wood because I told them I was going to paint them, I think I paid £25 per giant drawer.

Kakiste

I grew 2 different varieties of upright one in pots. (Cant remember what they were called) Also tumbling tom in hanging planters. 
It was really weird, in previous years with the exact same varieties I've had shedloads of tomatoes but then last year, nothing. 
I havent heard of Ailsa Craig's so ill see if i can get hold of them for this year. Thanks   

greensalad

Trying to get better at posting every day, so here we go.

Resisted ordering a takeaway for lunch. Remembered we had frozen almond croissants in the freezer so that was a nice treat.

Started taking down our Christmas decorations. Everything packed away just need to do the loft and get all the old bits out (plant shelf got replaced by christmas tree so needs to be put back together and set up).

Started my A Year of Middlemarch challenge on Reddit, reading George Eliot's Middlemarch over the course of a year. Just prelude and chapter one so far with some questions to mull over. Contributed a bit to the discussion thread.

70% through my first book of the year (Bunny by Mona Awad) and want to finish it today. 

OH and I have been on a Harry Potter binge. We've got one more to watch, the second Fantastic Beasts film and the only HP film I've not seen. Will watch tonight. Tomorrow we restart out movie-jar picks and we'll be watching Gigi from 1958 as part of our Oscar Winner's lucky dip. Plus at some point this week need to find time to watch the 3hr long second LOTR instalment as that was the lucky dip from our favourites jar (his choice, I've never seen it!)

No money spent on stupid stuff. Very much feeling the itch to buy seeds for my garden but feasibly they can wait and I've written the list anyway. Could try and scope out if there are any sales or deals at garden centres for when the time comes.

Freezer food for dinner tonight, I'll probably have fish fingers and chips like a five year old. Yummy though.

Want to get the living room and dining room scrubbed and cleaned properly now the decorations are all away.

greensalad

Did a bit of decluttering today! 

We went through the two drawers in our TV unit and sorted them out. Got rid of loads of unneeded cables and OH is taking all computer related bits upstairs. I'd like to get some tubs to organise the cables further inside the drawers but we'll wait and see, maybe an IKEA jobby at some point. 

Also put a few things on Facebook Marketplace. Not expecting much. I'll put them in a box to go to charity in the event they aren't asked for.

Read a bit more of my book. Finished one last night and 25% through the next. Aim to finish it before Friday. Trying to get ahead of myself on my 52 Book Challenge for once!

Veggie burgers for dinner tonight. Back to work tomorrow

OH has agreed to clean bathroom and living room. I'm on kitchen, dining room and bedroom. The dining room is pretty much all clean so shouldn't take long.

greensalad

First day back at work. Waking up to an alarm was horrible!

Spent the morning traipsing through my emails and have read them all (or binned a fair few!) as I've been off for so long.

OH has been waiting to buy something that is on pre-order and it came in but he didn't have quite enough to cover it. I agreed to do an IOU and pay half out of my pocket money to cover it and he'll pay me back next month (or rather I'll just transfer him less and me more for our Feb pocket money). More reason to not spend. 

I haven't spent on anything from my own pocket money since the 30th December. And I've made £15 on Facebook Marketplace selling a few bits of electricals. So I'm actually up for the month for once. Someone has asked to come and pick up another £5 item so we shall see if they do today.

Back on OMAD after Christmas break. Tonight having cheapy tomato pasta out of whatever veggies we have left. 

Keeping up on book reading. 26% as I read a few chapters whilst waiting for a boring meeting to start.

Just keep pushing a few more weeks until payday and I'll have enough to pay the last portion off my credit card.

I have a virtual doctor's appointment today to discuss my allergy troubles over the past 6 months. I've increasingly started getting eczema around my eyes and nose. I do sometimes get a little eczema in the winter but the fact it's around my nose and eyes which is also the place I'm having problems with in regards to sneezing and itching I'm wondering if it's allergy related. I'm hoping to get an open referral to an allergy clinic to be tested to find out exactly what it is, plus some advice on what drugs to take and such. I don't know when I'll be able to go for the testing because of Tier 4, though.

Sarahwithlove

Is it under your eyes? Could it be your face mask? I know a few people who have had reactions to them 

greensalad

No it's on my upper eyes. Had the appointment and they said it's likely dermatitis associated with the allergy issues I'm having.

They've referred me to get an allergy test done, but I don't know how comfortable I feel going to a hospital right now. I might see what the time limit is on the referral and try to go when cases are lower (hopefully this lockdown will work like the last one!)

Sarahwithlove

Fingers crossed for you 

greensalad

Getting a bit homesteady here today! I wish we had more space to store all our stuff. 

Had frozen christmas dinner for dinner tonight, very cheap. I had a leftover pie, OH had leftover turkey. We had it with frozen braised cabbage, frozen yorkshire puddings and a tin of dauphinoise potatoes we dug out of the cupboard that I actually bought when I went to France about 2 years ago! Plus a few more tablespoons of the cranberry sauce I made and preserved. We've still got 4 more in the cupboard to open. 

OH is now in the middle of brewing an IPA, and as soon as he's done and I can get in the kitchen I'm going to make some apple pie filling to preserve out of leftover bramley apples we have. Should have enough for 2 jars so not loads but enough to bake 2 pies. 

I just can't wait until we have a house big enough to have a proper brewing station set up (rather than brewing on our dining room table!) and for storage of more homegrown and homemade foods. I'd love to be able to grow my own grapes, which should do well in a Kent climate, and OH would love to grow hops which will be very happy in Kent!

greensalad

Been doing some more garden planning today, mainly plotting out bed space and working out when I need to start off seedlings.

I'm hoping doing extra seedlings I may be able to sell some, especially as I am going to try and grow a few rarer plants than are available in the garden centres. Wonder if this might be a good little side business. Probably end up costing me more in the long run LOL.

The dining room is starting to get a lovely smell of bread with the IPA brewing behind me on the dining room table.

OMAD going OK though I'm absolutely ravenous. I need to take some time to get back into the swing of it.

Paneer curry tonight, massive Ocado shop came this afternoon. We got a few extra bits like toilet paper and drinks so we won't have a reason to leave the house. 

Trying to go for more walks. Skipped today as I had a lunch meeting but will go up to the churchyard tomorrow lunch for a walk around.