A new royal start

QueenJess

Back again post meeting!  Interrupted my chain of thought

Freezer defrosting has been delayed until next week because DH isn't here and I need his help since it is in his precious garage with all his junk.  So another week of running everything down and I am hopeful I might be able to fit everything in the tiny kitchen freezer this time next week. 

Tonight we are having a fancy lamb shank dish (a pre-bought thing from Waitrose) that's been languishing in the freezer for a "rainy day" and will use up some frozen green beans and a box of purple cabbage with it.  Then we will have the last of the chocolate brownies from the freezer with hm vanilla ice cream in front of Bake Off (I thought we used the last of them, but found two more in there... happy days!).

Tomorrow we are out for our fancy Michelin starred meal at lunchtime to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary for Thursday.  This is our present to ourselves and we agreed not to get anything else as neither of us wants anything.  I did hand make a card this lunchtime so I'm prepared.  Can't wait for the meal and intend to thoroughly enjoy myself

Been writing a to do list as soon as I remember various things I need to do and trying to tick off 5 things a day off it.  It means the list is definitely going down and things are getting done (I've almost completed all my doctor/nurse/dentist/hygenist appointments for this month!), although plenty still to do before the end of the year.  Maybe at some point I'll be able to have grown up rooms that are actually perfectly tidy and don't have a small pile of things to deal with in every room (or in the case of my library, a massive pile of stuff to deal with on the floor!).  One day I also might get to inbox zero... you never know!  

Today I picked up a couple of presents for DD for Xmas that I got delivered to the local garden centre as they were from two different places and delivery to there was free.  I should be set for DD and DS now - they have 2 presents each (purchased) and then they each have a game, a pile of books and DS has a jumper that were all sourced for free from Buy Nothing/my parents house.  That's plenty given they are the only grandchildren on both sides, so will be thoroughly spoilt!  Not much spent at all and I think I've got loads more free stuff for DS's birthday already, so just needs thought on a main gift that hopefully I can get in the Jan sales.

Right, better run (again!) to pick up DS and DD.  Hope everyone has a good evening.

edinburgher

Have a lovely meal and happy wedding anniversary for Thursday

QueenJess

Thanks Ed. The meal was absolutely fantastic. Definitely the best meal I’ve ever had and opened my eyes on how some things are meant to be made/taste! At one point I had a puff pastry lid on a bowl on consummé and it was the thinnest and loveliest pastry I’ve ever had. I didn’t know you could get it that thin!

It was one of those places where you pay for 4 courses, but actually have 6 with the “free” appetisers and morsels afterwards etc. was very ££££, but once in 10 years is surely acceptable!

On the plus side, I’ve realised that my regular saver comes to an end next month and I had actually forgotten about it. Means I can finish up my cash emergency fund for this year and start ploughing money into the mortgage. It doesn’t go up until the start of March, but I want to start chipping away at it now and happy to lose a few months of interest for the interest I will save on the mortgage (going into a variable rate from my current 1.24%!). I worked out I will be paying around £350 more a month for the mortgage, but when the Bank of England change rates they recalculate it. It means if I’ve overpaid the mortgage, they will reduce the monthly payment accordingly. I prefer this way currently as it’s been buying me more flexibility each month so I can direct the extra cash to wherever makes sense. Of course next year it’ll be going straight back to the mortgage itself. The mortgage is currently £140k and the aim is to get this below £100k as quickly as possible, although of course slightly dependent on DH who makes overpayments entirely randomly and seems to change his thoughts all the time. I do track our overpayments separately as at the start of the mortgage DH didn’t want to overpay, so I “split” the mortgage between us and was working on my portion. Since then he’s overtaken me as my bit is now £75k. Feels so close, but at the same time so far away! Looking forward to inching it downwards again though.

TallGirl

Happy Anniversary glad the meal was amazing sometimes it is just worth doing something really special. We are trying to cut out the can't be bother to cook lets eat out and just to a nice monthly meal but agree your meal was more 1 in 10 year type of meal. 

LadyWithAPlan

Your meal sounds amazing and glad it was such a gastronomic experience to remember - I ate at Tom Kerridge at the Colisseum last year - lunch and I will never forget the GF fish n chips - the batter was insane - best I have ever had GF or normal - light, crispy, crunchiness at a perfect level and they had a trio of beautifully prepared ramekins - with curry sauce, mushy peas and tartare in ! 

My main was £42 alone but I will always remember it
Maybe you can have one a year or every 5 years with these mortgage rates

sorry work isn’t great - how dare they cancel Xmas lunch! 

Hope you get good news on the interview - fingers crossed 

At least you are preparing for this rate increase I am sure you will get it to your target - I do  understand OP it now - great psychological boost 
Are you waiting to get into a new deal - hopefully rates will have popped down half a point or so by then 

QueenJess

LadyWithAPlan said:

At least you are preparing for this rate increase I am sure you will get it to your target - I do  understand OP it now - great psychological boost 

Are you waiting to get into a new deal - hopefully rates will have popped down half a point or so by then 

Back in August there was a good variable rate deal... I think it was base rate plus 0.89% fixed for 2 years, with unlimited overpayments allowed and no booking fee.  I pre-booked myself on that one and can cancel before Feb 24 and go for a different one if something better comes up.  However, I do think I will stick with it at the moment since interest rates should very slowly go down, although the timing of that is a bit unknown.  The unlimited overpayments are definitely very attractive!

QueenJess

Happy Friday everyone!  Good news... I am the proud owner of a new job having accepted their offer today.  Just waiting for the paperwork to come through and then will tell work and attempt to negotiate to shorten my notice period (it's 3 months).  The new job is also 4 days a week, but is all working from home, with career opportunity to advance and a small pay rise.  Happy days!

kelpie35

Well done on the new job

edinburgher

You go girl/lady/choose greeting here! 🎊👏💐🥳

TallGirl

Omg fantastic news well done you definitely try and get out early. Do not go into the office now what can they do now you are leaving. There is nothing worse than working your notice in a crap job but at least there’s the Christmas break which help. 

Well done you sounds ideal I’m chuffed for you.