Climbing the Mortgage Mountain step by step

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

I've updated my signature.  Not making the progress I would like with the mortgage but concentrating on paying off the 0% credit card before the rate changes.  Savings are holding their own but will look different for next month due to expenditure on the house and garden.

Dad's birthday today, panic bought a gift card and some nibbly bits for him yesterday, I had been so focused on the anniversary preparations that his birthday had somewhat gone under the radar!  I've checked the forecast again for Saturday and it's looking good.  I'm a bit worried that the girl who is re-constructing mum's wedding bouquet is going to let me down, she put on social media that her shop is shut until Monday, I'm hoping that just means she is really busy and concentrating on orders as I'm supposed to be collecting it today!  I'm picking the cake up after work tomorrow.  Their telegram should arrive tomorrow and there will also be an announcement in the local paper.

I'm off to the theatre tonight with DD, just a local production of Legally Blond but they are usually really good and she asked if we could go.

Quick pasta dinner tonight I think or maybe fishcakes and chips.  We had bubble n squeak on Tuesday with leftovers and I made a lovely lamb, chickpea and spinach curry last night with brown rice, naan and mango chutney, again with the leftovers from the roast.

A few more things have sold on V!nted, including one dress that was £25, still got lots of items that have been favourited but I need people to actually buy them!  I will try and list some more items once this weekend is out of the way.

Have a lovely day

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Absolutely heaving it down here this morning but the forecast for tomorrow is still good so fingers crossed.

I was really upset yesterday, the florist has gone away to Liverpool and not made mum's bouquet, she thought I wanted it for next Monday, despite my texts etc all clearly stating yesterday, I'm really disappointed.  Their telegram has arrived from Buckingham Palace but they're not opening until tomorrow.  Doesn't look like my BIL is coming to the party, he's been their SIL for 30+ years but a football match is more important apparently

All of the new garden furniture arrived yesterday, in pieces, our lounge is full of bits, 4 sofas, 4 chairs and 4 storage boxes/tables, we are going to be busy tonight putting that together, oh and there's a load of chippings to go down first as well, then decorations to go up and food to buy/prep.

The show was amazing last night, they got a standing ovation, DD and I then went for a couple of drinks on the way home, it's so nice to spend time with the adult version of my children.

Right, lets get Friday boxed off and then I can start organising for the weekend.

Have a great day

MvTMM

savingholmes

Sounds like lots to celebrate 🥳.

Hope you are feeling better in yourself.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Well Saturday went off without a hitch, the sun shone all day long!  We were building the new garden furniture until 10pm on Friday night and then up and in L!dls before 8am to get the food.  My chef at work made a beautiful lemon cake which I decorated with a personalised edible plaque and fresh flowers reminiscent of mum's wedding bouquet, there were also vases of the same flowers on the garden tables, balloons and banners etc everywhere.  We made pizzas in our pizza oven (that's what mum and dad wanted to do), drank pimms and had prosecco with the cake.  Lots of photos were taken and I will make them up a photo book as a momento.  I'm picking up the bouquet today so will drop that off to them.

savingholmes said:

Hope you are feeling better in yourself.

@savingholmes, I'm getting there, had a couple of meltdowns at work, which really isn't like me, but my head of department listened and actually took on board what I was saying so things are improving there.  DS is much happier, he has reconnected with an old school friend, she liked him all through school, and they seem a good match, I've never seen him so relaxed and happy.  So I feel like the pressures are lifting for now, thank goodness I have such a rock of a husband, always supportive, never judgmental.

We had a lovely relaxed day yesterday after all of the activity the days before.  There was a food festival in town so after breakfast in the garden we walked to town, sampled some of the goodies and walked home with a bag of cheese and rum!  Then spent the rest of the afternoon chatting with the kids before they disappeared off.  I made a broccoli, courgette and stilton flan for dinner which we had with potato salad and coleslaw and a bottle of red wine .  We have the house to ourselves tonight, first time in over 2 weeks so a chilled evening is planned, we will have the rest of the flan and relax.

I did get a couple of bargains in town too.  I am an avid follower of Tr!nny Woodall and ordered a white satin shirt from Zar@ on her recommendation for £35, however when it arrived it was too tight around the chest, I wanted it loose and oversized, so I sent it back.  Yesterday DD and I went into our local Red Cr0ss shop, they have loads of brand new stock from Zar@ and lo and behold there was a white satin shirt which was a perfect fit for £15.99, I also got a basic sleeveless t-shirt with shoulder pads (another thing Trinny recommends) for £9.99, I was so happy, two items for £10 less than the shirt alone.  Poor DD was not so happy as everything she liked was too small.  I also managed to get from V!nted a brand new Zar@ jumper that Trinny teamed with the shirt and it only cost me £7, excited for that to arrive.

Finances are feeling a bit chaotic at the moment, lots going out for maintenance, improvements, celebrations etc, all planned but I feel like I need to sit down and get a handle on when/how I am going to build up the savings again.  I have a management away day tomorrow, 100 mile round trip, so I'll get £45 in expenses which will cover my fuel for the next couple of months as I barely use my car.

Have a good Monday

MvTMM

savingholmes

Glad the party went well 

Sounds like you got some great CS bargains.

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

Back in the office today.   Yesterday was good, some serious messaging but delivered in a really positive manner and so nice to get all of the management team together after the last few years of pandemic.

I was quite tired last night after the drive and meeting so we had a quick and easy dinner cooked in the airfryer, lemon and pepper fish bites, chips and mixed veg, I didn't have any tartare sauce so used some Caesar dressing which tasted pretty similar!
DD has requested my cheese and tomato bake tonight, which will work well as DGD is staying over and quite fussy, I might do some garlic bread with it.

Have a great day

MvTMM

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

It's been a few days since I updated.

We have had a lovely but quite spendy time, mostly all planned.  We had just bought the new garden furniture, which looks lovely.  Then this weekend we got the new gazebo with a solid roof, myself and DH managed to put it up between us and it looks lovely on the decking, we will put the hot tub up soon as DGD keeps asking about it and there are several long weekends ahead.  The roofer finally gave us his bill, £400, which I was really pleased with, that included £160 materials and pay for him and his helper, I was hoping/expecting it to be around £500, I had the cash set aside for that.  Then, as we have finally had his bill, we ordered the slabs for the patio, lovely grey sandstone, we found a reasonable price, 30 square metres for around £680, but the DS suggested we do the path to match, so the final order came to £1100, luckily there was £1000 allocated for this, at least we won't have any labour charges as DS is laying it for us.  We still need to investigate what is going on under the shower room flooring as the vinyl has discoloured, the floor still seems solid so hopefully no major issue.

I went out with an old school friend on Saturday, we had a meal in a local pub (she had a discount code) and then went for a couple for drinks at another pub which had karaoke on.  I wore my new (bargain) Zara shirt and jumper with bootleg jeans and DH said I looked lovely, my friend commented too, she particularly liked the jumper.

DH and I actually had the house to ourselves last night and decided to have a cheese and port night, using some of the cheeses that we bought from the EAT Festival.  I think it's just us again tonight so I might do the seabass that we got reduced in Lidl the other day, the kids don't like it anyway, I also picked up 2 pork fillets reduced.

Payday Friday and I will see the damage done to our savings :ang .  I need to put in my mileage claim, which was about £45 and also bill my sister for her half of our parents celebrations, not sure how much that will be.  I might cash up a couple of my saving pots, the £1 toiletries one and the £2 coin one for spending money for my trip to Bristol with DD but will see how the budget is looking.

Have a good afternoon

MvTMM

LadyWithAPlan

Just caught up with your diary and its all action your end. Your hall cupboard looks fabulous and your DS is lucky to have such support.
Glad you winning the battle with the credit card, they are dangerous things. I only have one for my credit score but its too easy to add things on..

My only complaint is all your lovely food descriptions are making me feel very hungry

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

It's a lovely bright, sunny day here today.

@LadyWithAPlan, thank you so much for your words of encouragement.  Sorry I've been making you feel hungry! 

I did suggest that I cook the seabass for dinner last night but DH had his mind set on a takeaway curry as it was just the two of us, it was really lovely, albeit and unnecessary expense.  Tonight we have DS and DGD at home so I will make something child friendly.

DH had a day off yesterday, has managed to sort one issue with the shower room but we still need to pull up the flooring and see what is going on with that, one of my colleagues used to be a carpet layer so I'm hoping he will fit some new vinyl for us.

DD has finally listened to me and opened a Student Account, I've been telling her for about a year to get it done.  She has also arranged viewings for 3 flats for next year, again I've been nagging her for months about that.

Nothing further to up date, have a good day.

MvTMM

savingholmes

Glad your DS can help with the flags. That should save you loads.

Good you enjoyed your time away too.