Eating a Vegetarian Elephant

Chiglepig

Thanks @powerspowers - the garden is my sanctury - it's not refinned or 'designed' I like playing with it too much, and I mostly grow for the joy of growing (seed magic) so some years it looks great, and some years, 'meh' but I have fun anyway.  One of the gardens that backs on to us have had a complete makeover this year, it's very neat and crisp, and looks lovely, the patio is shiney and lovely, and the lawn is very flat and all grass, and sometimes I think that's what I want, but my riotous, higgledy piggledy plant collection is much more me .

A bit more success on the Nectar canvass surveys this weekend - 120 points for telling them I don't use make up and the brand they were asking about was one I had particular contempt for then two very quick ones for 20 (non-dairy milks) and 80 points (applepay) this morning - it is annoying how the points offered are often not related to the effort they take!

Mortgage payment and op for the month has gone out, so I'll be back later with an update.

Chiglepig

So, Mortgage update

• Opening balance Sept. 2014: £165,000 (expected final repayment Sept. 2039)
• Outstanding balance as of Jan. 1st 2021: £128,019.84
• Outstanding balance as of March 1st 2021: £125,274.90
• Outstanding balance as of 29th March 2021: £123,921
• Overpayment resevoir £8,850

NWide have droppped my mandatory monthly payments to £715 (started the year at £764), this time I'm not going to up the OP, I'll just leave it at £444pm and add the extra to my savings to feed into the S&S ISA.

South_coast

I was all set to say thanks for the nudge about Nectar Canvass - until I got a survey about smart toilets of the future and all the things they might be able to analyse about your body (and what's just left it) 😮😮😮!!!

And to truly add insult to injury, after a timed 8-minute session on comparing ideas and then writing feedback on my top 3 selections, it got stuck on the screen about my bottom (no pun intended) 3 selections and I had to give up! Dear oh dear, I feel mentally scarred from that 🤣!

Chiglepig

South_coast said:

I was all set to say thanks for the nudge about Nectar Canvass - until I got a survey about smart toilets of the future and all the things they might be able to analyse about your body (and what's just left it) 😮😮😮!!!

And to truly add insult to injury, after a timed 8-minute session on comparing ideas and then writing feedback on my top 3 selections, it got stuck on the screen about my bottom (no pun intended) 3 selections and I had to give up! Dear oh dear, I feel mentally scarred from that 🤣!

You get all of the 'interesting' ones, SC!

Yesterday I got "Do you think vaccines are a good thing?" and the first episode of a forthcoming drama - that was a good one, 300 points.

South_coast

They sound much better!!!

Chiglepig

Day off today - DH is going to confiscate my laptop once he is up so I'm not tempted to work. Taking Doggo to the country park (when he wakes up!), then spending the rest of the day in the back garden.

Chiglepig

Well that was a lovely day, walk through the woods and by the river = happy hound; lots done in the garden, then a couple of hours sitting in the sun with DH.

DH has decided he can't just retire, so spent the morning getting his head around phased retirement options and starting the process (work have already said he can have anything he wants in terms of balance).

Another survey completed (banking logos), so I think once everything is added, my Nectar balance will be over £50 for the Christmas food fund, with only the first quarter of the year done.

WFH tax adjustment hasn't made it as far as the payslip this month, but that's my fault for doing it after the payroll cut offdate. HMRC have confirmed it so the extra pennies will be very welcome next month.

Now just two days of work to drag myself though before I can relax for ten days.

Chiglepig

This mornings surveys - finance,wellbeing, and health during covid (all one survey, they certainly wanted their money's worth) and attitudes to cervical screening - love an academic survey rather than a marketing one - they are much better designed! I'm still not getting the exciting ones SC gets though!

Chiglepig

I have never been so relieved to have made it to Easter!

Achievements for yesterday:

• DH booked our 2022 holiday, and thanks to the bonus we got from Tui for having credit not a refund, our holiday has only cost £250 more than 2020 for three extra days and a better quality room.
• DD came home from work with an adult sized leather(ettte) beanbag that was going to be skipped because it had a small hole next to the zip which she has already sewn up (proud MSE Mummy-face!).
• And my Nectar points are now worth £51.54 thanks to a couple of good days on surveys and a totally random 20 bonus points!

Apart from walking doggo, I don't intend to go anywhere this weekend - I'm a Bank holiday grinch at the best of times thanks to years of having to negotiate caravans on their way to the New Forest on my way home from work, but this weekend has the potential to be carnage!

Chiglepig

Just been reading and contemplating for a few days. Not much further forward, but stepping away from work for a few days has shown me I need a more organised plan of action.