So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

Morning all,

Had a lovely dinner with mum last night and then we went round to my Sister's for dessert and a chat - which was great. She works around childcare, and is permanently exhausted at the moment, so it's difficult to know when is best to see her, so it was good to catch up (without little ears too).

Collected some pastry (not pastries!), cherry toms and apple turnovers 😋 from an Olioer near mum last night. Pastry is in the freezer (I never buy because of the plastic and the palm oil, but I hate making it, so this is a big win!). As mentioned above, collecting some other freebies for the allotment today. Need to plant garlic (sooo late, I know - bought at WR last night when I went in for wine boxes (also for cardboard)) and onion sets too.

Have part 3 of my market research study to do today - hoping not too taxing - definitely feel it's worth the £70. PA is at £30+ and my Populous cheque has cleared, so a good month for free money!

Signing off now, as I really want to be out in the sunshine, not finishing up work! Have a good day all!

try_harder

Thats the only one negative about Olio ,too many yummy pastries ,not so good for me with my sweet tooth but i cant say no unfortunately

Nicki_Sue

We have one regular collector from Tesco for Olio locally but it's a 9pm-10pm pick up which just doesn't work for us sadly. She posts a really good mix and plenty of healthy bits. 

themadvix

Try having them in your kitchen once a week TH. Wednesdays are not good diet days!! It’s the one downside to Olio, I agree!

themadvix

Nicki_Sue said:

We have one regular collector from Tesco for Olio locally but it's a 9pm-10pm pick up which just doesn't work for us sadly. She posts a really good mix and plenty of healthy bits. 

Only just seen this @Nicki_Sue. That will be an evening collection, when use by goods can be distributed - you get a much wider choice then generally (and I think most of the big stores do this). I collect from an Express and it's a morning slot, so only best before stuff can be listed. It sounds like TH might have a similar set up near here. The evening collections are great for filling the fridge/freezer, I agree. (9-10pm is early - here stuff has to be collected by midnight - it's often not all listed before 10!)

themadvix

I eventually got work out of the way and collected the cardboard and wood chippings. I now have three beds ready for planting (one is for my asparagus). I've decided against the garlic - it's just too late, especially for unknown supermarket garlic. I'll just use it in cooking and plant in the autum. Tomorrow I'm going to plant my red onion sets (from Dad). I also dug up 3 rhubarb crowns (leaving me a further two!) - one is for our friends and I've already freegled the other two. I really don't need more! When I got back I cut and strimmed the lawn and have just cooked the cats' chicken - it's cooling now. Absolutely knackered! Mr MV is home from his work trip, but didn't sleep at all in the hotel, so is having 40 winks now - he never naps, so he must be exhausted to have fallen asleep.

Easy Quorn escalopes and chips for dinner tonight I think.

Nicki_Sue

themadvix said:

Nicki_Sue said:

We have one regular collector from Tesco for Olio locally but it's a 9pm-10pm pick up which just doesn't work for us sadly. She posts a really good mix and plenty of healthy bits. 

Only just seen this @Nicki_Sue. That will be an evening collection, when use by goods can be distributed - you get a much wider choice then generally (and I think most of the big stores do this). I collect from an Express and it's a morning slot, so only best before stuff can be listed. It sounds like TH might have a similar set up near here. The evening collections are great for filling the fridge/freezer, I agree. (9-10pm is early - here stuff has to be collected by midnight - it's often not all listed before 10!)

Crikey, that's late! This one collector/poster is the only one who posts anything on our local one, nothing else. Looking at how much she is able to put on and how it's distributed it wouldn't be worth going out so late to drive and get it sadly. Hopefully it picks up more over time. I've listed items myself but no-one seems to want anything that doesn't come directly from the supermarket.
On the upside I  think it might be that any spare food people have locally is going to our rural foodbank which is marvellous.

try_harder

We are really lucky ,we have at least five collectors .three from Tescos and two from Marks .They are all lovely and very helpful .Lots of it is bread and really yummy bread too..I often go out and collect between nine and ten in the evening

themadvix

Morning all,

Well I've had (mostly) a lovely few days since last posting. On Friday I collected a new-to-us cat scratching post and a book from Freeglers, bought some Guinness brownies from the zero-waste deli (to belatedly celebrate St Patrick's Day - she was also celebrating late at the deli!), had lunch with Dad (he wanted to talk about his moving options - apparently I'm a sensible head?!), got my onion sets in at the allotment and then in the evening, Mr MV and I babysat Niece (she was asleep the whole time!).

Saturday we did very little - but we sat in the garden (ignoring the piles of earth!) and booked some more bits of our holiday. I also collected some more cardboard for the allotment, popped to Sainsbury's and planted my asparagus crowns which arrived (must chase that up as there was one missing!).

I did unfortunately receive some very sad news about a friend from my evening class though on Saturday - he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has been given months, if not weeks to live. He's only mid-50s and it has all happened so fast - he was healthy in October (I also think he's been appallingly treated by the NHS, but that's another matter). It really makes you think and reassess - him and his wife had done everything right health wise (I remember them saying that they ate fish twice a week, even though one of them wasn't keen, because it was good for you - and he was nearly a pro footballer when younger, so very fit and healthy) and financially - paid off their mortgage early and he was in a position to retire at the beginning of the pandemic, and did so. Life is short and so precious. I really feel for her as she doesn't have any children (although she has a sister with children and her mum is still alive), so will be quite alone in some respects when he has gone. 

Yesterday we had the in-laws, my mum, sis and niece for lunch - and cherished every moment.

We've got some pork and stuffing left over, so expect Mr MV will have some yummy sandwiches for the next few days. I also served about 2 portions of potatoes from the allotment! (Bearing in mind I'm not digging the plot over, I've uncovered quite a few!)

Work has gone quiet again at the moment, which is really frustrating, but I know I've got something arriving next week from my main client. However, cat sitting picks up again this week, with one from Friday and another starting Sunday and a third starting Monday (all three only overlap for one day, fortunately!). In other events, I'm having my hair cut this afternoon (£15, by SIL), meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow (small spend as we're going to the pub) and taking the Mini for its MOT on Weds (Mr MV will pay). We should be seeing our friends on Sunday, assuming no one has Covid or any other ailments (this is the fourth time of asking!) - I'll be taking a rhubarb (this year's) and redcurrant (last year's from freezer) crumble for dessert. Two birthday cards for this week are made and ready to go in the post.

MS things:
* New-to-me jeans bought and fit from Vinted - £10 + P&P instead of £24 (and they are BNWT)
* Clicks done
* Allotment potatoes for Sunday lunch! 
* Market research study completed and should receive payment within 15 working days (diarised)
* Picked up a folding chair on Freegle for the allotment - will take up less space in my shed than the current plastic one
* Mr MV managed to get the petrol strimmer in the allotment shed working - hoping to sell this as would rather use my battery one

Gratitudes:
* Gorgeous weather and a lazy Saturday of travel planning
* Family time
* Progress on the allotment

Have a good day all!

Cheery_Daff

So sorry to hear about your friend. What a shocking diagnosis, and sorry to hear the treatment wasn't all it could have been either. Life is indeed short xx