So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

newgirly

I always prefer tea and toast when out and about,  it only cheap but probably my favourite meal 😆

Suffolk_lass

Karmacat said:

Cheery_Daff said:

themadvix said:

Have just googled the cafe my friend had suggested and seen that a tea (English breakfast - whether pot or mug is unclear) is £4 there, so have suggested we return to the one we've visited before and she agreed completely! £4 for a cup of tea, what would Mr Cheery think?! We are meeting for a cat-ch-up (sorry, couldn't resist), long-term cat sitting debrief and to give her the thank-you present I bought for her cat sitting last weekend (and probably some moaning about Olio). Apart from this, tomorrow should be a NSD.

Ha, love that Mr Cheery is used as a benchmark for being outraged at tea prices 😂 I've just informed him of his widespread fame, and in return been treated to a(nother) small rant about cafe tea prices 🙄😂

I just love that 🤣 it's absolutely the perfect thing to rant about.

Me too, sitting chuckling here. We will adopt this... "What would Mr Cheery say?" but probably not just for tea!

The Inn we stayed in on Friday night offers a "work from here" package in the pub bit on the High Street, with an internet cafe sort of thing with included basic lunch (soup and sandwich), as much as you want teas, coffees, and water in a cosy, warm pub bar. It was very welcoming. There was also a sewing group going on upstairs on Saturday morning as we were having a very late breakfast. 

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Great discussion about tea prices and cafes! Mr MV is not a fan of hot drinks (he'll consume a hot chocolate if pushed/it's cold), so we don't tend to frequent them together (although he also likes the idea of us making a regular visit to one and watching the world go by). While I would never have given it much thought before Cheery mentioned Mr Cheery's benchmark, I would definitely have baulked at £4 for a cuppa. However, I do frequently use the '£1.50 tea' concept now as I find it very useful - much like you can judge a restaurant's prices by a bowl of soup or a portion of chips. I'm not sure the last time I had a cup of tea for £1.50, but as we're in a much more expensive part of the world than the Cheeries, I think £1.80 is very reasonable (especially for an independent on a high street).

@Suffolk_lass, I can't work out the second jeans pull technique you mention - surely using the wrong end of the needle would just leave a rather large hole? The pub work set up sounds fantastic - I'd definitely make use of that occasionally for a change of scene!

Country to Country was excellent yesterday (as well it should have been for the cost). We discovered that three of the stages are in public areas of the O2 so open to the public, and there was also a paid-for smaller stage that you could pay about £12 to access. Even though it was excellent, we're unlikely to pay out for it again next year (or for several years) (unless it gave us a chance to see someone we'd be very unlikely to see otherwise), but we'd definitely go down and hang out for a bit if the weather was nice and see some of the lesser-known artists. Mr MV declared that we'd be using 'Monopoly money' for the day - aka his post-Covid fun fund - but even we drew the line at the cost of food and drink in the arena - £11.60 for a square slice of pizza! I was absolutely gasping at one point so I did spend £3.90 (!!!!!!) on a bottle of water. Fortunately we had expected prices to be high, so we filled up on a homecooked breakfast before we went. We had a couple of drinks outside the arena while watching other artists and they were expensive, but what you'd expect for London, and found an Indian street food place for a delicious naan wrap as a late lunch/early tea before we went in - again, not cheap but much better value than the stuff in the arena. We cycled to the station and, much to our relief, our bikes were still there when we got back at 11.50pm, ready for the cycle home. Needless to say, we're quite tired today!

Workwise, I have a project expected, but it hasn't arrived yet. This morning I've popped round to see Dad and Partner as they are off on holiday tomorrow (to Costa Rica, I'm very jealous!). I had planned to cycle, but it's blowing a hoolie here, so I took the car instead. Since then, I've cleaned up the kitchen (we left a mess yesterday), baked some biscuits, made lunch and got fish out of the freezer ready for dinner (one pan fish daal). Also clearing a lot of emails from my inbox (all from the weekend), doing some PA surveys, and I should really be packing a small ebay sale to post too.

MS things:
* We didn't spend as much as we could have yesterday (didn't even stop on the way home to grab something to eat - had a slice of toast when we got back instead)
* Saved on parking by cycling to the station
* HW and clicks done
* PA surveys
* YG survey

Gratitudes:
* Amazing performances, and very glad to see one of the bands at last  - we've been fans for nearly 20 years (which makes me sound horribly old!)
* Pleased to see Dad before he trots off on hols again
* Bikes were where we left them - they have the best lock going (I have to, due to value of bike), are security marked etc., but it's still taking a while to get used to leaving it locked up, especially for any length of time/in the dark - I'm hoping this will get easier!

EssexHebridean

I always hate leaving my bike locked anywhere - and that's not even a fraction of the cost of yours so I don't blame you at all for feeling a bit edgy about it!  Glad to hear you had such a good day out too - and how useful to know that you can just do some of the outside bits without the ticket price! 

I was pleasantly surprised when I last went to the O2 that there were at least some more reasonably priced options for food - you do have to search them out a bit though, and whether you woud see some of them would depend which way you arrived from - for me it's usually from the cablecar and you have to walk right past a Tesco local store which was handy - but then of course you can't take in drinks you buy there to the arena itself. If I remember rightly I ended up with a cheeky Nandos last time! 

themadvix

Sorry EH, you’re right about other options (didn’t see the Tesco as we came from the station) - it was specifically once inside that I was shocked and horrified by the prices. Otherwise they were fairly standard London event prices, which we were expecting.

 Glad it’s not just me who is worried about the bike situation. We are getting brand new secure cycle parking at the station very soon though, so I need to look into how that will work.

themadvix

Morning all,

I have snagged some carrots (1.7kg!) and broccoli from Olio for Mothers' Day roast on Sunday. Just need apples, potatoes and pork now (suspect I won't get a joint on Olio, but might find the other bits). Feeling rather pleased about that, although less so that the rain hasn't cleared up and I need to go and collect them shortly - I could take the car, but I really want to cycle! Also collecting some hot x buns, which probably won't make it to Sunday!

Currently work is quiet still, but I have a lot more energy than yesterday so plan to do lots of annoying jobs when I get back (and dry). I may even get the sewing machine out and attempt some bunting (one day I will actually attempt to sell some, I promise! Did I mention that my cousins were all thrilled with it when I gave them theirs at Christmas?). 

Made flatbreads last night, using the Olio greek yoghurt (watered down a bit with milk). Wasn't until after I'd popped the lot into the flour that I realised it was 'Greek yoghurt with honey'.... 🙄 The flatbreads have a slightly sweet flavour, but it's fortunately not too strong. Marinating the fish in the sweetened yoghurt didn't really do it for me though.... I'm not a honey fan really, but Mr MV enjoyed it! Squeezed limes have descaled the kettle beautifully overnight 😊 We used the rest of the yoghurt up with some Olio bananas for dessert.

MS things:
* Clicks done, small wins on HW
* Dinner still according to plan last night; Mr MV is unexpectedly (to me) out tonight, so slight rejig necessary - I've got an unappetising curry out of the freezer which I'll get rid of - perked up by a flatbread.
* There's a PA survey waiting for me at the moment - it's a part 2 job, so I'll see if it's still there when I get back from my expedition

Gratitudes:
* Mr MV eats whatever concoction I put in front of him!
* I have access to a car. I think I might just use it this morning - I also need to return a cat sitting key, so can do that on my bike later, when the weather should have improved.
* Really getting into some of the series we have available to watch on our free Apple TV+ - Slow Horses and Shrinking. Ted Lasso is back tomorrow too, so looking forward to that!

Have a good day all!

themadvix

I did go on my bike in the end and glad I did as main client has just sent me a whole wodge of unexpected work (not the planned project), so I'll be less likely to have time to do my afternoon cycle today (although we'll see as the sun has come out now!).

EssexHebridean

Hurrah for unexpected work even if it does impact on cycling time! Boo to unappetising dinners though, even if they are perked up by a slightly-sweeter-than-expected flatbread! (that is precisely the sort of thing I'd do, and a former MSE'er and good pal once dumped a tub of strawberry yogurt into something thinking it was plain - it tasted absolutely fine though, surprisingly! 

themadvix

Glad to know it's not just me who'd do something that daft! The unappetising dinner was intentional - I have a tendency to freeze portions of badly performing curry. It's a large portion, so I'll just dig out the bits I want to eat (aka the chickpeas!) and feel guilt free about chucking the rest if need be. It saves me inflicting it on both of us one night and clears space in the freezer.

I'm making good progress for work and had intended to go for that additional cycle, but then it started raining and it's getting dark here (weather-related, not sunset!), so I've decided I don't *need* to do it today, so it can wait (forecast is now for sleet!). Sis and I are at last meeting for lunch tomorrow, and it's a job I can do on the way there, so I can do that then and crack on with work now. I have been over the road and posted various things that needed posting, so I've ticked those bits off my to-do list. (I've also decluttered a second hot x bun.... which is why I need to do more cycling!)

Mr MV has gone into work on the train - I'll have to collect him later. I also need to keep an eye out for a lunch sandwich for him tomorrow to save him buying something from the canteen. Hoping he'll be late enough that I can combine collection with picking him up.

Sun is back out now... but I'll save the cycle for tomorrow.

themadvix

Morning all,

Unappetising dinner was marginally better than expected - and I won't make the mistake of trying to hide the flavour of turnips in a curry again. Had a good evening class and then went for a walk to collect a couple of bits for Mr MV's lunch today from Olio (and some milk from the Coop). Collected Mr MV from the station at about 10.30. 

Today I'm meeting my Sis for lunch (Three+ app is providing a voucher for 2 for £10 on main meals at Frankie and Benny's) and then will do some bits in town - books to library, try and get the card Mr MV wants for his mum for MD (he's discovered that Card Factory have a website - a revelation for him!) and return the cat key. Olio this evening. One of my Olio team is giving up her regular Friday collection and the lady I'd like to take it on hasn't got her shift patterns through yet, so I've said I'll hold the slot for her for a couple of weeks (not this week) to see if it will work for her - so the 24th and 31st I'll have additional Olio collections (we have nothing in diary).

I am feeling light and positive today - I read something this morning that asked 'How can you play today?', so I am taking that into everything and trying to be lighthearted and cheerful.

Beds are stripped and washing is just finishing in the machine. We've got lovely sunshine here this morning, so I'm making use of the solar (partly by running the heated airer, when I know I could be hanging washing outside - but I know it won't dry completely and the weather may have changed by the time I get back from lunch/town, so it seemed a bit of a faff to put it outside).

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done - pennies earned on various HW games
* PA surveys are ticking up slowly - at £13 again there now
* Bargainous lunch to be had (and miles to be cycled, obviously)
* Olio collected last night and my collection tonight - still on the lookout for potatoes and apples for Sunday! 
* Ebay sale (of in-laws stuff) - postage will be mine though

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine - always lifts my mood
* Chatting to mum while I went on my late night walk for Olio items - nice to catch up but also nice to have some company (not that it's dangerous generally - it's very quiet!)
* A good evening class - only two of us, so we did something different and I was glad we decided to do it (teacher had given us the choice of cancelling last night's) (and no homework!)

Have a good day all!