So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

Cheery_Daff

Ha, excellent batch cooking activity there, well done! 😁😁 Love how we all inspire each other to do stuff - feels so companionable and always makes me want to carry on finding new things to do 😊😊

themadvix

Hmm, not so fast with the compliments Cheery… I’ve seriously messed up the parsnip dal - it’s a long story but has a lovely charred flavour…

Suffolk_lass

Have you got a small tin for the tea? they often have them in our local CS

Karmacat

That was a lot of things at once, good for you!

Dark, vermin proof container for teabags - paint a used glass jar?  Methinks you painted a shed a while back?

Inspiration and sharing are wonderful things, I agree!

themadvix

Morning all,

So the parsnip dal wasn't rescuable and much to my annoyance has gone in the bin (technically, down the loo). However, the three portions of pork curry are in the freezer, which is great. Mr MV was late back last night and needed picking up from the station. And he was not well (train travel + Covid fatigue is not a good combination for him). So a late night and then of course Foghorn Cat woke us at the usual 6am. So I'm just a little bit tired today. 

Have done a few bitty bits of work and have another bitty bit to do later. Visited the invisible cat (he's terrified of anyone who isn't his owner because she adopted him as a kitten during covid, so no socialisation at all) and fed him. I'm going to have to negotiate with his owner though if she wants me to look after him again in future. She expects me to keep to his 'schedule' and visit at 8am and 9pm. These are antisocial hours and preclude both a lie in all weekend and a drink in the evening! If we could switch to an 8pm feed (and a bit of flexibility at the weekend) that would probably work. She is extremely neurotic about it all as it's the first time she's left him, so I'm hoping once she realises that a) I can be trusted and b) he's a cat and perfectly capable of eating without her hovering, we can come to a mutual agreement going forward.

Have just been for a walk and collected some funky paper pineapple decorations from Olio - no particular purpose for them, but they will brighten the house in the summer for BBQs!

Re tea bag storage - Karma, that might be a winner, if I have/can find some suitable paint. SL, I think a tin might allow the damp in too much? In any case, given the snow and my low energy levels, I have no intention of going down there today.

Have been planning for Niece and Auntie day on Tuesday - think we'll go to the kids' cinema in the morning (£2.50 each plus bus fare) and make chocolate Easter nests in the afternoon. Am thinking I'll print her out an Easter activity booklet too of mazes, colouring etc. as she enjoys that stuff (and it'll give me a break!). Sis has spread childcare around and I know others will be doing more adventurous stuff, so as the forecast is poor for Tuesday, I think a low-key day will be good. I was going to plant some seeds too (and still might), but it's not looking great for that.

MS things:
* Clicks - won £1.50 on HW, nearly back to £5 payout
* PA surveys (nearly at £35 - my best ever month?)
* *Some* batch cooking success
* Roasted tomato risotto for dinner tonight - easy IP meal and I roasted the toms yesterday

Gratitudes:
* The snow has melted
* The cat is very easy to look after 
* The EV can be pre-heated, so it was warm when I went out at 8am!

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Well I have just been down to the allotment, as someone offered me some cardboard - so I've put it in the shed. The wind is vicious, so that is all I've done there.

In America prep, I've reordered my prescription so that I'll have enough tablets to take with me, I've ordered sun cream from Superdrug (TCB) and I've just finished booking the cat sitting - it's being split between SIL and Olio friend, but Olio friend is also a Cat in a Flat cat sitter and paid me for sitting her cats last year, so only fair we do the same for her. Cat holiday fund will cover this. Still need to sort out International Driving Permits, which we need passport photos for 🙄, supervised LFTs for the day before we travel (I keep hoping they may abolish this requirement, but it's beginning to seem unlikely), Mr MV's Amex Platinum (for lounge access, we'll cancel when we get back as there's a hefty monthly fee - will enjoy it while it lasts though! Ooh and there's TCB for that that covers at least a month's fee!) and a suitcase (we only have one small one). A few more bits to book before we go, but actually some of it might wait until we get there and have additional information to hand.

I have also booked a travelodge for the night before Mr MV's nan's 100th birthday - it was £35 for the night before, £67 for the night of! (She's in Manchester, so a night's stay is preferable to doing it all in one day - also means we can help with party preparations.) TCB collected there too.

All of this is procrastination to avoid doing a tiny bit of work though!

L9XSS

Enjoy your trip to the USA. We were lucky to get an allotment last year! It’s great but hard work! First 12 months were spent clearing and fixing. However it is very therapeutic and definitely good for the soul. Busy building a large greenhouse last week so it feels like this year we are getting somewhere.

Karmacat

This is brilliant!  Between funky paper pineapples, America, and 100th birthday celebrations for Mr MV's nan, I love it.  The only neg is the wind - I noticed it when I had a walk this morning, and it's got worse since.  If that's the worst, though, it's still brilliant 😃

themadvix

L9XSS said:

Enjoy your trip to the USA. We were lucky to get an allotment last year! It’s great but hard work! First 12 months were spent clearing and fixing. However it is very therapeutic and definitely good for the soul. Busy building a large greenhouse last week so it feels like this year we are getting somewhere.

Thanks for popping by I was fortunate that my allotment isn't in too bad a shape and with doing no-dig, at least I don't have to clear all the weeds, just mulch them. I'm hopeful that this will reduce the hard work. But I do love being down there - it's definitely therapeutic. The greenhouse sounds great!

L9XSS

Yes we went the “no dig” route after watching some examples on YT. We were fortunate in getting lots of cardboard, free wood chip and wood for raised beds. There is a real community spirit where we are with help and advice. It’s a nice diversion from work and being frugal but sits well with money saving. Last year we’d had Rhubarb, gooseberries which were therefore already. We have planted cherry and Apple trees, wild strawberries. Plan is for herbs, tomatoes, spring onions, courgettes and potatoes. Keep up the great progress you are making with becoming MF. I think your doing an amazing job