So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

badmemory

themadvix said:

 And the children.... it wasn't what I expected tbh, but I guess local (Surrey) people, aka yummy mummies, must consider it a nice place for some outdoors time. Unfortunately a lot of them weren't well behaved and the parents didn't seem to care. That wasn't the case for all of course, but you know how it is - the misbehaving ones are the ones that draw your attention. (One lad kept pulling down on the branch of a tree, almost back on itself, so close to it tearing and Dad just looked on, not seeing what was wrong with this - it was dangerous to him, never mind the tree!).

Reading these things always reminds me of taking my family & DS to celebrate young DSs birthday.  They wouldn't let us sit in the restaurant because of DSs age, so led us out onto the veranda.  My DS is not a prig, but he said I don't want to eat in there with that going on.  It was bedlam, they were running up and down & screaming, so the adults heaved a sigh of relief & said we will find somewhere else.  That was over 30 yrs ago.  I'm sure they don't realise that it is their children that don't get invited back.  I know he had one classmate that didn't get to visit again.  It is so unfair on them not to teach them how to behave.  It isn't like I would expect them to be seen & not heard just not wreck the joint.

themadvix

badmemory said:

It is so unfair on them not to teach them how to behave.  It isn't like I would expect them to be seen & not heard just not wreck the joint.

This is exactly the point! We waited very happily for a lovely family to take photos of their children posing with the plants and enjoyed watching a girl cartwheeling across the lawn (her hair was so long it must have been tricky to not catch it under her hands). Just the senseless, noisy screaming and bad behaviour that we could have done without. Of course, while I don't have children (and am therefore not qualified to comment in so many parents' eyes), I was a Brownie leader for 20 years and never let my Brownies behave in a way that would be unacceptable/unpleasant to others around!

Baileys_Babe

Your cabbage is a lively specimen and you should be proud.

You have achieved so much over the last couple of days.

themadvix

Thanks BB. I wish the to-do list would get shorter, but I think it's just the time of year. I'm sure there'll come a point where I'm not needed at the allotment/in the kitchen/at my computer constantly.

About to jump on a work call (where I'm doing training 😂) and then will be off to post something we sold yesterday (advantage here is I'm decluttering our packing materials and converting RM survey-earned stamps into cold hard cash) and then to collect cat key, drop book at library and hopefully pop to Sains too, although that's in another direction (sort of en route) and requires big backpack (loo roll purchase!). Evening class this eve, but I've done my h/w so feeling virtuous! 😇

themadvix

themadvix said:

Thanks BB. I wish the to-do list would get shorter, but I think it's just the time of year. I'm sure there'll come a point where I'm not needed at the allotment/in the kitchen/at my computer constantly.

Morning all,

Who was I kidding? Work is ramping up! I'm onto the next phase with my main client, my UK-based client (the one who is retraining) has warned me of something arriving tomorrow for delivery on Friday (and potential future work too), the main US client has just sent me a fairly large project due on the 3rd and my Cambridge boss/friend is coming for lunch today and bringing my new work laptop which will allow me to start on a project that will basically fill any other time I have. I'm not complaining at all - it's really lovely to be fully employed! - but where do I fit in all the other projects?! 😬 And I'm cat sitting from tomorrow until Saturday, although that's easy and will be a nice change of pace.

In good news, the weekend is currently clear of commitments, although we may see the in-laws, go to refill shop and pop to a shopping centre en-route - Mr MV needs a suit for both the London to Brighton (assuming we're invited - we imagine so, but haven't actually had this clarified) and my Dad's wedding. I also need a dress, but am unlikely to find one at this shopping centre, but it does have a good suit shop. I'm clearly going to need to do my garden centre shopping then too - onion sets, garlic cloves (I'll plant some of mine too, but I don't have many) and hyacinth bulbs (and pots) for friends' Christmas presents. Allotment needs attention too - the borlottis and courgettes are over and need to come out, I need to weed and top dress with compost.... 

Anyway, today I need to focus on work, meeting with boss/friend, baking some bread and biscuits and Olio tonight. It may be my last collection, but I will probably stick around as Squad Captain, thereby giving me a small role and the opportunity to do odd collections to cover others. I think this might be a good compromise.

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done
* Arranged postage of friends' magazines - tiny profit on this as person didn't send the money via Paypal goods and services as requested.
* A couple of comps entered
* Dinner tonight is going to be vegetable thai red curry - using french beans and baby corn from allotment plus some frozen veg/peas (hg or bought) - creating a bit of space in freezer, using up last of curry paste (which means I'll need to find time to make my own (and space in freezer)) and being quick and easy.

Gratitudes:
* Lots of work
* Mr MV is unexpectedly at home today 
* Feeling more positive about Olio way forward

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Well that's been a fairly full-on afternoon - meeting with Cambridge boss/friend for a good couple of hours, but was productive and then back to stuff for main client. Have also put some bread on. About to abandon computer (and work) and get the bathroom ceiling clean as we've still not sorted it out since Mr MV finally fitted the extractor fan the other week. It works beautifully, so hopefully this isn't a job that will need repeating. Will add tea tree oil to water to up the anti-fungal a bit. 

Change of plan for dinner as Mr MV's stomach is not up for curry - we'll have salmon, veg and open the sauerkraut!

themadvix

Morning all,

Bathroom ceiling didn't get cleaned as I remembered I wanted to get some biscuits ready for the oven while the bread was proving. And dinner wasn't exactly brilliant - salmon had to go back in the oven as it wasn't cooked, the over-large baby corn were inedible and the beans were stringy. Mr MV wasn't gone on the sauerkraut either! Hey ho, you win some, and other days are an unmitigated disaster! 😂 Olio collection was almost entirely bread/pastry products - just one, unclaimed bag of salad that wasn't. And only two takers 🙄 So I've messaged the lady who can use it for her animal rescue and hopefully she'll come and collect. And I told the lady in the store that it would be my last collection - she completely understood and said I'll just have to go in for a chat at other times! In honour of it being the last collection, we've kept (and partially enjoyed) a bag of jam doughnuts and a pack of pitta breads.

It's grey and miserable here and the battery is low, so I am putting off putting the dishwasher on at the moment - I hope it's going to brighten up. Could do with doing some washing too... The sun is at least high enough now that the battery is just about charging.

I have a R'ford delivery arriving later - things I haven't grown, some milk and I think some of the cheese we really liked from the cheese platter at the hotel - I'm pretty sure it's from the same place anyway. Dinner tonight will hopefully be that delayed curry from yesterday as it will free up some space in the freezer (which I've squeezed the pittas and a loaf into!).

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done
* YG flash surveys - 2 yesterday
* PA surveys - when it all clears, I'll be well over £50 - it's just whether it clears in time (currently £46.70)#
* While a disaster, at least the veg with dinner (not the kraut) was all homegrown!
* Cat sitting starts today

Gratitudes:
* Mr MV puts up with the terrible cooking sometimes
* Lots of work (I need to get on with it!)
* Get to see one of my favourite cat-sitting charges later - he's a ragdoll and he's gorgeous

Have a good day all!

themadvix

First piece of work done for main client, load of washing done (did use a little bit of grid power, but now it's finished battery is recharging) and I've tidied and cleaned by the back door - which is virtually the front door as everyone except the postman comes that way. It's a bit of a hotspot for garden things/things going out of the house, so it looks a lot better now I've cleared it. Swept too as it attracts anything the wind blows in. And just in time for the R'ford driver, who rang the bell as I was typing. 

Not heard from animal rescue lady, so I need to lug the bread over to the charity shop - there's rather a lot of it unfortunately and then go see the cat!

themadvix

Well the washing never did get out on the line, but as it has rained this afternoon, that's probably no bad thing. I did get the dishwasher on too. The blimmin' sun has come out now of course - been grey miserable almost all day and as soon as it starts to go down, we get sunshine! Battery is at a paltry 19%, so that's unlikely to last until 12.30 when cheap electric comes in. The seasons are definitely turning.

Cat visited, and discovered owner thinks I'm going on Sunday - she's apologised and couldn't pay through the app, so will give me cash when I return the key. Fine. I lugged all the bread over to the CS and posted another parcel for friend - which reminds me, I need the postage money out of my PP account. Have completed work for US client well ahead of schedule, which is good, and main client is happy with my progress elsewhere. 

I think I'm going to pick some chillis and toms in the garden now before getting the kitchen ready to cook dinner in (the problem with a slimline dishwasher is there's always more washing up).

themadvix

Morning all,

Dinner did indeed use up the last of the jar of thai curry paste, so that's out of the fridge now. Also used the remains of a bag of frozen veg, creating some freezer space. And there's enough for dinner tonight too. 

The sun is out this morning, so yesterday's washing is on the line, the dishwasher is on and I've cooked the chickpeas I soaked yesterday, ready for some hummus. Lunch will therefore be a hummus and lettuce sandwich and I've sent Mr MV with a cheese one - doing well for him taking lunch this week. I am nearly finished with one bit of work for main client and then I have another to do. Also a cat to visit, Cambridge work and I want to pay myself, invoice etc. today.

When the dishwasher is done (and battery a bit more charged), I'll put on some more washing and charge my bike. I got most of the bathroom ceiling washed yesterday, so it would be good to get that finished today too.

Mr MV is still not feeling great, so not sure about pub this evening - will be a case of seeing what he thinks when he gets in. Weekend weather looks to be good, so hoping we might get some (lots!) patio work done. Also need to visit the refill shop, which will also mean visiting the in-laws.

Had a very interesting email from Ethical Consumer this morning about chocolate. Nearly all chocolate from the big names involves child labour. Worth a think and read in the run up to Christmas: https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/food-drink/shopping-guide/ethical-chocolate (you don't need to subscribe to read the article, just scroll down). Did you know Europe consumes 50% of the world's chocolate; America comes in 2nd at 18%. 

MS things:
* 1P surveys
* PA surveys - still waiting to hit the magic £50! Will it happen before I cashout for the month?
* Use it up dinner

Gratitudes:
* Decluttered two bits of exercise equipment this morning that we no longer need - one to a man whose sister has just had a stroke and another to a man whose Mum needs to be more active - lovely messages from both and glad things are going to good homes
* Sunshine - good for the soul and the solar
* It's Friday!

Have a good day all!