So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Earthie, although in terms of timing, it's probably not a bad thing. Sorry to hear you've got similar problems though.

Haven't long been in - dropped Mr MV at the station, went to see the ragdoll kitty and then to buy a garden fork for Dad's birthday present (his request - not not-new, but I'm prepared to make an exception (and there have been a few of those lately - I'll be back on the nothing new wagon after our holiday)) and then to Costco for cat chicken. Returned home to find a letter from the hospital for an appointment I've been waiting for since Feb - for while we're away. 🙄 Have emailed to ask them to change it.

The tricky project from my main client has arrived, as had another little bit. Little bit done, now just finishing something else off before I make a start on the tricky project.

Friend is coming to see allotment this afternoon (and bringing a donation of a compost bin!). Was gutted to discover I've got mare's tail there - hadn't seen it before (and didn't know what it was until I started reading up on allotments), but think the warmer weather has woken it up. No sign of any asparagus coming up yet - I wonder if there's any left. And I have potatoes where I don't want them! (I.e. more left in the ground from last year's crop are coming up.) In more positive news, I have baby squash and courgette plants in the kitchen!

MS things:
* Clicks done - £1 won on HW (Karma how are you getting on?)
* Combined journeys to minimise electricity consumption (unfortunately there was more toing and froing for the garden fork than described above)
* Dinner last night ended up being chilli from the freezer - aim to do a pesto dish tonight
* Bottle of wine from a cat client (for cat who poos on floor)
* Meeting another cat client this evening - a walking distance one, for after we get back
* MIL sent us an early anniversary present in case we want to celebrate while we're in the US

Gratitudes:
* Grateful cat clients
* A reasonable night's sleep
* Baby plants

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

Sounding good except for the marestail - as for potatoes in the wrong place, it's going to take a while to get things the way you want them, it's all going well - lovely to have a gift of compost from an existing friend  

HW - erm, I'm sorry to report, that once I found out they couldn't trace my previous account, I didn't take it any further - jobs in the house, during this very domestic period, got in the way, and I seem to remember that all the offers on the home page were of horseracing, which put me off.  But once I'm back from this new holiday (she said with glee  ) I'll have at it.  May would be a good time - I think we're likely to go on the Iceland/Greenland thing at the end of July, so I'd have a good 3 month run at it, side by side with learning a few words of the language in those spots.  That's a commitment, even if it's on your diary and not my own

themadvix

Fair enough about the domestic stuff KC - and you have been very productive lately. But it's a tiny job - the Instant Spins link is on the homepage - scroll across the black and white logos at the top or it comes up on the slider - nice and simple for you when you get back

The problem with potatoes is I've already planted some (and had no plans to grow any!) - I need the bed they are in for other things and I'd have to dig them up - which is not the idea with no dig potatoes... I'm wondering whether to just cut the tops off them. I know it sounds mean!

themadvix

Had a lovely cuppa down at the allotment with my friend - she's super enthusiastic about it all and has made a few good suggestions! It was the first time we've actually used the chairs - I took my Freegle one down there in her car so we actually had one each to sit on. She was very impressed with the contents of my shed too. She's also offered to look after my seedlings whilst we're away, which I may take her up on - she's got green fingers, whereas the cat sitters definitely don't (either set!)

On the money front, I'm charging the car at the moment so I can get to ragdoll kitty this evening - the engine kicked in while I was picking Mr MV up from the station. I won't leave it on for too long though, but the petrol level is getting pretty low now (30 miles range), so would rather we used electricity! (If I take seedlings to friend I'm going to have to put some fuel in the car though.)

Many options still possible for dinner and feel I may turn the laptop/work off shortly. (Was about to suggest I might pour myself a drink, but not with kitty to feed still (and meeting with new cat client too!). Have received another good review on CIAF from latest client.

Karmacat

themadvix said:

Fair enough about the domestic stuff KC - and you have been very productive lately. But it's a tiny job - the Instant Spins link is on the homepage - scroll across the black and white logos at the top or it comes up on the slider - nice and simple for you when you get back

The problem with potatoes is I've already planted some (and had no plans to grow any!) - I need the bed they are in for other things and I'd have to dig them up - which is not the idea with no dig potatoes... I'm wondering whether to just cut the tops off them. I know it sounds mean!

Thanks madvix!  I copied the first paragraph of this post into the little saved document I made when I first asked you the question.  I might even do this tomorrow, because I've more or less packed to go away, and I don't want to start anything big.   

The "meanness" with your potatoes made me laugh ... my garden is in such a state partly because I was actually anthropomorphising like that, and it does no good!  Since we're talking about your garden, you be as mean as you like 

savingholmes

Potatoes and said plants should pull out without digging... Mine did

themadvix

Evening all,

 Glad it was of help Karma! SH, these potatoes have come up from underneath the cardboard and compost, in the soil underneath… so I doubt they’ll pull up unfortunately. The bindweed, mares tail and couch grass so just pull out of the compost though, the joy of no dig.

 It’s not been a particularly productive day mainly because we’ve both been exhausted! Neither of us slept well (awake from 4.30-6) and I dozed until 8 after cat attack, then I fell asleep during the F1 too. I think last weekend’s exertions and stress caught up with us both.

 That said, I visited my ragdoll kitty for the last time, popped to Morrisons and the zero waste shop, Mr MV  did some more work on the new raised bed and this evening I’ve been to Sainsbury’s to buy some shorts (not convinced by them yet). We had lunch out with Dad, his fiancée, Sis and Niece for Dad’s birthday, which was lovely.

MS things:
* Lunch was on Dad’s fiancée 😊
* Sains had 20% off womenswear


 Gratitudes:
* Lovely lunch with family - Niece and Mr MV entertained each other and the rest of us with ‘guess which hand I’m hiding something in’
* last visit with ragdoll kitty - he’s lovely but I’m ready for a break (and a lie in!)

themadvix

Morning all,

Yesterday was a bit more productive - we spent the morning at the allotment: Mr MV finished (for now) fixing the shed roof, strimmed the grass and bashed the edging in for me, we put the new compost bin in place, I created a cage for my currants (good old Girl Guide skills at work as it is made from bamboo canes lashed together) and I cleared out the shed a bit more (as well as the inevitable bindweed and mare's tail removal). My onions are coming up at last!

In the afternoon, I popped to Sains, returned shorts and found a better pair in H*M, visited Mum and Sis (as we're now properly self-isolating) and when I got back finished painting the fence. Mr MV continued with the raised bed, strimmed the front garden and hoovered the entire house. We had masala carrots for tea - sorely tempted by a takeaway or something easy, but I persevered and felt better for it - tasty food, low cost and the carrots needed using. I also cooked some parsnips at the same time, so will try to make the parsnip daal again at some point. I didn't cook the cats' chicken, so that's a job for today.

Annoyingly there have been a couple of setbacks on the holiday money front: I went to convert our S&S credit into Uber vouchers, but on checking, you can't use credit applied in one currency in another currency. So that's scuppered that idea. Also, we were planning on getting the Heathrow Express back from the airport, but should have booked that a while ago - too late for advance tickets. I have, however, used some Kantar points and MS Rewards points to top up our Star$ account a little bit - I don't want to drink/eat in a *$ there, but at least it's some back-up credit (and it *can* be used in the US).

MS things:
* Homecooked dinner (and leftovers for lunch today). Dinner tonight is going to be braised leek fettucine (with non-fettucine pasta) - a Riverford recipe that is getting rave reviews on their FB group.
* Lunch involved free bread from Olio
* Vouchers converted to Star$ credit (and at least I didn't convert the £100 of S&S vouchers and then discover we couldn't use them for Uber)
* Mum gave me $27 in small notes and change from when she was in the States
* Shorts purchased were cheaper than ones returned
* Clicks done - no win on HW for me today
* Happy cat client and another good review

Gratitudes:
* A lovely chance to catch-up with Sis alone - Niece was visiting her dad and Mum didn't want to join us
* The fence painting is finished! 
* Onions are sprouting, first sweetcorn seedling has germinated and my squash/courgettes are thriving (after I turned one seed the right way up - it had sprouted its roots up and its leaves down - I thought they were meant to know better than that!)
* Free Hot x bun for elevenses

Happy Monday y'all! (Sorry, we're that close to Nashville now that you can expect more 'y'all's!)

savingholmes

How exciting!!!!!! Hope you have a fabulous time!

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks @savingholmes, it's a long-awaited, multi-centred and (now) expensive trip. Just hoping that self-isolating between now and when we LFT the day before means we will get to go! I'll test myself tomorrow I think - anything I picked up prior to self-isolation should show then and then it's just a case of being careful and staying away from people. We may go to the in-laws to work on the mini there at the weekend, but we'll take our own lunch, eat outside (and we've had our 'own' bathroom there since we were first allowed to visit after lockdowns). I'm not entirely convinced about doing that even, but it's probably no more risky than going to the allotment, which I am doing.

Annnnyway.... in excellent news, I've been given a surprise project by one of my American clients that will be quite a bit of work (due next Wednesday) but will certainly help with June's pay - in fact, with this it really feels like things are getting back to pre-pandemic. I used to invoice this company for several thousand $ a month but it's been less than a thousand since the pandemic started and some months, nothing at all. So this project, combined with the unpaused one from Jan, means I'll be back in the several thousand bracket. And there's another project in the works there too! Hooray! (I should be starting on it today, but can't actually see the files where they should be - have emailed but of course, I won't actually hear back until mid-afternoon.)

In the meantime I'm finishing up the tricky project for my European client. Mr MV was pleased to discover that he hasn't got any meeting after 9.30, so is hoping to get some non-work jobs done as the sun is shining (he is owed a lot of TOIL, so it's not taking advantage). I need to take the cat-sitting key back later too. 

I planted more leeks, sunflowers and peas  (Kelvedon Wonder and marrowfat) yesterday (marrowfat straight into the ground at the allotment - around the 3 successful broad beans - I'll get confused, I'm sure; the others in seed trays under cover). I also cooked the cats' chicken and got that in the freezer. The Riverford braised leek fettucine was lovely last night - simple, but delicious! Tonight's dinner is oven-baked orzo - another simple but delicious recipe. A lot of oven use so far this week though... although slightly offset by not using the car yesterday (and will only use a couple of miles today, returning the key).

MS things:
* Dinner using stuff we have in/using stuff up
* Clicks done (won 50p outright on the HW this morning - didn't even have to gamble it)
* PA surveys (low earnings here this month, mainly because I'm not faffing at my computer if I'm not working - I'm in the garden or at the allotment!)
* Big work project!

Gratitudes:
* Big work project!
* Sunshine - it make such a difference to my mood (and temperature levels)
* We have plenty in - I've cancelled the veg box from this week and was a bit worried, but the freezer is full of batch-cooked meals and ingredients and we still have some fresh veg too.

Have a good day y'all!