So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

Suffolk_lass

I made a really simple lemon posset last weekend; a 300ml pot of double cream, 100g of sugar, zest and juice of a large lemon. Bring the cream with the sugar to simmer (it goes yellow) and stir while it bubbles for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the zest and juice of a large lemon. Then pour into glasses or dishes (makes 3 portions) and when it is room temperature, cover and put in the fridge for 3-24 hours. We had some fresh raspberries (just 3 on each) and a dribble of blackcurrant coulis, (and some homemade shortbread) - don't be tempted to make bigger portions, it is v rich

themadvix

Morning all,

That sounds lovely SL, I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future - it sounds like an excellent alternative to heavier puds. No cream here at the moment though and not sure whether that would have scratched the carb itch I had (Bake Off has a lot to answer for). I survived, in any case!

We ended up having bean burgers and chips last night - mainly because I wanted to use the cooking fat from the other week one last time before we got it out of the kitchen. The chips were good! We then made little batter banana pieces, which were also pretty yummy. Oil is now in back in its bottle ready to take to the dump later today. Pub tonight so I will finally cook that minestrone for us to have when we get back.

Work is relatively quiet today - just Cambridge bits and pieces. However, I've got the beginnings of the higher-rate project there I can start. Hence I'm going to go to the dump and also get cat chicken today. Mr MV is wfh, so I've got the car. I've just placed an order for dry cat food and a supplement one of the cats has... £106! We don't have enough in the cat fund (despite upping contributions to it by £20/month lately), so some will have to come from their holiday fund (which hopefully will build up quite a bit before more deductions have to be taken from it - especially now we have the remote feeder). That was with a 3% loyalty discount (which I've renewed). There will be £1.87 cashback on the purchase too though.

Have signed up for a one-off Olio collection from Holland and Barrett on Monday. It's at 5pm so should be done by a reasonable time and I'm told I'll be fine to go on my bike with a rucksack, which is cool.

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done
* PA surveys, and have just signed up for a long-longitudinal study, for three months. Worth £82 if I do all of it, but they pay for each one you do, so I'll get most of the money, even if I miss a few. Now at £15 with £9 to clear.
* Have decided on a simple bean chilli for tomorrow night when Sis, Niece and Mum are coming for dinner. Followed by chocolate pud. We have all the necessary ingredients in and everyone eats them (it won't be a spicy chilli in deference to Niece).
* Washing had a brief stint with the heated airer - about an hour
* 1P surveys
* MM and YL survey - screened out of both
* Comps entered

Gratitudes:
* It's Friday -  tbh, I'm shattered and need a weekend!
* Electric blanket - Mr MV fiddled with the power in our bedroom last night and thinks he accidentally turned the blanket on about 7pm - in any case, it was super toasty!
* Expected work (and a gentle day today). It's always nice knowing something is coming when it's all a bit quiet.

Have a good day all!
 

Karmacat

Fancy your dad getting married!  When my brother got married again, his 3 adult sons (all about a foot taller than him 🤣 ) definitely drew the eye 🤣

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Thanks KC - not what I wanted to hear - my outfit is rather more black based than I'd like and I don't want anyone thinking I'm not happy about it! It's all rather odd in the sense that it's odd my dad getting married - not in terms of the relationship/fiancee who is lovely, but there we are. It is what it is and it could be a whole lot worse - mum is happy for him and likes fiancee (they still socialise), so at least it's all peaceful, for which I am very grateful.

In any case, Mr MV is not here this morning. I've had a very lazy weekend so far, more or less totally engrossed in a book, which I've now finished, so it's time to do some jobs. Yesterday I did dig up and split the rhubarb in our garden - it had 14 crowns and this year had definitely suffered from overcrowding/lack of resources, so it was time. I've given a good sized crown to allotment friend and someone else is coming for the other third later. The bit we're keeping has been replanted with a whole load of homemade compost, so hopefully it will adjust and continue to be the triffid we have come to love.

Dinner with Mum, Sis and Niece was good last night, although I messed up quantities - it was a good job there were some flatbreads in the freezer and we had pudding too! I've just baked a batch of Twinks' hobnobs and popped some chopped, toasted hazelnuts in there too. Not sure what we'll have for dinner, although the squash and cabbage sabzi might be a winner (as there's both to finish off) or maybe an Ottolenghi veggie toad in the hole (would at least use the squash).

No idea when Mr MV will be back (soonish?) as he's been out for part one of Dad's stag do this morning. I would like to spend half an hour in the front garden while it's dry - sort the bird feeders out, tidy up, do some weeding. I also need to have a go at candle making - I've got all the necessary 'ingredients' now and just need to have a go, ready for making some Christmas presents. 

Mr MV had great fun (as only engineers can) playing around with a ASHP spreadsheet from this website yesterday. It was very illuminating and probably fairly reliable as the author was an academic in an engineering field. We need to replace a few rads, but we knew this anyway. Otherwise, it looks like the Octopus heat pump should be a go-er and we'll probably get a quote in the spring, given they've said it should be low cost. 

MS things:
* Part 2 of longitudinal study done (another £2.25 earned) on PA
* Clicks and HW done
* Catered for guests entirely from the cupboards (and including some hg beans) (the lack of food wasn't to do with stingy mode but inability to calculate on my part!)
* Work on work platform has all cleared, so will receive a small payout from them on Tuesday

Gratitudes:
* Lovely evening last night
* It's not as wet today as forecast
* A good book (it was Robert Galbraith, Ink Black Heart for anyone who's interested - problem with Rowling's books is I can never put them down!)

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Well I did get outside and do some gardening yesterday, which was good - front garden tidier and I pruned the clematis in the back garden - it's in the same corner as the rhubarb, so it's all looking rather tidier there now.

I've been doing a lot of Cambridge work this morning one way and another, which has been good. I've had a meeting with boss/friend and so still have quite a few actions from that meeting to get caught up on too.

If they confirm, I've got an Olio Holland and Barrett collection to do at 5pm, which I can't say I'm looking forward to on my bike in these winds! Mr MV is coming home from the office via Costco for petrol and cat chicken, so not a NSD.

Mr MV is away tomorrow night with work, so won't need feeding then or breakfast on Wednesday. He's then out for Dad's stag do part 2 on Friday night - I may or may not give him a lift and eat at mum's (as it's that way). We're off to Manchester at the weekend, so will change/cancel milk delivery for Friday and Monday. Some essentials are beginning to get a bit low with our No-Spend November grocery situation.... I'm not sure we'll make it to the end of the month, but we'll see. Obviously the following weekend Dad is feeding us at the wedding, so we may be able to eke things out a bit further. It's breakfast cereals that are the main issue, but if I can use the WR voucher to buy more oats, I can make granola for Mr MV and I'll have enough for porridge, so we'll be doing OK.

I get paid by Cambridge on Wednesday, and should be able to pay off Amex, make minimum payment on the mortgage cc (0% and put a chunk into savings. 

Dinner last night was leeky soupy rice (using basmati as we haven't got any arborio) and therefore tonight will be squash and cabbage sabzi. We still have a lot of squash and cabbage (at allotment), plus cooked beans in the fridge so I think chilli and sabzi may feature again!

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done (small win today)
* Am having epiphanies about things to ask for for Christmas... (allotment related) (People want to know!)
* Lots of Cambridge work

Gratitudes:
* Enjoying my new book - The Farmer's Wife by Helen Rebanks (I follow her and her husband James, of English Pastoral on Instagram and their farming life is hard but wonderful).
* Lazy afternoon curled up watching the Runaway Bride yesterday afternoon - terrible but feel-good.
* Sunshine today - even if it's very windy!

Have a good afternoon all!

EssexHebridean

Ahh that definitely sounds like a "could be a lot worse" situation with your Dad - it must make life a lot more comfortable for you that he and your Mum still get on OK too, as well of course as getting on well with his new partner. I wouldn't fret about the wedding outfit either, darker colours are far more acceptable for the colder weather I think, and it sounds very much as though your outfit will be paired with a smile that leaves nobody in any doubt how pleased you are about it! (But I can definitely understand why it feels "odd" - your parents aren't "supposed" to get married again to someone new are they - no matter how lovely that someone new might be!)

I need to start putting together some christmas ideas too - Mum will want to know pretty soon so she can start getting herself sorted, and currently I have very few ideas! 

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks EH, that's good reassurance about the outfit. And you've got it in one - I am so grateful that they all get on (frankly mum couldn't be more thrilled that dad has met someone else - he held a very awkward candle for her for a long time after the divorce - things are definitely less awkward now!). 

I *still* need to sort a wedding present mind you. What does one buy a parent on their remarriage. A parent who frequently goes on expensive holidays, has a lot of stuff already and clearly doesn't need anything.... And no, I don't feel comfortable buying something handcrafted as I don't think I necessarily have the same taste as fiancee. I've got as far as theatre tokens (and planning on teaming up with Sis - but then she's on Buyagift trying to get them some sort of 'theatre experience' which is *not* the same thing in my mind - simply because she can get discount there). Any thoughts are welcome!

Mr MV is here this morning before heading off for an overnight. I've got a loaf in the oven and when it's done I'll pop the cats' chicken in while the oven is hot. It's a pretty dark day, so I imagine we'll be out of battery well before dinner time. I have a long list of random jobs that need doing before we go away at the weekend, so hoping to get through a few of those today (they include the bread and chicken, so I've started). Tomorrow will be a lot of meetings, so less opportunity to get house-y things done then.

I'm currently doing a follow-up for a piece for a client and then will continue with Cambridge work - I ended up doing 4.5 hours for them yesterday (out of an expected 10 hrs max/week), so I'm well ahead there (I have some slack in last week's hours, which I've not submitted yet, so will add any excess there).

Have used £10 of S&S credit to order some cat litter bags from Am. Hate buying from there but it's where I know what I'm getting from them in terms of this product. Absolutely necessary too, as we're nearly out of bags and cat sitter needs them at the weekend! (We need them too - I'm not sure we really have an alternative!)

Dinner last night was the sabzi as planned. Tonight I'll make rajma using the beans cooked for the weekend. I'll be having it with bulgar wheat as we're getting low on rice - it's been sat there for a while and not used (although I do like it), so the No-Spend Nov is having an impact.

MS things:
* PA longitudinal survey done
* Other PA surveys done
* NV survey done
* Voucher used for necessary purchase
* Have started B&W cat on supplements every other day (they are mild natural chill pills used to stop him peeing in the wrong place) rather than every day. I think it's enough - he gets more stressy (and irritating) after a few days of not having them, but not after missing one day)

Gratitudes:
* I didn't have to go out for the Olio collection in the wind yesterday - there was nothing to collect.
* Company this morning Mr MV is going into the office more and more - the two days here and two/three in office/out and about was a better mix
* Evening class tonight (I really *must* do my homework - it's been three weeks since our last lesson now!)

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

Agree with you on the outfit front - darker is always easier in the winter, and after all the LBD is still the height of fashion, after all these years  

A gift for your dad and his partner - aieeee.  Champagne?  A trip to a local vineyard they like?  I agree not handcrafted, but in those situations, I go with consumables or experiences  

HTH

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, tricky one with the present! I am rubbish at wedding presents at the best of times. An afternoon tea somewhere? Or tickets to a country house Christmas Market? (I just saw one of those advertised this morning 😂)

themadvix

Thanks ladies. Unfortunately there's a dearth of vineyards near here Karma (definitely more near you!), otherwise that would be an excellent idea. Not sure about champagne - I don't think they're big fans? Afternoon tea - I think Sis has that lined up for their Christmas present (somewhere in particular) and they've been to Waddesdon Christmas market a couple of times.... 🙄 All thoughts appreciated though - they're just very tricky to buy for! (And I don't think Sis's Christmas idea involves me, so I've got to do it again soon!). I'd suggested booking dinner for them at a nice place we've been to in the Lakes, but then Sis came back with somewhere else - it's closer to where they're staying but I don't actually have any idea if it's nice! (Looks nice, but that's not the same as having been there before.) I'm beginning to see where the issue may lie here! 😬 Maybe I'll have a look around in Manchester at the weekend - perhaps I could persuade Mr MV that we spend our Harvey Nick's credit on some fancy food for them in a hamper? (Also looked at smoked salmon hamper thing, but I've done that before and it's a lot of money for not a lot - and that seems more noticeable when spending more, IYSWIM). Definitely an experience or consumables... but what?!

As predicted, battery is now at 8% and we're using slightly more than we're making - the weather really has been dire today. It's forecast to dry up in about half an hour, so there's hope we might make a small gain before the sun goes down...

Chicken is, however, cooked and chopped and is just cooling before I freeze it. Progress is being made on work (taking longer than it should because I am struggling with focus today). A couple more PA surveys done...