So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

Morning all,

I think, LaPlan, we may have different ideas of budgets for this present! 😂 Loads of lovely ideas, but mostly out of my price range, I think (and definitely out of my Sister's, which is partly the issue I think). WR Cookery School sounds great for me - but not sure it's their thing. 

@QueenJess and @rtandon27, I've no idea how they know it appeals to cats, but I have read about it before. Interestingly I turned it off midday-ish (because they were trying to sleep and I thought perhaps it might be annoying!) but we had a very, very chilled evening yesterday. B&W cat normally starts whinging about 2 hours before meal-time - mostly because he wants to go out for his pre-dinner run-around, rather than because he is hungry (we've tried giving him a snack and he still whinges), but last night, it wasn't until 6.45 (dinner at 7) that he started. It was amazing! We'll try again next week - not here for normal dinner time now until then.

Right, well I'm awaiting the big piece of work from main client, but UK client has found me another unexpected piece of work - no rush with this, but I may as well start while I'm awaiting the other bit. I've been given the go ahead on another bit of Cambridge work, but will maybe just do an hour on this later.

The sun is out so I've got washing in and another load to go on afterwards. I need to do various other bits today ready to be going away tomorrow - making a packed lunch for tomorrow for starters. Dinner last night was the leftover daal, bulgur wheat and a flatbread which I made a batch of yesterday afternoon to use up some yoghurt. Also made jammy buns (for snacks for the weekend) and still had everything turned off in time for the Octopus saving session.

MS things:
* Saving session - used battery anyway, so no power used
* PA survey
* NV survey
* Preparations underway to take some food with us for the weekend
* Clicks, HW done
* Still nothing on my Amex card I doubt that will last the day - I may be picking up some food for mum and I later

Gratitudes:
* Mr MV decided not to go into the office today, so I have some company
* Sunshine!
* We should have time for a quick drink with BIL and SIL before I take Mr MV to Dad's stag part two (and I go to Mum's for dinner)

Have a good day all, I hope you have sunshine too!

Karmacat

A good day to you too, MV of course, I've looked up cat music on YT - I'll definitely give that a try, I'm catsitting again in early January.

EssexHebridean

Are you able to export during the savings sessions, allowing that you have the battery? I think some were saying on the energy board that for those who can it's an absolute license to print! 

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! 

LadyWithAPlan

I hear you on budget - I think there is still some fine china or pair of crystal glasses that you  could get that’s not crazy budget … what with Black Friday and cashback .. or TK maxx! 

or maybe go to a vintage jewellers online  and see if they have antique salt n pepper sets - or a bowl or a pic frame  - it’s more about something they can see and know it’s a celebration for their next stage of life together  ..
or the hamper idea is always fun - you could make it up yourself 

(can you tell I have shopped a lot and am a big gift buyer) 

your dal sounds great - reminds me to bulk buy some mung beans 

themadvix

Evening all,

EH, yes, that's the plan. But you can't do both - and we hadn't heard from the battery supplier (who will charge battery prior to the SS so it can completely discharge it during the session), so we opted into the Saving Session instead. I'm not sure about a licence to print money but it's worth about £2/kWh (we have a 5.2kWh battery) - so better than Octopoints.

Thanks LaPlan. Sis and I agreed on Theatre Tokens in the end (technique is leave it to last minute and then she'll go with whatever!). I didn't want to buy them a 'thing' - both because they have rather a lot of stuff anyway and because it'll more pressure on the planet.

Had a lovely weekend in Manchester (apart from the football - it was awful!). Saw friends, visited the NT's Castlefield Viaduct project (lovely), finished visiting the Science and Industry Museum (what we could, as it's being refurbed) and discovered Altrincham's lovely marketplace - both for shopping and dinner. Spending could have been a lot worse. We breakfasted at home before we left, took lunch and snacks for Saturday and used Mr MV's free hot drink from Greggs for my cuppa en route. Saturday then, we paid for transport and dinner (£28 - two delicious pizzas in the aforementioned marketplace). Sunday, we had drinks with friends; a quick, cheapish lunch (Yate's - would not recommend but it was the easy option) and dinner out, but friend paid as he owed us for football tickets. Yesterday we had breakfast in our usual local cafe there - £26 but kept us going until dinner (at home). Slept terribly both nights (Saturday because the glass in Alty Travelodge is paper thin - despite being on the 8th floor we could hear everything on the street), so was very glad of a home-cooked lasagne in the freezer when we got in, accompanied by hg French beans.

Am currently trying to cram a week's worth of work into 3 days. Main client has sent long piece of work and I've made good progress on it today. Will try to keep momentum up tomorrow but have Cambridge meetings too then. 

Have a few bits that I added to MIL's supermarket delivery on their way here (with BIL) - mainly flour, spread and a bottle of oil as it was on offer. Also spent £8.95 (of which £5 was a voucher) in WR yesterday on way home - butter, milk, bananas and porridge oats. No-Spend November still ongoing, but we did need a few bits! Have also bought eggs in Coop today - but at £1.15 for 6 (FR, medium - had a 25p off voucher, plus member discount), it'll hardly make any dent in the non-existent budget!

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done
* PA study done
* Huge progress with work 

Gratitudes:
* Lovely to see friends
* Enjoyed some delicious food while we were away
* Lovely to be in Manchester - I do love that city - people are so friendly and it has such a nice vibe

Have a good day all!

try_harder

Have you stopped doing the competitions ? I loved hearing of your wins

themadvix

I tend to go in cycles, @try_harder - so not at the moment, as work is so busy, but I’m sure I’ll get back into it at some point. I love hearing of my wins too 😂

Suffolk_lass

I really like Manchester too. Next time you go, if you are not already regular visitors, you need to plan in Dunham Massey (it changes so much with the seasons it is always worth visiting), along with Tatton Park (and we really like Knutsford and its market).

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks SL. I've been to DM before, but not for a long time. We would have gone on Monday but the house is shut on Mondays and we'd not taken walking boots (and the weather was pretty miserable tbh). I love an NT house, but Mr MV is less keen, so I have to ration them (he loves a walk and is pretty keen on gardens, so all is not lost). Tatton also closed (in fact, anything inside was closed on Monday - we had intended to stop somewhere!). Knutsford is lovely, I agree - expensive though!

Am aiming to break the back of this project for main client today. Helpfully, I've discovered that my meeting with boss/friend has been moved to tomorrow, so just a half hour one at 11.30 and I should be done with Cambridge within an hour's work today.

Dinner last night was quorn casserole, using up a leek from the fridge. I've cancelled this week's veg box (which I'd've amended anyway - I don't need to buy cabbages!) - we're out for food on Friday at the wedding, not sure what plans are for weekend and Monday is Mr MV's birthday, so suspect we'll go out for lunch. Then Weds is Brussels - so lots of not eating at home coming up. I still have a pile of squashes (hg and R'ford) to use, plus veg in freezer and passata. Tonight we're having orzo pasta bake. I'll roast a couple of squashes at the same time as two are beginning to go mouldy - presumably had some damage I hadn't seen - and also make some granola for Mr MV as he's getting low.

MS things:
* HW and clicks. I'm resting the L bookie as I think they've decided I've had enough free money from them. Tried C yesterday - one of my original good ones but had also reached that point - and I'm back to winning there, so that's good!
* Have extra socks and my fingerless gloves on today
* Cancelled today's milk as still going with the stuff from WR
* Moved £17.75 interest from my tax savings to normal savings
* 1P surveys - a quick blitz yesterday evening. I can see loads of PA surveys, but I really have to focus on the work this week - it pays more!

Gratitudes:
* Good evening class last night - we were all there
* A visit from Dad and fiancee yesterday afternoon - lovely to see them, they brought jam and cereal bags (which I use as bread bags for the freezer) and they left after half an hour, so I could get back to work
* A quick walk round the block yesterday as the light was fading - it's so important for my mental health to get outside every day at this time of year.

Have a good day all!

LadyWithAPlan

The L bookie randomly decided I could not do casino with them years ago but I can still do football accas 

I am also trying to get out each day .  

Great you have loads work in