So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

Morning all,

Blimey Cheery, you were very enthusiastic!! I can't imagine attempting that, knowing how much space you have! I am torn between asking for one on Freegle and getting a new one that I know will have a sharp blade etc. I think paying is probably going to win on this occasion. I won't have much space to mow, so hoping it won't be too much hard work.

Another hard frost here this morning, so I won't be going down to the allotment for a while. I've finished the report, as far as I can, and made a start on the next one (and have asked for a meeting about it with the relevant person). Have sent the first to my boss, but she's off sick, so not likely to get any further with it for a while. My other boss isn't due in until later, so all is quiet.

My work is quiet too, so I think it'll be some cleaning/decluttering for the rest of the morning. R'ford delivery due before lunch too. Dinner last night was roasted veg with gojuchang paste and pasta - was very nice for something I made up to use various veg and make a start on the many jars in the fridge. Still half the jar to go, but I'm sure we'll find something else to use it on (we haven't had bibimbap in a while, now I think of it...). Tonight we're having toad in the hole (meat sausages for Mr MV and veggie for me), with hg romanesco, oca and spinach. It's lovely to have a 'homegrown' meal even in the depths of winter! While the oven was on I also made a batch of mincemeat slice - freed up a Bonne Maman jar for marmalade (my oranges arrive from R'ford today).

Mr MV is hoping it'll warm up and he'll get my exhaust done this afternoon. I may or may not pop down to town - if he need exhaust paste, I'll probably combine getting this with popping to bank to pay in some cash and the library, as we're running short on reading material.

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done (except L and C which are both down for maintenance)
* PA longitudinal survey invite - will do that in a bit
* Homegrown dinners
* No waste suppers

Gratitudes:
* Being up to date with work - it rarely happens now there's Cambridge stuff in the mix, which is good, but it's also nice to be 'finished/free' occasionally too!
* Beautiful frost this morning
* An extra half hour dozing once the heating had warmed things up a bit

Have a good day all!

Watty1

Am a huge fan of push mowers.   I had an elderly one that went with the ex. It might have been old but it was so great at doing the edges of the place and the small orchard.   I might keep an eye out for a similarly elderly model thanks for the reminder as at the end of last year I was just dragging the heavy petrol one about.

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Watty, that's good to know - I'm definitely hoping it will make life easier!

Have dropped my car down at the garage this morning, hoping it passes the retest after we changed the exhaust in Mr MV's lunch break yesterday (he was impressively quick, but that may have been to do with the 0-degree temperature!). Think they'll probably have it all day - I didn't get the nice man I usually chat to about it and this one wanted to treat me as a stupid woman (he's older 🙄). 

Dinner last night didn't involve the romanesco or oca in the end, as I decided the broccoli and cauli from last week's veg box needed using up first. We did have spinach with it though. Tonight will be squash risotto - I roasted the squash when doing the roasted veg the other night and it's a nice quick one that I can prep in the pot and have cooked for when we get in from the pub (if indeed, we go to the pub). Bread is currently proving and I've got some of my work to do this morning.

Further plans for seeing Mr MV's uni pal have been made - meeting for breakfast/brunch tomorrow about an hour away (they're coming from the Midlands). This is good as it means we'll still have most of the day to do other things (intend to fit a walk in while we're in a different part of the world). Also seem to have avoided soft-play which one of the other guys seemed to suggest 😮 Surely NO adults like softplay, regardless of whether they have children or not.... Fortunately pal over from America pointed out that we would not appreciate that! 

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done
* Meals all from stores/using up veg etc. Feeling on top of things.
* Hopefully retest will be free (again, man at garage seemed to suggest otherwise, but I think he's just wrong!).

Gratitudes:
* Sun is now out here - will try to get to allotment
* Dad's improving (not sure if I mentioned, but he's got a chest infection)
* It's Friday - it feels like it's been a very long week!

Have a good day all!

LadyWithAPlan

Oven cleaning - argh - I need to do it though I rarely use mine due to my pressure cooker 6 in 1 thing and the halogen … 
however it would be a good thing to do 

all sounds busy and figured your end … 
I looked for allotment lists by me and even the waiting lists are full !! Argh 
mind you I know it’s hard work .. but nothing like home grown veg 

themadvix

LaPlan, this is the first time I've done any form of cleaning of the oven since in was installed in 2018! I wouldn't worry too much tbh - the heat it gets to, it's all sterile! It's purely aesthetic I think (apart from being able to see through the door, perhaps!). The bulb has arrived this morning, so I'll fit that when it's cooled down (bread in oven currently).

Eek to the waiting lists being full for allotments! I'm not surprised though, especially as so many have been removed. 😔 It's quite a bit of work, but no dig definitely makes it a lot less!

QueenJess

Must be something in the air... we had our oven cleaned on Tuesday and the bulb replaced   It does look lovely (until tomorrow when I roast a whole chicken in it!).

Baileys_Babe

As a parent I have never enjoyed soft play centers, they are so noisy.

themadvix

Baileys_Babe said:

As a parent I have never enjoyed soft play centers, they are so noisy.

As a non-parent, this is what I would expect any parent to say - they are full of screaming, hyped up children, which, with the exception of one's own, surely most people would prefer to avoid?! Mr MV has been known to moan about how child-centric our school friends' conversations are in the past (we're just at that stage of life), but as I pointed out to him, at least none of them have suggested we meet at softplay! 😂

Suffolk_lass

themadvix said:

Baileys_Babe said:

As a parent I have never enjoyed soft play centers, they are so noisy.

As a non-parent, this is what I would expect any parent to say - they are full of screaming, hyped up children, which, with the exception of one's own, surely most people would prefer to avoid?! Mr MV has been known to moan about how child-centric our school friends' conversations are in the past (we're just at that stage of life), but as I pointed out to him, at least none of them have suggested we meet at softplay! 😂

Worse than that, when DS was at prep school. I was taken to task by one parent while at some awful noisy child's play place in a warehouse somewhere, who didn't think I should let DS wear shorts to school at ten years old (he was wearing shorts at the time, I recall). "You must be embarrassed, he's the only one..." (on and on)

Naturally I replied that no, I was not embarrassed, it was far more sensible, hygienic and it was a matter of opinion and choice, and that if he preferred to wear a skirt I would let him too. That did shut her up. DS meanwhile, wears shorts every day now (aged 31) and is a postman. It's a rule now, I think!

Baileys_Babe

When all your friends talk about is their children it gets very boring. 

SL it sounds like your ds was born to deliver the post 😀