So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

Oooh thanks Greenbee, I do indeed have that book… will have to wait for the rhubarb though - it won’t be long!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

The sun is shining here, we're planning to clock off early (definitely advised for Mr MV; I probably shouldn't really) and it's Friday - yay!

Dinner was as planned and used up some past-it leek. I did get out to BnQ in the afternoon briefly - seed and potting compost purchased (allotment budget) and fly papers purchased - we have a plague of fungus gnats that came in the with the (failed) sweet pea seeds (and their compost). Don't like doing it (and had you been in the kitchen earlier, you'd have heard me apologising to the blighters), but they don't belong in the house and were driving us mad!

No idea about dinner this evening - it might be egg and chips or something - meals I can prep before the pub are not coming to me today. Tomorrow we are out - Arsenal vs MU WSL match with Sis and Niece (haven't seen them for ages) and then Mr MV and I are going to explore Chinatown (it's on our 40/40 list) and enjoy dinner there - we'll have been together 21 years tomorrow 😮. Sunday I'm planning on getting to the allotment and cracking on with some seed sowing etc.

MS things:
* Amex bill paid; leaving the rest of Cambridge pay in current account as it will be needed for monthly bills, but I don't want to transfer to Starling yet as it won't be dispersed to the pots for a while.... although it will earn interest there, so may be I should...
* US client payment is forthcoming - a relief as it's contributing substantially to my very small SE income this month
* Busy with work - something new for main client, which makes a nice change and Cambridge stuff too.
* Did an RHS members survey earlier - in the draw for £250 of vouchers - that would be lovely!
* PA surveys - balance over £50 when cleared... another £30 would be amazing this month, but I'll settle for what I can get

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine
* A lovely weekend to look forward to
* One of my favourite songs on the radio
* Birdsong - they're enjoying the sunshine too!

Have a good afternoon all!

LadyWithAPlan

Pizza looks amazing .. but cheese making - you are definitely winning at life goals

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, happy anniversary! 😊

rtandon27

Indeed, congrats on 21 years!
Chinatown is so much fun!  I often walk there for lunch and get steamed stuffed bao or bake savouries from the bakery.  Don't forget to have a look at the fabulous greens in the grocery store - so many lovely varieties.

Suffolk_lass

Have a watch of this for filleting the mackerel down as far as the tail - Rick Stein's devilled mackerel with tomato and mint salad might be your friend as you can stuff the mackerel and cook it that way, then separate it into two fillets to feed both of you. On the BBQ with your regular BIL and SIL if you want to keep the smell down. I always cook fish in foil, even if I then crisp it with a blowtorch or on a BBQ. I'm sure my friend made a variant on this with seasoned breadcrumbs, lemon zest, herbs and chopped shallot stuffing and the devilled bit inside and in the slashes

newgirly

Happy Anniversary 🙂

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Thanks for the anniversary wishes And the mackerel tips SL (although I did have to skip the beginning! 😬) - the devilled sauce looks good.

We had a lovely day out on Saturday - it was a good football match (for me anyway, Mr MV was less impressed), and then a wander round Chinatown, drink in a pub and lovely dinner in a Chinese restaurant (and pretty reasonable too - two lots of dumplings to start, won ton soup for Mr MV and szechuan tofu and rice for me, with soft drinks, was £50 inc 12.5% added service charge - seems OK for central London). Yesterday we caught up on housework, I bottled my sloe gin and popped to see Mum. Did pop into WR and Sains while I was out - only bought the bits in WR that I couldn't get with my giftcard in Sains (and they equalled the £6 Mr MV spent on my giftcard the other week) plus a fruit-based music voucher for Mr MV with his £10 JL voucher that he got for referring me to Smarty. I time-blocked my to-do list yesterday and it worked really well - everything got done and I had time to sit down and relax. Dinner was not a success. I did pizza dough as we had more hm mozzarella to use. Problem is, I should have checked the cheese first - it was past its best. We managed the garlic bread and Mr MV managed his pizza (he had more sauce and mushrooms, so I think that helped), but I had to take the cheese off mine.

This morning I've been busy with work for main client and a small platform project (which tips me over payout for next month now). Also baked bread and granola and did a load of washing - still in the machine because by the time it brightened up I was busy with Cambridge work/meeting. I need to pop to the PO shortly with hopefully the final parcel of my friend's stuff. Dinner tonight will be fish pie - fishy bits have been removed from the freezer and we've got milk that's on the turn that needs using up. I may make some scones too.

MS things:
* PA surveys - tiny ones
* MM survey
* Clicks and HW
* Sowed padron pepper, long red marconi, lettuce and broad beans yesterday (all in trays/modules - it was too wet to go to the allotment). Heated propagator is doing its thing now for the peppers

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine now
* After expecting Mr MV to be in the office all day, he was home at lunchtime, which was a nice surprise
* Nice to see Mum yesterday and Niece and Sis on Saturday
* Lovely day out on Saturday

Have a good afternoon/evening all! I'm on Niece duty tomorrow so unless its first thing, I won't be here. We're meeting my school friend and her two in the afternoon, so a nice low-cost day (I'll be making sandwiches before collecting Niece after her swimming lesson).

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Had a lovely day yesterday with Niece. Did manage to get some work done in the morning too while she was at her swimming lesson. We visited my school friend and her two children - just took a packed lunch and spent the afternoon there - the kids played, we chatted, it was lovely. Only spend was £4 on some daffs and some GF cake bars to share. We (Niece, Sis and I) had dinner at Mum's yesterday evening which was also lovely. Mr MV was away with work overnight and it's half term, so no evening class for me, so it was nice to have some company.

Absolutely vile weather here today and I'm planning on popping out on my bike in a bit. Currently cracking on with work for main client - I should have it done fairly soon now though. No Cambridge meetings today - two were cancelled due to half term and I cancelled the third as there wasn't anything to discuss. I do have a bit of work to do for them though, although I don't think there's too much of a rush.

Have been keeping a close eye on PA this morning - earnings now at £59 whenn all cleared, so that's good.

Allotment society AGM this evening, so dinner is likely to be veggie sausages/egg/mushroom omelette (Mr MV) and chips. Meeting will be interesting - if for no other reason than its in the social club near our house which we've never ventured into! 😂

MS things:
* Clicks and HW
* PA surveys
* Will be making the most of Boots card offers when I go out - should get plenty of points and save £20
* Lunch was leftover fish pie from Monday night
* It's not cold - I don't think heating has tripped on more than a couple of times since it hit temperature this morning (and then only very briefly)
* Lovely weather yesterday was good for solar - which was just as well as I forgot to turn heater airer off before I went out - came back to a warm house and dry clothes though! (Looking at the solar app, the battery only ran out of juice about 5pm, so not too bad).

Gratitudes:
* A chance to catch up with my friend - we hadn't seen each other since the summer
* Lovely dinner with family
* No Cambridge meetings - it's nice to be able to focus on my work

Have a good afternoon all!

themadvix

Right, work done, Cambridge seen to and I've ordered stuff from Boots online (for C&C - it did qualify for free delivery but this way I get some exercise, hopefully tomorrow). Rather pleased that I ordered £62 worth of stuff for £36 (342 and 15% off), plus I'll get £2.46 TCB and earned 200-odd Advantage card points...

Prolific has lived up to its name today - I've not even done all of the ones available (by a long shot) and I'm now at £68 for the month.

I may take a damp wander down to the allotment now - just because I've not been in ages. Doubt I'll do anything, but the walk will do me good. Back is really playing up at the minute and I'm going to have to see physio again, but am trying very hard to be doing the exercises so I can say in good conscience that I have been doing them!