So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

newgirly

Wow that prolific amount is fantastic!  I’m still on the waiting list 😏

themadvix

Thanks NG. It's been a focus this last week or so (after a good start to the month anyway) - as it directly impacts my SE income this month which is shockingly low (obviously normally it direct affects it too, but it usually forms an insignificant proportion!), so every penny counts! Another £3 one done - just hope all of them clear in time.

I did pop to the allotment and added the three supermarket bags of coffee grounds allotment friend had left me to my compost pile ... and he's offered me more! It comes from his office, which is happy as it improves their ESG credentials, and it will certainly make for good compost. All that caffeine - the worms will be raving tonight! 😂 It was damp and miserable but good to get out, if only briefly, and the leeks are growing strongly now (less so the sprouting broccoli - I wish I knew why!).

Another piece of work has arrived from main client, so that sets me up for tomorrow,although I have made a start. (I am slowly convincing myself that all is not lost and he's not lost all faith in me because of my slip-up the other week - I know it's all in my head, but it *is* in my head.)

Have a good evening all!

themadvix

Morning all,

Well the allotment society AGM was interesting last night - I'm now a committee member and likely to become secretary once I've got a grasp of how things work. It was interesting to see the inside of the social club, and better still free drinks and a buffet were laid on to enjoy after the meeting. They seem a very friendly and sociable bunch and there were about 40 people there, so I've realised that it's just my allotment that lacks community! We have a new chair as well and his partner is another new committee member (both younger than me I think), so hopefully new ideas will be welcomed. 

I'm currently back at work on the piece for my main client. But I'm also hoping I might get a large platform job. I am just waiting to see if the client has a flexible deadline (I think they're set by the system, so I might be lucky). That would be 500 euros, so it would be good if I did get it. I need to get caught up and square with Cambridge stuff today too as we're off to London tomorrow for the Van Gogh exhibition and then dinner with friends.

Have done another PA survey this morning - if it all clears, I'm up to £75, so £80 is definitely looking doable, although it's got to clear before month end too.

MS things:
* Free dinner and a pint last night Mr MV had a mushroom omelette (I don't like mushrooms and they came in the veg box as a substitute)
* Clicks and HW done
* PA surveys
* Boots bargains

Gratitudes:
* Welcoming people last night
* Free dinner!
* Work and potential work (and that PA total!)

Have a good day all!

Suffolk_lass

I think excessive rain might be why your sprouting broccoli has stalled. That and a bit of a lack of sunshine. They like 6 hours of sunshine to flourish. It's been so changeable recently. A bit like our bees, they don't know if they are coming or going

themadvix

Thanks SL - good to know it’s not me. The three remaining (three have been eaten 😏) haven’t really grown since I put them in. They’ve also got a bit of slug damage which probably isn’t helping… Was just pleased to see the leeks, onions and garlic doing well…. Don’t tell the allium pests! Very pleased that all the garlic I grew and planted has come up - much better than last year’s crop which had quite a few gaps by this time last year.

Off to London for a jolly today!

Suffolk_lass

themadvix said:

Thanks SL - good to know it’s not me. The three remaining (three have been eaten 😏) haven’t really grown since I put them in. They’ve also got a bit of slug damage which probably isn’t helping… Was just pleased to see the leeks, onions and garlic doing well…. Don’t tell the allium pests! Very pleased that all the garlic I grew and planted has come up - much better than last year’s crop which had quite a few gaps by this time last year.

Off to London for a jolly today!

Enjoy London, and the frosts will have benefitted the garlic (that is what makes the multiple clove bulb). Many the single huge clove here, following mild winters and not planting early enough

themadvix

Evening all,

Thanks SL - yes, we hard some hard frosts in January that will definitely have helped with clove formation!

We had a lovely day in London yesterday. Not sure about the Van Gogh immersive experience tbh - it was a lot of money for what it was (which was a bit gimmicky in our opinion). However, it took us to Spitalfields, which was new to me and we had a lovely lunch from the market, enjoyed the bronze elephant statues and had a nice wander around. We then wandered around the City for a while, and down to St Catherine's dock, before heading back to meet our friends for dinner (courtesy of the Amex Platinum). It was lovely to see them and we all enjoyed dinner. It was a long day though - 25,000 steps plus cycling to and from the station! We slept well 😂

This morning I popped by bike to the allotment shop to pay my dues only to discover that committee members don't have to pay 😁 So I filled in the form and had a chat instead. Got the (garden) lawnmower blade sharpened at the local hardware store (£10) and picked up a few new books from the library. The sun was out and everyone seemed to be enjoying it - lots of smiles and chit-chat. When I got back I did some work (as I was out Friday and will be out much of Monday) and then Mr MV and I went down to the allotment - took the 100l of compost that has needed to go down there for ages. I was expecting Mr MV to unload and then leave me to it, but rather wonderfully he stayed and helped shift several barrowloads of woodchip (the council are going to stop supplying it, so had to get in quick) and cleared a pile of stones from beside the shed. It was so good to have help with some of the heavy lifting. I got the compost spread and we emptied one of my dalek composters - but only to discover that the previous owner of the allotment had filled it with 'compostable' bags, tea bags and eggs shells.... 😔 I am going to have to take the garden sieve down there - it's going to take quite a bit of work to get that sorted (and put the rubbish in my brown bin at home where it's industrially composted). Allotment friend had left me more coffee grounds, so the other composter is topped up and I've got some to start the original one when I've sorted it out.

Have done a bit more work this afternoon while sitting on the sofa and Mr MV has been playing playstation. Now we've made good progress (he did lots of housework this morning while I was out too), it feels acceptable to sit and 'do nothing' - laptop is going away shortly. Dinner is leftover chilli from Thursday and I've popped the rice in the IP, so very easy to get sorted. 

Will be doing more work tomorrow (forecast is for rain) and Sis has invited us for dinner in the evening.

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done
* NV survey
* Saved £4 on allotment society membership!
* Made the most of the free woodchip (and helpful Mr MV - he always is when I can get him down there - it's just getting him there that's difficult!)

Gratitudes:
* I have 4 padron pepper seedlings coming up! 😁
* Mr MV for all his help this afternoon
* A lovely day out yesterday

Have a good evening all!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

I've spent quite a bit of today working, but in a companionable way, downstairs on the sofa while Mr MV has been reading doing other bits. I also baked a couple of loaves this morning, ready for the first half of the week. I've not long got back from the allotment where I sieved the compost and retrieved a barrow and a half-full of decent compost, which has now been spread thinly on two of the beds. This will certainly save me some money and I'm glad I persevered. Empty dalek now has coffee grounds in and is ready to go. Will jump in the shower shortly and then we're off to see Sis and Niece. 

In exciting news, not only do I have a growing number of padron seedlings up but also other pepper seeds. Last year none of my pepper seeds produced any seedlings at all, so I'm glad I'm doing something right this year!

Not much else to report on the MS front - it's been a quiet and relaxing weekend - just the right combination of getting stuff done/getting some exercise and enjoying some time to ourselves (I know I've been working, but for the most part I've not been stressing about it, so not strenuous). Unfortunately I'm out for a lunch (and AGM) tomorrow during the day and suspect that this is going to be stressful to balance with some work that is arriving tomorrow and fairly urgent. I may take my laptop and have to make my excuses so I can get the work done. The rest of the week will be busy too - especially with this platform job to get done around the other stuff I'm expecting and Cambridge work, but I should be at home and not trying to juggle quite so much. 

Gratitudes:
* Feeling a lot more on top of allotment now I've made a start and had Mr MV's help. (Don't shout about it, but he even said 'we' in relation to the allotment earlier! To be clear, it was always my thing that I wanted to do and he's always said he'll help with stuff if I need a hand with heavy things, but he's not interested in the gardening aspect, but it's nice if he wants to help rather than me nagging him.)
* Seedlings!! 
* Invitation for dinner tonight from Sis - it's always nice when someone else offers to cook! And it'll be nice to see her and Niece.

Have a good evening all!

themadvix

Evening all,

A busy day today, with lunch and AGM out, but lots of work. Work got done early (and then I was late to the meeting as an urgent piece of work arrived just as I was leaving) and then when I got in. Lunch was paid for in November as I was ill for the Christmas meal and the money was transferred to this one. Brought home a small bar of chocolate and won't need dinner, so that's good. Am looking forward to a focused day of work tomorrow and hopefully getting this platform job mostly done (depending on interruptions from other clients/Cambridge).

Have received notification that my 1P money has been paid, so that's an unexpected bonus for this month's income. Still waiting on about £20 of PA money to clear - no surveys today.

Sun has been out today, so good for solar. Have had an ebay sale, so need to pack and send that tomorrow (have a feeling it might be overdue then, but tough!

Gratitudes:
* Mr MV finally finished my birthday present - a deep frame with a photo in it and a slot in the top so I can add mementos
* Sunshine and spring flowers
* Lovely lunch with friends
* Lots of work and the flexibility to fit it around social stuff

Have a good evening all!

LadyWithAPlan

I personally love those big screen projections but I guess Van Gogh died early so there is 
less work to show .. i did see it but yes it’s expensive for what it is 
the Frieda Kahlo Diego Riviera one was amazing but they were  both v prolific plus fascinating lives 

you are inspiring me to start wither harder in surveys