So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

newgirly said:

That does sound like a great day out, it takes me back to my early teenage years when my parents would take us on a booze cruise and laden the car up so heavily we had to sit on boxes of beer with no room to put our legs down for the whole journey home 😆 £20 is such a bargain too! 

Can I ask, is the yoga/Pilates something you could start to do online at home as a beginner or would I have to have classes? I’m intending to get fit once I’m able to 🙂

Absolutely like a childhood booze cruise! Mr MV's parents used to do them very regularly and when we first got together we'd tag along too - and the roof box was always deployed for the quantities of wine, beer and cheese purchased!

The yoga can definitely be done online - and there's probably stuff that's gentle enough you could do now (although I am not suggesting you do!). I prefer Yoga with Kassandra, but I know lots like Yoga with Adrienne, both on Youtube (I find Adrienne a bit too wishy-washy for me). They both have 30 day series of short practices, and Kassandra does great morning and evening 10-15 minute ones as well as longer stuff. Mostly you don't need anything (apart from a mat if you don't have carpet - I never bother getting the mat out at home, carpet is fine). Some of the evening ones are just gentle stretching - no effort (or downward dogs) involved.

Pilates is trickier. I've been told to go to a small class where the teacher will ensure you're doing the exercises properly, but there's also 'Blogilates' on YT, which is pilates based (or Cassey the instructor is also on FitOn if you have Apple TV), but a bit more work-out-y. It will get you strong. But definitely one to save for after your op. I think I'll probably go to a class, but once I've got the hang of it, will just continue at home.

themadvix

Morning all (is it lunchtime yet?!),

Dropped Mr MV at the station before 6.30 this morning, so it is definitely nearly breakfast time! This meant though that I had time to do 45 mins of yoga and duolingo, before I thought about getting ready for the day.

Pizza with Sis was good last night - used some hg spinach as well as finishing some bits up. Spent more than intended at the fishmonger - partly because he didn't have any fish pie mix made up, but made it up for me. Unfortunately this meant I paid for the skin but it was removed and I suspect the pie mix is made up of odd bits and therefore cheaper by weight than the fillets are normally. I won't make that mistake again (the pie mix has been split into two portions (for two) and will both require three boiled eggs to stretch them further). However, I did manage to split the two salmon fillets into four (probably a bit stingy) pieces. All in the freezer now in any case.

Today I've got a platform job to do - my skills were specifically requested after a previous job, so that is both nice and good news - the requester relatively regularly posts stuff, so this could become a nice working relationship. Am still expecting more from main client, but we're both waiting on that, so who know when it'll arrive.

Most excitingly though, I have the car and might go and have lunch with Mum. She's off tomorrow for a weekend wedding, so it would be nice to see her and also enjoy the novelty of having the car. I've got to take it in for a service and MOT tomorrow, so I'll have limited mobility then.

MS things:
* Clicks and HW - won 30p on HW
* PA surveys - several yesterday
* Stretching the fish
* Tender plants moved from little greenhouse into our warm utility room last night and back out again this morning. Temps got down to 3 degrees in the greenhouse, so I think this was a wise move. Should be OK tonight, but will move again on Friday as forecast is even chillier. 🙄 Am tempted to try the tealight under a terracotta pot heater, but not convinced about this - has anyone tried it?

Gratitudes:
* Saw a grey wagtail on my way into town - wondered if it was the same as the one that occasionally frequents our pond. They are so pretty.
* Dinner with Sis
* Sunshine - it looks lovely out there (if chilly!)

Have a good day all!

EssexHebridean

How lovely to have a Grey Wagtail visiting your pond! They are indeed lovely birds, and far more unusual than their Pied cousins. 

That answers the question of "how" cold it got last night too - we had a light frost again this morning - the courgettes appear to have survived, but we will see! We're considering breaking out the mini polytunnel to put over them anyway, now that the wind seems to have dropped a bit. Of course this depends on whether it's actually useable - it is very old indeed, albeit it's never actually been unpacked (we bought multiples when we had the allotment, the rest got used, that one didn't). Might investigate that tomorrow, allowing for your comment about temperatures dropping again overnight into saturday. 

themadvix

EssexHebridean said:

How lovely to have a Grey Wagtail visiting your pond! They are indeed lovely birds, and far more unusual than their Pied cousins. 

That answers the question of "how" cold it got last night too - we had a light frost again this morning - the courgettes appear to have survived, but we will see! We're considering breaking out the mini polytunnel to put over them anyway, now that the wind seems to have dropped a bit. Of course this depends on whether it's actually useable - it is very old indeed, albeit it's never actually been unpacked (we bought multiples when we had the allotment, the rest got used, that one didn't). Might investigate that tomorrow, allowing for your comment about temperatures dropping again overnight into saturday. 

The grey wagtail is always a welcome visitor - and not a lot gets done when he's in the garden! He's visited both the front and back ponds, which is lovely.

I reckon your mini polytunnel is probably fine - I'm using inherited ones of unknown age and they seem pretty sturdy, despite getting used - the plastic hasn't crisped and started to disintegrate yet. Definitely worth covering the courgettes - I was surprised by how cold it got last night, even with a forecast!

themadvix

Evening all,

Today has been a(nother) long day: slept terribly (combination of caffeine later than I should have, B&W cat visiting in the night and Ginger cat wailing/zoomies/poophoria about 5am) and had to drop car at garage by 8. Wandered into market town centre and had a free tea (thanks Octopus) and not-free pastry; bought some birthday cards and visited the zero-waste shop (as well as charity shops and a couple of clothes shops). Caught train and bus home, did some work, tried to nap, was informed car was done, so walked back to station and picked up car. Mr MV is on a delayed train somewhere between the north and here - won't be back at our station until 7, so will meet him at the pub (I think). How I'm getting there is as yet unknown. Car passed MOT fine though and service was already paid for, so car is now ready to sell.

Have managed to get a chunk more Cambridge data entry done since I got back though, which has been good. And I've submitted my timesheets for the week now. Main client and I are still waiting for the avalanche.

The weekend is pleasantly clear currently. We'll visit MIL as it was her birthday this week (and Mr MV will be able to take the photos of my car at last) and I expect we'll crack on with the decking. The forecast isn't very inspiring, but it should be dry. Really hoping it warms up soon so I can stop doing the hokey cokey with my seedlings....

MS things:
* Clicks and HW
* Saved £2 on bus fare back to station by walking 
* PA survey

Gratitudes:
* Some quick responses to a work matter that has an element of urgency
* Super furry Ginger purry helping with my rag rugging last night (and my work this afternoon)
* It's Friday! This week seems to have gone super quickly until today - perhaps it's just the tiredness....

Have a good evening and weekend all!

newgirly

Thanks for the recommendations Vix I shall have a look, have a great weekend 🙂

themadvix

Afternoon all,

@newgirly you're welcome

Another busy-ish weekend here. Both of us were pretty tired on Saturday, so didn't do too much. Did make a batch of rhubarb and custard blondies. Very nice, but *very* sweet and I didn't even add the drizzled white chocolate on the top. Also quite expensive to make - most of a pat of butter, 3 eggs, white chocolate, lots of sugar.... Nice, but definitely not an everyday bake. (The recipe had been included in the allotment society newsletter, so I thought I'd give it a go - you all know how important a new rhubarb recipe is to me!) We also visited the in-laws to give MIL her birthday present. And we did a bit of decking work in the garden, which also included moving a self-seeded fern along a bit. Hopefully it likes its new spot as it's perfect where it is. Yesterday we also spent in the garden but with a bit more energy! Further decking stuff done and the birdbox finally up, water butt now connected in front garden and grass cut front and back with a good amount of weeding and other tidying up. Also baked bread and popped to allotment shop for some 8ft bean poles (I've been making do with shorter ones, but decided this year I'd make proper wigwams (for all the many beans - borlotti, french, coco Sophie and carlin peas) - I probably needed two lots of poles really!

Work from main client has arrived at last and is taking a different shape to what either of us expected. Am pushing up against a deadline I have a committee meeting this evening - not sure if I'll cycle or drive. We'll eat afterwards though - mac and cheese I think to use up the tomatoes.

It's cold and damp here today - I put the heating on for half an hour this morning as by 10 it was still only 15 degrees in the house. Where is spring?! I'm still faffing on with plants, moving them in and out of our utility room - over the weekend they spent the days in the (chilly) sun, but I've popped them in the greenhouse today as it's so cold. Back inside again overnight - greenhouse was 1 degree on Saturday night (I've not checked today for last night) and I don't think that'll do my toms any good (and my lemongrass and Vietnamese coriander definitely like it above 5 degrees.

MS things:
* A couple of surveys over the weekend (have realised that Duolingo has taken their place in my free time - which is both good and bad)
* Clicks and HW
* Mr MV won £50 from Set for Life (definitely a budget retirement on that!) 
* Meals over the weekend all from home - we have plenty of food in, although I will have a veg box this week as fresh stuff is getting low

Gratitudes:
* Lovely to see in-laws at the weekend
* Front garden looks so much better for some tlc
* Mr MV's hard work on the decking - it's coming along nicely and I can't wait to enjoy it (and the warmer weather that I hope is coming!).

Have a good afternoon all!

Cheery_Daff

Ha, laughing at being set for life on £50! 😂 Still, better than a kick in the teeth I suppose!

themadvix

Cheery_Daff said:

Ha, laughing at being set for life on £50! 😂 Still, better than a kick in the teeth I suppose!

Oh yes! The thing is, he was one number away from either £10k/month for a year or £250 (depending on which number) - these seem like wildly differing outcomes! He doesn’t play any lottery games regularly - the money will probably just sit in there until he next fancies a go, much like our Paddy Power account! 

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Work has kicked up a notch here with the arrival of the next stage of the project for main client. It has the potential to keep me very busy for a while, I think (although I'm unclear on the full scope of it). This is definitely good news, however. I've also done a couple of bits for the Americans yesterday and today, and am keeping on top of Cambridge stuff too. I'm also cat sitting this week for the spicy ginger one - I had to distract her with treats to be able to escape unscathed today! I hoping now she realises it's me, she'll stay upstairs and not grace me with her presence!

Allotment meeting was good last night - they are a nice bunch and I'm beginning to feel a bit more part of the group. Minutes typed up but I need to do a final check before I send them out.

Mr MV messed up in the in-laws supermarket delivery - we were meant to cancel this week's as they're going away and he totally forgot. So the supermarket delivered what its algorithms thought they'd want, which turns out to be a bizarre mix of their most common order and ours. So we've got a few bits of food coming our way - also including stuff they won't be able to use before they go. None of it is stuff that won't last/can't be frozen, so no major issue there (and actually, assuming we'll have some of the fresh veg, it will probably save me a bit as I'll reduce our R'ford order).

Dinner tonight will be bean burgers and chips, with hm coleslaw as I've got evening class (for which I've not yet done my homework - it may well get done on the fly/with the answer book in front of me!). Mr MV is doing a bit of deck building as I type. I hung two loads of washing out earlier, but it has rained since - I think it can stay out overnight - tomorrow is hopefully going to be dry.

MS things:
* Dad's birthday present ordered - 25% off list price (but then it's frequently advertised as such) and TCB (offer was via TCB)
* Cycled to cat sitting
* Clicks and HW done
* Lots of work
* Unexpected food (which we'll have to pay for, but cheaper than where I normally buy it from)

Gratitudes:
* A quick cuppa with friend (whose cat has cancer 😪)
* A good meeting last night - so far, politics, which is a refreshing change from Guiding!)
* A plan for a quiz night in a few weeks

Have a good evening all!