So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

rtandon27

😆 Ditto - Vix, you know we are a nosey lot of online friends!

QueenJess

Espionage perhaps?

themadvix

Haha, not quite. New chair had resigned with immediate effect (over a lot of drama-filled emails and something that actually turned out to be inconsequential). So we had to meet to reappoint old chair who has become vice chair…

rtandon27

My head hurts just trying to figure that out! Who knew there could be drama at the allotment!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

@rtandon27, yes it was a bit of a brain bender...

In exciting news, I have a referral code for the fir-tree fruit survey site if anyone would like to sign up - PM me.

Life continues to be extremely busy at the moment.... we didn't seem to stop at the weekend - mostly gardening/allotmenting (me) and decking (Mr MV), with a break for housework(!), bread baking, washing and, yesterday afternoon, the circus with Niece and Sis for Niece's birthday present (followed by BBQ at ours, hence the need for some housework, especially after a very pukey cat earlier in the week). Niece thoroughly enjoyed herself and we three adults were all quite impressed too - none of us having ever been to the circus previously. Would go again. Apart from tickets (which I saved £2/ticket on with discount code), £4 spent on a couple of drinks to cope with the excessive heat in the tent yesterday afternoon (and it was within walking distance so no transport costs for us either). And I bought a few bits for the BBQ too, but much less spent than had we eaten out (or taken Niece to London for a Horrible Histories boat trip, which had been suggested). I have ordered her a 'I-spy at an airport' book for her holiday next week - it'll be a nice surprise for her to get a parcel in the post (haven't told Sis either) and she loved the last ones I got.

Cats had vet visit in the week, £218 for their boosters, a year's supply of worming tablets and a prescription for flea tabs for B&W cat. Not enough in the cat pot, but can transfer from their holiday (!) pot.

There's been a lot of potting up of plants going on here. I will start putting some things in the ground later in the week. I still need to set up my bean poles! Struggling with weeding as still can't kneel due to rollerskating injury.

We're away next weekend in Manchester. We were only staying one night due to ridiculous cost of hotels when we started looking, but I looked on Friday and saw that the Friday night was only £66 now so we've booked that too - it'll mean we can do the RHS garden on the Saturday morning before football, allowing us time to go into the city centre on the Sunday morning before heading home (will be spending our Harvey Nick's Amex credit - inc on something for Sis's birthday). Plan is to eat at lunchtime here and pack sandwiches or similar for journey up.

Work is absolutely manic - Cambridge report that we'd only just started talking about had the deadline moved from 'September' to '27th May'.... Fun... Plus work for main client, UK client and a nice chunk from the US too... It is all going OK at the moment 🤞

MS things:
* S&S submitted
* More BnQ vouchers ordered with S&S credit
* Paying for prescription for flea tabs still saves us money over buying them direct from the vet
* Kept meat to a minimum at the bbq - only really had any (sausages) because Niece doesn't do spicy. Mostly stuff we already had in (did buy mini magnums though!)

Gratitudes:
* Lovely time with Sis and Niece
* Allotment shop now takes card - not directly money saving as I'll spend money there now, but it is definitely cheaper for some things than other places (especially plants - two chillis bought this weekend as my 'overwintered' ones just didn't come back to life!)
* Mr MV's hard work on the decking - he is doing wonderfully well and apart from the odd bit of lifting and opinion giving, I have not contributed at all.

Have a good evening all!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

I am getting there with the report.... I have almost everything I need now, which is good. Have also made progress on work for main client too. Am feeling the urge to wander to the allotment now though.... it was so wet this morning, but has dried up now. I 'popped' down there yesterday and ended up being a good hour and quarter - had to come back as it was dinner time! I got a couple of jobs done though, which was good - including netting one of my fruit cages. Have been keeping an eye on the plant babies in the garden in the rain today - I did fling a snail across the garden at one point when it was about to eat a seedling.

Dinner last night was sag paneer - and very nice it was too. Used the whole bag of baby spinach from veg box (got to it before it went slimy), some paneer I bought a while ago as a fridge-store cupboard item and a bit more of the proper Indian sauce we made a while back. Getting low on that now though, so will have to psych ourselves up for another marathon session to make more (it requires constant attention and takes a couple of hours - worth it though). As our avocados from last week's box are now ready, we're having bean chilli (including the last of the hg borlotti) and guac for dinner tonight. My beans are now coming up in their cells, so I'm excited about having an entirely home grown chilli come the autumn.

MS things:
* Cat flea tablets ordered via TCB and came in at considerably less than expected too - the (reputable) website was selling them half the price of others (which half the price of direct from the vet), so £39 paid, including some tooth powder and express delivery (£2) - flea treatment is due today so I'd like to get them done before we go away at the weekend)
* Clicks and HW done
* Friend signed up for PC via my referral code
* Cat sitting booking for just before Christmas
* Cat sitting booking for end of June (did I mention this? It's three Maine coons - I'm so excited! Looking forward to meeting them on Thursday)

Gratitudes:
* Sun is coming out now!
* Helpful Cambridge colleagues who have got stuff to me quickly
* I did my evening class homework last Wednesday - I don't have to think about it in a rush (thank you past me)

Have a good evening all!

Baileys_Babe

👏 well done past you for not procrastinating with the home work.

TallGirl

OMG 3 Maine coons that would be my dream just the best cats but likely to be scared and not want to interact. Hopefully you’ll get some cuddles. Well done on the alignment my spring onion and radish seeds did not come up only thing I’ve got is tomato and cucumber plant. Better than nothing I guess. Think I’ll just grow cut flowers for the house.  

themadvix

Thanks @Baileys_Babe!

@TallGirl, I've never met a Maine coon - sad to hear they might be shy though Definitely not too late to keep going with radish and spring onions - they'll go at any time between now and August. I have some healthy tomatoes and some less healthy ones, but doing better than last year so far. Cukes didn't look great, but seem to be recovering - I've got some for gherkins and some for growing larger. I'm no good with growing cutting flowers - I just don't want to cut them!

TallGirl

They are sadly shy but not with their owners. My two proper Mainecoons would rush out of the cat flap as soon as the door bell went. My current two “fake” Maine coons actively runs to the front door to have a nose at any visitors lol. 

Thanks for the tip I think my seeds might be old but worth trying again. 

I’m the same I can’t cut them but these would be in raised beds so all the borders and pots would still be full of flowers.