So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

rtandon27

Vix - any chance you have a referral code for R'Ford you can ping over to me??? - Our local veg box place is closing at the end of the month which means only one more delivery with them!  I'm so sad to be loosing them as they are a lovely little community business but they couldn't turn a profit so had to shut down! I've never had a box from anyone other than A&C so thought I might try out some of the others that do UK organic veg boxes which to my thinking is the next best thing.

themadvix

Absolutely RT, I’ll send you a message now - we’ll both get £15 credit, so thank you!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Bit of a bitty day today - a small bit of work for main client, a small bit for a US client, cat sitting again and some chores done. Off shortly to help set up for the allotment society show - not that I have anything to enter. Having never been involved, I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like - and hopefully I'll have a better growing year next year and have some things to enter (they do have baking and other classes too, but I've just not had time this week).

Was paid for my first solar consultation bit earlier (£120, less tax/pension money), also interest from NS&I bond, £3 NW reward and £1.34 cashback - all transferred to savings pots for various upcoming events.

Dinner last night was sweetcorn dhansak which was delicious, and used quite a bit of hg produce (albeit not the sweetcorn!). Mr MV and are I treating ourselves to a cocktail this evening for date night (pub has been transferred to tomorrow due to availability of free beer then) and then will be coming home for defrosted daal and rice (which is a good point, I need to get that on delay start in the IP).

MS things:

* Sent off opt-in for work pension scheme (having discovered that I do still qualify for their contributions even on the pay scheme I'm on now)

* Clicks and HW done

* £1.34 TCB claimed

* Milk bought from Coop with 2 vouchers - cost a grand total of 35p for 2 pts of organic!

Movement:

* Cycled to cats this morning, cycling to allotment site, then cats, then town this evening, walking back from town (with bike and Mr MV), plus an arm strength workout (5mins)

Gratitudes:

* The sun has come out here this afternoon after a very murky start (it is exceptionally humid though, so not sure how long it'll stay dry!)

* Lovely new cat charges  -I'd forgotten how soppy they are

* Lunch in the hammock 😊

Have a lovely evening and weekend all!

Jessy103

I have images of people with giant marrows at your allotment society show, vix! 

newgirly

Well done getting oasis tickets Vix, I was over 8 hours on hold and didn’t get any, out of 32 of us trying a total of 10 tickets were bought (one person got two from his sister she didn’t need) I’ve registered to try again for the next batch but we are away on those dates so I’ll have to give them to my brother if I get them 😆

Great to see your plans for the rest of the year 😊

themadvix

Morning all,

There were some fairly large marrows Jessy! (This was the novelty, i.e. large, class). It was good fun and I'll definitely enter next year. Saturday was a very busy, long day - cat sitting at both ends, Sister's work open day and then allotment show in the afternoon, then the taproom and a Caribbean curry (delicious, enormous portions for £22 for us both) in the evening (and we sat outside at 9pm to enjoy - definitely not like today's weather).

Thanks NG - it was all Mr MV really - he got into the queue with 10,000 people in front of him. By the time I made it there there were 150k (and I didn't manage to get any). What an absolute pig's ear they made of it though. Expect they'll release more tickets too?

Lots of work as expected this week, although lots of other jobs to get done too. Mr MV has a stinking cold and is feeling rather sorry for himself. So far, I've managed to avoid it, which is good. Yesterday was quiet workwise, so I did a load of out of the house jobs - took a load of stuff to the dump, popped to Wickes for a drill bit for Mr MV, popped into town for some cards, medication etc, and visited the library to use their Which? subscription. Today's work is going well and alongside it I'm baking bread, have been to see the cats, may pop to refill shop and intend to make full use of the free electricity by charging the car and battery, having a shower and making some granola between 1pm and 2pm.

Re replacement microwave, if it will fit, I'm leaning towards a combi as we only have one oven with built in grill. This would give us a bit more oven space when catering and also be a cheaper option to heat too for other things. Would welcome any thoughts on this!

MS things:

* Didn't go out for cocktails on Friday night in the end - stayed in and we were both very happy with that

* Enjoyed our free beer on Saturday night at the taproom

* Have checked car insurance and we don't need an upgrade to have fully comp in Europe (Mr MV was convinced we did)

* 5% cashback on cc in Card Factory yesterday - and on cards that I get reimbursed for! (Reminds me I need to pay the cc as it's not the usual one

* Clicks and HW

Movement:

* On Saturday, more than I could count! Lots of walking and cycling - to/from cats, from Sis's work to allotment show, then home, then to town in the evening.

* Cycled to cats this morning (may have had a break on Sunday/Monday

Gratitudes:

* Lovely time with Mr MV looking at childhood photos (for our party invitations)

* Enjoyed the allotment show - and beginning to feel like I belong a bit more

* Fun on Saturday night with BIL and SIL

* Got to see some interesting stuff at my Sis's work day - she works for a large engineering company

Have a lovely day all!

TallGirl

Hiya sounds like a fab weekend. I did have a combi microwave as my only oven and it was great for that. We have kept it and have a small microwave and do not currently use it much as it is outside. 

My points are:
It is a lot bigger and standard microwaves and mine does get a bit hot
It does not cook as evenly as my oven but it does heat up a lot quicker.
Saying that it is not a patch on the airfryer and I would consider a larger airfryer if you want more cooking options/space
The microwave is just as good as a standard one but if that is all you really are going to use I would save the money and just by a microwave.

Hope that helps

themadvix

Thanks TallGirl, that is helpful. I suspect we'll come unstuck on space - we have a specific spot it will have to sit in, so likely to not fit if significantly bigger. While an airfryer would be lovely, we don't have space for an additional appliance (small kitchen and already have my beloved Instant Pot), so my thought process was that combining microwave space with something might be a goer. But there needs to be space to store the toaster on top, underneath a cupboard... so it's not looking promising!

rtandon27

Vix - just a thought - can a combi micro replace a toaster as well? - then you can be done with the toaster!  My OH likes to make toast the old fashioned way, under the grill! (We do however have a toaster as I'm of a different view.) - RT

themadvix

From what I’ve read RT, they’re not great at toasting - the grill function is more for browning stuff iyswim. And I’m firmly of your opinion re toasting things!