So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

QueenJess

themadvix said:

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!

I have a combo oven that we use as a microwave (was in the house when we bought it) and I only use it as an oven at Xmas when we can’t fit everything in the main oven (and have to break out the instructions to remember how to use it like that!). I can confirm that they are utterly useless at grilling as they just get hot like an oven.

maggiem

We have a combi oven that is installed above the main oven and I think it is fab. I cook most things in there as there are only 2 of us most of the time and it’s very efficient as an oven. Size though may be an issue! 

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks for all the comments about the combi oven. I have a suspicion that it'll be moot when we measure up, but it's interesting hearing all the different opinions! I'll let you know what we decide! As Mr MV has been down with a cold (and then away with work yesterday), we've not actually been out to look yet.

Busy few days with lots of work and lots of productivity, both work and home related. Having picked a marrow and another large courgette yesterday (as well as a decent number of lovely yellow raspberries), I've dried another two courgettes (we'll stuff the marrow) and am now drying some bananas that were past their best (better than turning it into cake!). Raspberries went into the freezer for later too.

Really went to town with the free electricity on Tuesday - car and house battery charged, oven on, washing machine and dishwasher and I had a shower too. Will be interesting to see what we saved - quite a bit I suspect, although of course, we'd normally only charge house and car during the cheap rate. It makes all the difference if it's free wind power rather than sun!

Plans for our holiday (end of Sept/beginning of October), Mr MV's birthday (end Nov) and this weekend coming together. We're going to the gardens at Sandringham on Sunday (on my 40/40 list) - will only have to pay for Mr MV's ticket as I can use my RHS membership. Have got a Rough Guide from the library for Provence and the Cote d'Azur, so have been reading up on that. Need to think of a comfortable but smart outfit so we can enjoy a drink at the casino in Monte Carlo! (But also walk the F1 circuit and go for a swim in the swimming pool, all in one day, by train!). EH has helped enormously with activities for Mr MV;s birthday itself and I've been in touch with the man who I'd like to send Mr MV on a course with about a gift voucher, so progress is being made. Today, alongside work, I intend to get a suitcase out and start popping some holiday bits in.

MS things:

* Clicks and HW

* Washing is out on the line

* Drying courgettes and bananas, freezing raspberries

* Renewed library books online, thus avoiding fines

* Sticking to a meal plan for the week - we've been eating rather well and it's been very organised, which has been needed with the amount of work (and Mr MV not feeling well) - hm pizza tonight and then tomorrow's tea after pub is the second lot of orzo bake, cooked last night (and refrained from gorging ourselves on, with the addition of a courgette side dish!)

* Second solar consultation payment received

* VB money received (these both allocated to savings pots)

Movement:

* Cycling to cat sitting... and my exercises from the physio last night. Planning on a lunchtime walk today though.

Gratitudes:

* Only two more cat sitting visits - I'm very definitely in need of a break now

* Exciting research about holiday

* EH's assistance and insight with activity for Mr MV's birthday!

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Have finally finished the cat sitting! Am looking forward to a lie in tomorrow and not having to visit them on the way to the pub this evening. They were absolutely lovely - I just need a break.

Today has been relatively quiet, work wise. I've got an easy piece of work for main client, which I'm currently finishing off, but the extra time has meant I've done a bit more Cambridge work (and intend to do some on the report writing soon too) as well as making a batch of Glamorgan sausages (was down to the last two) and stewing some red(pink)currants for jelly - both of which will helpfully create some space in the freezer. (Still in excess of a kilo of currants in there though!)

Mr MV didn't get home until 7.30 last night - entirely due to his boss's disorganisation, which was not appreciated by me (or him). As a result though, he'll be leaving work soon and we'll both be finishing early (and going to the pub) for the weekend.

Mr MV is intending to do quite a bit of running over the weekend as he has a marathon to run in a month (today) and has not done anywhere enough training 😬 (due to non-running knee injury and a cold this week). I will be spending some of tomorrow at the allotment - there's clearing, tidying and weeding to do, and hopefully we'll buy a microwave!

Sunday we're off to Sandringham - and I bought advanced parking with our tickets as this should save us at least £2, if not more.

MS things:

* Cambridge pay received and tax money transferred. May use it to pay Amex, but it won't be statemented until next week, so may depend on how much more goes on it.

* Clicks and HW

* TV survey

* Currant jelly will become Christmas presents (especially for MIL)

Movement:

* Yesterday I walked to the cats in the evening and also walked a courgette over to BIL and SIL, so did well in excess of 10k steps (13k, I think)

* Walked to cats again this morning and will walk to pub later. Also have a yoga session on my to-do list for this afternoon

Gratitudes:

* Sunshine today - and time in the hammock with the cats chilling in the garden

* A nice chat with our neighbour when I popped to the Coop

* Freedom from cat sitting for now!

Have a lovely afternoon/evening all!

rtandon27

Oh dear Vix - I read that as you & Mr Vix spending the weekend in the pub to make up for the bosses bad planning. Had to re-read it to straighten my head out! 🤣🤣🤣

Baileys_Babe

rtandon27 said:

Oh dear Vix - I read that as you & Mr Vix spending the weekend in the pub to make up for the bosses bad planning. Had to re-read it to straighten my head out! 🤣🤣🤣

I did too 🍻

themadvix

Lol nope, that isn’t the case, sorry, poor wording there! Boss did give him a bag of home grown chillies though (randomly) - I’ll take that as an apology!

themadvix

Mr MV home about an hour ago… still working 😡 

rtandon27

themadvix said:

Mr MV home about an hour ago… still working 😡 

oh boo 🤬🤬🤬

themadvix

Morning all,

He did eventually stop, go for a run and then we walked down to the taproom RT. It's not his fault - he still has way too much on his plate and feels the pressure all the time.

Had a good weekend. Sis and I visited a Chinese supermarket up the road as I'm looking for a non-plastic, non-Amazon tofu press, but didn't have any luck on that front. I did get some urad lentils though, so made Dishoom's house dal on Saturday evening using this IP version of the recipe (which significantly shortens the cooking time - 24 hours in the restaurant, 4 hours without a pressure cooker!). This accompanied another sweetcorn dhansak - the mango chutney really makes this recipe. A portion of dhansak leftover for me on Tuesday and four portions of dal went into the freezer, so that's good. I did do a little bit at the allotment, but not a lot. I did make jam the batch of redcurrant jelly and we visited Curry's but didn't buy a microwave (am off to JL later to do that). Yesterday was lovely - it was very interesting to see the gardens at Sandringham. We love the parkland there and it's a regular Norfolk haunt of ours - so peaceful, but the gardens were also very peaceful and quite naturalistic (aside from the topiary garden and a couple of other places in the immediate surrounds of the house). We got there at 8.30 and Mr MV went for a run, while I enjoyed a walk, then had breakfast in the restaurant - £16.20 for two sausage sandwiches (mine veggie) and a pot of tea. Not especially cheap, but the pot of tea was really for two - there didn't seem to be a single option (Mr MV doesn't drink tea). Had an ice cream after the gardens and then enjoyed a late Sunday lunch at the taproom restaurant, which was a very reasonable £28. (Spent another £37 in the shop, mind you!).

I do seem to have succumbed to Mr MV's persistent cold (he's had it over a week now). Not feeling awful at the moment, but sore throat, a bit sniffly... just generally below par. Have plenty of work to get done this morning though, and then will venture out to get a microwave/do other jobs this afternoon. Bread is on its final prove and washing is out on the line (washed when we got back last night).

Mr MV is off on a business trip from early tomorrow until Friday (taking in German and Yorkshire, obviously). I have cancelled our R'ford order (and that's it now until we go away) and will cancel Weds and Fri's milk as I'll be swimming in it otherwise. The weather is due to be lovely this week, so hopefully around work I'll get down to the allotment and get stuff done. Am meeting Sis for lunch on Weds, which will be much needed social time. If work is quiet enough (doubtful), I might take myself out for the day on Thursday, but will take laptop with me just in case.

MS things:
* Advance parking for Sandringham definitely worth it - saved £5
* Used up lurking chickpea flour making scarpaccia courtesy of Greenbee's recipe. Forgot to put olive oil in, so tbh not great (and definitely needs more seasoning), but it and a courgette were used up.
* Batch cooked dal and sausages are definite wins for the freezer
* Clicks and HW

Movement:
* Am on a 4-day streak for steps - will have to work hard to get it to 5 days today though...

Gratitudes:
* Peaceful walk in the woods yesterday and a glimpse of the sea
* Lovely gardens (and Mr MV not in a hurry to get around and leave - we also liked the car collection in the stables)
* I saw a treecreeper - a first for me.

Have a lovely day all!