So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

EssexHebridean

Baileys_Babe said:

Cheery_Daff said:

Ooh, spending the whole day on the allotment is a lovely thing to do! 🤩 I might try to spend the whole day in the garden one day - maybe I'll even lock myself out of the house to prevent temptation 😂

But if you did that how would you have a cup of tea 🤔 

Oh, trust me, Cheery has that covered!  

We quite often used to spend full days on the allotment when we were in Walthamstow - we had a camping stove there permanently locked away in the shed, and also a barbecue. The shed on our plot 2 had a sort of veranda area on the front when we first moved on to the plot, and we managed to salvage some old wooden framed windows from a skip which we fitted to the front hinged at the top and with bolts on the bottom so we could at least semi wind/rain-proof it which meant sitting inside was better. It eventually had a door too - and in fact Google Streetview tells me we must have done a decent job because it appears to be still standing and still well used! The ability to have somewhere "nice" to sit even if the weather wasn't grat made a huge difference to being willing to commit to spending a lot of time there, and favourite memories include picking sweetcorn cobs straight from the plant and throwing them straight on to the barbecue to cook - oh my word, the flavour! 

I am completely with those bemoaning the amount of slugs this year though - the numbers have been utterly ridiculous, not only in the garden but just around the streets too - there was one morning a few weeks back when there had been rain overnight and when I went out for a walk I was pretty much stepping on slugs at every tread - ick! As I think I mentioned we too lost lots of bean plants and ended up buying well established plants in desperation - although even some of those fell victim to the slugs, and as a result we ended up with far less beans than we were hoping we would. It's frustrating - I'm just trying to remind myself that each year brings something different, and it's rare that we face the same challenges two years on the trot. 

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Have popped back briefly as lappy needed charging and I needed some headache tablets. Have had a lovely morning so far - allotment is looking tidier (some way to go!) and 2.5 pieces of work completed (have just sent two back to client). Will head back shortly and Mum is heading up this way for a visit, which will be nice.

Your sitting spot sounds lovely EH. I have a shed with windows, so it's not too bad (and the windows are small enough and covered with wire enough that there's enough privacy to deal with all the tea I'm drinking, if you follow my drift! The slugs... yes, absolutely everywhere, not just where the veg is! I've given quite a few a headache today (maybe that's why I've got a headache?!), flinging them onto the vacant plot next door.

Have a lovely afternoon all.

EssexHebridean

Oh yes, I'd forgotten that particular use for allotment sheds!  

Cheery_Daff

😂😂😂 excellent use of a shed! 

You're right about the tea,  if have to make sure the camping stove was outside,  or probably the storm kettle as its more fun 😁 I am finding the old chicken run excellent for a bit of outdoor indoor sitting - mesh round the top half, windows round the bottom, and a good solid roof - I have a camping chair set up in there permanently now, as well as the seat i built into the greenhouse 😂 Pointless as this is all in the garden, which is of course just outside the house, but still 😂

I'm very pleased with myself for deciding to have a year off veg growing. I've not really missed the seedling stress or the guilt of not planting stuff out when I should, but it's a bit sad to have not even the odd thing growing, and I think I'm going to go back to it next year. Might have a redesign of the veg patch over the winter. It's square, with thin beds round the edge and four square beds in the middle, and it's good because I can reach the middle of everything, but it's actually a nuisance to dance round with the wheelbarrow or lawnmower, and the edge beds just fill up with grass because the fence is wire and it's hard to weed through it. I think I need flowerbeds round the outside to keep the grass (think wayward field rather than pretty lawn) is kept a bit further away, and possibly lines in between. We'll see...

themadvix

Just lost a looong post.

Short version - allotment day was lovely, would definitely do a modified version again. Mr MV eventually made it back from Germany/Hull with another cold. Pub Friday evening, quiet weekend, except in-laws round for drinks and fire on Saturday night. Made profiteroles (choux pastry on 40 before 40 list). Sent invitations for party to printers. Packed. Am using stuff up from fridge - stuffed marrow, sweetcorn soup, chilli, stewed apples etc. etc.

Have prepped/submitted invoices as I'll be away at month end. One for main client is going to be huge (probably will not submit until we get back, but won't be an issue). Have submitted timesheets for Cambridge.

MS things:

* Clicks and HW done

* Using stuff up

* 4 portions of stewed apple ready for crumble topping

* chillis (gifted) drying

* picked cannellini beans (not dry yet) to dry in kitchen

* Expenses cheque received from Trefoil - £52

* Mr MV away Weds night, so cancelled Weds milk

Gratitudes:

* Friday afternoon - bowling with Trefoil ladies, followed by pub and Mr MV finally making it home (the entire trip was a fiasco of someone else's making - nearly missed his flight, flight was massively delayed, missed train to Hull etc. etc.)

* Compliments from the recipients of my work (via main client)

* Lovely evening with in-laws

* A quiet weekend!

Have a good afternoon all!

redofromstart

I felt tired just reading that! 

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Think it was just the abbreviated writing Redo, there really wasn't much going on!

More work for main client this morning, although again, not as much as I'd like him to be giving me (again, I suspect it's that it's just not ready). He's heading back to Europe tomorrow though, so at least we'll be virtually in the same time zone again when I get back from holiday.

We are both very ready for our holiday. Mr MV decided against a meeting he had in Crewe today - he's not well and frankly, the amount of driving for very little purpose was not worth it. He's away overnight tomorrow for work and it would be nice if he wasn't completely exhausted before our long drive in France/holiday. I am enjoying the work for main client, but definitely need a break from Cambridge - September is a really busy month for them and it's just been a pain really on top of my work.

MS things:

* Clicks and HW done (am getting back into the swing of this after a break)

* Prolific tab is actually open, although I haven't done any surveys as yet - actual work has taken priority over the last couple of months

* Tonight's dinner will be slow-cooked courgette pasta (with what might be the last of the fresh courgettes)

* Leftover chilli will go with chips/jacket potato (I'll need to buy one if I want that) for dinner tomorrow night for just me

Movement (has been lacking the last couple of days):

* Lunchtime walk is planned

* I only need another half hour of yoga to get my September warrior badge, so will try to do that this evening

Gratitudes:

* Definitely beginning to feel like I am part of the allotment group - had another meeting last night and need to action some bits before I go away

* Mr MV cooked a lovely chilli while I was out, despite a lack of onions!

* Playtime with B&W - he'll randomly start wailing and then we know it's playtime - so cute!

* Evening class homework is already done 😇

Have a lovely afternoon all!

LadyWithAPlan

Lovely to get positive feedback on work done well.

I am loving your list of to do's especially choux pastry.... I cant sadly eat it (GF) but I will always remember its deliciousness in eclairs

themadvix

When you work on your own, it's rare to get feedback, as I'm sure you'll appreciate LaPlan, so yes, it's always really lovely to hear it (I get thanks from my direct clients, but that's not the same as compliments about a job well done from their clients, IYSWIM).

I can't take any credit for the list - a friend did one last year ahead of her 40th and it was the inspiration. It's fun though, and has inspired me to start a 'would like to do next year' list, so that we can make sure we progress things rather than just sit around thinking 'that would be nice'. At the moment, there's camping with 3/4 different groups of people on it! Suspect we won't manage all of these, but one or two would be good.

themadvix

Two nice bits of MSEness to report this afternoon - my cheque has cleared, so that will head over to be paid off my Virgin cc (£39 is sat on there from this month, but the additional £14 or so has been paid off previously so a nice 'bonus').

And Mum wanted a referral to Smarty, which I was very willing to give (and got in quick before Sis!). So that will be £20 in a voucher headed my way in a couple of months.

Have just caught up with main client's work - although expecting him to send more shortly. In the meantime, I'm going to reconcile bank accounts I think... Don't really want to leave my accounts until Thursday morning if avoidable.

I am *so* ready for our holiday!