So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Not much to report here. Plenty of work happening - both for main client and Cambridge, although I'm feeling fairly positive about the workload currently. I'm doing something different for main client in and around the other stuff we've got on.

Lunch for me was the last of the pea soup, as planned (although there was less than expected) and the end of the loaf (also less than expected!). Have topped up with a boiled egg (boiled one for tomorrow's sandwich too) and some grapes we brought back from France. Mr MV is using his loyalty points from work for his lunch - I did offer to get the next loaf out last night, but he declined. After much deliberation - mainly along the lines of 'we could have XXX, oh but we haven't got YYY' - tonight's dinner will be a tofu rice bowl with peanut, lime and chill sauce. R'ford comes tomorrow and options will be much more open!

Heated airer has been on a couple of nights on the cheap rate now as the weather forecast was incorrect to start with and then the weather hasn't been great. We are slowly getting through the washing though. No heating on as yet - it's not been needed and nor has house been chilly (I lie - we had it on for half an hour when we got back - house was fine, but we weren't used to the cooler temps!). We've also accidentally saved on some hot water heating costs - the pump was making an awful noise when I got back from the allotment the other night and Mr MV (in the bath, right next to the airing cupboard) hadn't realised that's where the noise was coming from... Turned everything off as it didn't sound right - after trying a few things, Mr MV checked the header tank - it was empty because the ball valve had got stuck. We seem to have saved the pump for now (a huge relief as a replacement would have been £300 plus labour), but I totally forgot to turn the timer back on for the hot water!

MS things:

* Clicks and HW done

* No heating

* Using food we have in

* Stewed up an apple with some free blackberries from freezer to top my porridge for the next few days; the worms appreciated the peel

* Dinner last night was hm veggie sausage and mash, featuring hg leeks, potatoes, chard and tiny courgettes)

Movement:

* 10 mins yoga

* 100 squats

* Going for a walk after I write this!

Gratitudes:

* Many cat cuddles - they definitely missed us!

* Productive meeting with Cambridge report boss - has helped me get an overview

* Plenty of food in the house - just creativity needed!

Have a good evening all!

EssexHebridean

Excellent extortionate parking charge dodging there - and that sounds like a fantastic trip too!

Oh I truly don't miss our old water pump, or indeed the header tank come to that! SUCH a faff when they go wrong - although MrEH learned how to change ours and did it on both occasions it needed doing, it was an hour of muttering and swearing that he (and I!) could have done without. 

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Well after yesterday's sense of calm about work, chaos reigns again today. So much to do and so little time. Never mind, it's really good to be in demand - and I know I've got plenty of work until well after Christmas now, which is really unusual for me!

Have been and picked up my new glasses today - think I'll need to get them adjusted, but will see how I get on first.

R'ford delivery arrived today and all packed away - we're having soupy leeky rice for dinner tonight - a favourite, but definitely an autumn/winter option.

Did some washing this morning with intention of hanging it out, but weather hasn't been great and I've not had a chance, so it'll go on the airer tonight.

Mr MV has booked the car in for two new tyres tomorrow - an expected expense when we bought the car. I'll have to take it as he's got to be in the office.

MS things:
* Clicks and HW - just cashed out £5 from one bookie
* Lots of work
* Plans for all the veg delivered today

Movement:
* 15 mins of yoga
* 5 mins of core work
* Am suffering from yesterday's 100 squats!

Gratitudes:

* Lovely fresh fruit and veg from R'ford - it's always lovely to receive it
* Mr MV at home today - unusual for a Thursday
* A productive meeting with Cambridge boss/friend

Have a good evening all!

Cheery_Daff

Very impressed at you doing 100 squats!! 😱 

Good on you for having work til after Christmas too. Might be busy, but is it a bit of a relief to have that amount of certainty.

I'm going to have to do some washing tomorrow, had to do a LOT of rummaging to find clean underwear for today, and I think tonight will be handwashing then the radiator 😂 That's what happens when I have to go into the office every day! 😂

rtandon27

@Cheery_Daff - hilarious mental image of you rummaging for smalls! We have a load of laundry drying in the summer house - OH moaned he was out of pants and almost went out there to get a pair starkers! Luckily I'd thought ahead and kept two pairs drying inside!

Viking_mfw

Cheery_Daff said:

I'm going to have to do some washing tomorrow, had to do a LOT of rummaging to find clean underwear for today, and I think tonight will be handwashing then the radiator 😂 That's what happens when I have to go into the office every day! 😂

This makes it sound like you only wear pants when you're in the office, Cheery... but after a moment I assume you mean you don't do the washing like when wfh!

greenbee

Viking_mfw said:

Cheery_Daff said:

I'm going to have to do some washing tomorrow, had to do a LOT of rummaging to find clean underwear for today, and I think tonight will be handwashing then the radiator 😂 That's what happens when I have to go into the office every day! 😂

This makes it sound like you only wear pants when you're in the office, Cheery... 

I’m glad you said it 😂

Cheery_Daff

Viking_mfw said:

Cheery_Daff said:

I'm going to have to do some washing tomorrow, had to do a LOT of rummaging to find clean underwear for today, and I think tonight will be handwashing then the radiator 😂 That's what happens when I have to go into the office every day! 😂

This makes it sound like you only wear pants when you're in the office, Cheery... but after a moment I assume you mean you don't do the washing like when wfh!

😂😂😂 Ha, yes, I just mean I haven't got round to putting a wash on! 😂😂 

themadvix

🤣🤣 you  lot! I got what you meant Cheery!

themadvix

Morning all,

Just lost a very ranty post about neighbours and parking... probably too much detail for you lot anyway. Suffice to say I'm fed up - want to look on RM, but really don't want to move! Unfortunately neighbours (not immediate - both of those are lovely) who are at fault aren't likely to go anywhere for a long time. They are the most entitled people on the planet, it seems - freely offering the right to block our driveway to builders not even working on their house! We've spent so much time (and money) on getting things nice (I'm particularly thinking of the garden and decking this summer) that I really don't want to start the drama/rigmarole of looking at houses again, but several things recently have made me dissatisfied (including vehicle arson in several streets near us the other night). 

I don't actually know what the answer is - don't really want to move from our house (love it, don't need more internal space, no mortgage), don't really want to move out of the town (v. near BIL and SIL, tap room, cycle network, wider family, friends), but see arson comment above, along with other 'town' factors, plus it was never meant to be our long-term plan, and there are other things we'd like.

But no mortgage: if we moved anywhere near here, we'd likely end up with a mortgage twice as big as we started with at least; if we have a mortgage, Mr MV has to stay in well-paid employment - which he could walk away from at the moment if necessary; Mr MV doesn't want a mortgage into his 60s, so time is limited for paying it off.

I think we need a plan... and probably we won't get to thinking about this until the NY properly. But we both cope better mentally with a plan. Maybe we'll revert to the self-build option (apparently if we register with them, our council have to offer us a suitable plot within 3 years?), maybe we'll just buy some woodland and go camp in the woods to get away from the neighbours!

Anyway... the car is in for some new shoes (tyres) this morning - a walk away from home, so I will go and get her in a bit (I can see they're doing the work as I'm getting app notifications about tyre pressures!). I have plenty of work to be getting on with. It's chilly here - heating kicked in this morning for the first time. I'm currently sitting with all the windows open though as it was rather damp (probably due to the washing on the heated airer overnight).

Mr MV is in the office today (took the mini). Pub tonight, so I'll prep a dal and rice for dinner and then it'll be v. quick to get finished when we get in. BIL and SIL are coming to the end of their mortgage deal (a really good one), so they're going to be tightening their belts soon (we're never entirely sure how they manage as it is, and they are sensible too), so discipline on just having a couple of halves at the pub and heading home for dinner will be high!

MS things:
* Two very quick and reasonably lucrative bits of work done
* Cat sitting booked for Christmas Eve (will discuss when I see client in November, as think they would probably really like a Christmas Day visit, which I was hoping to have off - but I might offer to go late on Christmas Eve if that would help.
*Oooh, that £5 from the bookie will have arrived - need to decide which savings pot to stash that in.

Movement:

* Walk back and to garage. May walk to pub later? Will do some yoga at some point.

Gratitudes:
* Lovely sunshine here this morning
* It's Friday!
* I hate taking cars to the garage, but the man there was nice and it was quiet and, most importantly, there was plenty of space to park!

Have a good day all!