So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

It was indeed *that* subterranean adventure! (We did a Hidden London tour of Baker Street station). It was excellent! Think we’ll be doing more in the future. Thanks for your assistance with it EH - and you were right about the claustrophobia, no issues there.

 Have just had an overpriced lunch 🙄 Nice dinner planned for later but it and the cocktails will be covered by Mr MV’s Amex dining credit.

EssexHebridean

Oh I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it - they are SO good! 

LadyWithAPlan

Sorry to hear re the fish and hope some survived! 
Not done those Hidden London tours but they sound fun

QueenJess

Ooh - I think one of those tours would be right up DH’s street. I must add it to the list of things to do.

EssexHebridean

QJ they really are excellent - we've done most of the current set and they are all fascinating in their own way. 

newgirly

The tour looks great Vix, I didn’t know they existed 🙂

themadvix

Evening all,

Have been MIA due to a combination of another huge project with a tight deadline and being away Thursday-Saturday at the Christmas markets in Cologne. The first was a huge pain - I worked 6.30am-10.30pm one night with only short breaks for lunch and dinner (and missed my evening class), but at least it's over now. Am doing another much smaller project for main client but that might then be it until after Christmas.

Cologne was fantastic. We went by Eurostar, which was so much nicer than flying (and really, wouldn't have been any longer except we had an hour's delay on the way out - see below), and the markets were excellent - plentiful sensibly priced gluhwein (between 3.50 and 5.00 euros, rather than the £7 I've seen here), several glasses of kolsch, a good exchange rate and some lovely presents bought. Mr MV's Amex dining credit paid for dinner on the two nights (in two different restaurants) and for drinks in the bar before we left (with some credit still to spare). We did splash on train tickets to Wuppertal to see the Schwebebahn (a hanging monorail that gets you round the city), but as we'd been to Cologne before, it was nice to get out of the city and see somewhere different.

Due to some engineering work caused by an accident at the end of November, we were an hour late arriving in Cologne - but we'll get a third of our ticket price for that leg of the journey back (probably as Eurostar credit - would only be 25% if we want cash). On the way back, the same problem caused us to be running late for our connection in Brussels by an hour - and we only had an hour to spare - so that was a bit stressful. However, they held the train for us (and many others) and in the end we were only half an hour late back to St Pancras, which was very impressive. If the train hadn't waited Eurostar would have put us up in Brussels - we were a bit disappointed that this didn't happen!

So this week is mostly about Cambridge work and getting caught up with Christmas. Did make a good start on Christmas shopping at the weekend and have got the decorations up (a record for us - it's usually the weekend before Christmas). I have a rush report to do for Cambridge this week, but I've not started yet - tomorrow will be the day. Unfortunately it looks like Mr MV has picked something up on the train (he's tested negative for Covid, fortunately - I *really* don't want that before Christmas again), so I think I'll be looking after him from a distance and hoping I don't catch it.

MS things:
* Sensible spending while away - helped by the exchange rate and the Amex dining credit
* £3 PC survey done
* Utilising the Nectar points/prices to best of my ability (have just made an unscheduled visit as needed Covid tests)
* NW reg saver matured and I've transferred back to Tandem and opened a new one

Gratitudes:
* A lovely weekend away
* A quiet Sunday at home - relaxing but also productive (baking, Christmas decs, the Grand Prix and some housework)
* Cats were super-well looked after by my friend (for free, in exchange for some cat sitting I did for her earlier in the year)
* We missed the storm
* Allotment/garden seem to have survived the storm intact

Have a good evening all!

rtandon27

Welcome back Vix - glad to hear you had a good time at the Christmas markets & happily missed the storm!

Baileys_Babe

Sounds like you had a great time away.

EssexHebridean

Well aside from the delays that does sound like a lovely few days - that monorail sounds fascinating, too! 

Glad to hear your garden & allotment survived the winds OK. we too got off lightly although I did have to rescue a blown over garden waste bin on Sunday morning - thankfully it didn't do any damage to the redcurrant bush it landed on!