So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

try_harder

Just to add to all your other jobs ..70% off final fees on Ebax for 4 days

Karmacat

I love that thing of planting old seeds just in case they do something, you can't tell.  

Glasgow is amazing, by the way - I went to a convention there, an Army museum for my Irish sergeant ancestor who fought at Waterloo and stayed with a friend, as well as a few trips for work back in the day.

And the other thing I love is the use of the plank - with notches and stuff, it could be really helpful 🌻🌺🌼🌸

Baileys_Babe

I adore Glasgow and would love to live there, many moons ago it looked like OHs job might relocate there but it never happened 😒

Homemade biscuits seem like the perfect present for GMIL, they will appreciate that you have taken time and made them with love ❤️ 

themadvix

Thanks @try_harder, hadn’t seen that! It’s mainly Mr MV’s stuff, so one for tomorrow!

@Karmacat we really liked what we saw of Glasgow when we visited on a day trip from a camping holiday, so it’ll be good to go back (and maybe see more Mackintosh stuff, I love his work). The botanical gardens look good too and they are free.

@Baileys_Babe oh biscuits are very unlikely to be appreciated, she’s a very odd woman (always has been, it’s not just old age). It felt like a better present to me though than just some chocolate.

 Have been out for various bits - failed on the sad chilli plant (these places look after their plants too well these days!), but did get 6 each of Savoy cabbage and Brussels sprout plants for £2.80 total (B&Q has 20% off plants), which seemed very reasonable. Also picked up seeds for carrots, radish and kale in Wilkos. Bought a pack of proper cornflakes for the Sealife centre voucher as am taking niece next weekend for her birthday present (back in December).

 Just enjoying a sit down and a plum courtesy of my  Olio friend who has gone away and left me the leftovers from her fruit/veg box! 😁 Then I’d better wander down the road and plant some radishes and kale!

Jessy103

Hi vix, just caught up on your diary, sorry, I didn't realise you had a new one! Glad you had a great holiday, sounds amazing! The allotment sounds fun too! 🙂

Suffolk_lass

Not sure if you have seen the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, but it is worth making time for - in Pollok Country Park

savingholmes

Sounds like you have lovely things to look forward to.

MatyMoo

Delurking to say if you haven’t been the a house for an Art Lover is a must see for Mackintosh Lovers and has an excellent cafe but it isn’t cheap! Scotland Street Museum was a bit of a disappointment though. 

Also worth having a look at the exterior of Glasgow School of Art.

Non Mackintosh favourites include the Peoples Palace, Kelvingrove and the transport museum.

Its my favourite Scottish city!

themadvix

Morning all,

 @Jessy103 and @savingholmes thanks!
@Suffolk_lass and @MatyMoo thanks for the recommendations. We're hoping to get to Hill House which will be a train journey, so not sure if we'll have time for the Burrell Collection too, although it looks amazing. (Mr MV has a limited tolerance for art and old houses - the advantage of the Hill House is the engineering of the giant box it is currently in!). Saw the Glasgow School of Art (after the first fire) last time we were there - it's beautiful! Transport museum might be a winner though - thanks for that.

A very busy few days since I last posted. We went to see Liam Gallagher at Knebworth on Friday, which was excellent. Mr MV's dad paid for dinner (pizza) but I bought a round of drinks that came to the same amount! Avoided an Uber on the way back as BIL kindly came and collected us.

Saturday I visited a new cat client for a meet and greet, did some work and then we went to the in-laws to do some work on the mini and met some friends at the local Jubilee celebrations - no money spent there as queues were ridiculous! In-laws bought us takeaway dinner as we also did some loft clearing (cupboards here now full of ebay/freegle bits until they go!).

Sunday we did lots of household jobs, I popped to the allotment and planted brassicas - PSB, romanesco, and the brussels and savoy I'd bought. Running out of space now and have 20 beans plants still to go in! Brassicas are protected from slugs, birds and insects, so hoping that something survives! (Really appreciating the difficulties of large-scale organic production now.) Extended family came round for strawbs and cream and tea in the afternoon/early evening, which was lovely. Our Sodastream arrived (paid for from joint present money) - so had a play with that. Should mean drinks are healthier and cheaper as it'll encourage me to drink water. Will hack it a la Frugalwoods once we've got to grips with it

Monday we travelled to Manchester for GMIL's 100th yesterday. Went to Harvey Nicks to spend Mr MV's £50 credit through his platinum Amex - bought some lovely foodie bits - truffle oil, balsamic etc. Met friends in the evening for dinner, which was lovely (Mr MV paid).

Yesterday was the birthday party, which went very well, but MIL (who had organised all the food and generally knew what was going on) fell ill just beforehand, so I ended up doing all of that. Hectic but GMIL was happy and enjoyed herself (as did all the residents in her retirement flats). 

I think that brings me up to date! Loads of work to get on with today, which is great, and I've been to Tesco for my Olio collection too. Need to pop down to allotment and check on everything later. I also have quite a few cards I need to make and the weekend's trip to the Sea Life centre to book. And library books to return - due back yesterday and I couldn't renew again! Eek!

Not sure I've mentioned that we're getting solar - Mr MV is sorting it, we're going with Eon as they offer interest free credit over 3 years. A 5.2 kWh battery too. Between this and Ripple we should be pretty energy independent, even with the car, in the summer, and we'll continue to use Octopus Go's cheap rate for car charging in the winter/to top up the battery.

MS things:
* Won £2 on TV survey
* Signed up for RM Correctly Delivered survey for end of month
* New cat client
* Dad looked after cats while we were away (BIL and SIL obviously with us for birthday celebrations)
* Free bread and bananas from Olio
* Clicks done
* Leftover dollars exchanged and £40.98 paid off remaining holiday cc spends
* £3.96 TCB withdrawn

Gratitudes:
* GMIL had a lovely day yesterday
* MIL is feeling much better now (she is currently having investigations for her unwellness)
* Great catch up with friends
* Love to spend time in Manchester
* We have birthday cake to eat 
* Work! (Friend had offered me some work for her, but it was too much of a commitment for me as work is picking up, so turned her down, but she'd still like me to do something for her too)

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

What an amazing (long) weekend you've had.  And well done you in stepping in for the MIL. 

Very interesting about the solar - I think you *did* mention it, but to be honest I didn't even try to follow the ins and outs, it's hard enough if it's about my own stuff, my brain clams up on other people's numbers   but being almost at energy independence is **extremely** impressive.  Good for you