So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

savingholmes

Sounds super busy. Glad you had an enjoyable weekend.

Solar plans sound interesting. I'm north east facing so don't think my house is a good candidate... 

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Karma and Savingholmes. If you're north-east facing SH, surely the back of the house is SW facing, which would be almost ideal? We're east-west, so having effectively two arrays, one on each side of the roof. And because they'll be separately controlled, it will be cheaper (something to do with not needing tilters). I'm not sure about total energy independence KC, as we'll still have GCH, but I expect we'll be a lot closer - and be using more electricity for heating if we have surplus/charge the battery overnight on the cheap rate.

Just had an Olioer turn up at the door... she had gone to the wrong house!  

I have plenty of work to do - main client has finally sent stuff through and has said that we'll be busy for a couple of weeks at least. I also need to get those beans in the ground - I'm going to have a hayfever tablet and head down there soon, before it gets too hot. Everything was looking happy down there last night though, which is great (from a distance I even mistook my brassica tunnel for someone else's, it looked so neat! ).

Mr MV is currently on a call for some market research - he was headhunted via linkedin as it relates to his work. He's cleared it with his boss and it'll earn him £150/hour (at least one, maybe two!). He says he doesn't mind working for that hourly rate! He will have to catch up with his actual work later though.

Veg box should be here shortly, which is good as fridge is looking very bare. Having a slightly larger one every two weeks works really well for us - the pressure to use it all up is far less and it saves us some money too.

Popped into town yesterday - I'm definitely on sabbatical from Buy Nothing New in '22. Bought cards for various people for next month and will post a batch today. I also need to book a boiler service (phone plumber), book the roofer to come and do some repairs (another phone call) and call Octopus to change the name on the account (Ripple means it has to be in Mr MV's name) and book the installation of an isolator switch. I hate making phone calls!

MS things:
* Clicks done
* 1P and MM surveys done before I got up
* £2 Populous (or whatever they're called) survey done
* Stir fry last night to use up bottom of fridge stuff
* Freezer inventory done - don't need to buy burgers for BBQ at weekend

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine - everything is growing at speed!
* Work
* Our health

Have a good day y'all!

themadvix

Morning all,

Loads of work to fit in here, along with housework as we're out tomorrow with Niece and have people coming on Sunday for a BBQ. Have just put a load of washing on and will hang it out when dry. 

Beans all went in yesterday (bar 3, I have no more space) and I'll check on them later. Am meeting a 'new' cat client later (she's actually the daughter of one of my Brownie friends and an ex-Brownie, so I know her pretty well!) - she's booked me for a couple of days next week and then two weeks in September. I think I'll head to Aldi/Lidl after I've met her and get what I need for Sunday. Still need to book tickets for tomorrow - have left Mr MV in charge of train tickets as he seems to get cheaper prices on Trainpal than I can, and then it's just the Sea life centre. We're both knackered and when Sis rang last night to say Niece wasn't feeling well and to hold off on booking, we were a bit relieved. However, Niece is feeling much better this morning, so we're back on - it's OK for both adults to nap on the train, right?! Have agreed to go from station in Sis's town and she'll give us a lift to station, so that has cut the cost by £18 (£10 cheaper tickets and £8 station parking in our town!). I have some money set aside towards tomorrow, so most of it should be covered by that.

MS things:
* Fitted most of the beans in - these are protein for the winter as I'll be growing them to dry.
* 1P survey
* £5 withdrawn from HW after a  50p win this morning 
* Another cat-sitting enquiry from a pre-existing client

Gratitudes:
* Strawberries and raspberries are nearly ripe!
* Lots of work
* Sunshine and cat cuddles

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

themadvix said:

I also need to get those beans in the ground - I'm going to have a hayfever tablet and head down there soon, before it gets too hot. Everything was looking happy down there last night though, which is great (from a distance I even mistook my brassica tunnel for someone else's, it looked so neat! ).

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine - everything is growing at speed!
* Work
* Our health

Have a good day y'all!

I love the mistaken ID of your brassica tunnel  and especially love your gratitudes.  I'm not *quite* as grateful as you for the speed at which things are growing, as I seem to have inadvertently abandoned the bottom half of my garden, and even the grass on the "lawn" is a couple of feet high 😮😲🥴

Excellent use of split ticketing there for your weekend visit too - I have to go through London to get to my cruise departure, and I used it there, saved a *lot* of money.

savingholmes

I love that your allotment is so organised too that you didn't think it was yours

I will investigate the direction of my house. Ex always said it wasn't doable but maybe he's wrong. With the current energy crisis would be good to know. 

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks Karma and SH - it's not quite so tidy close up, but the no-dig does make it look pretty good!

Had a lovely day out with Niece on Saturday - she is so lovely and well-behaved. Even on a two-hour each way train journey, which is impressive for a 5-year-old. Mr MV and I were exhausted by the end of the day though! Yesterday our friends came for a BBQ with their two children and we were exhausted after that too - it's lovely to spend time with children, but definitely appreciate being able to hand them back. At least the cats only get vocal when they're hungry!

Saturday was expensive - spent about £100. I think next year for her birthday I'll offer a day out and it'll maybe be the seaside *or* a particular venue - she wanted to do crazy golf but I had to say no as that would have been another £20 for three of us! Sunday's BBQ was much cheaper though as I had some burgers in the freezer, bought Aldi sausages and bread and bananas from Olio (BBQ chocolate bananas are soooo good).

Today I've completed some work for my main client and am heading out shortly to meet up with ex-Brownie friends. I've been to visit cats this morning and have got my bike out and ready to go again this evening - parking is tricky there and I think cycling is probably going to be quicker/easier. And I've officially got a Starling savings pot for an e-bike now - I would use it a lot I think! Various other jobs being done before I go out - messaged the plumber about a boiler service, popped to Costco, emailed Octopus about something.

Sold two ebay items at the weekend - the money is going towards the other mini's refurb, but I'll get to keep postage money where I can use my stamps to pay for it. Need to pack them up but the packing stuff is in Mr MV's office and he's on a call! 

MS things:
* MM surveys over weekend
* 1P up to date
* YG surveys
* Aldi shopping and Olio freebies
* First raspberries have been enjoyed

Gratitudes:
* Lovely day out with Niece and Mr MV (inc fish and chips at the seaside and a milkshake!)
* Lovely to see friends yesterday, even if they are in the thick of child-rearing
* Looking forward to catch-up with friends this afternoon - they'll want to hear about our holiday

Have a good day all!

QueenJess

Ooh BBQ chocolate bananas… I will definitely be stealing that idea!!

Baileys_Babe

Are you setting aside the cat sitting money for an ebike?

themadvix

BBQ chocolate bananas are the best - just slice through the skin, push some squares of chocolate in and put on BBQ until gooey and delicious! Works brilliantly for everyone!

Baileys_Babe, that would make sense, but because I'm self-employed all the money just goes into the same business account and I have to pay tax and NI on it, so it just 'disappears' into earnings (as do my survey earnings etc.).

themadvix

Registration shenanigans are ongoing about this work I'm meant to be doing for my friend (now Weds, not tomorrow as that works better for both of us). Weds is now looking optimistic though as processes need to be completed and it's all been done a***-backwards. Oh well.... I can cope if it's not this week (next week is quieter, I think).

Main client has sent a large project to work on and says there's more after that, so I've got plenty to get on with.

Have parcelled up two boxes with ebay sales, but it's a bit late to send them now.

Had a lovely walk and cuppa with friends and have arranged for lunch next month - at my local tapas bar, which is lovely.