So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

Cheery_Daff

Urgh, sorry to hear about the vexatious vexatious! Most vexing. Hope today goes more smoothly!

themadvix

Morning all,

Glad to hear you've got away SH. Cheery, your comment made me smile - thank you. Woke up at 3 and couldn't get back to sleep - and with a banging headache. It's still lurking now, but due some more ibuprofen shortly. 

Unfortunately the vexatiousness hasn't gone away - the recipe boxes arrived and the salesman gave me a load of utter BS about the sustainability of their packaging. Suffice to say subscription has been cancelled forthwith (which was going to happen anyway) and a very snotty bit of feedback given that suggests they refer to their competitors (Riverford) before suggesting their packaging is sustainable. What a load of greenwash. 

However, today is likely to be a pleasant day - I have a meeting very shortly with Cambridge people, then a panini for lunch before meeting Mum in nearby market town for a mooch (Mr MV is taking me as he has an appointment there, so that's convenient). Have a few things on my CS list to keep an eye out for and also need to post ebay parcel. FIL has collected some free, brand new 250ml bottles for me from a lady near to them (FB Marketplace) which will be useful for alcoholic fruit-based gifts and I'm collecting some gifty jam jars from another FB Marketplacer with mum later - also new, but I am paying for them - £3 for 7, so still a bargain. It's going to be a very homemade Christmas this year I think.

MS things:
* Leftover daal for tea last night
* Clicks and HW done - no wins today though
* Discovered a veritable stash of painkillers etc in my wash bag - these have now been moved downstairs to be used
* Paninis for lunch from Olio
* Lots of interest on ebay for stuff listed yesterday (and a bid on one already)
* Will have hit the payout threshold for work platform jobs this month, which will be paid tomorrow - only 70 euros, but better than nowt

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine - I know, we've had rather too much, but it is lovely
* A mooch round the CSs to look forward to
* Oooh and the plan is to take the mini out for a drive (and swift half) this evening

Have a good day all - I've managed to cheer myself up while writing this, so that's good!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Gosh it's hot out there. Mooch around town was a bit disappointing - several of the charity shops were closed (as were quite a number of the other shops - major staff shortages it seems) and of those that were open, none had anything I was looking for. I did get a couple of cards needed (haven't quite pysched myself up to make any since Covid) and posted the parcel. Also picked up the jars and they are good sized ones, so definitely a bargain (would be £2 each at least in a shop). I did buy us some treats from the bakery to bring home and have with a cuppa, so £4 spent there (I didn't pay for parking or fuel though).

Client has got back to me about a query, which is a bit of a relief as he'd gone very quiet. 

The mini is out on the drive, ready for this evening, so looking forward to that. And we're having halloumi and pesto burgers, which we should be able to cook outside on the induction hob, so that will be nice.

Cheery_Daff

Yes, it's been warm today! Sorry about your disappointing charity shop experience 🙄 Good news on the client though, and sounds like you're in for a lovely evening 😊

savingholmes

Good news on the client. 

I think home made has a lot to recommend it. We probably should go back to that - and it would for many of us - significantly reduce present stress. No I can't give you expensive gizmo as I'm not capable of making that - painting anyone? Seriously, I always felt intimidated by my ex SIL who gave ex MIL expensive presents, trips abroad and all sorts. Turns out she was intimidated by the fact that I gave hand-crafted presents... While that wasn't the goal it's interesting.

themadvix

Oh that’s very interesting - just goes to show how perspectives differ!

LadyWithAPlan

the_cross_rabbit said:

🤣 I used to be scared of triffids  when I was little because of that program .
CRx

I still am petrified by triffids and too large palm trees

themadvix

Morning all,

You and your triffid fears - I don't know what the programme in question is, must be too young! Just know that if something grows like a triffid, it's taking over! 😂

I have just got back from the allotment and made a cup of tea... left about 8.30 and told Mr MV I'd only be an hour... However, for my efforts I have several kilos of potatoes (to add to the several kilos already here), two large courgettes (after =Ii thought we might get a break from them!), a paltry onion that's barely bigger than when it went in, two sunflowers , 12 plums, a handful of blackberries and two courgette flowers. I've also cleared 1.5 beds of potatoes now and the dead peas, sown radish and spinach, pruned my brassicas, watered and fed stuff, and laid some fresh cardboard for a path as the old stuff was getting a bit ropey and letting the bindweed through. Full-sized corn has cobs developing now, there's a baby squash (and lots of flowers), my savoy cabbages are beginning to form hearts and the beans are doing well too (I'm growing borlotti and yin and yang for drying and edamame for eating - the first two are doing well, the edamame haven't started producing yet). All in all a worthwhile 2 and a bit hours. And I'm quite glad the plums are taking their time... it won't be long though until it's jamming, canning and stewing time. 

Am absolutely shattered now though... Collecting some bananas from an Olioer later, but otherwise, I think a gentle day is in order. (Have just remembered, we're meant to be walking down to replace a geocache later this evening... will see how I feel!)

Had a lovely evening last night - recipe box halloumi burger and pesto was nice and then we went for a drive in the mini and a drink in a village pub (so many village pubs shut on a Monday though, it took a while before we left to find one). It felt like we were making the most of summer, which hasn't been the case for the last month or so, being cooped up at home with no energy, so hurrah for doing something fun that uses the long evenings!

MS things:
* YG survey done
* HW done - 75p up there
* Clicks done
* Have an 'interview' with a new potential client tomorrow evening
* Only used half the pesto last night, so lunch will be mozzarella and pesto paninis today (mozzarella needs using up), instead of attacking the basil again!
* Allotment food
* Free bananas
* The thick paper bags that held the pantry items in the recipe boxes have been put to good use as potato storage

Gratitudes:
* Lovely drive out last night and drink with Mr MV (and less than a fiver too as he only had a half)
* Sunflowers
* Nice allotment time (even if I'm knackered now!)

Have a good day all!

savingholmes

Allotment sounds really productive. You have reminded me to pick some plums - when it's cooler tonight.

Good luck with prospective client.

South_coast

I've never seen it, but I grew up hearing about The Day of The Triffids. My Mum still chuckles about them every time she sees a "Heavy plant crossing" sign 🤣