So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

Hi Jellytotts! Interesting about bananas making your DH a target for bites - not heard of that before, but I guess it makes him smell tastier!

I have a Delia recipe for a tomato risotto that is delicious and calls for 'sun-blushed' tomatoes, which sound just like yours. Can only get them in WR in my experience, so I rarely make the risotto (it's quite faffy in any case) - I think it might feature more often if I can make my own - they are delicious!

themadvix

Meant to say earlier that I've swapped a voucher for Go Ape from BAG for a Zizzi's voucher for the weekend - so we can have a lovely meal while we're in London (just hoping we're not also visiting a lying-in-state, given the news 😔). Have done Go Ape loads of times, so quite happy to swap it this time round.

savingholmes

Sun-dried tomatoes about £1.35 a jar - sure they used to be more like 60p pre conflict!

Very tasty in pasta though. They are in sunflower oil.

Suffolk_lass

Beetroot and parsnips are good for dehydrator "crisps"!

themadvix

Morning all,

Obviously we didn't go to the football at the weekend, but expect to be going up to London at some point this week (I don't want to queue for the predicted 20 hours, but would like to go - my friend and I visited the Queen Mother's lying-in-state). Mr MV feels similarly (I wasn't particularly expecting him to be bothered, but he is). We may go late evening, we'll see.

In other news, my dehydrator arrived on Saturday, so have been playing with that. Will definitely be trying beetroot and parsnip crisps SL, they are lovely. At the moment it's test running (still, but it's low powered) and has tomatoes, garlic and onions in. It was in excellent condition - virtually brand new, so a bargain at £20 + postage. Looking forward to testing all sorts of things in there and making the cat's treats instead of buying them.

The roofer arrived on Saturday and made a start - he was here from 8 till 3 (we could see when he left on the cameras) - so far, very impressed - polite, friendly, hardworking and reliable.

We spent Saturday at the in-laws - Mr MV had spent the night there after meeting a friend for dinner - and we finally got the Mini into the garage and off the drive (quite a feat given the before state of the garage). MIL fed us Saturday lunchtime and evening and we came home with some defrosted old cooked chicken for the cats (the final part of garage tidying involved excavating the back of one of the freezers) and some very OOD passata (that is probably fine). Yesterday we caught up on stuff around here and watched the GP. Dad called in with some apples from the village orchard too - so I turned some of them into an apple crumble for dessert. 

I got some work done on Saturday morning before heading out (working with the TV on for the proclamation etc.), so that I'm ahead with this project for my main client. I'm expecting to lose a working day (or part thereof) this week if we go into London, so it'll be good to be ahead. 

MS things:
* Clicks done and HW - had a brilliant HW day yesterday - in two lots of free spins (i.e. from two separate bookies) I got some sort of bonus that meant I got extra spins, leading to profits of £7 across two bookies - cashed out £5 from each of them for the Devon fund.
* Ebay sales - sold an item of ours and several of the in-laws, so various profits to Devon fund/car fund - need to post today
* Didn't feed ourselves on Saturday and I had dinner at mum's on Friday
* Have been gifted a pink gooseberry from my allotment friend - just need to decide where to put it - possibly in our front garden rather than at the allotment.

Gratitudes:
* Time with family over the past few days
* A lovely ebayer 
* Dry weather for the roof work

Have a good day all.

Mickyh-s

Cat's and dogs love liver in the dehydrator!

themadvix

They might, but not sure I fancy that! Will be sticking to chicken or white fish I think!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Feeling rather grumpy this afternoon. Had a third night of terrible sleep and then roofers turned up and started banging away right above my office first thing. Escaped to C0sta, but it was freezing and noisy in there.... moved to M*S cafe, which was warmer (ish) and had order at table, but the tea was vile and didn't fancy their lunch offering, so back home now. Fortunately roofers being quieter at the moment, but I don't know what I want for lunch (we don't have much quick stuff in) and I still haven't got this work done. Am sleeping so badly I'm beginning to wonder if I'll have the energy for going to the lying-in-state

Evening class starts again tonight and I haven't done my homework yet 🙄 Tbh, I'm so tired I know I won't be in the mood for it at all, but it's the first one back, so I must go (on Zoom).

MS things:
* PC survey
* YG survey
* Clicks and HW - 20p up today
* Mr MV has ordered a handheld vacuum cleaner - we have a big upright Dyson, but hopefully this will help us keep on top of the endless fur and cat litter a bit more. He used an Ebay code for 20% off, went through Quidco, has his Nectar attached and paid via PP to get the cashback offer on his Platinum Amex - so total cost of £65 instead of £100 (plus Nectar and cashback) - love stackable deals

Gratitudes:
* Work
* Cuddly cats
* A toasted teacake (although even that wasn't great!)

Have a good afternoon all

Karmacat

Aww, sounds like you're really struggling, sorry it's so stressful.  I understand wanting to go to the lying-in - as long as you've got Mr MV with you, I bet you'll be fine.  Best of luck with it.

themadvix

Thanks Karma. Just tired and grumpy really - all first-world problems when looked at with a bit of perspective. Mr MV is sleeping almost as badly as me, so we'll be a fine pair in the queue. That said, we're definitely not going to queue for 30 hours (which is now what they're saying!), so will have to play it by ear and see how things go.