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So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!
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Ooh, oddly enough that's the second time I've read something about Ripple in the last 10 minutes - I'd not heard of it before and someone in a local energy FB group mentioned it (ha - maybe that was you too! 😂😂 I don't think so though😁) Will investigate (and use your referral code if we join).
Interested in all these Octopus switch off times too, although it doesn't sound like you'll save much! Do they tell you how much you personally have saved?6 -
Thats great to get going on the allotment - *and* the catsitting - *and* the wind turbine part-ownership especially. I wish I'd followed my gut years ago and got involved in a local scheme using the roof at a football club, but hey ho. I'll investigate Ripple Energy.2023: the year I get to buy a car5
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Morning all,
It's been a busy few days!
Cheery, it was not me on your local energy FB group - think it would be stretching the definition of 'local'!Octopus turn downs have only saved us pence, but they are an interesting exercise and have made us more aware of our background load and the peak times of the day that we should try to avoid to ensure our electricity is as green as possible (we pay for 100% renewable, but obviously it all comes from one grid).
Karma, the football club scheme sounds very interesting! I wouldn't say I've got going on the allotment really yet - I think I should be some way ahead of where I am, but hopefully this week, with compost, everything can get moving quicker.
With everybody we know (or so it seems!) out of action with Covid, Mr MV and I really cracked on with garden/allotment jobs this weekend, sorting out the mess of the garden where the fence came down and was resurrected (earth everywhere etc.), weeding, pruning and generally tidying outside/storage spaces. There's still a lot to do, some of which is related to the fact I have the allotment as we can shrink the raised bed (which is falling apart) and move it, to give us a bit more patio space. I also visited the allotment shop and joined the allotment association. Not sure what benefit there'll be from it as the shop was a little underwhelming, but we'll see and the people are very friendly (and tolerant of my no-dig madness!).
Mr MV also got up on the roof of the house to re-situate a ridge tile that had gone walkies in the wind. I can't say I was happy about it, but at least we have a shallow pitch to our roof (and a garage to climb up from, rather than a really long ladder). He also started fixing the roof of the shed at the allotment, which needed new felt. It's not finished but it is now watertight. I laid some more cardboard ready for the compost and planted some broad bean seeds! I love the fact that it's just down the road and I can pop down on foot for half an hour, rather than it being a trek to get there and having to take the car/remember everything.
Today I have quite a bit of work to crack on with and I need to order the compost (and we've decided to get 2 tonnes!). Mr MV is away later in the week for work, but thinking about taking Friday off to continue with garden/allotment shed. Once I've got compost on the plot I need to get cracking - hoping it's not too late to get garlic in the ground and I also have onions to plant as well as asaparagus crowns to get in. We've got my Mum and his parents coming on Sunday for Mothers' Day (and potentially my sister and niece, but no response there yet).
MS things:
* Clicks done
* Cat sitting completed
* Bread and flowers from Olio
* Surveys done
Gratitudes:
* Free flowers from Olio
* Mr MV is slowly feeling better from Covid
* Friendly allotment folk
Have a good day all!
Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway9 -
Wow! You're doing great! Hope the work goes well so you can continue on the allotment (though actually, the first bit about everyone you know being down with covid isn't very good at all, is it). Mr MV is a hero for getting up on the roof, he sounds like he'll have a good go at anything, but it would frighten the dickens out of me to see it, for sure.2023: the year I get to buy a car7
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We need to re-felt two outbuildings (wooden) here and I was considering getting roof shingles as they last a bit longer than felt on a roll - I just wondered if you had put any research into this (I know what you are like) and bitumen is not particularly environmentally friendly...Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here8 -
@Karmacat It frightened the dickens out of me!! Once he was up there though, I could see he felt relatively comfortable manoeuvring about - it was coming down again that was the worst bit! Fortunately 'everyone' with Covid seems to be OK, just a mild cough/cold/feeling a bit grotty for a few days. My FIL is the healthiest, which given he's also in his seventies is impressive (although he's become very fit from walking since Covid).
@Suffolk_lass, sorry, I haven't any words of wisdom on the roofing felt - I'd been given some leftovers from FIL, so we used those! As the shed belongs to the allotment (I've paid a deposit which I'll get back when I return the allotment), I wouldn't want to spend lots of money on it anyway. But you make a really good point about bitumen etc. and definitely something to consider in future. A shingled outbuilding would look very posh!Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway8 -
I'm not confident about the weight-bearing qualities of my 6x4 tool shed so a few packs of heavier duty felt shingles that last 4-5 times longer than the stuff on a roll might be our compromise. I do have some slates but want them for my mono-tilt pig shed rebuild, and I'm exploring cedar shingles for DH's large 10x12 workshopSave £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here8 -
That sounds like a good compromise SL. Cedar shingles would look luuuurvely!
After a bit of faffing (where they told me they'd sold out of the compost and then I rang back to say I'd have some from the next delivery and they told me they could do it after all!), I have two tonnes of compost coming to the allotment on Wednesday! Think of my poor back! (Although they should - fingers crossed - be able to deliver it right to my plot as it adjoins the 'road' into the allotments.)
In a break from work this afternoon I've planted some leek seeds - just a few this week, will plant some more in a couple of weeks (don't want to be inundated with leeks all at once!). My greenhouse is now in useHave also painted some bits of wood/gravel board that Mr MV has (re)fitted to the fence. He's been busy in between work/whilst on phone calls (trowel in hand!).
I've also started the market research study that I'm doing this week - it is a bit weird, I've had to draw a picture and write a letter so far! Back to proper work now though, for a rest!
Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway8 -
Great news about the compost! And the market research study, at least it's not boring!2023: the year I get to buy a car7
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Great news re the compost. It's like rocking horse poo up here, so hard to get hold of. Even our garden centre (where I have vouchers for!) is sold out.
Looking forward to seeing how the planting/growing goes. We're tucking into the cabbages and kale I overwintered at the moment and the purple sprouting broc is nearly ready for the table. It's fab to be able to eat what you grow, and great for moneysaving too.MSE-ing since 20077
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