plodding along one step at a time

FlacosFloozie

Hi CR,

Following as we have around the same time left  on our mortgage and will be due for a new deal in 2024 as well. I agree trying to pay off as much as feasible before then as interest  rates will be higher.

Your allotment sound great. We have strawberries ripening in the garden right now- hoping I can get them before the slugs do

Best of luck on your journey x

savingholmes

Hope you feel better soon and can make the most of your time away

the_cross_rabbit

Back from holiday, had plenty of rest for a change. Survived the heat and not looking forward to the heat wave that is apparently coming in the next week or so. We ended up keeping all the curtains closed and the door covered in a blanket to stop the sun streaming in directly onto the fridge freezer. For several days we were at the allotment at ridiculous o'clock watering the greenhouses and any emerging plants to keep them going and we were still wet through by the time we got back. Luckily we had no causaliites, although towards the end of last week the lettuces finally bolted. We've been keeping the ground round them very damp to ward of bolting and managed to eat most of them. The 2 that are flowering I might let flower as I've never seen them flower before and possibly collect their seeds as they were a very attractive lettuce. I need to google to see if they will breed true to form or whether they are promiscous like squash and pumpkins where you could end up with any old thing. The courgettes are not doing great but we have an abundance of beans, which we are trying to find lots of reciepes to make them disappear either now or in the future. First Toms and blackberries yesterday. We've had major issues with ninja blackbirds getting into the fruit cage and picnicing in there. Its a wonder they can fly !!! Totally fed up with taking it apart to let them out, but I think I've found where the rascals have been getting in, hopefully the large concrete plinths will stop them. If its not blackbirds its bloomin pigeons helping themselves to my seedlings, so they are now netted until they have matured and are not so tempting to pigeon taste buds.Even though we have harvested alot from the allotment I can't say I've seen the food budget go down as I've started to buy a few extra essential as a winter buffer. Still visiting various supermarkets to get the best deals as much as possible.I've decided to go back to using cash as i find I have more control over what I'm spending and any spare money is going into the holiday pot (next year).
This week I am visiting dad to sort through his out house to get rid of stuff he no longer needs or wants. Since his wife passed away earlier this year, my sister and I have cleared the greenhouse, various rooms in the house but there are still one large summerhouse, 2 sheds and 1 child's playhouse to sort through which I'm dreading as they are rammed with stuff. What he doesn;t want we can keep or I take to the charity shop or the tip. I've managed to resurrect the lemon tree and orange tree that my dad almost killedearlier this year. The smell from the blossom is gorgeous, just need to find room for them to over winter in the garage as near to the windows as possible. He is also getting rid of his apple and pear tree as he is no longer able to garden due to health issues, so I need to figure out how I'm going to get them home in my car. Later in the year I;ve got to transplant his rhubarb to our allotment as well (he doesn't like rhubarb, but his wife did). 
Still finding small ways to save electricity,gas and water. WATER- We've had a rebate from the water company of £34 (into mortgage account) hopefully we can reduce our consumption even more especially as DD2 has finally agreed to use the shower instead of having a bath . A couple of cheap bath mats have helped with potential slip issues (she has mobility issues). The water butts are now full again after several heavy showers. ELECTRIC - The oven clock is now switched off when not in use and we use the timer to cook, rather than looking at the clock and forgetting what time something went in/how long its been in etc. We got rid of the electric clock/radio which was always on in our room as we use our phones to tell the time. GAS-  Is on less as we are using the shower more.
Manaaged to pull together £12 worth of books to sell on, so that can go tomorrow hopefully. 
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm nothing else to report. Take care everyone
CRx

the_cross_rabbit

Quick trip to the Lottie resulted in wet jeans, huge cucumber, a tomato and a bowl of blackberries very happy with that, well not the wet jeans. Miss giddychops  walked, parental phoned and just about to have a breakfast of yoghurt and blackberries. Tonight hopefully will be wraps to use up salad stuff harvested over the past couple of days. 

Went shopping last night and spent £54, lots of bargains, so hopefully we’ll not need to get anything else🤣. Famous last words🤣. We have traded our old bank account for a shiny new one that will give us £125 for our betrayal. Tonight we are sorting pensions🤬, not supposed to be my job but has become my job. Oh joy. Booked a cheapish holiday as well for a couple of weeks time for our 20th anniversary ( we did have one at the time but a very close relative became seriously ill). Starting to meal plan as we will need to take most of our meals with us as we can’t afford to eat out. So far we have a soup already in the freezer. Hopefully most of it will come from the allotment.
Anyway best go and prod DD2 as she wants to go out today. 

CRx

the_cross_rabbit

Pension pot is underway, we just need to decided what we want to invest in. I;m really going to struggle with that part as there are so many things I don't want to invest in like companies that deals in weapons, fossil fuels, commit human right abuses it appears to be an absoulte minefield. I feel it will require alot of investigation and the subject of money bores me, even though it is vital. I realise we are very lucky to have the opportunity to invest which is why I want it to count and not benefit to the detriment of others or the environment. The money is been gifted to us by a relative every month as its not something we could afford to do from our own budget. I would of prefered to have invested in solar panels and electric car but we have been given strict instructions of what it is for. Although I'm extremely grateful, I have really struggled to accept the money as we have always managed to keep our heads above water and recently overpay the mortgage.
Managed to order several food items online that are on special offer so ordered as much as this week's leftover budget will allow. Its mainly meat and since only DD2 eats meat on a regular basis I've estmated it should last us till christmas its saved us about £33.
Visiting dad today as I've promised to sort out his outhouse, empty a planter for my sister and look at how much time the big summer house will take to sort next time. In exchange for my toil he's providing lunch and a apple tree.
onight we are hoping to visit the allotment as the rain has brought an abundance of WEEDSSSSSSSS, which need hoeing. Potaoes need to be dug up, celery needs tying up and grapes need eating. A full day time to get to it hope you all have a good day
CRx 
 

Merlin's_Beard

There always seems to be plenty of "ethical funds" around on most platforms, so hopefully they might be a reasonable starting point to find something that aligns with what you want? Definitely agree with relative that pension funds are Important!

the_cross_rabbit

Thanks Merlin's Beard.
Yesterday's decluttering of the out house took 3 long grimy hours to sort through, organise into piles, distribute to the relevant places/people. She really had a hoarding issues, there was 3 large carryabags of empty jam jars, a box of chargers and other electrical wires, a bin bag of bags for life, stuff still in opened boxes, broken stuff....... the list is endless. But after 3 long hours we were able to get dad's electric bike in and he should find it alot easier to move in and out.
Our trip to the allotment yeilded potatoes which I will look forward to eating in its many forms. Another pot of blackberrys, several bunches of grapes, tomatoes and huge box of gooseberries that I topped and tailed whilst watching TV
What a day today has been. Waited in all day for a courier to pick up some seating and then found the email in my junk folder at 730pm  telling me that in fact it wasn't coming, oh well I have a tidy house if nothing else. Emailed the company to say I can't do it now until next week.
Yesterday i soaked some beans that we grew last year and attempted to make fake beans on toast, they were ok and I would make them again but they weren't as yummy as the real thing. 
We've booked a yha weekend trip for October half term to stratford and invited dad to come. 
Off for an early night, sleep well everyone.
CRx 

the_cross_rabbit

Phone call from the doctor shed light on my wading through treacle feeling and the need to have a nana nap everyday, I'm low on vitamin D, iron and vitamin B12. Two can be dealt with over the counter medication and the other will be a injection every 3 months. I thought my tiredness was in part  the last hectic/traumatic 7 months and laziness
Been to the allotment everyday and managed to pick huge quanitiies of currants that are been dehydrated to add some summer to winter granola. Loads of french beans and spring onions that we are trying to use up but I think today I'll start putting some in the freezer. Harvested carrots and using the lettuce thinnings in salads, wraps, and soups. Grapes and blackeberries are just been snacked on..The hubbster has harvested loads of new potatoes.
Managed to get to W***os to get lots of reduced seeds ready for next year and found a shop that sells seeds and nuts in bulk, which will significantly reduce how much my granola costs. Been shopping today and have managed to save about £24 on my usual weekly shop. It would of been less but needed dog food.
Right need to go for a nana nap. Take care everyone.
CRx 

savingholmes

I hope the vit supplements and injections make a difference

FlacosFloozie

No wonder you've been feeling tired! Hopefully the supplements will give you your energy back