Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

foxgloves

Thanks all. Still feeling v coldy & low in energy. Didn't get over to the car dealership yesterday as felt too yuk to engage with it. Mr F announced that he has a free coffee voucher & 20% off food, so he's taking me out shortly for a little change of scenery. I think it's probably peaked now, but as it's a complete stinker, it's probably going to take its time to go....which can't come quickly enough for me!

I shan't do much today, I know. I have a sourdough in the oven but apart from that, I think it's going to be another snotty day of doing not a lot.

F x

Humdinger1

Sending love to the dear patient @foxgloves! Echinacea helps if you take it at the start of a cold. You're sensible to rest. The cars aren't going away. Humdinger xx

Makingabobor2

Hope you're feeling a bit better today. X

foxgloves

Thanks, I do actually feel quite a bit better today. It always feels more positive once colds have peaked, doesn't it, as one knows that each day will be a step nearer back to normal. Still plenty of cold symptoms but I have felt up to tackling my usual Monday tasks - dull though they are, they do set us up ready for the week ahead.

*Did 2 loads of laundry.

*Was just going to pour the dehumidifier water away when I remembered our compulsory water-metering & made sure I saved it for a free loo flush!

*Caught up on basic admin, nothing interesting, but all things I need to progress one way or another.

*Rubber chicken duties with leftovers from yesterday's roast dinner. Sufficient for fajhitas tonight, plenty of soup which I will make tomorrow & a decent amount added to other leftovers in the fridge which are apparently destined for Epic Man Stew on Wednesday. Everything else in the slow cooker simmering for stock, some of which will be used for the soup.

*Did my regular Monday morning budget updates. We did have a few little treats over the weekend as I was so fed-up of being a Snot-Monster, so I made sure everything was allocated to the correct budget pots.

*Fish box delivered today so pinny on for unpacking that & portioning it up, labelling & freezing. Trimmings, oddments & small fillets boxed & frozen for making a fish pie next month,

*Studied recently arrived bill from the Cephalopods & logged latest usage figures. Nothing untoward atm. We spent slightly less this year than during the same billing period last year & also have a stronger credit balance with £187-25 more credit than at this point last year. I shall keep an eye on that balance as our monthly payment has reduced a little too. We usually switch our CH down at the end of March, then off completely. We can always light the stove in the evenings if we are feeling chilly, so only another month to go, then that credit balance should start taking an upward trajectory.

*Did a few surveys as am trying to bang on any extra little payments I can until I cash out on the 28th Feb.

*Mr F booked the cats in for their boosters & check-up next week but the Meow Pot will cover that.

Apart from divvying up chicken stock & making fajhitas later, that's my tasks done for the day so it's time for some piano & a couple of chapters of my book. I am soooo looking forward to the first session of the year in my greenhouse tomorrow morning so the weather had better not be one long wazz-down!

Cheers,

F x

PennysIntoPounds

Glad you're feeling a bit better. Little treats medically essential to get one through a cold.

Well done on remembering about making the most of the water!

Dakota_Rose

Here’s to a fine morning of greenhouse activity. Nothing like some fresh air to feel rejuvenated!

KajiKita

Glad to hear you are starting to feel a bit more human 😊

The forecast seems to be pretty good everywhere again so hopefully it will have you and the felines in the garden and greenhouse together 🌞

KK

foxgloves

Hello Tuesday Savers - thanks for all your comments & contributions, as always. Yes, the cold is defo retreating, though I'm not quite back to my usual energy levels yet. Yes, I did have my planned greenhouse session & thoroughly enjoyed it. Anyway, today's budget-friendly efforts:

*Potted up & pinched out my October-sown sweetpeas (from saved seed). 30 nice sturdy little plants for free.

*Did some seed-sowing - Rudbeckia, echinacea, a fancy coffee-coloured foxgloves, snapdragons & carnations. I'm not overly wild about carnations but decided this variety called 'Magenta Fizz' sounds promising for adding to summer containers. All free seed packets (from my gardening magazine)

*Garden pickings: Last of the autumn lollo rosso lettuce, parsley, last of the little round carrots & cavolo nero.

*Moved full trough of a fancy lettuce variety back out of the greenhouse to the veg plot. They've put on decent growth over winter & are ready for picking to eat now. Watered the rocket I sowed in an old growbag in Autumn. Also now ready for eating.

*Mr F helped me plant up a big winter pot which won't do much until next Dec-Feb but should fill out for then. A rescued small cornus 'Midwinter Fire' planted in the centre surrounded by a ring of snowdrops, which were in need of dividing up while still 'in the green'. Copied this planting from a pot seen at RHS Harlow Carr ages ago. It was v striking & I realised I already had everything I needed to plant up my own.

*Mr F cut back our biggest buddleja so we'll get our money's worth from next week's garden wheelie bin collection & then made a start on various outdoor tasks.

*Made a big pan of chicken soup using up an assortment of veg as well as a jug of the stock I made yesterday & a container of leftover chicken.

A new interloper feline appeared this morning & proceeded to get smacked up to the wotnots on Soot & Ash's catnip. Soot was indoors but Ash spotted this stash-robbing baddie & advanced on him with his stripy tail puffed up like a raccoon's. Thankfully, he wasn't so far gone on the nip not to see the sense of beating a swift retreat.

And a whole day without rain. I think maybe a first this year.

F x

PennysIntoPounds

I adore cornus sanguinea midwinter fire, it gives such needed warmth to the eyes and heart during the bleak winter days. It's on my list of plants that I don't think we'll be able to grow at the build but that I love enough to try just in case 😁

foxgloves

It would certainly grow as the centrepiece of a large Winter container, @PennysIntoPounds, if that made it an option for your new place? I have a bigger one planted in the ground too, but am quite strict on its triffiding attempts so dig bits out now & again. The stems are such a lovely pop of colour on short dark days & also a striking backdrop for early Spring bulbs.