A Better View 🌄

Fortune_Smiles

rtandon27 said:

Fortune - just clicked on your link for shortbread - my question is...

"Who has leftover brandy buttter?"😁🤣

I know!  I love it but Mr F is not keen.  And we didn't indulge as much over Christmas as expected.  So... we didn't use the carton we bought.  It's use by date was ages ago but it's just butter, brandy and icing sugar so what's to go off?  Anyhoo, it smelt and tasted fine so I thought I'd put it to good use.  Stay tuned for further brandy butter recipes 😂

Fortune x

greenbee

Brandy butter sandwiches...

Fortune_Smiles

greenbee said:

Brandy butter sandwiches...

I think you might divide the forum with this one GB 🤮😂

Fortune x

redofromstart

Fortune_Smiles said:

greenbee said:

Brandy butter sandwiches...

I think you might divide the forum with this one GB 🤮😂

Fortune x

Yeah, bread is poison after all. 🤣

badmemory

But brandy butter transferred to mouth by finger sounds like a plan - from a no longer eats bought bread due to the bloat person.  I do however eat a little home made bread which provided I avoid one make of flour seems to be OK.

Fortune_Smiles

Guess What?

No payments today 😠  Mr F called the guy in charge of planning and implied he couldn't take on any more work until we'd been paid for what we'd done so we'll see what he can do about it.  One invoice is now 42 days overdue and that's on top of the 30 day payment terms.  Fortunately we can bear it - although I had to transfer more money out of savings today.  I really feel for anyone who desperately needs the cash flow.  We have plenty of work from other sources so can refuse work from them if need be - I'm not one to make idle threats.  Once we do get paid we'll have enough to put the money we've taken out of savings back.  I did hustle as much money into savings as I could before we started the company so there is cash there to provide a buffer.  However, you know what it's like - once the money's in savings you don't want to take it out again 😂

I ordered the hedge trees today.  Mr F has been driving me mad moping around the house.  There are plenty of things he could be getting on with but he wants to do the outside stuff and is kicking his heels until he can 🙄  Anyway, 16 new trees to plant should keep him out of my way for a day or so.  We'd originally planned for him to hand his notice in around December so that he'd have more time at home from March.  The weather might have been better then and he could have done more of the outside stuff he loves.  However, events overtook us and he left earlier than anticipated so he's not in the swing of things and hasn't had the time to save up inside jobs for the winter.  Fortunately, some urgent work came in for him today which should keep him out of my hair tomorrow.  I do love having him at home but it is like having a three year old in tow if he's bored 😂

We had boiled eggs and marmite toast for breakfast today.  Lunch was an odd combination as I had leftovers to use up - caulflower bakes, celeriac gratin and baked beans 😆 It did taste surprisingly good though.  Supper was Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato & Spinach Sauce.  I dry fried the gnocchi first to get it nice and crispy.

Right.  Time to research some projects for Mr F 😁

Fortune x

savingholmes

How frustrating on the invoices. For those type of clients I really would insist on 50% upfront. DS managed to do that recently with a client. It is doable.

themadvix

savingholmes said:

How frustrating on the invoices. For those type of clients I really would insist on 50% upfront. DS managed to do that recently with a client. It is doable.

That’s nice in theory SH, but it really depends on the industry - I know people would just go elsewhere in most cases if I insisted on this, it’s just not done in my industry. Great if you can make it work though.

 Hope you get paid soon though Fortune, it is so frustrating when payments don’t arrive when you’re expecting them/relying on them, regardless of whether you have faith that they will be paid.

Fortune_Smiles

savingholmes said:

How frustrating on the invoices. For those type of clients I really would insist on 50% upfront. DS managed to do that recently with a client. It is doable.

themadvix said:

savingholmes said:

How frustrating on the invoices. For those type of clients I really would insist on 50% upfront. DS managed to do that recently with a client. It is doable.

That’s nice in theory SH, but it really depends on the industry - I know people would just go elsewhere in most cases if I insisted on this, it’s just not done in my industry. Great if you can make it work though.

 Hope you get paid soon though Fortune, it is so frustrating when payments don’t arrive when you’re expecting them/relying on them, regardless of whether you have faith that they will be paid.

Thanks both.  We can sometimes negotiate that flights, accommodation, etc are paid directly by the client.  You're right though Vix - 50% up front would not be an option in our industry.  I think that's more common where physical product is involved - we'll have to pay 50% up front for our new door for example but that's because the company will have to buy in materials specifically for our order.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

We live in hope 🤞

Someone has had a kick up the bum 🦵  I received an email yesterday from Mr F's former employer detailing all of the invoices we have raised with them and the status of each:

• 2 have been paid (yes, both were overdue)
• 3 will be paid on Wednesday (2 are overdue)
• 2 remaining will be paid within the 30 days terms (we'll wait and see).

Anyhoo, if the promised 3 are paid on Wednesday we will be able to draw some money from the business to pay a small dividend and refund some expenses.  This will give us our fun money for March and return some funds to savings.  We'll also be on our way to covering my salary at the end of March.  I'm hoping we'll have a more regular income after that.

I wrote to Boiler Man last night with a couple more questions and to say we're ready to sign the quote/agreement once it's been amended to show the right boiler model.  He's away on holiday at the moment but back at the end of the month.  The poor old boiler has been playing up the last couple of days - it doesn't seem to like the torrential rain 😲  Who does? 😂🦆🦆🦆

I also went through the quote we received from Windows Man and put together some questions I'm going to call him about today.

On the health side of things,,, well that seems to have become less of a priority 😲  I don't know why I always let this happen.  Perhaps I'm feeling less urgency this time because my blood pressure issue seems to have resolved.  Anyhoo, that creaking noise is the sound of my joints as I slowly climb back on the wagon 😂  Starting with a mile walk with the Fortunate boys this morning.

It's not all bad news health-wise as our diet continues to be reasonable.  We had Indian Masala Roast Carrots for lunch yesterday and Ultimate Falafel Wraps for supper.  All good so far... but what about the rest of that leftover brandy butter?  Well that went into a Brandy & Date Panetonne Butter Pudding... without the dates (because I didn't have any) but with sultanas instead.  We had it for breakfast this morning and it was delicious although a far from healthy choice 😊  I made it in one large dish and it could really have done with some more custard so I'd double the measures next time.

There's been little in the diary by way of social events this week.  The WI had a lunch club meeting on Monday at a venue very local to me.  I was delilghted to find that the restaurant will be serving indian food in the evenings and... providing a takeaway service 🥳  Because we are very rural there are only really fish and chip shops within reach of us for takeaway.  It's a very rare treat for us but it will be lovely to have the option of an indian from time to time.  Other than that there's nothing happening except Mr F will be going off with his hikers' group on Sunday for an adventure.

So I should really be catching up on some housework or taking the opportunity to craft but I just don't seem to have the motivation for it.  I am on top of the washing and ironing so that's something.  I usually tackle cleaning rooms on the 'most ashamed for anyone to see it' method which means our en-suite is next on the list - the room I least enjoy doing.  It must be done though so I shall look for something gripping to listen to whilst working and put my back to the wheel 🧼🧽🧹

Happy Friday all!

Fortune x