And now we go again...

jwil

Great news about the holiday booking

EssexHebridean

Oh you lot - that made me laugh! We will absolutely NOT talk about any of those things, or indeed the "Sea trials" just recently for one of the new boats which actually are just preliminary trials, not actual sea trials at all...! Ahh well - I would say I'm sure they will get there in the end, but unfortunately I have NO faith in this being the case. I am also absolutely set on the fact that in the future case of any disruption where compensation is claimable I will most definitely be claiming as I am fed up with us ending up out of pocket due to Calmac's issues. Last year's trip was the first time we have actually said "no - this is beyond acceptable now" and have claimed, and I'm glad we did. Any changes and messing about this year will see a claim flying into their inbox! 

L - yes - the licensing thing has definitely pushed costs up. Surprisingly we're yet to see any sign that it has also reduced the numbers of places available which we expected that it might. 

Well we have a dreary grey soggy morning here for sure - and indeed looking at the weather map this morning I'm guessing heads may be nodding in solidarity at that? Right now L might be dry - but not sure anyone else will be! I got distinctly damp walking from the car, and as things stand suspect that a walk at lunchtime might be unlikely as it appears pretty set in for the day. Sigh. 

MSE Stuff:
- Banks checked and all good
- CC will be back at zero again as I money shuffled this morning for the ferry tickets and also my iCloud storage cost.
- I have also set the iCloud cost up as a monthly standing order from my account to the CC as it's a faff to transfer for 99p each month so that's far easier!
- CC will also have a pending payment for the final night of holiday accommodation as that is now booked - this morning rather than last night, but done! 
- Ragu pulled out of the freezer last night for tea tonight. Left to defrost in the fridge too, so a small help on the electric bill front there. This might yet get made into chilli and eaten with rice, as that then leaves scope for pasta tomorrow evening. If I do go that route then the pasta tomorrow will be with chicken, the remaining squash and mushrooms, and will use up most of a jar of pesto which has been lurking in the fridge. (Must check the pesto is still OK this evening though)
- My Car has gone for its MoT Test and service - so there will be cost coming there. Money is in the car account ready though. I'm not aware of anything obvious that will flag, but fingers are being kept crossed regardless! 
- Have had a notification that a soft search has landed on my credit file - this will need keeping an eye on as I've done nothing that would have prompted this. I'll make a mental note to log in to all three reports monthly for a while to keep an eye on things. 
- Asked for a quote yesterday for someone to sort out the cutting out of the extra veg bed we want in the garden - not heard back as yet but will look for another one to approach today I think anyway. 
- Have suggested to MrEH that he asks around at the rugby club to see if anyone has a jetwasher we can borrow before we think about hiring one to clean up the patio.

Plans:
- Heading over to Mum's on Sunday morning to dismantle her old shelving unit and build her new Billy
- MrEH is likely to have a rugby match on Saturday. If it's fine I might head out on my bike, and if not then, well, I won't!  
- I'd ideally like to get one of our mini greenhouses built at the weekend although probably won't put its plastic cover on immediately. 
- Friday plans are currently unformed, but I would like to get the kitchen surfaces cleared back and a thorough clean done there. I clean bits frequently, but it's a while since it's had a full "move stuff and clean behind"
- Assuming the weather stays as forecast then I'll be holding off on more washing until friday now as saturday is looking sunny and bright. 

lucielle

No I’m joining you in the wet stuff and a side order of wind!!  You caught me lusting after a poly carbonate tunnel….i follow the fitters and am looking longingly at them. 

L

PennysIntoPounds

What is this 'clean behind things' you speak of 😂

beanielou

PennysIntoPounds said:

What is this 'clean behind things' you speak of 😂

I don’t know either 🤔😂

redofromstart

lucielle said:

No I’m joining you in the wet stuff and a side order of wind!!  You caught me lusting after a poly carbonate tunnel….i follow the fitters and am looking longingly at them. 

L

Oh me too, I only read about them recently but one is on my WANT list once we have moved.

EssexHebridean

PennysIntoPounds said:

What is this 'clean behind things' you speak of 😂

It's a strange and exceptionally rare thing - David Attenborough wouldn't recognise it, it's THAT rare...at least, it is in my house (and in yours and Beanie's apparently!) 

L I had to laugh - left the car this morning and it was just rainy. Got to the point where MrEH veers off to head to the station, so got my umbrella out and put it up at which point all sorts of windiness started gusting in random directions making the next 15 minutes a complete nightmare of brolly-fighting!  Brolly survived to tell the tale anyway - honestly, for a cheapy one it really is surprisingly sturdy! 

Redo - I will just sit here and lust after a garden big enough to put any sort of polytunnel in! 


So I have had a response from one of the landscaper type people I contacted about chopping the hole in the patio - I've asked if he can come and quote Friday. MrEH has had a reply from the roofer saying we need a new flue cover to the soil stack (never even knew we had an old one, but apparently we have, just not a very good one) and quoting £170 + vat - which sounds reasonable. That will be a straight "yes please, when can you do it" as Steve is someone who Mum has used for ages for any roof related issues so we already know he's OK. (And I want to stop the rain coming in and puddling under the bath!) Hopefully when he does come to do that he'll be able to quote for the new office door, as well, as that's still on the fairly-short-term list of jobs. 

Also had a bit of a fiddle around in the bank account earlier - the garden and fuels funds are now set up with monthly standing orders of £25 each starting from next month so again that makes life easier. Oh - and sent a tweet to the local council pointing out that people are trying to budget, and so it would be really nice if they could perhaps consider telling them what they are going to be charging for council tax starting in around 6 weeks time...I mean, they'll probably just ignore me, but at least I've made the point eh?

lucielle

Good luck with the council. 

L

themadvix

EssexHebridean said:

Redo - I will just sit here and lust after a garden big enough to put any sort of polytunnel in! 

Me too.... that's the problem with New Town gardens! (And one of the main reasons I've applied for a second allotment!) 

badmemory

I gave up umbrellas almost 60 years ago after the last one I left on a bus.  Living in the rainy city being unprepared is not a good idea.  So hoods on everything & waterproof is a really good idea.  Below knee length anoraks my goto.  It does seem hard to believe now that a waterproof jacket with a hood was so very difficult to find in the late 60s