Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

doingitanyway

Your bloods are so good. Well done you 
Are you checking your heart age using the BHF online tool?

jwil

I didn't know checking your heart age was a thing!  I've just done the NHS one and mine is 3 years over my actual age.  I thought it would be worse than that, so it was a pleasant surprise.  Thank you

savingholmes

Thanks Jwil, DIA, Sandy, Mark 

The doctor told me my heart age when he discussed my results. 

Finished early today. I was planning to go out this afternoon - but then I got pinged with lots of delivery companies all saying they are coming today. Like my new mower but also stores subscription like tissues, loo roll etc! I did go for a brief walk but it was boiling - so I may be better going for a drive and a walk after my counselling appointment. I have however returned my Am devices and bought some ice cream so that's pretty good for me. Hopefully the £ will wing its way back to me soon. 

I have been rather slowly getting concerned by my creeping CC bill. However - I have one reg saver maturing in early October - so can pay around £2.5K off it then including savings interest. I then have another maturing in March next year and that should wipe another £1.9K. It's 0% interest until next September so I may as well earn some £ on it.

I've managed to link a CC and a rewards card - and  I had £10 of vouchers I didn't know about. 

I've just withdrawn nearly £11 to a giftcard for NT - so that will be good too from £co. I thought I'd done part of that last week but it looks like it didn't go through - and besides some more cashback got confirmed in between.

I have about £80 to come from TCB which I mentioned the other day.

I'm almost at cash out at the air one - and have nearly £25 pending on top - so close to £35 which should be available next month.

I want to buy some more compost but resisted yesterday but I will need it to complete my raised beds.

Hope you are having sunshine where you are. 

jwil

Well done on returning the devices

savingholmes

Thanks Jwil. Went for a drive yesterday.  Beautiful  sunset



I am planning to continue work on my garden today. Will need more compost. 

I got blisters from new shoes the other day which is putting me off walking far. Would be nice to try out walking poles though.

There's a piece of land for sale near me that I'm tempted by but it would use up most of savings so not the best idea especially with job uncertainty. I'd love to create one of those edible food forests you see on utube. I think it's a pipe dream as it would require physical strength and practical skills I don't possess but a girl can dream... 

I'm telling myself I need to finish taming the house and garden I have already first. See what I can achieve with or without a handyman / gardener here before extend my kingdom. But you all know I have dreamed of owning land for a long time...

WelshmansDaughter

I have a fire tablet, I just use it for reading though as it is a good size. I got it originally for Dad’s audiobooks. 

There is someone local to me who created a food forest on allotment land. I was interested in permaculture a few years ago and made hugulkulters in my garden. Might be something to try in your own garden if you have space.

jwil

Food forest sounds amazing.  It sounds like the perfect aim for your FIRE ambitions.  Is it something you can practice on a smaller scale in your garden?  It's probably advisable to get through job uncertainty before spending large amounts of money.

Chrystal

Thinking of you, and sending positive thoughts in your direction. (((hugs))) XXX

Watty1

ohh land for sale always gets me when it is local.  A girl can dream.  I've my eye on a scrappy patch of woodland near me. Woodland sounds rather grand, it is just scrubland mainly.    I would love to  buy it and create a wonderful fitness track for me and the horses. I've climbed the fence and I know exactly what I would do but I need first to save enough to approach the landowner (goodness knows when that will be, if ever). 

savingholmes

Thanks WD, Jwil, Crystal and Watty1

My lawnmower etc came the other day but I'm struggling to even clip together the grass collection box. It also needs the handle etc assembling - which looks a little easier but still off-putting.  Because that's chunkier it's more doable - but the grass box is a challenge. If I can't do it - I may nip to BnQ and get them to do it for me. Not impressed at having to assemble that part myself. My last lawnmower's bag was part soft netting that  folded down and easily slotted on and off. It's the sort of thing that drives me to distraction - as you need to line up all these things perfectly - on bendy flimsy plastic so it somehow clips in. That requires a level of coordination I struggle with - but which others seem to be able to do with ease - hence the frustration.

Yesterday I chopped back the bamboo and it's made a huge difference to how the garden looks and feels. I also bought compost from Li*ls as it was 51p cheaper a bag than Mr A. Other than that I tried to learn Italian. I'm at 500 words now. Today I nipped out for lunch to a garden centre as it does a roast dinner for less than £13. Since then I've pulled out more of the stripey grass - and planted a spikey mahonia I bought a few months ago. Plenty more to do. 

While out for lunch - I worked out my minimum income needs - and if the worst happened I should manage for a couple of years on savings plus redundancy £ - longer if I keep P1p. I need to be more disciplined with £ though. In an effort to stick to budget - I've changed my default card on Am**** to a current account which should help. I need to update my £ again with yesterday and today's spends. In theory that should reassure me but somehow it doesn't - as work is so much more than £. It gives me structure and I've been there long enough that some of them feel like family so regardless of whether I keep my job it feels scary as some will likely leave / be pushed. I also hate change - especially surprises and it felt like this came out of the blue. I feel a little naive for not having anticipated it though - so a roller coaster of emotion - all at the same time as dealing with family illness.