+++ Whoops! Here comes the cheese! +++

rtandon27

It's Sunday - chocolate does not count on a Sunday!

Humdinger1

@redofromstart as ever, you are doing magnificently.  I'm so full of admiration for you, as is your posse of devoted admirers on here.  Love Humdinger xx 

EssexHebridean

Mmmm....chocolate....! 

Good work on Fridge sorting. I need to get back to my old routine of ensuring that I go through the fridge at the end of a week prior to meal planning in order to work out meals that make use of the stuff approaching elderly status. In fairness, I sort of did this week, which is why stir fry is on the plan for wednesday! 

LadyWithAPlan

I must admit to having bought some Haribo big boxes of ys Halloween stuff as gifts for local kids,.... and delved into one of the boxes rending it useless as a gift and I will have to eat it all...

That squash/chorizo soup sounds good - where is the recipe? I only made a garlic and chorizo soup and my then personal trainer was shocked to the core of her being at adding tasty fat to a soup I still ate it !

Cherryfudge

LadyWithAPlan said:

That squash/chorizo soup sounds good - where is the recipe? I only made a garlic and chorizo soup and my then personal trainer was shocked to the core of her being at adding tasty fat to a soup I still ate it !

Here you go, @LadyWithAPlan: Reverse Meal Planning - Page 448 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

LadyWithAPlan

Cherryfudge said:

LadyWithAPlan said:

That squash/chorizo soup sounds good - where is the recipe? I only made a garlic and chorizo soup and my then personal trainer was shocked to the core of her being at adding tasty fat to a soup I still ate it !

Here you go, @LadyWithAPlan: Reverse Meal Planning - Page 448 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Many thanks - I will have a go!

redofromstart

Updates:

Pensions - 1 and 2 resolved very quickly, 3 took 11 working days to confirm beneficiaries and paid out my bit promptly, 4 are dragging their heels and are now on 16 working days since I submitted all the paperwork.  This is the one I transferred the three smaller pots too earlier in the year.  Lots of glowing reviews about how easy to transfer your money to them but remarkably few about getting the money out after a bereavement.  Chased yesterday - 'waiting for information' - from who because they haven't asked me (or the boys for any) and promised an urgent update.  No update yet.

Banking - still waiting for a refund cheque from B8nnets for his bike insurance, once I have that I have to go into branch (ha, find one!) and pay three cheques in before they close his current account (which has his ISA money in, earning no interest frustratingly).  Business banking - chased, 'relationship manager' on annual leave till next week but gave someone elses contact details who responded quickly and helpfully.  Rogue person rather than rogue bank perhaps?

Building works - some scaffolding removed today so the process can continue.

Boiler - what happened to the little snowman icon?  Still cold.  They stopped making them in 1998 apparently so parts are tricky.  Took a few hours to track one down myself this morning, but better than paying the plumber to spend that time looking.  

Garden - The sun actually shone yesterday and I was free of workers, so I went and stocked us up on F&V etc, and then came back and stacked the logs from my parents properly, cleared a lot of the patio mess ahead of the facias/guttering work, and squished a lot of wisteria into one of the green waste bins.  Might fill the other one but probably should poke the boys to do the lawn first - hopefully for the last time this year.  Have not planted the tulips and bought another pack yesterday.  Must do this asap.

Food - nothing binned, some meals actually eaten.  Also chocolate covered pistachios from L1dl.  Whoops...  

rtandon27

Chocolate Pistachios sound lush - I may have to go for a walk and source some!

Well done on your perseverance with the Pension pots & banking - I'm amazed just how much you've ploughed through!

Cherryfudge

Could the cheques be posted, redo? Or paid in via a Post Office? Might save you a bigger journey.

I do admire your ability to keep wading through the paperwork. It's good that you are starting to see the results of your labours now, though pension 4 is a poor result. A definite 'could do better' to them. You can't be the first person in this situation, but they don't seem to have streamlined their processes at all. I hope they get their act together soon so you aren't kept fighting that particular battle.

I must keep a look out for chocolate pistachios in my local L1dl. One picks up such a lot of useful information on this forum!

redofromstart

Thanks rtandon, writing it all out makes me feel better about what I have got done, especially as I hate ringing people. 

The pistachios are 'new in' next to the chocolate peanuts, £2.99 for 150g.  I bought them for the one who doesn't eat who loves chocolate and pistachios, but they didn't like them touching each other.  Tragic.  I will hid the others packs in the festive supplies so I don't mindlessly eat them.