A new chapter is ....... FINALLY HERE

pennywisepoundstupid

It seems to have been spendy week so far this week so i am determined not to spend a penny today.

Monday dog training fees due and extra paid due to a competition £40.
My fave jean shorts ripped on the inside leg seam, did a quick fix and they are ok for home but not out and about, managed to find the same shorts brand new on good old v1nted. £8 spent.
Food shop done between Mr al and Mr s £95 spent.

Survey paid out £20 which has gone straight to holiday spends 
Lots of produce from the garden which is either getting eaten or prepped and frozen for a later date.
Extra hours at work are adding up.

pennywisepoundstupid

Morning all.
Busy day yesterday at work and so hot, back in tomorrow for a few hours just hope it's a bit cooler.

Money in yesterday and some shuffled about, £100 op to mortgage 9 payments to go.
£60 to holiday spends pot and £100 to Holiday pot.
£100 spent on a new extractor fan for the kitchen, I was putting it off but decided to get as it was the one we wanted and had £30 off in the sale.
£150 sent to pay balance of CC
£40 spent on a new dog harness as I noticed there was a small tear on one of the straps and don't want to risk it snapping whilst out and about.

Easy sausage and veg traybake for tea, veggies and potatoes from the garden.

jwil

Your fruit and veg haul from the garden is impressive!

pennywisepoundstupid

Morning all, not sure where the last 2 weeks have gone. Work has been really busy and I have worked so many extra hours that i have been meeting myself coming back. Does mean I will have extra in my pay to throw at various pots.

Garden produce has been abundant and i now have a freezer full of blanched veggies, soups and pasta sauce. Tomatoes are just growing for fun and i'm sure there is going to be more batch cooking this weekend to make sure nothing goes to waste before we head off on holiday on Monday, DD has strict garden instructions for whilst i'm away.

This weekend will revolve around getting everything sorted for our break in Scotland, I will pack any dry food we are taking from stores, from the freezer we are taking a veggie lasagne which i pre made last week, using up a glut of veg, tomato and basil soup made from garden produce and a massaman curry which was left over from a meal i made a few weeks ago, eggs from our girls and fresh fruit and yoghurt. I have looked at google maps for the nearest town to where we are staying and there looks to be a bakers and a butchers in the town and a co-op so we can buy some things local as although i do like to keep costs down and take from stores, i do think it's important as a tourist to support the local shops, so there will no doubt be a few scottish treats as well as the holiday treat of fish and chips, hopefully eaten sat on a beach or harbour,but if the weather is dire sat in the car. Which reminds me to put some paper towels and forks into the glove box.
suitcase needs to be packed, couple of items of clothing to be washed, looks like we might get some rain so waterproofs and walking boots to be taken rather than walking shoes, which is better for my dodgy ankle anyway.
Dog related items bed, food, treats etc.

Finances are ticking along, a few small survey payouts although slightly annoyed ips0s seems to have done away with payp@l so had to opt for an amazon voucher.
Holiday pots are looking healthy, hit my target for spends pot for both Scotland and italy, Italy spends have now been put onto PO travel card and I also have just over 100 euros in cash from DH last trip to France. Africa Pot has £2800 in it and a new holiday pot has been created for a big holiday in 2027 for DH 50th, so far this only has £92 in it.

Freebies for the past 2 weeks have been, a bottle of something alcoholic relating to apples to test, orange juice and a huge 30 pack of of crisps (some of these will go on hols with us for packed lunch), shampoo/conditioner to test and a travel size shower gel, also got a pet themed tryit box.

Right i'm sure a lot more has gone on but i need to get dressed and walk/feed hounds as they are whining at me.

pwps xx

pennywisepoundstupid

Morning all,

Week away was lovely if slightly wet, but we still had a fab time. Lots of lovely walks,castles  cafe trips, fish and chips by the sea and lazing in a hot tub. Battery has been recharged and we didn't spend a fortune so all good.
We were also left a lovely bottle of wine and shortbread from the cottage owners which was a lovely touch.

Need to check finances as i'm sure our week away came under budget, so may be extra in the pot, although my grocery shop for this week was eye watering, i'm feeling a challenge coming for October to try and eat down freezers ready for the C word.

Garden has produced whilst away but is slowing down as expected now autumn has hit us, tomatoes are still in abundance, today i'm going to make a batch of tomato and basil pasta sauce for the freezer and spicy tomato and lentil soup.
As today is my only day off this week and the weather is supposed to be good i'm going to get on top of the washing, tidy up the garden, sweep the decking and drive. Inside jobs can wait until the weekend although the bathroom could do with a quick once over.
I need to book airport parking for next months jaunt and DH has been talking Christmas markets as we say every year we will go to one and it never happens so need to investigate those and decide where and when. Also need to talk to children about big holiday for DH 50th and logistics of getting us all to be able to get a week off together.

pwps xx

jwil

Glad you had a nice time away

Sun_Addict

That's an impressive haul of produce you have there, puts my small amount to shame!

Sounds like you had a lovely holiday and another one still to look forward to 🙂

pennywisepoundstupid

Morning, quick update before heading off to wofk.

Yesterdays pottering resulted in tidying quite a bit of garden, found a handful of green beans lurking whilst removing all the dead plant, umming and arring about the PP squash as there is a couple of small fruits growing but not sure they are going to grow to full size, will leave for now and see how they progress. autumn fruiting raspberries are producing a decent crop and still getting a few strawberries.
Made 6 portions of tomato and lentil soup, 8 portions of pasta sauce and had a chicken carcuss so along with some past it carrots and leeks i made a batch of stock. More toms will need picking today, I was thinking of dehydrating some as my ninja has a setting that does it, but i've never used it so will need to dig out the manual and see what's involved.
Finances ticking along, NSD yesterday as i didn't get round to booking airport parking must do it today along with ordering dog food. Also market decided on just need to book a hotel room but i've passed that job onto DH.

Off to work xx

pennywisepoundstupid

Morningall, house is lovely and quiet as both DH and DD are at work, planning a pottering morning and then an afternoon watching rugby.

Garden has taken a battering over the last few day and i havn't managed to get out and check over everything but i'm pretty sure my tomatoes are done, will pick any that are starting to ripen later and pop them on the window ledge, also the squash has come to the end of it's life along with the green bean plants, I was hoping for a lovely September as we have had in previous years but it's not to be, still getting a few raspberries and leeks and celeriacs are doing well, need a leek for tomorrow's tea and might also pick my first celeriac and have it roasted to go along side the cottage pie i'm making.
Tonight we are having HM flatbreads with spicy chicken and halluomi, with also add tomatoes and  a home grown bell pepper, brought these back in and are doing well in the back porch as it gets alot of sun and the boiler is in there so nice and warm.
DS has gone on his holidays and had a few items that needed using he brought me some greek yoghurt, eggs and bananas, chopped bananas up and frozen them as will use in smoothies, eggs will get used this week either for lunches or in baking and yoghurt is earmarked for tonights flatbreads.
Nipped to Mr S yesterday afterwork as i had some good discount and extra point vouchers on my nectar, spent £50.65 on groceries and £7 on a reduced bottle of red wine which came out of my treat spends. Couple of items in Mr S i decided not to get as they were just too expensive compared to Mr A/Mr L so left them as i can manage without them this week and will pick up next week. No whoopsied items so nothing out of the grocery buffer.

It has been a spendy few days £17 on a sack of dog food, should have been £22 but had a £5 amazon gift voucher on my account so a small saving,
Booked airport parking and airport lounge did get 15% of parking and 20% off lounge but still came to £120, but it's budgeted for as part of the holiday.

We currently have sunshine so off to pop on a wash and see what garden picking there are. xx

pennywisepoundstupid

First celeriac of the season and also the first time i have attempted to grow them, really pleased at how well they are doing, also an enormous leek to have tomorrow in cheese sauce.