Progress is...

Merlin's_Beard

Urgh to the neighbour.

However I am laughing at the amount of !!!! that are experimentally popping up in this thread now 😂

rtandon27

Hello all & thanks for popping in! I'm loving the chat about about alternative energy, forever homes & swear filters.

As for them next door, thank-you for the sympathies - we lucked out & they were away for Thurs & Fri - it was blissfully quiet! I took the opportunity to potter round my wintery garden and have a look at what needs doing, both to tidy & maintain as well as keep interlopers on their own side of the fence!

It's been an emotionally difficult January for us & we are both feeling a bit off track. It's amazing how habits keep us both feeling grounded.

So in true to me form, the first thing I need to start the month is a meal plan!

Meal Plan…
✅🫓🥙 Saturday Jan 31- Easy Peasy Day - Lunch = Bao - Dinner = Take-away Kebabs
✅Sunday Feb 01 - Roast Day - Toast & Eggs for OH - packet rice and leftover chicken for me
✅🥬 Monday Feb 02 - Veggie Day - Caulicheese & mushrooms & lardons
✅🐟🍟 Tuesday Feb 03 - Fish Day - Take-away Fish & Chips [medical appt day]
✅🍗🍄🥕🥦🥔 Wednesday Feb 04 - Chicken Day - Lunch = BLT sandwich rolls Dinner = Roast Chicken & mushrooms & baby brussels & leftover chips
✅🍖 Thursday Feb 05 - Meat Day - OH chose burger delivery
✅🍤🍗🍚 Friday Feb 06 - Fakeaway Day - Lunch = BLT sandwich rolls Dinner = Paella & salad
🍜 Saturday Feb 07- Easy Peasy Day - soup dumplings & noodles
🍖🥕🍠🍅🥔 Sunday Feb 08 - Roast Day - Roast pork & baby veg & herby potatoes

slowly making my way through routine tasks...
✅ YNAB done & money juggled - pay day was friday
🔆 across the pond banking needs doing - will have to log onto laptop & change the VPN
✅ grocery order - Tuesday evening delivery
✅ meal plan (above)
🔱 weekly digital planner
🔆 Delay Repay
✅ supplements into dossets
✅ pack-ups for work days
🔆 Weekly surveys & contests
✅ laundry - one load washed and put away - second load has been washed & on airer - third load washing & now hung up (we are well behind and need clean everything!)

made time for a few of the non-routine tasks...
✅ several loads of dishes and pots washed and put away
✅ ordered supplements and hydration
✅ ordered new underpinnings - only sports ones are comfortable atm
✅ prepared last of sale returns - neither blazer fits perfectly so both are going back
✅ vacuum downstairs - mid-week success
🔆 vacuum furniture - maybe mid-week
✅ vacuum stairs - mid-week success
✅ vacuum landing - mid-week success
✅ vacuum bedroom - mid-week success
🔱 have sourced weighted blankets - singles - Scandinavian style!
🔱 still on the hunt for ballerina wedges that fit for everyday use
🔱 will need to find brass paint to disguise screws or screw caps - need to get a flat top brush
🔱 EHIC card - not valid - can reapply for the GHIC card - haha totoo funny, i finally get around to doing this and the sight just happens to be down for maintenance! - Murphy's Law
⏳ look into oiling/waxing newly installed xtra banister
⏳BFF across the pond - we owe each other money - get this sorted by valentine's

rtandon27

Hello my fellow forimites…

Thought I'd take the opportunity to post here something I posted on my work channel.

🟢 World Cancer Day – February 4

Each year, World Cancer Day invites us to reflect, remember, and reconnect—with ourselves, with each other, and with the many stories that surround us. Most of us know someone who has been affected by cancer—whether a friend, a family member, a colleague, or perhaps ourselves.

The 2025–2027 theme, “United by Unique,” reminds us that every cancer journey is different, but no one walks it alone. Behind each diagnosis is a human story—of strength, of uncertainty, of care—and a call to build systems that truly see and support the individual.

🔄 Try the Upside Down Challenge
As part of this year’s global campaign, the Upside Down Challenge flips perspective—literally.

💡 Do something upside down, snap a photo, and show solidarity with those whose lives have been turned upside down by cancer.

Whether it’s flipping your mug, inverting your nameplate, or (safely!) trying a yoga pose, it’s a chance to bring awareness with a quiet act of creativity.

If you’d like to learn more or take part in other ways, here are a few good places to start:
🔗 Macmillan – World Cancer Day
🔗 World Cancer Day – Take Action

rtandon27

My upside down image for the day…

rtandon27

Mortgage overpayment goals...
March & April - have juggled budget into submission & the 294 goal is met for each month
May - 0/294 with 294 to go is the next goal
In Jan I found that that many of my pots were currently full so anything extra has been swept into the overpayment pot - it's won't be so easy every month depending on costs due but for now it's OK
I'm thinking that the RM points will eventually cash out into a gift certificate & a wodge of cash can be allocated - I also have a payment due to me from work which equals a month's worth of mortgage payments & overpayments so that may be May done there

Movement goal for this week...
1) 10 mins physio in the morning
2) 10 min walk at lunch on work days
3) 20 min walk to or from work (3x a week)
track active minutes and average step goal!
Monday
1) physio done
2) lunch walk done
3) active mins before work & at lunch
just over 1/2 my active mins done & almost twice step goal
Tuesday
1) physio done
2) no lunch walk as had to leave work early so didn't take a
3) active mins did not happen
zero active mins done & 1.5X my step goal
Wednesday wfh so a rest day
1) physio done
2) no need to walk at lunch
3) no active mins will be done

badmemory

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81870101#Comment_81870101

That reminds me of a Fitz & Floyd design or very faintly Omnibus.

rtandon27

Another week, another reset day filled with lists!

First the Meal Plan…
🥬🧀🍚 Saturday Feb 07- Easy Peasy Day Veggie Day - saag halloumi recipe box
🍖🥕🍠🍅🥔 Sunday Feb 08 - Roast Day - Lunch = chicken & leftovers Dinner = Roast pork & baby veg & herby potatoes
🥬 Monday Feb 09 - Veggie Day - TBC
🐟🍟 Tuesday Feb 10 - Fish Day - Box Fish & butterflied prawns & potato croquettes & onion rings [medical appt day]
🍗🍄🥕🥦🥔 Wednesday Feb 11 - Chicken Day - Lunch = BLT sandwich rolls Dinner = Butter Chicken & Rice
🍔🌽🥔 Thursday Feb 12 - Meat Day - Cheeseburgers & corn cobbettes & mini crispy smashed potatoes
🥧🍟Friday Feb 13 - Fakeaway Day - Lunch = BLT sandwich rolls Dinner = individual pies & mmash
🍜 Saturday Feb 14- Easy Peasy Day - Lunch = soup dumplings & noodles - Dinner = Heartshaped pasta & meatballs
🍖🥕🍠🍅🥔 Sunday Feb 15 - Roast Day - Kielbasa & cabbage & onions with beetroot & sauerkraut

Mortgage overpayment goal...
May - 0/294 with 294 to go

Movement goal for this week...
1) 10 mins physio in the morning
2) 10 min walk at lunch on work days
3) 20 min walk to or from work (3x a week)
track active minutes and average step goal!
Thursday
1) physio done
2) lunch walk done
3) on my way home from work
1/2 my active mins done & 1.5 step goal
Friday - wfh day
1) physio done
2) no lunch walk
3) active mins did not happen
zero active mins done & 0.5X my step goal
Saturday
1) physio done
2) no lunchtime walk
3) no active mins
zero active mins done & 0.5X my step goal


Sunday??? - we'll see tomorrow! - along with tallying up routine & non-routine tasks!

Cheery_Daff

Love your themed meal plan (and your giant list of emojis! :lol: ) Most impressive. My meal plan is currently 'I made tea and there might be some of it left over for tomorrow'… I did get quite into batch cooking for a while but sadly it seems to have gone by the wayside a bit!