Living the Good Life - mortgage free and living in line with our values

ladysummerisle

themadvix said:

ladysummerisle said:

Ooh I have a question (now I’ve caught up!) around the clothes dye. I bought the one for the washing machine (apparently) for husband. He now wonders if it’s a faff given the many rinse cycles needed and potential to transfer. Is it really? Or is he griping unnecessarily? 😂

(I think I’ve only used one in a bucket before)

It does require four cycles (once to wash the items, then to dye, then to rinse them and then to rinse the machine - and not short ones - mine were 2hr20 each), so it will take the whole day (and not ideal when you have a cat peeing on pads that need washing regularly 🙄). I would definitely say to use the recommended amount of dye too - the t-shirts could have come up blacker, but that was my fault for not weighing them and wildly underestimating how much would be needed (it dyed my sock that wasn't meant to be in there beautifully). But I didn't find any cause for concern once I'd washed the machine out (and that could probably have been done on a shorter cycle (1hr). It's a bit of a faff, but if the items are in good condition, I'd say it's worth it. Just allow a whole day.

@th@themadvix thank you! I’ve told him so he can do it if he decides. I feel your pain over the cat. My dearly departed dog gave us daily washing too.

themadvix

Sorry to hear about your dog @ladysummerisle. With the cat it's more frustration as it's a dirty protest (at all sorts of things) rather than a downward decline - which I'm very grateful for. Feliway, a change of litter tray design and daily Zylkene seem to be helping. The Feliway is definitely only a short term measure as I don't like the chemicals in the house. We do at least seem to be making progress at last!

greenbee

If you are short of courgettes, I can post you about a million... 

themadvix

Erm... thanks, but no thanks greenbee! I only planted one courgette plant this year in an attempt to moderate the volumes... but it seems to have gone the other way. There are a couple more that'll be ready shortly, so I think it's just taken my plant a while to get going. They are lovely bright yellow courgettes though as I splashed out on a different variety this year.

Have picked up another day of cat sitting for current (feisty ginger cat) client on Sunday. She's no trouble (as long as she doesn't menace me as I walk past) and timing isn't important as she has a feeder, so it's easy money and shouldn't interfere with any plans we might have.

themadvix

Have just made the first large jar of pickles with my first pickling cukes. Pleased that 5 cukes and half the vinegar mix was perfect for the large French jam jar. 

Dinner was eggs and beans on toast in the end - will do courgette kuku on Thursday. Needed something quick and easy with pickling and picking a cat key up. Eggs bought in the Coop, and resisted the reduced strawberries.

Just watching the football now and will clear some surveys while I do so.

Watty1

ladysummerisle said:

Ooh I have a question (now I’ve caught up!) around the clothes dye. I bought the one for the washing machine (apparently) for husband. He now wonders if it’s a faff given the many rinse cycles needed and potential to transfer. Is it really? Or is he griping unnecessarily? 😂

(I think I’ve only used one in a bucket before)

The biggest faff for me was washing all the seals round the door but the results were so worth it (I dyed some cream tops a stunning pink) 

newgirly

Hi Vix, when I dyed some jeans last year it spat out dye for weeks afterwards, I needed up complaining to the dyl@n company, didn’t get far with that though, very odd as i had used dye in the machine many times before 😳
Well done getting you hands on oasis tickets, all the kids and my brother are going but I didn’t manage it, should be a belter of a night 😬 

ladysummerisle

Thanks @Watty1 @newgirly @themadvix

I think that seals it - I’ll be buying a bucket! (It even says it can be corrosive on the label?!)

themadvix

Interesting mixed views then on the dyeing process. Given I was using black, I didn't have any issues with the seals (although I did wipe a dribble off of the front of the machine!) - but it may have helped that the next thing that went in was the cat pad, so not something I was worried about. Newgirly, that sounds pretty dire! (We were really lucky with the Oasis tickets - we actually got some ourselves too, but these are going to FIL as he wanted us to get him two originally, but we hadn't managed that).

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Slept terribly last night, so today has been a slow one. Have returned one piece of work to main client and nearly finished with a second one. Have submitted Cambridge time sheets - early as boss is off on holiday for the next week, when they're due. They are for a decent amount, so should be useful for contributing to savings, even if I have to top up grocery/personal spends budgets from Cambridge pay (I'm hopeful that won't be the case, but there may not be anything for savings from SE income this month).

When I've finished this bit of work, I'm off to the allotment to attack the chaos there - I've really not had time to spend there lately and I'm beginning to stress about it. I'll take the strimmer, which will be one big job ticked off my list, if nothing else (although with no one at home, an easy dinner lined up and the choice of TMS or my audiobook, I may stay a fair while).

Roofer has been round to look at the leaky garage roof. He'll send me a quote this evening. Hopefully not too much.

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done - a few more pence on HW and just 50p off cash out from VB now.
* Cat sitting monies received for the weekend; key picked up for the other job too.
* Kept back some of the baked beans from the tin last night for my jacket spud tonight. Mr MV has just got to his work hotel - think it'll be an M&S tea for him tonight (on expenses).
* PA surveys are inching towards £16 now
* 1P is at nearly £17, so targeting that for payout soon too.
* 50p NV survey done too.

Gratitudes:
* Got up and went to see a steam train go across a viaduct near us - was something different and a chance for a nice walk first thing too as we got there early and the train was late
* Somehow England's women are through to the final.... so painful to watch though!
* UK based client managed to get my contribution to some work acknowledged, which was lovely!

Have a good afternoon/evening all!