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

rtandon27

I feel for you both Vix & Cheery - nothing worse than feeling your space invaded! The main reason I don't want our old meters replaced. There is only one person who I actually love having around and that is our gentleman of a window cleaner who is also a handyman for those he gets along well with!  He's as selective about his favorite clients as we are about who we let on our property!

themadvix

I have heating and an empty house! Whoop! They'll be back in the morning to do a couple of final things and talk us through it, but we have heating - hooray!! 🎉

RT, while I appreciate that now probably isn't a great time, meters are a quick, one-person job - not too intrusive at all. And it's definitely worth getting a smart meter if you can for the ability to take advantage of time-of-use tariffs.

rtandon27

😘 - Vix the problem is that we know it's not a one person job as the boxed in housing of the current meters does not given enough clearance (they have already told us that) so it would be a HUGE job and not one they will be paying for! - so yes, at some point, but not at this point & also one I will have to brace myself for.  Too many people in the house invading my sanctuary!

It also doesn't help that I have in my past the experience of being in charge of the tradespeople, which in the UK seems to be an issue when I interfere 🤣🤣🤣 what would a little woman know about the trades - it's a man's world - the type of attitude I can't handle with grace!

themadvix

Ah, I take your point RT - that would be a big job. In fairness to our fitters, even the JR fan, they've all been very polite and considerate about asking my opinion as to how I want things done. I freely admit that the technical side is all down to Mr MV, and have had to refer them to him on several occasions, but I don't think these guys would have had an issue considering me as an equal. But I know what you mean! (I am currently wondering how long we'll stick with the 🐙 service plan (we've not agreed on having it yet, but it seems likely) and how long before I can go back to my smoothie-drinking, lovely boiler engineer (most likely it depends on what and when he qualifies for heatpump servicing).

lulabelle1

Hurrah to the Heatpump being up and running! You’ll love it I’m sure…. Beware, you’ll be obsessed with the app. I’m always faffing around with the schedules, checking consumption etc…. But really, it would all just be fine and dandy without any faffing at all. 

I was laughing when reading about your installation experience…. Like ours, it all starts off well and then as time goes by and the house gets colder, you feel yourself getting grumpier! I used to visit my lovely neighbours regularly for toilet breaks, coffee and just really to get out of the house and have a break from the chaos. I even spent several hours sitting in my car, with heated seats watching Netflix… it felt like such a treat! 

Enjoy, you’ll be able to have middle of the night visits to the loo now without feeling cold now you’ve got a Heatpump! 

themadvix

Thanks @lulabelle1! So far, I am loving it - our house is so warm! The guys are here this morning, just finishing off. Very glad that the waste contractors have been and my garden is emerging from being a dumping ground. Yes, I think we will be obsessed with the app -  but Mr MV will doubtless set it up to run through Home Assistant, so whether *I'll* be able to fiddle with it quite so easily, I'm not sure! 🤣

I definitely considered sitting in the car, but it was only here Monday and Tuesday, when I was less grumpy - and able to get out for a bit. Sadly, while we're on good terms with our neighbours, we are not on those sort of terms! I can't wait for them to go - I will be cleaning the hall floor immediately! (They've put down dust sheets everywhere else, but it's not practical on the wood floor in the hall, but it has definitely suffered this week.)

themadvix

In other news, I've picked up a fairly large job on the platform, which needs to be done by Monday/Tuesday, so that's keeping me busy today. I should get paid fairly quickly for it, which will help - with the change of company for main client and Cambridge not paying last month, I've got everything sorted, but will be using Cambridge pay to top up SE pay at the end of November - but less so as I'll now have another c. £280 towards the 'shortfall' (I like to pay myself a fixed SE income whenever possible and then Cambridge is a bonus on top - whereas next month Cambridge will form part of the core income). I don't think there'll be a delay in being paid by main client's new company, but he warned me there might be - so it'll be good to have some buffer. (Plus there's the vet's bill looming, as well as the heat pump - although they've not mentioned payment yet!)
MS things:
* Squash, leek and bean gratin for dinner last night - apart from the dairy and mustard in it, everything was homegrown
* Had final gas statement from 🐙 so they've clearly noted the end of our gas supply 🎉
* 1P surveys - just keeping on top of these at the moment, already back up to £5+
* YG survey
* PA surveys - £32 cleared

* Have acquired a couple of bits of wood which I can use at the allotment from the installers (declined to keep the pallets and various other bits - I don't have the headspace for them at the moment, plus I have two pallets at the allotment that I could use)

Gratitudes:
* A lovely warm house
* A very quiet heating system - it's so quiet, I can't tell if it's on or not without opening the kitchen window to hear if there's a gentle fan noise
* They finish today *and* it's Friday, so pub later (and a quick catch-up prior to that with cat-sitting friend to discuss 2-month cat-sitting job

Have a good day all!

beanielou

A happy Friday then! 

greenbee

So glad you're pleased with it. Once you've cleaned up you'll soon forget the stress  

I'm not looking forward to the next round of work here, but hoping it can be done in 2 weeks instead of being spread over a month. I'm planning on moving back into my bedroom over the weekend - it's been nice staying in the spare room, apart from the bed being smaller and the cats not thinking they need to leave any space for me!

themadvix

A happy Friday, indeed, @beanielou! 

@greenbee, I'm already feeling happier having given the hall floor a first wipe. It needs sweeping/hoovering and then another go over with the cloth, but it's a million times better than it was. Enjoy being back in your own room - and the extra space for the cats!

Have just 'popped in' to Cambridge and dealt with the inboxes, so feeling less negligent there. And platform job is going well - definitely a finish on Monday rather than Tuesday situation. 

Lunch now - not sure the rolls have finished defrosting though 😬