Renewed focus: the (less-than?) five-year plan to move

themadvix

Morning all,

Made it to the gym last night, but it was busy and people kept hogging one of the machines (leaving their water bottle there etc.), which annoyed me. Plus there was a connectivity issue with some of the other machines, so I did what I could in an hour (Mr MV went off for a swim) and gave up. I got most of it done, but will try to either get there earlier on a Monday or not go on a Monday in future. Have booked myself in for two classes next Monday afternoon, so that will negate any issues next week - very much doubt I'll be in any fit state to gym after two classes!

Dinner was a riff on this recipe courtesy of @Greying_Pilgrim. I didn't follow the recipe (I'd already soaked and cooked the beans), didn't use meat (tried smoked tofu for the first time, which was nice) and used pinto beans not black-eyed peas… The takeaway for us was that it needed more flavour - possibly due to the fact that the seasoning we have is 4 years old. But we would make again, with adjustments. We've got leftovers for dinner tonight (I'm going to make it stretch - there's only a small portion each), followed by crumble and custard.

B&W Cat has randomly gone off his kibble… 🙄 Very frustrating, especially as while he likes the new meat, he isn't eating anywhere near enough of it not to need the kibble too. Slightly concerned that he's not feeling well and he'll need to go back up to the full steroid amount (not a problem in some respects, but might delay us reducing the chemo). We'll see how things go over the next couple of days. Just as I thought things were improving…. That said, he is eating the meat, it's just slow going.

Still working on this large project for main client. Also have a small project from UK client. It is dark and grey and miserable here today - but I will go for a walk at some point to get out of the house. Have some bits for a charity shop, so might take them to the further one for the exercise. I think, it might be brightening up a little bit at least (I may be able to turn the light off!).

MS things:
* Dinner used hg peppers, jalapeno and garlic
* VB poll
* PA survey
* Picked last of the borlotti beans at the allotment and cleared the plants into the compost heap; also picked a mini courgette and a whole bunch of french beans, which need eating/freezing.

Gratitudes:
* B&W Cat is quite willing to eat and has eaten quite a bit of meat, just very slowly and at intervals, so I keep having to offer it to him while his brother is shut away - not a terribly feasible situation long term
* The colours of the leaves on the trees at the moment - gorgeous!
* Have seen quite a few jays over the past few days 😊- out burying their nuts, I imagine

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Went to the gym first thing (well, ish - it was about 7.30) this morning and it was lovely and quiet. Will try to do that again (it was Mr MV's idea, but he didn't sleep well and elected not to go - think I'm dropping him there on my way out later). Am off to collect my allotment friend and her baby from the airport later - she's been to see family and I offered to collect her as her husband has a new job and can't really take the time off. In the meantime, still working on the big project - and have the stuff for UK client to do, but I'll save that for tomorrow.

Went for a walk in the rain last night with Mr MV (it was drizzle here, so not too bad). It was dark, but it was good to get out - I hope to keep this up unless it's pouring (and then will maybe just do a quick walk around the block). Dinner was, as planned, the leftover and crumble - there was plenty. And while I was cooking, I planned tonight's dinner, which will be spinach, chickpea and halloumi curry in the IP. Chickpeas soaked overnight and are now cooked and cooling - amazing what a bit of forethought can do. I do need to pick some chard for this (spinach sub), which means I need to go soon - it'll be dark when I get back from the airport…. it's very wet out there at the moment though…

B&W Cat is eating better today, so that's a relief. They're both quite quiet, but I think that's the weather - no point asking to go out when it's this wet!

MS things:
* VB poll (so close to payout now)
* 1P surveys
* A few small PA surveys
* £5 of YL surveys last night
* Mr MV applied for the Barclaycard mentioned in the newsletter a month or so ago - we now have 🍎 TV+ for a year, so Disney can be cancelled soon (just finishing up watching Bones)

Gratitudes:
* A good gym session this morning (although annoyed I forgot my towel - I had to use my own water and energy to shower! 😂)
* B&W Cat better with food
* A nice walk last night - a chance to wind down from work, get some fresh air and chat to Mr MV

Have a good afternoon all!

Baileys_Babe

We have both 🍎TV and Disney+ as 'free' bank perks 😉 We enjoyed Bones.

EssexHebridean

I have in the past been known to use the gym clothes I'm changing out of to dry myself after a shower at the gym when I'd forgotten a towel… 😉

Fingers crossed for cat news continuing to be more positive, and B&W finally settling on a food he is content with!

beanielou

So glad B&W cat is better with food.

themadvix

@Baileys_Babe We've definitely had Disney as a bank perk in the past - but have been paying for it for a while. But we only ever have one of these things on the go at once and quite often have a break from them too. We're on the last season on Bones now - we have enjoyed it! Am looking forward to the new season of Slow Horses and getting back to For All of Mankind, although there's plenty on actual TV at the moment too that we watch (and we really don't watch all that much!)

EssexHebridean

Yes, we'll need to be thinking about a free trial of the fruity TV for the new series of Slow Horses, well reminded! We've just galloped through the three short seasons of "Time" on iPlayer which have been very gripping. Not sure whether they're likely to make any more of that.

themadvix

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82175900#Comment_82175900

I thought 'ooh, good idea' to this EH, then realised that I'd have to walk through the changing rooms in the nude from the shower to the lockers! It would work if you had shower cubicles with changing space, but ours are just showers, so it's a case of towelling dry in the shower and then a modest 'underwear on without exposing yourself too much' in the communal changing rooms kind of situation! 😂

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks @beanielou and @EssexHebridean for the good wishes for B&W Cat. It's definitely still up and down, but part of the issue was that he spat his anti-sickness pill the other day, which causes a bit of a hangover (no longer feeling sick, but suspicious of what made him feel sick a few days ago). We've also established that cutting his food (pate stuff) into chunks rather than mushing it means it is picked up rather than licked into submission. It's all progress… and I can't help hoping that things will improve after we reduce the chemo in just over a week - he was absolutely fine with food until we put him on it, so hoping that that will resolve some of the issue. He is asking for food at mealtimes now though, which is so much better than it was! I just have to keep reminding myself that progress is happening but also isn't always linear and not to panic too much if he has an off day!

Airport pick up went well yesterday, although typically as I was about to leave, main client came up with some other work - to do ahead of finishing the large project (although in itself is not insubstantial). So that's keeping me busy today. I do want to go for a swim too, but we'll have to see - otherwise I'll do an early morning visit tomorrow and swim and gym - the pool has classes at midday and this evening and I've been warned to avoid it when that's the case as half of it is out of use.

Gorgeous sunshine here today, which is a welcome relief after two very gloomy days. Two loads of washing on the line enjoying the 'apricity' (it's the word for the warmth of winter sunshine - thanks Susie Dent!) and the breeze.

Have booked myself and Stepmum in for a 'spa day' at the local college - £40 each (I'm using the last of my birthday money for me), including a facial and a back massage and afternoon tea in the student-run restaurant too. Bargain!

MS things:
* 1P surveys up to date
* CC pots up to date (I am very definitely feeling poor now this month)
* Paid the airport pick up charge before I forget - hoping that friend will reimburse this when she pops round later
* Heat pump is now doing its thing, but we have software that is managing battery charging based on usage over the past week, so balancing exporting and charging based on what it expects us to do (clever, but I leave it all to Mr MV, who loves to show me schedules which really mean nothing to me as I'm not familiar with what it's showing!)

Gratitudes:
* Sunshine!
* Lovely to see friend and her little boy yesterday
* Plenty of work

Have a good afternoon all!

themadvix

Morning all,

Friend has indeed reimbursed parking fee for airport. She also popped round with a bag of foodie goodies from her homeland and, hidden in the bag, £50 in cash. This was returned as soon as I realised - I am more than happy with the foodie bits and parking being covered. If she'd popped a tenner in for 'petrol', I might have been inclined to accept, but £50 is too much - I offered to pick her up as a friend, not a taxi service! The food included a nice beer we shared last night and some delicious nutty wafer things - she can bring me more of those next time!

I did get for a swim yesterday afternoon and was at the gym early again this morning (not quite as early as I'd like, but Mr MV is sleeping later with these dark mornings - he's not as much of a morning person as I am - and we have to pill the cat before I go, so as to keep his routine normal; he is suffering from overdoing it on his dodgy knee, so didn't want to make it worse). 12.5 hours there this month now. Will definitely be going for a workout and swim over the weekend too. I am feeling the benefits massively - my knees are much stronger, which is definitely a good thing.

Today will be finishing off the piece of work for main client and then pub later. Am hoping it continues to stay dry despite the weather forecast as I always prefer a walk to the pub. Tomorrow evening we are meeting friends for a pub dinner in a village about 10 miles away - looking forward to a nice cosy pub with fire going. If the weather is OK, we'll go for a walk in the area beforehand to make the most of the last daylight before the clocks change. On Sunday we have my parents and uncle popping round for a cuppa in the afternoon - the rest of the extended family are busy. Otherwise, the weekend will involve mooching at home, doing some jobs and a gym visit.

Not sure about dinner tonight - it may be a stir fry. Will discuss with Mr MV at lunchtime.

MS things:
* 1P survey
* YG survey (B&W Cat is still waking us up early - after I gave up about 6 (he'd been crying since 5), I got some surveys done while Mr MV was still asleep)
* VB poll
* PA surveys (back over £10 there)

Gratitudes:
* Quiet gym
* Improved knees!
* The colours of the leaves I can see from my office window - gorgeous, even in the grey weather.
* Treats from friend

Have a good day all!