Tales from The Shire

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  • themadvix
    themadvix Posts: 7,826
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    Fortune that recipe for rhubarb cordial looks lovely. It says to serve with sparkling water - but do you know if it's okay with still? Don't want to make a batch and discover it's a bit much - sparkling tends to take more flavour out of things in my experience!
    Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days

    'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway


  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,018
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    Ooh, lovely to have a day of regular chores rather than major projects - I was thinking just yesterday I need one of those myself as I walked through the house :eek: :o :rotfl: The weather is just SO lovely at the minute, and I've got to stay inside for work, so when I'm not working I just want to be outside (and there is SO much to do out there!)

    I've been scything a path through our field up to the veg beds this morning. We are also full of wild flowers and I plan to leave ours there as long as possible. Partly because I haven't decided what on earth I'm going to do with all the grass once it's cut :rotfl:

    Still, the farmer came round this morning and said 'we've only got 8 weeks til the winter kicks back in' :eek: so I'm sure there will be plenty of time then :rotfl: :rotfl:

    It was lovely to have a break from all the 'big' stuff Cheery. And I think I might have done enough now to incorporate the project chores into a regular day :T Makes it feel so much more doable.

    Might be worth contacting some local farmers about your grass as they are cutting for silage at the moment and might do yours in return for the grass.
    themadvix wrote: »
    Fortune that recipe for rhubarb cordial looks lovely. It says to serve with sparkling water - but do you know if it's okay with still? Don't want to make a batch and discover it's a bit much - sparkling tends to take more flavour out of things in my experience!

    It's just as lovely with still Madvix... or gin and tonic... or prosecco :o

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,018
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    edited 26 May 2018 at 4:52PM
    I thought it would be a good idea to revisit my goals for the year - just to make sure I was keeping on track:

    Make and Save Pennies
    • make mortgage overpayments - first OP made this month
    • generate income from annex - lodger due to move in end of June
    • bolster emergency fund - regular monthly amount being saved
    • finish Help to Buy ISA contributions - finished :T
    • complete outbuilding renovation - drainage, electrics and mezzanine to complete
    • furnish our new home - ongoing but lots of items sourced already

    Stay Well
    • eat less move more - averaging 12K to 20K steps a day
    • have a few treats and things to look forward to - have kept up WI and my main writing group but haven't had the energy for much else. That should change now I'm feeling better
    • see friends and family regularly - again energy and time have held me back but I've started to catch up now.

    Have Fun
    • explore the area
    • find out what's on
    • have a plan for the weekends Mr F is home. A little progress made on all of the above when health and time have allowed. Once our lodger moves in we'll be able to relax a little more.

    I've continued to search The Bay for the things I need for the annex. My best buys have been a box canvas picture from a local charity shop for 69p. It was a little grubby so I touched it up with some of my acrylic paints and it looks lovely. I also bought a microwave from The Bay for £10 and it's only been used a couple of times. I've found that picking up Bay buys is a good way to explore the local area.

    I cleaned the stairs and landing in the annex and cleared the bathroom of everything we had stored in there. Just the bedroom to clear now and Mr F and I plan to do that on Monday. That will leave just the cleaning of those two rooms and working my way through the 'Needed for the Annex' list.

    Farmer Giles came to the house again this morning. I hadn't wanted to ask him to cut the grass for us as it seemed inappropriate after we'd said no to having his animals. The subject did come up in conversation though and he could cut the grass for silage in the next few weeks. However, he would still like to put his calves on our bottom field. He'd put an electric fence in to stop next door's cows jumping the fence into ours and re-position a fence by the barn to make it secure. We both gain either way as he'd have free silage or grazing and we'd get our grass cut/eaten for nothing. However, cows can be noisy and smelly, we'd lose the use of the bottom field and FDawg is a bit obsessed with cows at the moment. I'm going to talk to Mr F about it tonight.

    I'm having a lazy day today. Mr F and FDawg have gone off to a 4x4 show together so I'm kicking back and doing nothing much. It is a Bank Holiday weekend after all :rotfl:

    Hope you're having a good one.

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • Cheery_Daff
    Cheery_Daff Posts: 15,613
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    We're having no problems with our loaned cows if it's any help... mind you, we've not got calves yet, ours are still pregnant (and our fields also aren't right next to the house so that might help!) Hope you sort something out. Good progress on goals!
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 89,835
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    Enjoy your weekend :)
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • themadvix
    themadvix Posts: 7,826
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    It's just as lovely with still Madvix... or gin and tonic... or prosecco :o

    Fortune x


    Excellent, I shall give that a try then!

    It sounds like you're making excellent progress with your goals :beer:
    Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days

    'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway


  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,018
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    We're having no problems with our loaned cows if it's any help... mind you, we've not got calves yet, ours are still pregnant (and our fields also aren't right next to the house so that might help!) Hope you sort something out. Good progress on goals!

    I think we've decided to suck it and see Cheery. We need to do something as it's getting like a jungle out there.
    beanielou wrote: »
    Enjoy your weekend :)

    Thank you Beanie - it was a mix of loaves and lilies :)
    themadvix wrote: »
    Excellent, I shall give that a try then!

    It sounds like you're making excellent progress with your goals :beer:

    Hope you like it Madvix. I've run out of the current batch - it was just too delicious in a G&T :o

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,018
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    We had a mixed weekend of work and play.

    We went to the County Show on Sunday :) Only to find that it is a one day show and the one day was Saturday :o We'd just assumed that a County Show would be a two day event as the Kent Show is. Doh! The day wasn't wasted though. We went out for a pub lunch and visited a local castle after. They have a shop of donated books so we bought a few to keep us going. Then home again, home again for a lazy evening drinking wine and watching films.

    The annex bedroom is now clear and ready for cleaning. I sourced a few more required items on the Bay including a fridge for £35. I'd planned to keep the existing fridge, even though it was very shabby, and buy a counter top freezer. However, the cheapest counter top freezer I could find was £50 and had to be collected from the store meaning a 50 mile round trip :eek: The new fridge has quite a big freezer compartment and is in much better condition than the old one. The sellers were happy to deliver too for £2.50.

    I have chores to run this morning and writing group this afternoon so I'd better get a wriggle on.

    Have a great week all.

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 89,835
    Academoney Grad I'm a Volunteer Ambassador Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
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    Glad that you enjoyed the loaves and lilies.
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • Fortune_Smiles
    Fortune_Smiles Posts: 5,018
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    When we cleared the last of the boxes from the annex, I was surprised to see how little there was left for Baying... well compared with what we started with. Most of the sorting now is paperwork - Mr F's, Mr F's parents, Mr F's parents' parents :eek: I knew his family had trouble throwing anything away - but utilities bills from 1918 :eek: Mr F wants to go through everything in case there's something worth keeping. He obviously has the same genes :rotfl: I will concentrate on Baying and seeing if we can recoup some of our annex costs that way.

    And I'm off to a great start. Sold an old badge on the Bay for £50 :D and posted it yesterday.

    The curtains in the annex bedroom need replacing. I've discovered that they don't meet when you close them :rotfl: Fortunately I kept the curtains from the old house and I have some which will suit although one pair will need taking up. Whilst looking for curtains I found some black out liners. I'd forgotten I had them and they will be brilliant for our bedroom as the window faces east and we are waking when the sun is at the moment. There are two pairs of liners so I'll hang the second pair in the annex bedroom.

    Parcels continue to arrive for the annex. Ik£a turned out to be brilliant for glasses and kitchen utensils and I found a lovely new quilted bedspread on the Bay. I can buy basic plain sheets and duvet covers now and pretty them up with the bedspread over. Ooooh - here's the Postie now with another of my Bay bargains - an iron :)

    I spent the afternoon at my further away Writers' Group and am feeling motivated to start writing again. It was lovely to have a bit of creative me time and take a break from cleaning :D

    The evening was spent reconciling the bank accounts which all balance thank goodness. However Mr F's salary was higher than expected this month. I suspect they haven't actioned his increased pension payment :(

    Well there is more cleaning to be done today. I'm going to start getting on top of the house chores. They've been taking second place to the annex and there is a lot of dust to be dealt with :o I am feeling less overwhelmed by stuff now though. There is time and I have the energy :)

    Happy Hump Day guys

    Fortune x
    Mortgage: 86% paid Mortgage Neutral: 100% Emergency Fund: 100%
    A Better View 🌄 'Being on the edge isn't as safe, but the view is better' - Ricky Gervais
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