Welcome to the start of the second year of our five year challenge to pay off our mortgage. So far we are on track, but things have slowed down considerably in the last few months after some emergency repairs to our car totalling over £1000, in addition to a boiler break down.
This month we have paid off another 1% bringing our total paid off to date to 25%. Although we haven’t had much extra money to throw at the mortgage, we have been busy behind the scenes. We belong to Freecycle (online community whereby people offer up things they no longer want for free) and were blessed to be offered 18 old pine doors. We have replaced our five doors using these old pine doors, which look just amazing in our ancient house!
In addition, T12 is making a cold frame from the doors which had glass panels; Gary has split our L-shaped hallway into two using one of the doors; and he is putting another doorway in to cut off a redundant porchway, which we will then use as our school storage:
Our goal is to completely change half of our hallway into a school/project room, and this has really helped to start the process.
Again from Freecycle was the acquisition of a green house. T12 is in heaven! We still need to erect it, but we are very excited about the possibilities this will afford T12 in the gardening department.
And we were also given some beautiful, new circular paving. We intend to use this to make a patio in our garden which Gary had cordoned off last summer:
We haven’t put it down yet but soon. We feel so blessed to have obtained all this for free!
One final piece of news, sad this time. Princess Omelette, C11’s hen died last week. She was distraught. We have not a clue what she died of, but we read that occasionally hens do just die. We had a ceremonial burying, followed by lots of cuddles. C11 drew a picture of Princess Omelette, which she keeps pinned on her board next to her bed, to remember her by!
And that is all our news for this month.
Your house looks gorgeous. I love all the zones you’ve created, inside and out. You really make that space work for you! We love freecycle too – such a great way of saving one person’s “junk” from landfill and blessing it with a new loving home!
I can’t believe what we have got just recently. It’s like we chat about replacing so and so and suddenly so and so comes up as an offered item. I’m going to start chatting about a 7 berth caravan next….well, you never know!
I love the things you got off of freecycle and the wonderful things you are doing with them. We have Freecycle here as well and I love some of the things we have scored over the years.
Blessings, Dawn
It’s such a great idea, isn’t it? Especially in a world that struggles with excess rather than depravity.
Wow! Things like that never come up on Freecycle here! It has helped us to re-home a large number of things, though.
Your house is looking great!
Thanks Erin! We were over the moon with the doors – couldn’t believe our luck!
That was a really good fine on freecycle 🙂 sorry to hear about Princess Omelette.
I’ll pass your condolences over to C11! Although they all ate a chicken yesterday after swearing to become vegetarians! I think the drama has passed….until the next one!
18 pine doors and a greenhouse – that is quite the score on Freecycle! And those doors are just perfect for your dream country home!
LOL! Aren’t they just?
Way to go! I love your updates. It encourages me to keep watching my budget as well. Sorry to hear about the hen.
Thanks Beth. I’m glad you are enjoying them.
The doors are fantastic – especially the price! I can’t wait to see the greenhouse.
Please tell C11 I am sorry to hear about Princess Omelette. That is very sad. She drew a lovely picture by which to remember her.
I hope you had a good weekend. We are back to freezing here in Texas.
-Donna
I’ll absolutely tell C11. She really was inconsolable for a couple of days. It seems to have blown over now though.
Lots and lots of cuddles. How very sad about Princess Omelette.
What amazing finds from Freecycle.
Thanks Ticia.
Love you all!
Hello! How are you all? Have you got your lap top yet? Looking forward to emailing you and keeping up with all your news. Love you too!