Money update
Well, the remortgage finally went through, and we started consolidating debts like there was no tomorrow. For a few days it looked like this month was going to be tight anyway, as our previous mortgage lender took this month's payment. That was unexpectedly refunded, however, so now I feel temporarily flush with cash!

It won't last, of course, but it's a nice feeling all the same.

House update
As you may remember, part of the purpose of the remortgage was to get some work done on the house. To this end, we've spent a fair proportion of the last few nights and weekends waging all-out war on the garden. A 12 yard skip was ordered, filled, and replaced with an 8 yard skip. Two trees were dismembered and felled, a shed partly cleared out, then torn down and burnt piecemeal, brambles have been cut down, dug up and bagged... suffice to say a respectable amount of "good, honest hard work" has been performed. We're also having the fencing replaced, and while our neighbour is doing that, I've had to help carry the various bits through. The corner posts in particular are fucking heavy.

I can't wait for it to end; I'm much happier with less physically demanding tasks.

Social update
As a consequence of being too busy both at home and at work, and of having very little spare cash, my social life has suffered somewhat lately. I did go to Slimelight a couple of weeks ago, which was cool, despite the fact that no-one else I knew was out that week.

To celebrate our new-found lack of utter poverty and reward myself for all the hard work thus far, I'm splashing out a little today. Lunch saw me meeting up with American Girl and her bf, while tonight I'll be meeting with Chinese Girl. Given the number of job ads she's mailed me recently, I expect a light roasting over my utter failure to get off my lazy arse and get job hunting. Speaking of which...

Job update
Yes, it is getting very close to a year since I first said "I've had it with this place!". You know what that means, don't you? That's right - it's nearly Annual (Didn't They Use To Be Six-Monthly?) Pay Review time!

I fully expect to be disappointed once again, but this time I'll really not stand for it. Things did get better for a while (I got a project to tech lead, for one), but they're going to get worse again soon. Smaller desks, more people crammed in the same space, a new secure development area with all the draconian restrictions that go with such a thing - it's all shaping up to be a rather less pleasant place to work.

Right now, I'm tempted to go into my meeting with my resignation letter, and resign on the spot if I don't get satisfaction. Feel free to take that with the usual pinch of salt, though - even I don't entirely believe me. I know how easy it is to say one thing, then do another (or nothing).

CR update
I've not spoken to CR much over the last couple of weeks (or anyone, really), but I do have one piece of news. Apparently, she's split up with her bf. Things hadn't been right for a while, so they finally decided to call it quits.

I really ought to try to drag her out soon, even if it's just for dinner, but she sounds pretty busy at the moment.

TISG, I started this about 3 hours ago - time to post it!