Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Howmuch, I wish I could say I'm nearly 60, but will be 70 in a couple of years - it doesn't seem possible, I don't feel any different from when I was in my twenties; I just don't know where all the years have gone. I suppose as a generation we went through all the 'Good Life' bit in the 1970s and hopefully the good, frugal habits have stuck. It's much harder for the generation who were brought up to think that most things were disposable.

Here's a really old recipe, beloved by Dr Samuel Johnson. 'I prithee,' said Dr.Johnson, 'bring me a slice or two from the upper cut of a well-roasted sirloin, and two apple dumplings.'

Dr. Johnson's Apple Dumplings

Peel and core the apples without dividing them and fill the centres with marmalade ( a coarse cut Seville marmalade, not the thin sweet marmalade). Now cover each apple with a piece of shortcrust pastry and tie it in a scalded and floured cloth. Boil for about three quarters of an hour, and if the pastry has been carefully made, and the boiling of the dumplings has been continuous, all will approve of Dr.Johnson's choice of puddings.

Well worth the effort.

Have a good evening, Everyone.

Viv x

Effyb4 sorry to hear about your car. You don't realise how much you rely on them till you have to do without. Hopefully it won't take you long to save up to have it fixed.

Cheerfulness4 is key lime pie a little like lemon meringue pie? I've not had it before, but I quite like the sharpness of lemons and limes. Is it easy to make?

Howmuch I'm in my early 40's but my parents are both in their mid 70's and they taught me to be frugal and to make do, so I don't really know any different. I agree though that some just throw away without much thought. I got some lovely high back wicker chairs from the tip last year that someone had thrown away.

One persons trash is another persons treasure so they say.

Oooohhhh that sound great. It's made my mouth water. Defo going to make it. Thanks for the recipe. They had the limes on offer in my local aldi, but didn't get them as they were tiny as well.
I got 3 lemons YS for 45p in Mr. T's instead..

I think the bed must be a vono ,although its a long while since I looked at it that closely I know the head and tail board slot into the bed frame and its iron frame is quite sturdy.The head board still had traces of stick-on things on it from when my eldest DD was doing her A levels and she used to go hiking with pals .Where they went she would buy a stick-on label and the head board looked like an old travelll8ing trunk eventually with all the labels.It took me ages to get the darned things offI didn't want to scrape them as the head board are dark polished wood and shine up beautifully so I soaked some tissue in water and a small drop of nail polish remover and wrapped a towel rond the lot to hold it all on After a day or so I peeled the towel off and the labels came away as well and the shine was still intact :):)Dunno if it was the water or nail polish remover that did the trick but it worked.
Made a big pile of pancakes for my DGS yesterday which vanished in about 10 minutes flat then I did a jug of batter so DD could have some when she came home from work.My abstinence for Lent is my beloved ginger nut biscuits I have forsworn them for Lent :):) believe me a toughie, as I adore them and a cup of tea won't be the same.I even have taken them on holiday when I went to the US and when I have been in hospital.My dds think I have ginger nuts in my bloodstream :):) But no more until Easter .Even my DGS think I will crack before then (they know my secret addiction too well)
Right time to get a move on as I am at Dds house looking after the boys again today
Cheers chums
JackieO xxx