Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

good_advice · 20 April 2015 at 11:40AM

silvasava wrote: »

GoodAdvice - never tied my daffs up - just deadhead before they can develop seed and leave the foliage to die down naturally. A dual carriageway near me was planted with daffs over 20 years ago by the local council - they just leave them to died own naturally & give them a good feed & there is a beautiful display every year.

Yes, that is what I thought too! Silvasaver.

Prinzessilein · 20 April 2015 at 4:42PM

Afternoon...

Just to report back on the Laundry Egg.....I did a basic 'white wash'....some knickers and socks, a couple of summer vests, a nightie and 2 tee-shirts...oh and I threw a tea-towel in at the last minute......the egg had a definite lavender whiff - but when I got the laundry out the scent wasn't overpowering, just a gentle hint....no need for conditioner, but I don't use it anyway....everything came out nice and clean...with the exception of one of the tees which had a splodge of chilli sauce on it and I didn't pre-treat it. Stain has faded but you can still see the mark - but I would say that was my own fault not the egg's!.......Now this was an easyish test for the egg...no real staining. I will try again with a darker load - with a few items that need pre-treating for stains first!...in a day or so, and see how it goes.....so far I have to say I am impressed!

As far as Amazon goes...I like knowing when parcels are going to be delivered...I get an e-mail giving me a one-hour slot and on a 'bad' day I can arrange for someone to be with me for the delivery (I am s/elective mute)......a big bonus with the Kindle is the free newspapers I can get (via Calibre)....including German ones. ...with my Kindle Fire I can access limited German TV too. (Of course I can always pop down to Mum if there's something special on the German TV....she has German satellite TV!)

I've managed to get a GP appointment for tomorrow which is quicker than I thought - so I will check my skin washes and crèmes et.c tonight to see if I need a repeat of them. while I'm there.

Pasta tonight for dinner...followed by frozen -banana (aka cheats ice cream!)

good_advice · 20 April 2015 at 5:15PM

Thanks for the update Prinz.

There does not always have to be MEAT for dinner! That is just what I told him indoors and he pulled an unimpressed face!

Making do...
I am cooking Cauli cheese with carrots included.
Cabbage, parsnips and sw.corn. Sliced spuds and sweet potato.

Just made some lemon jelly, we have icecream in the freezer.

I think I am getting fed up of trying to put on the table meat dinners wile keeping the shopping bill low.

I have been looking at my cookery books. just for something diffrent.
He has gone off sausages.
I cook various meals with mince.
Fish and chips. Both frozen.
To warm for casserole.
Think I might HM an egg and bacon flan next.

DollyDabbler · 20 April 2015 at 5:26PM

maryb wrote: »

re sewing and having special scissors - I bought red handled scissors for sewing and threatened the Family with dire consequences if they used them for paper. They can remember that red is for danger:rotfl:

It means they don't have to think about whether it's OK to use a particular pair of scissors or not - half the battle with my DH and DDs

Mine are red handles too, but I hide mine, having found it was all too eady to find mine in my neatly organised sewing box, rather than look in their own bedrooms in their floordrobes :rotfl:

vhalla1478 · 20 April 2015 at 5:47PM

Good Afternoon, Everyone,

I'm pleased you tried the laundry egg successfully, Prinzess. as I mentioned before, I always pre-treat stains with Vanish Gold and find that that is all I need - considerably cheaper than wash powder/liquid/conditioner and environmentally sound. And, Prinzess, just being nosy - are you on the Norfolk coast?

I've been making a vat full of lemon and orange barley water for the grandchildren and apple flapjacks (recipe below) and have managed to clear a good 3 metre square of my field/garden, so am feeling I've had a productive day, and still no spends this month as far as groceries/toiletries/household items are concerned.

This recipe is from a cookbook for children, and none the worse because of it.

Apple Flapjack - makes 12

2 eating apples, 175 grams butter, 175 grams Demerara sugar, 2 tbsp. golden syrup, half tsp ground cinnamon, 50 grams sultanas, 225 grams porridge oats 18x27 cm tin.

Heat the oven to 160 degrees/gas 3. grease the tin, line with baking parchment. Cut the peeled and cored apples into small chunks and put them into a saucepan with 25 grams of the butter. Cook them over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then until the apple is soft.

Add the rest of the butter with the sugar, syrup, cinnamon and sultanas. Heat the mixture gently until the butter has melted. Then take the pan off the heat and stir in the oats. Spoon the mixture into the tin and spread it out. Smooth the top with the back of the spoon. Put the tin in the middle shelf of the oven and bake it for 25 minutes. Take it out of the oven, leave it for 10 minutes to cool. Then cut into pieces.

Flapjacks should be dark golden brown and soft when you take them out of the oven. If you cook them too long, they may be dry and not so chewy.

Silva, many congratulations on your maiden voyage - it must have been exhilarating!

Viv xx

Prinzessilein · 20 April 2015 at 5:58PM

Hi Viv.....am I on the Norfolk Coast?....well some would say yes...most here say no!.....it has long been a bone of contention!....If you look at the mainland...and go East as far as you can...that's where I am! ...technically it is Suffolk, but the border is decidedly 'fluid' .....I moved around a lot, finally thought I was settled in the Midlands and then when health became a REAL issue I moved over here to be closer to Mum.

[Deleted User] · 20 April 2015 at 7:02PM

just had a root around the freezer and dug out some smoked cod,two colcannon mash patties, some green peas and I will top the fish with a poached egg.I'm determined to use as much from the freezer as possible.
Hanging on to my cash this month for sure

:):)

camelot1001 · 20 April 2015 at 8:53PM

Re sewing, I am not very good with the machine but can sew a straight line, my mum always made me cut the ends of the thread and then pull the top to bottom (or the other way round, can't remember) and then tie them together to stop them coming apart.
I made a couple of carrier bag holders using cheap tea towels, pretty much the right size and just one seam up and 2 channels, one for a hanging cord and the other for the elastic at the bottom.

Silvasava, sounds like you had good fun sailing.
Vhalla your recipes are always good, but not good for my waistline!

meritaten · 20 April 2015 at 9:42PM

camelot1001 wrote: »

Re sewing, I am not very good with the machine but can sew a straight line, my mum always made me cut the ends of the thread and then pull the top to bottom (or the other way round, can't remember) and then tie them together to stop them coming apart.
I made a couple of carrier bag holders using cheap tea towels, pretty much the right size and just one seam up and 2 channels, one for a hanging cord and the other for the elastic at the bottom.

Silvasava, sounds like you had good fun sailing.
Vhalla your recipes are always good, but not good for my waistline!

Yes, at school this how we finished 'bust darts'. you pull the top thread and then use a needle to pull the bottom (bobbin) thread through. then thread both on a needle to make tiny stitches behind the seam to finish. in the factory, your reverse stitches were expected to be EXACTLY on top of your stitches! both methods work.

Lynplatinum · 20 April 2015 at 10:43PM

Evening all!

Well first the Woooo Hoooos. I forced myself to go down the town to day to deal with finances (put monies in check balance etc) - which are always less than I want them to be :-( and said to self (as an inducement) I could go pottering in 2nd hand shops with a budget £2 (saved from entertainment budget last week) One of them had a sale rail - pair of lovely cotton trousers - light aqua colour - ideal for summer. Usual thoughts happened - i.e. 'bound to be a size 8 - I never get owt worthwhile on these sale rails' etc etc. Pulled them off the rail - size 16 AND from Cotton Traders!!! Well my size 18 jeans are getting v loose now and I have to hitch em up as I go along so I thought 'why not give it a try - nothing to loose' AND miracle - they fit!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Snugly but not unbearably so!!! Yessssssssssss :j But (second Whoooo Hooooo) they were only £1!!! Amazing!!!!!!!!!

So folks - never give up - never surrender! I can now send my 'nellie the elephant' cream cotton trousers to the CH and wish them well!

Re daffs - my father in law taught me to loosely 'tie' them up with one of their own leaves by wrapping the other leaves round with one that is still attached to the plant - it stops them flopping all over the place (and in my case the path to my front door) when they start to die down. have done this for 21 years now and they still come up each year. This method allows them to still photosynthesise and store energy back down in the bulb for the next year. (if you cut the leaves off they cannot do this).

This thread has so changed the way I think - I am really looking forward to tomorrow evening and my little co!p - I cant wait to see what bargains I can find. :rotfl: Previously I would have only visited it for chocolate related goods such as melting centre puddings or 'finest' chocs!! Sure you folk are helping me to loose weight too - because now I wont splash the cash!!:T

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Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

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