Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

vhalla1478 · 3 May 2015 at 9:16AM

Morning All,

What rubbish weather - it's pouring with rain here, so I think I'll defrost a few bits and make them into meals for when I get back from my friends later in the week. I'm keeping up with my rug quota, so shall try and do extra later as I'm away for a few days from Wednesday and I don't think I can take it with me as it's getting bulky now I'm on the last third.

It seems that quite a few of us have had unhappy experiences with friends. I had one only last week with one of my former neighbours who I became close to when I had a terrifying burglary about four years ago (think knife at throat). I've invited her over on several occasions, made the effort to go and see her etc. I had texted her a couple of weeks ago and suggested that now the weather was improving (well, it was at the time), she and her husband should come over for lunch. I got no reply but bumped into her when I was in Louth. She admitted to having had the text, but said she hardly ever used her mobile and it would serve her right if something important was on it. No apology, nothing. I'm very disappointed, but at least you find out who your real friends are - often not the people you thought!

I promise to put a 'sensible' recipe on later, else I'll be in trouble from Camelot and Jackie!

Have a good day in spite of the weather, Everyone.

Viv xx

[Deleted User] · 3 May 2015 at 10:32AM

It's so sad when people you think are friends turn out to be no such thing. We moved here over 20 years ago on an unexpected job move and one particular friend who I'd known since DD1 was born decided that we were a 'free' hotel/holiday home whenever she decided to tell me they were coming, even going as far as to tell me they'd have trout for supper and wanted salmon the next day!!! this went on for the first 6 or 7 years after we'd moved and she started phoning saying we're coming on Saturday and when I said we were busy would say well we're not doing anything, alter your plans, surely you can do that for us! In the end I had to break the contact completely, I did it by letter, I felt awful about it, felt like a traitor but it HAD to be done and I've not had a word or call from that day. Sadly, every relationship has its dark side and sometimes they degrade to the point of no return.

maryb · 3 May 2015 at 11:10AM

I'm really pleased with a MDMM experiment. In a moment of madness a couple of years ago I bought a classic cashmere cardigan in camel - a colour which not only does NOTHING for me, it positively kills any signs of life. I don't know what I was thinking other than the fact it is an elegant classic colour.

Anyway it has lain in the drawer unworn and reproachful but too good to get rid of. So I decided to have a go at dying it. I used dark grey and because colour mixing applies when you put a new colour over a base colour, it has turned out a really lovely shade of taupe which is much more flattering but just as useful and elegant.

Result.

I'm now going to dig out some linen wide leg trousers which are also a dull camel/tan but useful in summer and dye those as well to get a toning outfit

Bubblesmum · 3 May 2015 at 12:09PM

Catching up - pg117!

Sandals - so pretty, I have no grip in my feet and two sizes different between my feet, so I have to have very sensible shoes - I get excited when my shoes are not black! Hence my slight miff when the puppy chewed the red ones :rotfl:

Feeling guilty reading all the gardening comments, as I have not started my seeds, still cold on my bones here

cheerfulness I take my pillow on holiday too !

Lynplatinum I empathise with you feeling guilty about expensive entertainment, we have a few coming up. Then I think OH earns his money, he doesn't buy anything for himself. My Mum died at 60 and so I appreciate more and more life is about experiences vulpix is right if it takes a little longer to pay debt off

Friendships - so important this weekend, I am seeing two of the three godchildren families, but I also know the hurt and grief about being rejected when I thought that person was my closest friend and one for life. I have learnt to cherish friendships from unexpected places.

Vulix congratulations on house move we combined two homes 9 years ago. OH a minimalist, me a hoarder... I am now decluttering a three bed terrace, getting there... But have a long way to go.

Thinks currently listed on FB, Gumtree and E of bay!

HOWMUCH · 3 May 2015 at 12:16PM

I too had a very good friend so I thought, looking back it was me who put all the effort in. It was me who always cooked meals etc because she wasn't much into cooking. One evening evening she turned up 2 hours late, because she'd decided on call on someone she knew from work who had moved close to me. Her husband had come straight from work but she'd decided to not come straight from work. We ate after an hour of her being late when she arrived she never said sorry or anything and she didn't have her meal. We started to drift apart after that and hence the friendship is no more, some people do not put the effort into a friendship and as my mum used to say there's givers and takers and some people or just takers and never givers if you understand what I mean. A friendship should be a two way thing and sometimes we are just so caught up in the friendship that it's not until something happens that we analysis it.

vhalla1478 · 3 May 2015 at 4:03PM

Afternoon All,

I'm with your mum as far as givers and takers are concerned, Howmuch; you look back and wonder where your brain was sometimes! But I'd rather be a giver any day of the week.

Maryb, I'm very impressed about your dyeing cashmere - did you use a specific make/sort of dye? I've a few cashmere items that would be improved by changing their colour, but I've always been too frightened to give it a go - I thought that they would shrink.

I got my rug quota done and am also feeling very virtuous as I've cleaned and put away all my winter boots, ready for next winter and a quick inspection of my shoes and sandals confirms that I have absolutely no need of any shoes whatsoever. In all fairness to myself, I am 'light' on shoes and I do look after them, but I daren't tell you how many pairs I've got; they've just multiplied somehow!;)

Here's a really tasty recipe for prawns, or you can add other seafood such as sliced baby squid and/or any firm fish. - you can do the rice in advance; it's very flavoursome. A Gordon Ramsay recipe.

Prawn Pilau - serves 4

500ml light chicken stock, 4 tbsp. olive oil, large onion peeled and finely chopped, garlic clove, peeled and chopped, tsp ground cumin, tsp ground coriander, one and a half tsp mild curry powder, 10 cardamom pods (try not to miss these out, they really add fragrance), few thyme sprigs (leaves only), 200grams basmati rice, sea salt and black pepper, 20 large tiger prawns in shells - but I'm not a chef, so any sort, but not shrimps taste good to me

.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees/gas 6. Cut a circle of baking paper, big enough to generously cover a wide ovenproof pan. Cut a steam hole in the centre (fold the paper into segments, snip off the tip, then open out). Bring the stock to the boil in another pan.

Heat the olive oil in the ovenproof pan and add the onion, garlic, spices and thyme. Stir over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then tip in the rice and stir well. Add some salt and pepper and toast the rice for a minute. Pour in the boiling stock and quickly arrange the prawns/fish on top of the rice in a single layer.

Lay the baking paper on top to cover. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the rice is just tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Leave to stand, still covered with the paper for 5 minutes before serving.

And serve with this:

Wilted Spinach with Mustard Seeds

3 tbsp. vegetable oil, large onion peeled and finely sliced, garlic clove, peeled and finely grated, 2cm knob fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated, half tsp garam masala, tsp brown or black mustard seeds, 400 grams spinach leaves, washed, salt and black pepper.

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the garam masala and mustard seeds and toast the spices for a minute until fragrant. (The mustard seeds may pop and jump out of the pan when heated; if so, cover with a lid for a few seconds).

Throw in the spinach leaves, a large handful at a time and stir quickly until the leaves begin to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

These are the sort of recipes where it looks like you've been slaving over a hot stove for hours - when in fact, they're easy and quick -just my type of recipe.:D

Enjoy the rest of the day, Folks.

Viv xx

GreyQueen · 3 May 2015 at 4:35PM

Afternoon. lovely peeps.

Well, it finally stopped raining in the early afternoon and is presently sunny and the pavements are starting to dry out. Not that I would have been gardening today as woke with the lurgy, a 'bit of a throat' and general lassitude and sneezing. Figure I'm going down with a cold so have spent the day taking it easy, reading and napping.

Did go out twice, once in the rain and once just now. Have bought food, heavily-discounted YS food such as a £2.40 loaf for 10p and a joint of silverside Irish beef reduced so that the original £10/ kilo works out at £5.60/ kilo, or comparable with quality sausages.

I like beef, although I only buy it at a heavy discount. Am slow roasting it now and will slice it when cold and freeze it. I can get a lot of meals out of that £9 joint, plus cooking it ahead makes for easier meals later.

I know what you mean about friendships. Someone I considered a good friend needed someone to help her move. I spent several hours helping her pack up her home (the only one of her many friends and extensive family who helped), walked 2 miles home late at night, walked 2 miles back the following morning through snow to be there at 8 am. Helped load, we went 20 miles, unload, stayed over the weekend and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the place which had been left in unbelievable squalor by the previous occupant and their many pets.

My reward was to be left out of the housewarming party, although my friend could organise several carloads of family and friends inc friends-of-friends (who'd never even met her) to drive out there, none of the many vehicles could include me. I was deeply-hurt at the time, even more so when I bumped into her in a supermarket not long after and she saw me, pretended she hadn't and went and hid up. Gawd knows what that was all about, because I surely don't, and the hurt took a few months to dissipate.

Sometimes, people aren't the friends you thought they were, and you have to let them go on with their lives.

Swampmonster · 3 May 2015 at 6:11PM

Skintoap wrote: »

Good morning. Glad you had a good day out, Lynplatinum. Don't let the other incident worry you. If there was a good reason, they'll be in touch, if not, you're better than they are for having turned up. Went out early with the dogs and got back before it started heaving it down. Spent yesterday sorting through my T shirts. Despite all the care I take, some always "go" under the arms, so have two piles, one to remove sleeves, widen armholes and wear as modesty tops under lower cut tops and dresses, a second of those I can us up in other ways e.g. Sewing together and making bias cut tunics like the Joe Brown dresses. The rest that are not fit to wear have gone in scrap merchant's bag that a local charity collects.

I'm trying to decide which of the many wonderful cake recipes on here to make for when DD comes tomorrow.

Hope that tha rain doesn't spoil the Bank Holiday plans for anyone. Enjoy the day.

Silly question but how do you widen arm holes?

I bought a beautiful sleeveless chiffon top from the charity shop that is tight on the arm holes. Not sure how to widen the arm holes.

Many thanks :T

maryb · 3 May 2015 at 6:56PM

Viv, I just used Dylon hand dye in Antique Grey. You dissolve it in hot water then add it to a basin full of tepid water so the temperature is fine for wool.

It was a bit of a guess what colour it would come out - Dylon aren't very helpful in that regard although they do warn you that the colour you get is dependent on the colour you start with. I'm not artistic so I don't have any instinct about colour mixing but I guessed at taupe and that turned out right. I'd also have been very happy if it had been the grey the packet said so I had nothing to lose

parsniphead · 3 May 2015 at 7:15PM

I think leaving friendships and dealing with toxic friends is so difficult. I had a friend who has dealt with depression for a long time and I was always there to support her. I was always the one to text but she would complain if I didn't for a few weeks but wouldn't do so herself.

A few years later after loosing my third baby and feeling very down (what an understatement) as you can imagine, she sent me a text complaining that I hadn't been in touch. I let her know what had happened and all I got back was " yes, but I'm feeling depressed and needed someone to offload on". She didn't even ask how I was.

The last time I saw her was after the little one was born. She said she wanted to meet up but after an emergency c section I couldn't drive for a short time so I said that we would arrange something suitable to bring the little one. She got annoyed that I was going to bring the little one....it was then I decided it's time to move on.

Sometimes you have to think of yourself and have respect for your own time. I still feel bad at times but knew I had to move on. I do hope she is ok but can't go back to having so, so much dumped on my shoulders.

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Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

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