A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

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  • wen3
    wen3 Posts: 158 Forumite
    Morning All

    Hope everyone is okay? Haven't had time to read through the thread(sorry) have been at work (Wed Thur and Fri) and then busy catching up with house and Christmas stuff and this thread moves so quickly lol.

    Plans for today more cleaning, cooking a roast chicken dinner and I am going to have a go at softstuff's spice biscuts. Went to Aldi shopping yesterday and only spent £16, was really pleased with that. Will pop back later and let you know how I get on with the biccies.
    DMP Support Thread Number 186
  • katieowl_2
    katieowl_2 Posts: 1,864 Forumite
    Argh. Took a phone call yesterday eve from my good friend in the village who was sobbing down the phone, and she told me her cousin was dead. I grabbed my keys and went straight round, and she explained that he was due to go home to his parents town yesterday, and hadn't arrived, his sister had made a few phone calls, including to her, and when she still couldn't raise him, she called the police, who went around and broke the door down, and they found him dead - no further details known. My friend was VERY VERY close to him, and we knew him well too as he was a frequent visitor to her house. She is in utter pieces...Her Uncle, the cousins dad is dying in hospital, The cousin was himself getting chemo, and of course earlier this year her husband left her. Happy Christmas.

    She's the friend who was joining us for Christmas dinner anyway as she'd have been on her own otherwise.... I'm going to call her in a minute and check she's OK. I poured several glasses of wine down her last night and cooked her another dinner, as one of the cats had eaten the fish that she'd just taken out of the oven before she got the call. I feel terribly useless.

    Kate
  • fuddle
    fuddle Posts: 6,823 Forumite
    So sorry to read about the really difficult time your friend is going through Katie. That is such sad news. I understand your feelings of uselessness but my gosh your friend is lucky to have you. x
  • Softstuff
    Softstuff Posts: 3,086
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    So sorry to hear about your friend Katieowl. She's very lucky to have you looking out for her.

    Went to hubbys works Christmas lunch (after a 10am change of venue), it was a lovely get-together, the service at the restaurant was pretty bad though (it was as though they thought they were doing us a favour) and the food over priced. We shan't be returning needless to say.

    I've been sending muffins in to hubbys office each monday, and one of the chaps said how lovely they were. His wife said "You bake every week?". With a chuckle I explained that it was more than once a week, if not hubby would die of starvation!

    Anyhoo, as promised, I invented some new muffins which used up some of the bits I had bought in for other Christmas baking. Christmas Spiced Muffins. And having tried them out (with half a dozen earmarked for the office tomorrow), with approval from hubby too, here is the recipe:

    Spiced Christmas Muffins
    Makes 12

    2 large apples grated (or 4 small grated)
    1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    a healthy handful of mixed fruit
    a handful of crumbed walnuts (any nuts would be fine, or none at all, I was just using the end of a pack up)
    1 cup sugar (any kind, I use raw but that's just the cheapest here)
    1 1/2 cups self raising flour
    2 eggs
    50ml veg oil
    1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

    Put the apples, mixed fruit and spices in a bowl with the bicarb, add a splash of boiling water (enough to just cover the mix) and give it a stir. Wait about 5 minutes. Add everything else, stir very well. Pop into your muffin pan (or in my case a silicone friand pan), bake at 180 until a skewer inserted comes out clean (about 30 mins). They're dense, chewy, moist, golden brown and a little bit Christmassy.
    Softstuff- Officially better than 007
  • rosieben
    rosieben Posts: 5,010
    Combo Breaker First Post
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    Softstuff, I'll add that recipe to the grocery challenge index too :)
    ... don't throw the string away. You always need string! :D

    C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener
  • mardatha
    mardatha Posts: 15,612 Forumite
    My god you lot can talk ! Not wee and quiet like moi ;)
    Fuddle, I lost half my tea at your wild party lifestyle... "Crocheting DH a mug warmer for Christmas" :rotfl:
    Re sad news, xmas is a very bad time for some people, because you feel you have to be bright and zingy and happy..and when that's impossible then you feel guilty and everything gets worse. Maybe tonight and each night we could all light a wee candle for those who are sad at this time of year .
    Costco does cheap big bags of red lentils.
    We have such a lovely day here - it looks like St Moritz out the back. Sun on snow, turning it pink. I toold a pic but the bloody batts are dead and I'm charging them, will post it later. Can't get out a walk though as roads frozen snow and ice, hard walking.
  • Kimsmum
    Kimsmum Posts: 221 Forumite

    Katieowl
    , Sorry to hear about your friend. How sad it makes even more so as its so close to Christmas.





    Softstuff
    thank you for the recipe they sound yummy.
    Taking it one day at a time
  • Katieowl, that's a terrible thing to have happened at any time of the year, but at Christmas............
    You're not useless at all, what else can you do apart from be there for your friend, and you are.
    Stay strong.
    Normal people worry me.
  • lizzyb1812
    lizzyb1812 Posts: 1,392 Forumite
    katieowl wrote: »
    Argh. Took a phone call yesterday eve from my good friend in the village who was sobbing down the phone, and she told me her cousin was dead. I grabbed my keys and went straight round, and she explained that he was due to go home to his parents town yesterday, and hadn't arrived, his sister had made a few phone calls, including to her, and when she still couldn't raise him, she called the police, who went around and broke the door down, and they found him dead - no further details known. My friend was VERY VERY close to him, and we knew him well too as he was a frequent visitor to her house. She is in utter pieces...Her Uncle, the cousins dad is dying in hospital, The cousin was himself getting chemo, and of course earlier this year her husband left her. Happy Christmas.

    She's the friend who was joining us for Christmas dinner anyway as she'd have been on her own otherwise.... I'm going to call her in a minute and check she's OK. I poured several glasses of wine down her last night and cooked her another dinner, as one of the cats had eaten the fish that she'd just taken out of the oven before she got the call. I feel terribly useless.

    Kate

    Well I'm sure none of us on here think you are useless - you have supported your friend admirably and it is understandable that you too are very upset. Look after yourself as well as your friend. :grouphug:
    "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain." ~ Vivian Greene
  • Katieowl....just wanted to say I hope you are okay and that being there for your friend is the only thing that you can do at the moment....don't feel useless, its the greatest gift you can give her.
    Mortgage 12.12.12 £55842 12.12.13 £42716 14.12.14 £28837 13.12.15 £25913
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