It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

[Deleted User]

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

Oh and don't let eggs boil dry in a pan,they explode and cost you several hundred pounds to get your ceiling replastered and your'e never allowed to live it down.

I actually did explode boiled eggs:o when I had only been married a month and my darling late husband of almost 40 years never let me forget it:rotfl: :rotfl:

Charis

mummysaver wrote: »

Mbaz's thread on feeding 4 people for £20 has loads of tips on stretching food as well! I'm planning on making a beef stew this week and then stretching it into a stroganoff and then a Moroccan dish, courtesy of the Asda magazine and their stretching a meal article!

Thanks for this mummysaver. Asda is almost 20 miles from here, but the magazine is online and has this recipe:

http://www.asdamagazine.com/page/7/

And a host of others:

ASDA meal planner
http://www.asdamagazine.com/page/9/
(can't imagine they have this toy in the paper mag)

mypet62

When your spuds sprouting plant them in a bucket of compost (homemade if you have it) keep them moist and in a few moths time you will have your own homegrown spuds at a fraction of the cost and a minimum of effort. My 70 plus dad has been doing this for years and had homegrown spuds on xmas day!

[Deleted User]

oh lord!!! I feel so sad for those made redundant and for those having to do the deed too. It is so not fair that people who want to work cannot.

I wish some of the oldies thought about these things, I know a well-off retired md of a well know company. He cannot bear the idea of not having responsiblilities annd workplace respect so he has placed himself on the market and has a job lined up. He has pots of money and can afford a house with land for cash etc. So why on earth don`t these people take a back seat now and give someone younger a chance?? :mad: I gave up my job 7 years ago to let a young man in. Selfishness rules in some people`s lives

re exploding things: my worst one was the hm bottle of red wine stored on its side that spilt all over the carpet

second was the prestige pressure cooker that jetted my thick pea soup all over the ceiling

I am using my stockcupboard daily now and it is going to take a year or two to empty it. lol, brilliant and much better than saving. Also fab not having to go out in the cold, damp air

cw18

kittie wrote: »

I wish some of the oldies thought about these things, I know a well-off retired md of a well know company. He cannot bear the idea of not having responsiblilities annd workplace respect so he has placed himself on the market and has a job lined up. He has pots of money and can afford a house with land for cash etc. So why on earth don`t these people take a back seat now and give someone younger a chance?? :mad:

TBH, I know a lot of people who -- if they "fully" retired -- would lose the will to live if they had "nothing to do" all day.

My Dad is one of these, but he keeps busy with the local parish council (which he's on) and the local planning comittee -- plus, until recently, he was also clerk to two other parish councils in the area. This after retiring at 56 and having a stroke a few years ago -- he was 72 last month.

I can't see me ever being happy sat around at home twiddling my thumbs either. I've had enough of it in the last 2.5 years -- mostly while off work ill, but also while on 'gardening leave' while they went through a redundancy program. I knew mine would come, but they offered voluntary first -- so I refused to apply as it bought me more time/salary while my DH was terminally ill with cancer (hence meaning a slightly better last few months for him).

My "day" finally came, and I was told early in September that I was only on payroll until 26th November. I'd convinced myself this wouldn't be too bad as I'd have DH to keep me busy with his care requirements, but I lost him 8 days before my job.

I can already feel myself starting to "stagnate", so since the start of November I've had my younger GD round three days of pre-school during term-time, and also walked my elder GD to school all week...... but since school re-opened on Wednesday I've "upgraded" this to having the elder one after school every day as well.

And come Monday (when my elder DS heads back to his Army barracks -- he's been home on a mix of compassionate and Christmas leave since 19th Nov) I'm starting to totally blitz the house -- and I need to get a couple of workmen in for some 'small' jobs that are either just beyond my capability or that I'm not allowed to do (new electrical fittings). Plus I need to find someone to [strike]blitz[/strike] landscape my back garden (after which I hope to start growing fruit and veg as I'm not a 'flowers' person -- and it should also help with my grocery bills).

Around Easter I then want to start the process to register as a child-minder, as this seems to me to be my best option in the current job market. Not many places are likely to even offer me an interview given everything will be a much lower salary than I've had for the last 23 years, and I've had almost 16 months sick leave in the last 2.5 years -- though I'm pretty confident I now have my back condition under control, and should pass the medical required for child-minding even if it means some non-standard restrictions on the ages I can care for.

In the meantime I've also started to help out with parties/socials at a Sheltered Accomodation complex -- and am thoroughly enjoying it. They're a fantastic group who have accepted me in with open arms, and it's nice to have somewhere to go that doesn't have a history for me and DH/isn't attended by people who knew him. I do think it also helps that a number of the residents have also lost their partners over the years (they know about DH), and they seem to know "what to say without saying anything" (if that makes sense).

Primrose

I wouldn't criticise anybody in later age who decides they either want or need to return to work, for whatever reason. Who knows, the retired person who, on the face of it may seem to have a good pension and a big house may be helping to fund care home fees for an elderly parent, or helping out children who are unfortunate enough to be on the brink of redundancy or having their house repossessed. Some people also need the mental stimulus of being in the outside world and having regular inter-action with other people. We all have to negotiate our own way through retirement and for those left alone like cw18, loneliness or the desire to remain a useful member of the community can be big factors.

Caterina

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

I'm sure I read somewhere about treacle(the black stuff not golden syrup)being very explosive.Can you imagine the mess that stuff would make.

Oh blimey I have just cleared the kitchen cupboard and found two ANCIENT jars of treacle, which I had to get rid of as the stuff inside was SOLID. Imagine if they exploded in the cupboard:eek: mind you it would have been a good excuse to do the decluttering earlier!

[Deleted User]

us older ones (58 ish + ) have had every opportunity to work, jobs were plentiful through much of our working lives. Many young folks, including graduates will not get the chance. It is about time that greed took a back seat. There are plenty of opportunities for free employment for the older, bored people who have to be working. For heavens sake let the young ones and those with children and/or mortagages have a chance at paid employment

dianasnan

Yep, my Mil gave me the contents of her food cupboard when she moved many years ago and the tin of black treacle exploded when I tried to take the lid off, scared the living daylights out of me.Not a pretty site on the kitchen ceiling. Some of the food must have been in her cupboards since the 1960's and this was then 1990.

oystercatcher

Both my parents have kept very busy during retirement doing voluntary work. They are so busy it's hard to find a time slot to see them.

They run a 'non religious' social group at their church for lonely people. Art work scrabble etc once a week. Dad helps at the local primary school hearing children read (he started this when my boys were there now the 'baby' is in sixth form but dad still likes the 6/7 year olds!)
Mum helps at a local charity shop.
They also drive elderly people to supermarket , hospital etc as needed.

There's lots for people to do.

However I do agree we can't always assume people are well off often people are struggling to keep up appearances ot to assist their own younger family !

Oystercatcher