It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

anniewoo

Congratulations Wendybird,what a wonderful Christmas present :j

wendybird

Thank you so much to everyone who's offered their congratulations! We are really thrilled and can't wait to tell our families over the holidays!

mummysaver

wogglemaker wrote: »

Pagangirl,

I thought it was just the items in my basket going up by 100% in Mr T's have a look at Value tuna, Value chopped toms, pink salmon up from 80 p to £1.50.

Oh don't get me started on this again! Makes my blood boil! New market price range arrives and value stuff doubles in price or disappears! :mad:

Bet we're all frantically growing our own toms next year in any and every container and space possible! Well I will be!

The only way around these huge increases seems to be bulk buying when you do find the stuff more cheaply, and not everyone has the money, space or options to transport stuff to do that.

I do seem to have found a cheap source of fish though, a mate goes out fishing but never knows what to do with the ones he catches, told him to pass them my way and I'll exchange them for fish pie! He's happy, I'm happy! Obviously only really works if you're happy to deal with the raw fish yourself though - fab news on this front, dd1 is a huge fish lover and is keen to learn, so I may not even have to do all the filleting etc soon!

Caterina - lovely to hear you sounding back to normal now! Hope that you got the oranges done and they aren't still staring reproachfully at you every time you walk past!

Happytails - forgot to say glad that you're all okay and good luck with sorting out things with the insurance company.

d&dd - saw the post saying you'd taken photos, did I miss them? I love being nosey! Also a bit of storage inspiration wouldn't go amiss!

painted_lady

Wendybird, congratulations, only just seen this.
I was told I wouldnt have children naturally too and then found myself pregnant. Now I have 20month DS.
Advice - join freecycle, most baby stuff is bulky and people just want rid of it, often the baby hasnt used it for long too so is like new.Also ebay etc.
We wrote a list of everything we would need and when people asked us what we wanted we had an answer and saves things being repeated or loads of clothes that will only fit for a day or 2 (literally!). Put little things on the list too such as scratch mits (my 14 year old niece wanted to get him something and she got him 2 pair of scratch mits for 50p in tesco) and think beyond newborn age, for example, at weaning you will need plastic spoons, dishes, larger bibs, high chair etc. Then there is a gift suitable for anyones budget.
Join all the baby clubs (I have a list I can email you if you PM me your email), most of them give you something free and money off vouchers.
Breastfeeding is free (but sadly i couldnt do it because of health reasons).
Washable nappies will save you a fortune (worth the investment, saves £700 from birth to potty, more if you use them again for any future children)
Good luck and hope your pregnancy is healthy and happy.

mummysaver

Elizabunny - sorry I forgot to say thanks for the tip about using rope as a basis for swags, will give it a go for my stairway, possibly this afternoon if I can drum up enthusiasm and the ivy is dry! We have a blue fir tree in our garden, and it always looks lovely when used for decoration, trouble is that it always makes my skin itch something awful, so this year I shall be remembering my gardening gloves! I haven't seen much holly locally, but I'm sure there must be some, might drag the children for a walk in the woods next week!

[Deleted User]

unmissable ********

Nella Last`s peace is on radio 4 daily from monday at 9.45 am 15th dec

http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=55&programmeId=89710197&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp

I am reading the book. It is wonderful

D&DD

These are the most recent of the under the stairs cupboard,looking extremely tidy for a change due to Woolies and Debenhams having the lock'n'locks on special
There are however a pile of assorted boxes and bags which are still balanced on top of this little lot :rotfl:
I took them out so you could see properly!

Mummysaver re the tomatoes I grew 8 cherry tomato plants this year and stuck them in hanging baskets and got TONS off them.I dehydrated them all *they slice neatly into 3-4 slices*..mindnumbingly boring after the umpteenth lot BUT I dried the 'ends' seperate and ground them into powder to use as paste for tomato puree and the slices are rehydrated and used as you would for tinned but the tatse is sooo much stronger you only need a few..
Perfect for chucking into the slowcooker too

Yategirl

*drool* I lurve that cupboard!!!!

funnily enough... I was looking at my storecupboard spacein the garage yesterday... I have friends looking after the chickens when we go away... I feel embarrassed for them to see my cupboard.. they must think I am mad when they see all the food.... but thanks to mse.. I know I am not mad!!! :rotfl:

how long did you dry your tomatoes for? I dried my chilli's this year and then covered them in oil (was that a mistake?) they went mouldy

ceridwen

I'd be interested in the answer to that too.

I've dried tomatoes and put them in jars covered in oil before now - and they've gone mouldy. I've also dried apples before now and just put them in lock and lock boxes and they've gone a bit "off" too.

Dont know quite what I am doing wrong. I'm drying them in my dehydrator if that makes any difference.

Caterina

mummysaver wrote: »

Caterina - lovely to hear you sounding back to normal now! Hope that you got the oranges done and they aren't still staring reproachfully at you every time you walk past!

Ooooo mummysaver you are the voice of my guilty conscience :rotfl: the oranges were quietly turning green and mouldy at the bottom of the fruit bowl but now they are hollering my name - gotta go and do it or their shrunken green furry bodies will haunt me at night! :eek:

Bummer, I had just started decluttering the office and will have to leave it, am so sorry to say :j

Caterina

Edited to say: My conscience is placated and the sliced oranges are sitting peacefully in a plastic box on top of the radiator, side by side with all the other citrus peel which I keep as firestarters. Ahhhhhh, what bliss, I can go back to tidying the dusty office!