Old Style Diary Archive - JAN 06

smokey112

Kiwichick - have you tried decaff coffee or halfcaff - we drink decaff all the time now and I notice a difference when other peeps give my full strength coffee.

good luck and keep going - you will feel better in time - i just noticed that your weight loss target is same as mine - good luck

Take care all

Ang
x

Queenie

:hello: Gooooood Morning Old Stylers :hello:

((hugs for those who need them))

Well it needs to be a retrospective "weekly" round up from Queenie Land.

Sprouting Seeds Experiment: :j RESULT!!! :j (Had little success with the jam jar method and had invested in a 3-tier "sprouter" last Autumn). Dragged out the sprouting trays and filled them with a 3-day Organic Sprouting Mix - really good stuff! Having the 3 tiers is a bonus too, because I'm able to rotate them so we can have sprouting seeds ready to eat on a daily basis (or until we've overdosed LOL )

Experiment - making butter in the Magimixer:
1st attempt (used the egg white beater) came out ok;
2nd attempt using the metal blade ... very disappointing!
I'd bought the cream from the reduced counter, so it wasn't a costly exercise and worth knowing for the future (for me, anyway).
Still prefer the "jam jar" method though That keeps the boys busy plus it's exercise for them :rotfl:

"Old Brown Curtain/Hessian Sack Hunt" - newsletter from one of the schools has asked that we keep hold of these items :rotfl: Great idea if we had them laying around ... so, the hunt is on! I need to check out the Charity Shops for any brown curtains (or even plain ones I could dye!) but as far as Hessian Sacks go ... any :idea: ideas???

11+ - D10yo now has this behind him and only has SATS to think about.

Tried out a new "Basic Savoury Mince" recipe (freezable too) found in a magazine:
It was goooooooood!! :drool: Froze half for another day, but that frozen half will actually stretch to 2 more days It's now in my recipe box so whenever I find mince on reduced I can make up batches for the freezer. From the basic recipe I can make up at least 6 different meals:-

Vegetable Stock:
Used up all the "ends of" from the fridge; reduced the stock down to concentrate it and filled up some old ice lolly moulds to freeze them; have now put the veggie stock "lollies" into a freezable box so it all stacks

Recycling this past week:
Found some rather out-dated velvet ski pants Washed them and have now used the legs to make some velvet gift bags. The first one I've experimented with, I've made the cording from some old skeins of metallic embroidery floss, plus used up some old buttons to decorate the front.

B: Porridge
L: Me - pilchards on toast. Boys packed lunches - Cheese sandwich, made with HM sultana bread; carrot sticks; fruit.
Hot Blood Soup; Lasagne and HM coleslaw; rice pudding.

Take care, everyone! :wave:

BWZN93

Anybody else have trouble getting on here this morning?

The cat has woken me up again this morning, and simply wouldnt give up until id got out of bed, kept walking on me, meowing at me, tapping me, and kneading me. :rolleyes: I really faniced a good long lie-in too! Ive decided to go shopping again today, :j as im determined to get some things, but this time ive planned what I want and where I want it from. Ive got a breadmaker on my list (the argos MR £39.99 one - is it good?) but im not sure if ill get it. We do eat bread, probably a loaf or so a week, and I occassionally take sandwiches to work, so im deciding whether its a worthwhile buy or not. Did anybody find that they ate bread more when they had a breadmaker and actually used it, or just not bother??

Ive also got a set of nice saucepans on the list, those Worral-Thompson non-stick ones, ive decided im sick of cooking with old pans with lids that dont match or fit! There is also a nice butchers block on the list, and im getting a cleaver ive seen on sale in Habitat (I feel like I need a good meat chopper, I only have a couple of other knives, a short one that I use for everything, a big cheap knife thats useful for chopping potatoes etc, and a bread knife, so it would come in really handy to have a multi purpose meat knife). Other purchases possibly entail a filing cabinet (small one so I can get organised) but im undecided with that too.

Johanne: Sorry to hear about the house, I feel awful for you - I had a similar experience last year looking for a house knowing that we only had a month left, and they kept going before we got there until I gave up, randomly looked in the paper one day, viewed and took it immediately. I hope something suitable turns up soon for you.


Ive got loads to do today so I might crack on in a second and go out for the day. Wish me luck shopping!

Jo xx

skylight

Morning all.

Joanne - In my area, you can claim housing benefit and your landlord does not have to know. I am sure I read somewhere about new regulations about it. Perhaps your area has implemented something too? This would mean that you could be paid the housing benefit directly and then pass it on to your landlord instead of having it paid directly to the landlord.

PP - Sorry your having a bad time. I cant offer any help - just big hugs.

CQ - Am so please you love the new house! (Read on yesterdays!) And the stress has gone!

Kiwi - I bought that Half Caf stuff on my tesco delivery yesterday - hoping to just put it straight into the jar and not tell OH. He spotted it and I had to blame Tesco on a mis-pick! He drinks far too much of the stuff and needs to be weaned off.

DD1 is behaving much better, I am pleased to say. She seems to be over the worsst of whatever it was that was getting to her. So I too am making an effort to be nice. Parenting is not the hardest thing in the world - step-parenting is!

WM has done several loads this morning already, all in tumble drier as its frozen outside and there is a thick layer of frost on everything.

DD3 loved her ballet class last night - so signed her up for it. She complained to the teacher about not having any shoes. I will have to get her some for next week - her little toes were very cold going bare foot. The rest of the outfit can wait until I have some funds for it. Even if I buy a bit every few weeks should be okay.

Having Spag Bol tonight - didn't actually have time to put SC on yesterday!

Recieved a Prima Mag pattern yesterday and priced up the costs on a cheap fabrics website - £17!!!! :eek:
Most of that is on the lace edging - I dont think that I will be spending that much - not on a first ever clothe attempt. Will try the local places in town - there are very few, the nearest material "warehouse" is about 15 miles away.

Any way - hope that the day picks up for those that need it.

Take care
Charlotte
xx

Off to get dresses - satill sat here in my PJ's!

Icemaiden

Morning all,

DD not going to pre-school this morning as shes still asleep!! Did try and wake her at 8.00am but she said she was still tired. keep checking on her, shes okay just must be dog tired but we were in the garden for most of the afternoon yesturday.

Need to do a bit of baking this morning just to top up the cake/biscuits to get us through till the weekend and for the packed lunches for DS which by the way are going down great guns.

Looks like its going to be another dry day so might pop a few items in the WM to take advantage.

Lunch: Cheese on toast
Dinner: Cottage pie & veg.

Have a really nice day, take care

Ice

Ronankfan

Morning everyone

Johanne - sorry to hear the news about the house (((hugs)))

DD1 off to school, DD2 and DS still at home although DS seems to be getting better so he can go back tomorrow but DD2 is still poorly - may have to think about taking her back to the drs tomorrow if she doesn't pick up soon.

Loads of jobs for today (if i can tear myself away from here that is!) - BM to be put on, WM to go on, SC to go on - the list is endless!!!!! lol

Brekkie - Cereal
Dinner - wrap/sandwich
Tea - Cottage pie and veg

Hope everyone has a good day

Liz xx

Pooky

Good morning all

Johanne - So sorry about the house - If I were you I'd just claim the housing benefit and wait and see what happens with your landlord - lets face it I'm sure he'd rather have the rent paid than have to start looking for new tennants. I claimed it years ago and had the payment made straight to me and I carried on paying the rent in the normal way - they never knew.

Queenie - Nice to see you back! Sounds like you've been busy - Would love to see the velvet bag.... sounds lovely.

CQ - Nice to have you home!

Hugs to the rest of you that need them.

Having a good morning so far - WM on, DW on (forgot to switch it on last night) Hoovered all through and kitchen floor swept. Only one childminding child today (arriving in about 10 mins) this one sleeps for England and normally has at least 2hrs before lunch.

Going to do some cooking with little one later - some fairy cakes for the freezer (I've finally found room in there to put stuff).

Brekkie - Cereal and fruit all round
Lunch - Crackers and cheese and fruit all round
Dinner - Gammon and veg soup with fresh rolls (if I remember to make them)

Need to do a complete freezer inventory tonight - got so much left over meat in there from the turkey, beef and gammon in the last few weeks that I really need to plan around it and get it all used.

In the mood to do some sewing over the weekend - need to find some patterns online for some toys and dig out the fabric box.

Have a great day all.

Queenie

jw1096 wrote:

....

Queenie: You do too much and put us to shame!

I hope I don't put *anyone* to "shame"!

This thread was always meant to be a means of sharing how we incorporate Old Styling into our daily lives.

I'm an OS'er ... it's a snapshot from a week's worth .. didn't do it *all* in one day

Queenie

Pooky wrote:

..

Queenie - Nice to see you back! Sounds like you've been busy - Would love to see the velvet bag.... sounds lovely. .

Thanks Pooky - if I'm ever in your neck of the woods ... I'll pop by and show it to you

tattooed_lady

Hiya!

Flat is a total tip today but it'll have to wait as I haven't had enuff tea yet :rolleyes:

CQ - Nice to see you back!!

PP - Hope your OH's back is ok, back pain sucks.

Johanne - Really sorry about the house, hope something better comes along.

Hi to Queenie and Ticklemouse and everyone, hope your day is good xx

Got some reduced beef in Asda yesterday so will make a stew or maybe a curry?

DS2 has his (belated) b-day party at school today so will go there at about 2pm to set the stuff up.

Take care everyone!