Mortgage Reduction Beginner to Novice - The Show Begins

shala_moo

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Morning MRN, December is rolling round pretty quickly

Good luck on the pack up challenge. I sometimes make a bulgher wheat salad with whatever is left in the fridge - goes down well with DD, but not DS.

Stuffed marrow a one of my favourites - now I have it in my head I really want one :rotfl: Will have to hunt down a marrow as I haven't grown any this year.

Best wishes Tilly x

Love Bulghar wheat salad... with roasted red peppers and a bit of sweet chilli sauce as a dressing.. mmm may have to have that soon.

ammonite

Peonie wrote: »

Hi MRN,

Now I've found your diary I'm signing up.

With winter on the horizon you could stock up on supplies in case you get snowed in.

And, congratulations on the payrise.

We aren't really in the middle of nowhere but when it was really bad snow a few years back I didn't fancy going out in it for the 2 weeks it was here. I think I'm going to stock up on tinned stuff, bread etc. just to see us through.

How did your packed lunch go MRN?

misscousinitt

shala_moo wrote: »

Love Bulghar wheat salad... with roasted red peppers and a bit of sweet chilli sauce as a dressing.. mmm may have to have that soon.

Never tried making it, but it sounds delish...must put some bulghar wheat on next months shopping list.

MCI

Mortgage_Reduction_Novice

:wave:Hi everyone,

I've started this week off well with two packed lunches... I'm very determined to go right up to Christmas! I did some baking at the weekend so home made cupcakes are our packed lunch treat for the week.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Stuffed marrow was one of my favourites - now I have it in my head I really want one :rotfl:

Tilly, what do you usually stuff 'em with? I've tried a bolognase-style sauce, a rice, chorizo, spring onion and peppers combo and a cous cous, bacon and mushroom combo. More stuffing ideas would be good as they're still growing strong.

numptyknownothing wrote: »

Ooooh marrow - I haven't had that for years and as kids we used to be really disappointed when we had that for dinner. We used to have them off my step-dads allotment. Somehow we thought they were not as good as you got in the shop!

MrMRN always remembers stuffed marrows from his childhood fondly. Something along the lines of "it was about the only thing my mother made from scratch that was edible and delicious".

Peonie wrote: »

Now I've found your diary I'm signing up.

Hi Peonie and welcome.

misscousinitt wrote: »

Never tried making it, but it sounds delish...must put some bulghar wheat on next months shopping list.

MCI

After the recommendations from Tilly and Shala_moo... it's also gone onto my shopping list. I think variety is the key to me going the distance with the self-imposed lunch challenge.

In other news:

We got the financial adviser mortgage paperwork completed and posted back to them - I'm crossing my fingers for a slightly lower rate. We've agreed to keep the monthly payment the same which means larger OPs!

We've opened a saving account (using the MSE guide of course!) specifically for the Kitchen renovation. Both our pay rises will go directly to this savings pot.

We've avoided having to host two family events at our house by going for a pub lunch for one and convincing someone else to host the other. For some reason family events always end up at our house and it's costing us to feed everyone and then get all the bedding washed after they've stayed. The pub lunch should work out cheaper as we'll just be paying for us and it's on a Sunday so no one will need to stay over. I've agreed to take dessert to the other event - no one ever offers this when we host!!!

I also put SIL in her place this weekend. She asked to stay with us the night before she goes on holiday under the guise of 'catching up' before she flies... I knew the next question would be for a lift to the airport. She was promptly informed that it is possible to get a train from ours to the airport and that it starts early enough to get to the airport in time for her flight. She then said she'd just make her own way from her own place! I wouldn't mind giving her a lift in theory but she's always taking and never giving back so I'm clamping down on her taking!

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Afternoon MRN, marrow stuffing:

I don't experiment here at all, I always use sausagemeat, sage and lots of diced onion. It's my favourite way of cooking it and as I don't do it often, I do it the way I like :T

Reminds me of my mother's cooking

Well done on the SIL, sometimes you need to put your foot down - its not easy though, is it.

Tilly x

megela

Some people are all take, take, take. And she probably thought she was doing you a favour by offering the chance for a chat and a 'catch up'!

Well done on being assertive and thinking of yourself for a change.

numptyknownothing

How about Pearl Barley - now there is a trip down memory lane. We had it in lamb stew - oh hearty winter food and I love lamb.

We live close to an airport and not far from London and when we have the opportunity to "catch up" with friends & family I make sure they buy the take-away. We also give them the numbers of the local taxi firms so there's no unspoken expectations. They don't end up having to pay parking and everyone's happy. It shows her intentions for what they were by her not coming for that "chat" - tut tut tut. Well done you for showing her that you will not be used. I don't give to receive but the job of always being the hostess wears a bit thin:o

Sausage meat in the marrow sounds good, we always had minced beef that was lost in the gravy and the marrow was soggy from Mums "boil it to within an inch of its life" recipe. Same with cabbage, greens and kale

unhappy_shopper

All this talk of stuffed marrows is making me go find some marrows in the nearest supermarket. Bet they won't have any :-)

misscousinitt

I find that variety is the key with lunches - definately!

Well done with the SIL, not sure I could have been so firm...

Tilly - love the idea of sausagemeat stuffed marrow - sounds great!

MCI
xxx

ammonite

Well done for standing up for your sis in law. My husband constantly gives lifts to friends at his sports team, the one week we needed him to get a return lift, the friend didn't turn up. It was a harsh lesson for him but I think he realised that his good nature does get taken advantage of sometimes.