Mortgage Free ASAP

LilacPixie

hehe QB - I amended it in response to someone in a DT thread about people having babies for benefits. My opinion is at maximum entitlment you get about £50 a week per child and that is not enough to feed and clothe a child plus other things like christmas pressies, birthday pressies, school trips, gifts for other kids birthdays when invited to parties etc and those that can good luck to them. He replied quoting my post and signature asking 'Do you have a job to go with THAT pregnancy?'

Queen-Bee_2

Well I've no idea what a DT thread is, but he sounds like a cheeky s*d. I'm glad you put him right!
QB

LilacPixie

DT is discussion time. Rude begger. He back tracked a little when I said I was and accountant, married, two kids already had an above average HH income and did he want to know my blood type as well or was that enough.

ANyway fudge recipes. I use the same basic recipe and amend as needed. I like to chill it in a silicon loaf tin as its easier to pop put and cut. I warn you its jummy yummy.
Cranberry and white chocolate fudge

350g (12oz) granulated sugar
25g (1oz) unsalted butter
175ml (6fl oz) can evaporated milk
100g (3½oz) dried sweetened cranberries
300g (10oz) white chocolate, chopped

How you do it.

Put the sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a large heavy-based pan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved completely.
Bring to the boil, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set a timer for this.
Immediately remove from the heat then add the cranberries and chocolate. Allow the chocolate to melt, then quickly stir the mixture and pour straight into the tin. It will thicken immediately.
Spread into the tin and chill for an hour or so until firm. Cut into squares


You can substitute the chocolate for milk or dark if you want and the cranberries for any other dried fruits. I have been known to soak 3oz raisins in Jamacian rum and then add them to the mix with dark chocolate for a boozy treat. If doing cherry and almond, 4oz cherries, milk chocolate and 2 tea spoon almond essence.

I cheat and by branded chocolate form poundstretchers, pound land, B&M's and stuff rather than cooking choc as it tastes nicer. Tesco Value 100g bars are nice though

Iris_Blue

Just caught up. sorry not had much time over the last few days.

Thanks for the frugal tips.

I'm really shocked about the security guards actions. TBH I was thinking of looking for those receipts myself to bump my points up. I won't bother now.

I really hope that you conceive soon QB. We tried for 18 months with no5 after coming off Depo. It seemed a lifetime, we tried fertility spells and all sorts. you know the drill but I think , for me, the key was doing exercise and taking up running. Lots of people still have babies in their 40's nowadays.

LP- thanks for posting that it sounds yum!

[Deleted User]

LP- thanks for the fudge recipies, I have written it down to practice *ahem* for xmas pressies!!

QB am thinking you may be on your holidays now- hope you have had a great time!

Queen-Bee_2

Hello all,

Well... I'm back from Sinai and what would you know, it's raining to welcome me home!

Did lots and saw lots, but now it's back to reality with a bang, and time to knuckle down on several fronts...

1. Do all the washing etc and generally clear up post-holiday chaos

2. Reply to friends' emails which came in whilst I was away

3. Take first steps to finding a job - this is essential if I'm to continue my MF journey. Gulp! It's gonna be a challenge, given the state of the sector and pending public sector cuts, but I need to bite the bullet and get on with it. I've decided to break my efforts down into mini-chunks so as not to get discouraged - mini-chunk no. 1 is to follow up a couple of testimonial requests I made before I went away. One former client responded positively to my request and then asked me to send him a draft testimonial for him to work with. Never one to blow my own trumpet, I'm finding this nigh on impossible - even though I've searched the internet hight and low for examples!! But I must just get on and do it!!!

4. Loose weight - I was shocked to see how chubby I look in the holiday pics, and was very self conscious. So much so, that when snorkeling, I wouldn't wear a wet-suit and tied a sarong around my waist. How ludicrous is that? So yesterday I joined a local Slimming World group - I need a lot of support at the moment and think a group environment really helps. But I've found that the Original (Red) and Green day system has been replaced by something called Extra Easy, which is a nuisance, cos I know how the old system worked.. I also need to make sure that I do it in as MSE way as possible. The on-line SW resource centre provides a priced student menu for a week and seems to think that £35 is a good 'budget', which rather made my jaw drop. I've been working on the basis of around £20 (mind you, it's in this time, my weight has soared).

Anyway... Other Stuff:

LP@ thank you for the fudge recipe - it sounds absolutely yummy... Love the idea of substituting other types of fruit and chocolate for variety - dark chocolate and dried apricot sound good to me

IB@ thanks for your good wishes. I'm going to start doing more exercise to complement my diet, so let's hope that works *fingers crossed* There is no fertility treatment available for me on the NHS due to my age, so I'm not sure what else we can do apart from making sure we do what we need to do at the right time. There are a lot of pregnancies on the Board at the moment, and I have to admit it makes me feel very wistful.

TYO@ yep, I had a lovely holiday (see above). Seems like it happened in another life now I'm back though!

OK - off to tackle my jobs!
QB

gallygirl

Queen-Bee wrote: »

4. L But I've found that the Original (Red) and Green day system has been replaced by something called Extra Easy, which is a nuisance, cos I know how the old system worked

QB Extra Easy is new but runs alongside the original red & green. Lots of people at my group do red and/or green. I think they plug the Extra Easy cos, well it is extra easy to follow. And it does work :T.

Glad you enjoyed your holiday

pammyj74

welcome back to reality QB, glad you had a good time. I hate coming back to blooming rain!
Extra gl for the job search and fertilty 'challenge' and tackling those jobs

Queen-Bee_2

Hello GG - have you been using Extra Easy? Before, I found that I lost much more weight on Red days, so I'm a bit sceptical about the Extra Easy plan, which seems to combine proteins with carbs (in contradiction with what I'd previously learned). You've achieved an astonishing level of success, so I'm keen to know - and also whether you've managed to do it on a budget, as previously, I found Red days quite expensive! Cheers,
QB

gallygirl

Queen-Bee wrote: »

Hello GG - have you been using Extra Easy? Before, I found that I lost much more weight on Red days, so I'm a bit sceptical about the Extra Easy plan, which seems to combine proteins with carbs (in contradiction with what I'd previously learned). You've achieved an astonishing level of success, so I'm keen to know - and also whether you've managed to do it on a budget, as previously, I found Red days quite expensive! Cheers,
QB

I used the Extra Easy as I'm a bolshy cow so no-one is going to tell me not to mix carbs & proteins . I haven't kept a budget, I've spent a lot more on fruit than before but that is offset by the lack of crap in my diet, e.g. fish & chips on the way home, crisp multipacks etc :rotfl:. But with Extra Easy you don't need to have very expensive meat, I've had a lot of tuna, whole chickens cooked from scratch and lean mince with beans & pulses added. Admittedly dearer than buying e.g. sausages with 20% meat content, but then I didn't buy cheap meat before anyway.