Daffy's 'a nice cup of tea cheers you up' diary

lotti379

Hello, can I gatecrash?

I've been lurking on and off for a couple of weeks, and wanted to say how much your diary has been cheering me up!

I'm a full-time taught masters student who is rather poor (despite the extreme generosity of my lovely parents, who stepped in to help when the bank said no to a loan the week my course started) and while not in debt (apart from undergraduate loans and to the bank of M&D, I guess I should thank the proper bank really...) savings are all used up and I am ALWAYS a couple of hundred ££s into my overdraft by the end of the month. So I've been trying to find ways to stretch the pennies further and further, and your diary has made very good reading, I am so impressed!

Anyway, enough wittering, I'm supposed to be doing a literature review for an assignment.... Cup of tea time I think!

Pippilongstocking

Hey Lotti - us post grads need to stick together - I'm sure cheery has the kettle on - mines is on too - here you go:coffee: I think the door is generally open here so no gatecrashing required

What you studying? I think cheery did something about *traffic?public travel?people - well something anyway ?* I'm doing something with plants - *I think* can't remember as I've read far too much about it and hate literature reviews?

MrsMoo2U

Hello, sounds like that was a lovely night, music, friends and then watching stars, how romantic. And a lovely day and evening today too by the sounds of it.

Thanks for the florentine recipe. I made twinks hobnobs for the first time yesterday so I might have a go at those next week.

Been to empty my car of its belongings before it heads to the metal in the sky place Whilst over in that town (1 hour away) did a little charity shopping OH went off on his own whilst I mooched. Got some fab things and only spent about £10 all day which includes some pressies.

Cheery_Daff

Excellent on the present from cheri! :T Bit sad about the car though - our old van was scrapped, but we think of all the little bits of it in new vans off having lots of adventures round the country... :rotfl:

Hi lotti - Pippi's right, the door's always open, no need to gatecrash at all! Lovely to meet you There's lots of lovely inspirational people around these diaries, have you had a mooch through the debt free wannabe board yet, or the old style board? Lots of ways to make the pennies stretch further! :j :j

:j :j to teapots! :j :j Very exciting

House cleaned (well, as clean as it's going to get :rotfl:), and bath is running When I get out I'll eat a nice risotto that Mr Daffs will hopefully have made and then I'll put some chocolate on the florentines, and finish my Christmas cards Lovely day (er, won't mention the fact that I haven't done *any* PhD today at all )

Anyway, not posting much about money here lately! Several Christmassy nights out before holidays, always potential for disaster but these are quite under control :T

* last night - walked to bar, watched Mr Daffs and mate play for free, £2 in taxi home (couldn't fit in the car with the harp :rotfl:) = total cost £2

* tonight - party at friend's house - will walk there (about 45 minutes, all downhill) and back (an hour, ALL uphill), will take a couple of cans of lager that someone left at ours after another party (we'll both probably only drink tea, but you can't turn up empty handed, and people lok at you funny if you turn up with a pint of milk :rotfl:) = total cost £0

* Thursday - work's Christmas do - work pays most of it, everyone contributes £10 but cos I'm on the organising committee I don't have to pay staying overnight at a friend's sister's house, so I'll actually save the cost of the train fare to work the next morning (£12) :rotfl: = total cost -£12

* Friday - out with old boss - going for a curry, will get the bus there cos straight from the train, and walk home, and won't drink anything, so shouldn't be too expensive = total cost £10

* Saturday - party at friend's recording studio. Mr Daffs is going over earlier in the day in the car, so I'll get the train over later, and we'll drive back together (or stay over and come back Sunday). Might take some milk :rotfl: = total cost £5

That's five nights out (in just over a week :eek:), total cost (when taken into account the saved train fare) - £5 :rotfl: Pretty good bargain I reckon

(not drinking very much helps! :rotfl: as does having parties at people's houses, and not being afraid to walk to get there!)

Anyway, quite pleased with myself

(best hop in the bath before it goes cold - will be not at all impressed with a cold bath!)

Pippilongstocking

That post is brilliant cheery - well done you!!!!!

Cheri (()) not nice when a car passes on, think of all the lovely tin cans it can come back as full of yummy food ............................:)

lotti379

Thanks for the welcome! And the tea! :j

Pippi - I'm studying Agricultural and Environmental Science, for an MSc, which is great - not sure how useful but I love it. BUT, it is near the end of the term/semester so I get a bit grouchy about it at the moment! The lit review is only a small one so it isn't too bad, just a bit dull. Also, every time I get myself in a rhythm the boyfriend (or OH I guess he is, it still feels strange calling him that though!) decides to emerge from the spare room for a "break" from his essay...

I have been having a browse, going to try and incorporate some more old style thriftyness, thankfully both me and OH (hmmm... still not sure about it...) love cooking. He's more of a wine than tea man though!

Sorry to hear about your van, I lost my car to the scrappers last year. It's very emotional!

Cheery_Daff

Call him what you like Lotti! Mr Daffs is never OH, always Mr Daffs (mostly not in real life though :rotfl:) And get a 'do not disturb' sign up on your door!

Just melting some chocolate for the top of the florentines

Lemon_Tree

your florentines sound very yummy Cheery, sounds like you've got a hectic social calendar as well.
OH i have stopped in tonight (as usual) and have 'enjoyed' chopping a huge box of mushrooms into bags to freeze. Oh the life we lead as MSE'rs. I think you have the right mix Cheery but that could be because you're debt free, or just more interesting than OH and myself

EssexHebridean

I was looking at the florentine recipe in my Good Housekeeping recipe book earlier on Daffs - but settled on coconut & cherry cookies in the end instead. They're very yummy! We're looking for ideas for biscuity things to make to give away as little presents at christmas - may well try the florentines as part of that!

Pippilongstocking

lotti379 wrote: »

Thanks for the welcome! And the tea! :j

Pippi - I'm studying Agricultural and Environmental Science, for an MSc, which is great - not sure how useful but I love it. BUT, it is near the end of the term/semester so I get a bit grouchy about it at the moment! The lit review is only a small one so it isn't too bad, just a bit dull. Also, every time I get myself in a rhythm the boyfriend (or OH I guess he is, it still feels strange calling him that though!) decides to emerge from the spare room for a "break" from his essay...

I have been having a browse, going to try and incorporate some more old style thriftyness, thankfully both me and OH (hmmm... still not sure about it...) love cooking. He's more of a wine than tea man though!

Sorry to hear about your van, I lost my car to the scrappers last year. It's very emotional!

Oh how lovely - I did environmental management and sustainable development for a degree a couple years ago, did a msc in plant taxonomy and biodiversity (plants really, lots of plants) - and now doing a post grad (long story started out as a phd) in the potential of an src crop in the frozen north for a biomass crop.

You're one sounds interesting and I'm sorry to say very useful, agriculture can't keep on going the way it was - these days there's so much more to consider!

thank you for replying! Can we call him Mr Lotti? I've decided to name my OH mr stripes...........much nicer!