New, New Thirfty Gifty for Christmas and All Ocassions 2011..Santas Challenge...

mary-op

Todays challenge (seems to be one every day.....lol) is what to do with a courgette ?
Cut two on Sunday, gave one to foster daughter and I'm left with one that I know will be too big for me. If I slice it in half can I keep the other half till another day or will it go all funny ?
OH normally does all this sort of thing as I'm c**p in the kitchen................lol

rufusdog52

Sorry Mary, can't help you with the courgette as I have never bought them before. Glad your OH is on the mend xx

Sugarspun, brilliant news about your OH, must be a big weight off the pair of you.

We went up the town this morning, didnt really buy much except some paint for my Dad's hall ceiling. Me and my sister are going there Friday for the weekend to make a start on decorating it for him. Think we will probably only get the wallpaper down and the ceiling painted and may be some of the glossing done. Will have to go again another weekend to put new paper up.

Spent the afternoon in my craft room doing some sewing. I have made a start on sewing up some of the many bags I have cut out so looking a bit more organised up there now.

abdonz

Hi everyone, just been reading these past few days.
Well I have made a start on my Christmas eve hampers been looking for some christmassy books to go in found a couple.
I have also found a few little Lego bits that I was after, I would like to fill a box of normal Lego and wrap it up but it's so expensive and you don't get much for your money.
Paid for my sons b/day party today not til sept but at least all I have to worry about now is the food side of it.
I have also finished Saving for Christmas food got all my morrisons stamps, with ss moved out we won't need as much this year.
Big hugs to everyone
Xx

abdonz

Just wondering we are taking the kiddies berry picking at weekend if I make jam how long does it keep unopened and where is best to store it? Could I make it now for Christmas or is way to early? Sorry if this is a daft question

Just copied the challenges it's as if you read my mind mum2one I have been saying I will sort kids room for about 6 weeks now. I will have to pick that room for the de clutter lol
Xx

fedupandskint

mary-op wrote: »

Todays challenge (seems to be one every day.....lol) is what to do with a courgette ?
Cut two on Sunday, gave one to foster daughter and I'm left with one that I know will be too big for me. If I slice it in half can I keep the other half till another day or will it go all funny ?
OH normally does all this sort of thing as I'm c**p in the kitchen................lol

Google courgette chutney, courgette cake - courgette recipes

NickyBo_2

SugarSpun wrote: »

I would like to announce that the test my husband had this morning that I was nonspecific about was a bronchoscopy and lavage because they saw a shadow on his lung and since his father died of lung cancer and DH smoked for 28 years they wanted to rule out the worst.

The worst has been ruled out. There is nothing sinister in my husband's lungs.

That is all

Great news! :T That must be such a relief for you both x

NickyBo_2

Great challenges

I think I'll pick the kitchen for a declutter. We need to decorate it and do the tiling and flooring, but we can't do that with all the bits and pieces around the floor! It's mainly DIY bits like planks of wood and various tins of paint but it's all in the way. If I can get the kitchen decluttered then DH runs out of reasons he can't do the tiling this holiday

We're not going on holiday this year but we'll probably visit my parents for a week. It's a really long drive so I have to have plenty of entertainment and snacks on hand!

Blackberries - we have LOADS in our garden and a lot are ripe already. I picked a tub full yesterday so I'll be searching for blackberry recipes later - I'm going to have to freeze some as we've got so many!

Sugarspun - was it you asking for a ginger syrup recipe? I found this http://www.cookitsimply.com/recipe-0010-053r28.html and it looks easy enough, hope it helps.

Mary - sounds like your OH is picking up, I hope it continues

SugarSpun

abdonz wrote: »

I have also found a few little Lego bits that I was after, I would like to fill a box of normal Lego and wrap it up but it's so expensive and you don't get much for your money. Xx

If you don't mind it being out of the box, maybe try haunting Ebay and Freecycle for random lots of it? I remember my parents giving away a full suitcase of Lego that we inherited from my cousins.

abdonz wrote: »

Just wondering we are taking the kiddies berry picking at weekend if I make jam how long does it keep unopened and where is best to store it? Could I make it now for Christmas or is way to early?

If you sterilise and seal the jars and use enough sugar (it needs to be a 60% sugar/40% fruit ratio to be long-preserved) then it lasts indefinitely. We're still eating last year's and have several jars left

If you have jars that have the lids with pop-up buttons in the middle, they're self-sealing. Tighten the lids while the jam's hot and then check them again halfway through cooling. Any where the lids are still popping, tighten the lid again and try again in an hour. If they're still popping, reboil the jam and resterilise the jars and try again.

NickyBo wrote: »

Sugarspun - was it you asking for a ginger syrup recipe? I found this http://www.cookitsimply.com/recipe-0010-053r28.html and it looks easy enough, hope it helps.

Thank you I was at Ikea this morning and was going to buy a big bottle to find a recipe for it, but remembered that I was given some pretty smaller bottles for my birthday so left it there.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes we're so relieved that it looks like we're at a turning point.

How's Mr Mary?

Challenge-wise - I meal planned Christmas yesterday afternoon and made my first purchase: a packet of Ikea reindeer pasta we have it in pasta bake on Christmas Eve.

mary-op

Hello all :j
OH doing ok but starting to suffer with a lot of pain now that he said he didn't have last week but then I expect he was so numb he wouldn't have felt it plus being stuffed with painkillers. Now he's been put on paracetamol but had to get the nurse during the night for something stronger. Poor soul what with opening up his old scar and then doing another cut no wonder he hurts.
Mind you, not enough to start thinking about kitchens............I only was thinking about new units on one wall with eye level oven........now he's come up with the idea of knocking out the walking pantry (he's right -it does become a dumping ground) and having new floor, some sort of 'island' in the middle (not sure I like that idea):eek: -its too much daytime tele I'm sure of it................lol But if it keeps him happy then so beit and he can have what he wants.........I'm just so pleased he's still here.:)

Trying to get back to 'normality' -if I can remember what it is...........lol Every intention of cleaning bathroom sink and rubbing down pine kitchen table but instead I got my card making stuff out and made bigger mess than was already there...........lol
Still, thats normal for me.:)

Courgette challenge -have googled endless 'easy' courgette recipes then OH phoned, told him and he said slice it, fry it in olive oil with garlic and pepper and teeny weeny tomatos I picked..........think even I might be able to manage that.............lol:rotfl:

Hope you're all ok:)

mum2one

I've had a good bash at decluttering the bedroom,
finished emptying the wardrobe
emptyed bedside cabnet
emptyed chester draws
stripped 2 book cases
tidyed 1 draws in the bed

---
I have 1 bin bag full of junk, 5 carrier bags for the charity shop, - idea was gut + strip furniture, when put clothes back sort them then.... at the mo there in about 20 carrier bags, all mixed up, then mum says get your daad to decorate your bedroom + put ur furniture up while your on holiday!! I need the clothes....

Miss Hoodie on a sleepover tonight, it sounds so daft absolutely missing her like crazy, yet shes been to this friends for sleepovers before, been like a cat on a hot tin roof, then friends mum texted 2ngt, they've had brill time, been out on scooters, had water fights, there tucked up shattered, and she's doing the dreaded letter with Miss hoodie 2mor..

I have a new I want.... had a brochere delievered with lapland in it, it looks amazing, but for a day trip nearly £900 for the two of us... so its a no-no.... but I can dream.

2mor, gut the last bedside unit, the built in wardrobe, and the side of the bed, which at the mo... everything left comes up to the height of the matress!! not gd!