How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

ChocClare

Hester, we are getting quails end of March. Mainly because DH thinks they're really dinky I like quails eggs though I doubt I'll sell many - but you never know.

When we were just out of university, my friend and I shared a bedsit in Bloomsbury (sounds more upmarket than it was, believe me) and we were totally broke. I got a job temping as a kitchen assistant in a partners' lunchroom at a very famous law firm in the City, right under St Paul's. The chef was convinced that Viv and I were starving to death, and she used to give me "leftovers" to take home for our dinner. We went from having baked beans on toast to having roast guinea fowl, it was brilliant. But we knew we were getting used to the high life when Viv opened the fridge one evening and said, what have we got for a starter tonight? Oh no, not quails eggs again..."

That was - gulp - 26 years ago and we still say it as a catchphrase in our house even though I haven't had quails eggs for at least five years now - maybe it's time to start eating them again

grandma247

Free recipe magazine to download. Lots of nice recipes for soup,stews,chillis and breads.

Dh got the smaller car today. He used the money from the big car to pay for it so I only had to give him the money to tax it for 6 months. We realised a couple of nights ago when he was going over the big car paperwork that we would not have been able to afford to get it through the test next month as it needed so much doing to it and it would have been over £500 plus tax plus higher insurance this year. The little car will save us so much money on fuel too. The big car was diesel.

ceridwen

kitschy wrote: »

Phew - got a lot of catching up to do!

Went to visit OH today (he lives on the IOW), and we've decided definitely to make the island our home. I had 90% decided, but he spent the day driving me about, making sure I could see they had "real" shops (see how he knows which buttons to push!), showing me the villages he likes, and then taking me up to the downs, which clinched it. Complete silence, miles of uninterrupted countryside in one direction, and the sea in the other. So now, I need to find a job! But I'll be able to join in with all the wood and oil talk!

Also required is a massive declutter operation and saving every penny we can

Very excited - second time around for both of us so have been a bit cautious, but secretly doing teenage tummy flips

Sounds good to me:D:T

Good luck with your New Start.:D

GreyQueen

Urrggh, feel like something the cat dragged in. Or possibly something long dead which your dog dug up. And rolled in......

Another bad night with Idiot Boy, the third in a row. Crashed into my pit at 9 pm last night as was gibbering tired and got woken at 2.20 am and kept awake for the remainder of the night. I was gutted yesterday when, for a customer's enquiry, I had to ring KillerShark's extension and found a colleague had left a voicemail on her behalf saying she was off sick. Waaaahhh! Later spoke to the H.O and said does this mean no work is being done on the case, that it won't be listed for court? He didn't know about KS being off but will look into what is happening and will tell me what he can (which may be nothing at all). Explained about the appalling nights and he offered to visit I.B. and I said I'd appreciate that. Whether I.B. will pay any attention whatsoever remains to be seen!

On the plus side, a dear friend ran me back up to Big Mr T which is a 35 minute bike ride away (I have to walk up the steep hills) so I could return a faulty radio which I bought last Saturday and we took the opportunity to have a shopping spree. Got my wine "cellar" re-stocked with 6 bottles and really worked the offers so that they ended up costing £3.33 each and laid in more pasta and some tinnery. Nah nah Ceridwen, I have all the pasta in the world!

One of my pals who has used W*itrose home delivery for years has recently defected to Mr T's because W kept making weird substitions. He'd ordered a dozen quails' eggs and they didn't have any so they gave him hens' eggs, on top of the 2 dozen already in the order....the final straw was them subbing dog food for cat food. He doesn't have a dog and never has had a dog, so that was pointless. I'm lucky in that I can whip around a variety of supermarkets on foot but I think if I had to tow little people with me, I wouldn't contemplate it. Respect to the mothers out there.....I've wimped out and haven't procreated at all...so which of you has got my 2.4? I hope they're behaving themselves, wherever they are....:rotfl:If yours are troublesome, threaten to send them over to Shoebox Towers Boot Camp and I'll make them appreciate the comforts of the parental home........

We are now on our 4th consecutive day of sunshine......I feel positive in a knackered sort of way and plan to tickle the allotment for about half an hour after work.

PS The massive light-fitting is still on the hall ceiling at work but they're obviously concerned it may not stay up there as they've cordoned the area off so you can't walk under it any more.

welshcamper

Morning all

has been sunny but cold with frost the last couple of days.

OH has had no work for the last two weeks, it has seemed to have dried up, works when a building firm needs extra labouring help, hope something comes in soon, on the plus side he has been down the allotment preparing the ground and planting seeds in the greenhouse also getting the ground ready to build our coop.

freezers are full so not too worried about food at the moment, plenty of flour and yeast in.

bought my dress for sons wedding, £25 from TKmax bargain!, just worried now finantially about getting shoes bag etc, hen night is saturday, more money! plus my daughter has her first holy communion in may so need to get a dress and accesories for her.

boys still havnt had any agency work, but has been promised a couple of weeks work,probably about 4, down a turkey factory middle of march ready for easter so fingers crossed

Dh got the smaller car today. He used the money from the big car to pay for it so I only had to give him the money to tax it for 6 months. We realised a couple of nights ago when he was going over the big car paperwork that we would not have been able to afford to get it through the test next month as it needed so much doing to it and it would have been over £500 plus tax plus higher insurance this year. The little car will save us so much money on fuel too. The big car was diesel.

i changed to a much smaller car in January, sooo much of a difference with petrol its brill.

bertiebots

Hardup_Hester wrote: »

BertieBots, I want them for the eggs, I've been assured you don't need very many to keep a good supply of eggs coming.

I wonder what they taste like? .......all this talk of quail eggs is a bit Brideshead Revisited :rotfl:. Who says you cant be O/S and posh :T ,Champers anyone? (.... goes off wondering if there's a recipe on here somewhere.......)

maryb

Kitschy, when we used to go sailing round there, there was a lovely fishmongers near Yarmouth just up the creek from the town. Really fresh seafood and not too expensive. Probably lots of other places on the island as well. My idea of heaven is a sunny afternoon with a chilled bottle of white wine and some crab or lobster salad looking out over some lovely scenery

The only thing I would say is that the ferries are very expensive. So check that out if your job might need to be on the mainland or if you will need to make regular trips. IOW is also about to cut a lot of local services - I remember reading they will only have two libraries for the whole island. I expect there will be other cuts as well. So that might influence which part of the island you buy in, if you are likely to need access to them

mardatha

Had a big flash of lightning last night then a huge BANG of thunder and the snow came on. Woke to a white world again
Lady was her from Edinburgh buying stuff I sold on Gumtree and she was saying things are really bad there. No jobs anywhere, pay-offs and reduced hours all over the place.

SD-253

gailey wrote: »

Wow 70crumbles:Dmusthave huge freezer.
One thing I tried last year with apples and foraged fruits were stewing the fruit then freezing in small pots.
Then defrost,add crumble topping then cook.
clear tubs with lids,the750g and 1litre sadly only come in4packs they pound a pack.I like them as just remove from freezer and blast in micro. Downside is they go quite brittle and snap after 2/3uses in freezer so not a long term investment.

Unlike apple pies there really is no difference in taste and texture if you cook freeze and then reheat apple crumble. And reusing old ready made meal cartons/plates is both good for the environment and they are long lasting. You could do any meal in them and cover with cling film, why buy. I cut the doubles in half so I can use for smaller meals or side dishes. Remember they are for the oven and the microwave. PS if you don't buy ready made meals ask friends to keep theres for you very easy to clean as well.
May try making apple pies not cook freeze and cook from froozen????? again nothing to stop you using old ready made meal cartoons, apple pies do not need to be square. Get the food procesor out for both pastry and crumble. do crumble in large batches and put in a large bowl.
Worth buying an all in one apple peeler, corer and slicer. Job done in 3 seconds. They appear to all be made by the same company see this Ebay one:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fruit-Apple-Peeler-Corer-Slicer-w-Suction-Cup-Bottom-/220748377192?pt=UK_Kitchen_Accessories&hash=item3365a0ec68
possible £9 delivered?

gailey wrote: »

Itry tidy freezer twice a month aswith a chest things get easily/lost.

That aint going to happen!

gailey wrote: »

70crumbles:Dmusthave huge freezer..

Chest freezer appears to be 292 liters, so big. Kitchen big but lots of doors (every room comes off kitchen). As it happens there was a row of wall cupboards with nothing underneath so natural place for freezer.

gailey wrote: »

brandberryj-whats rabbit like?fancy trying but no idea where to buy it hugh of rc says tastes like chicken.

Not far off but think it should alway be done in slow cooker or slow cooked in oven and better still cooked with something else pork in particular. Bought a ham and rabbit pie from butchers superb £3 odd but very big. Always share with my invisible friend but she/he doesn't eat much!!!!! You will be lucky to get it in many butchers unless you go to a rural town. The town I shop in normally (virtualy always) has 2 supermarkets and 4 maybe 5 butchers 1 of which is mainly a game butcher. When I am out walking a farm labour often stops he nearly always has at least 4 rabbits in the back off his pick up (his job is to kill rabbits pigeons etc) he reckons he killed 1800 last year. He normally sells them (80p each) to someone. I think butchers sells them for about £3 each. He often offers me a few for nowt. But If I had alot off him I expect I would have to pay. Note rabbit used to be the poor mans Sunday dinner at one time the treat of the week. A gamekeeper gave me a bag of pigeon breast last year which I have yet to cook. Keep forgetting to get a recipe. JB

SD-253

floss2 wrote: »

Have you tried posting on the Homebrew thread? They may be able to help more than here.

Thanks bidding now on Ebay for a table top capper normally about £27-£30 a lot of money but will end up saving in the long run.......hopefully JB