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

GreyQueen

Back again for the first time on Sunday. Many thanks to Mardatha, Hornetgirl, Candygirl and ChocClare for Nokia first aid tips. I chucked it in my handbag on the way to work on Friday and it was fine and took it out on the bus over to the folks' and found it dead. Hadn't bothered to bring the charger as it was nearly full. I shall be at home in about 4 hours and will try charger, SIM swiping and "dunting". If that fails to revive the blessed thing, it'll be a new battery jobbie.

I've been to a BOOTSALE. Oh, happiness. It wasn't overbusy as it is 2 degrees above freezing and drizzling but I got...wait for it....SACKS. Proper hessian sacks for 80p each. I'm deeply thrilled. And a couple of h.m cards at 10p each. Failed to get a double valance for my bed to hide the "storecupboad" from prying eyes. My bedroom door is in dead line from the front door so unless I keep it shut, you can see right underneath and I really don't want visitors thinking I'm even odder than I am.:rotfl:Sure to turn up suitable valance at a c.s if I keep looking.......

Happiness is......SIMPLE PLEASURES. Will be eating the freezer down this week and starting to get into meal planning. At the moment, it's been random, depending on what has a yellow sticker on it and what is in the discount box at the greengrocers. On Tues, I plan to get some mince from my independant butcher (who is called Mr Baker). His shop is next to Mr Butchers who sells herbs and spices. That sounds like it should be a joke but I swear on my darning mushroom that it's the living truth. Then I shall batch cook chili con carne and a big pot of rice and eat one portion and divvy the rest up into the freezer in those little oblong plastic containers. My chili is light on the meat but heavy on the kidney beans so it works out at pennies per portion.

kitschy

GreyQueen wrote: »

I've been to a BOOTSALE. Oh, happiness. It wasn't overbusy as it is 2 degrees above freezing and drizzling but I got...wait for it....SACKS. Proper hessian sacks for 80p each. I'm deeply thrilled. And a couple of h.m cards at 10p each. Failed to get a double valance for my bed to hide the "storecupboad" from prying eyes. My bedroom door is in dead line from the front door so unless I keep it shut, you can see right underneath and I really don't want visitors thinking I'm even odder than I am.:rotfl:Sure to turn up suitable valance at a c.s if I keep looking........

I too have been to a bootsale this morning! Turned up a beautiful brocade scarf, brand new for 50p (I have a terrible scarf addiction, and wear one every day ), and some vintage Tupperware, which I collect.

Also been to Mr A and L!dl, for the last shop of this budget. Think I have a few pounds left, and have a lot in, so think I will try and reduce my budget next month.

Getting slightly better at the crochet malarky - will be having another try this afternoon!

maryb

Ye Gods this is going so fast you could get travel sick.

Re citric acid, I can't get it from the chemists round here because of the druggies. I did get some from a chemist near my sister's but it was expensive

Then this week, I went to a Turkish grocer's because I know they stock a whole load of Indian spices and it's easier to get to than the Chinese Supermarket at Croydon which is also very good for Asian spices generally (multicultural or what?). They had packets of citric acid along with the Indian spices for 69p for a 100g packet. (It was the same brand as the spices - TRS). That's got to be about the cheapest I can get it round here.

ChocClare

Nuala, I usually make flapjacks as per DDD/Jackie's recipe above, but I recently tried wssla00's brilliant Bottom of the Cupboard bars, which are flapjacky but use up all the bits you've got lying around as well. I used a load of chopped nuts in mine and some Reece's Pieces which I had quarter of a packet of and they were scrumola. I love the way you have a basic recipe and can then add whatever you've got left.

zarazara

Well, I've just been crying. DH ,who works shifts wanted a lie in this morning, so I went out to feed the animals and muck out. The problem is that I cant handle the colts onmy own and they need more familiarisation with feet being picked out, grooming and leading. The horsey folk among you will understand this. Now, DH isnt a horseman by any stretch of the imagination, but hes good at holding them whilst I groom and he sort of mucks out and will put hay in the racks. This morning it all went terribly wrong, one lead rein broke, I got bitten, I ended up loosing my temper and smaking one of the colts and now I'm very upset. I just cannot do it on my own whilst they are at this stage of their education and now I've made it all worse. He works shifts and isnt there most of the time to help me. Them I get back home and I have to cook sunday luch [all 3 men in the house are still in bed at this point] its 9am, so i peel veg etc, theres 2 stables to muck out and sheep to feed. no one helps, and if i ask they do they look hurt etc and i feel bad. Then I think of my late father who every week, without fail,took my mum out ,on a fri night for a meal "to save her having to cook" he used to say, infact the whole family often went. And she didnt have animals or hobbies except knitting,she sent washing to the laundry ever yweek,had a cleaner on a monday and was treated like royalty. Dad had a decent job. I can get very depressed at times. Sorry to rant but its all too much sometimes,cooking and baking and growing veg just because eveeythings too expensive , I only have the colts beacaue I cant afford a riding horse and there as to be 2 because they dont do living on their own, 1 of them actually belongs to my son as in he pays for its food but he never grooms it or traind it or mucks it out,I have to do all that stuff. I find it all too hard sometimes.

maryb

ZZ
Have a cup of tea and a biscuit, sending you virtual hugs. I can understand your DH needing a lie in and you wanting to let him but what about the other 2 men in the house? If it's your son's horse then he can't have a lie in, simple as that - you give that up when you acquire an animal, same as you have to when you acquire offspring (I now physically cannot sleep past 8.30 after all these years)

ChocClare

Oh zara, honey, big hugs to you :grouphug:

I do know how you feel: last night I went to Tesco's and bought chips as we had all agreed on the way home as we were having ham, egg and chips. I got home, unloaded all the shopping while cooking the dinner - DD, to be fair, did come and put the plates on to warm up for me but the boys just SAT there while I did all the work and when I served up, DH said, why haven't you called Tom (DS, who was in his bedroom all this time). DH had been sat on his backside able quite clearly to see me through the glass doors into the kitchen, and somehow it was MY job to make sure DS knew it was time for supper as well as everything else?

I think the problem is that we girls get on and do and expect to get help without having to ask for it and that just doesn't happen. My DH always says, you've only got to ask, but if I don't it just doesn't occur to him to help. And I'm always the one up feeding hens, dog and cat first thing while everyone else is snoring.

If one of the horses is DS's then he should be grooming, picking feet, poo-picking etc. No arguments. I will poo-pick for DD (and groom, feed, rug up etc) if she's up to her eyes or poorly, but otherwise she does it. Families are very good at making mum feel guilty and whoever it was (name escapes me at the moment) who wrote that Superwoman carp has a lot to answer for, as we think we should be able to do everything unaided and we just can't. And we shouldn't feel guilty either.

Anyway, you don't need me to tell you this: you already KNOW this, don't you? Doesn't make it any easier, I know. So you rant. More hugs to you :grouphug:

kitschy

Zara - I didn't want to read and run, sending you big hugs :grouphug:

dollydaydream07

((((hugs)))) Zara

mardatha

You need to blow up at them once in a while ZZ, so they don't take you for granted pet.