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

GreyQueen

happierdaystocome wrote: »

Good Morning all,

Ive been lurking for the past few weeks, whilst I've been off work and have finally plucked up the courage to post.

I'm in the process of trying to becoming more OS for a number of reasons not all of which are due to the current economic crisis, although as I've been signed off work for the last 6 weeks and have no idea when I will be ready to return money may pretty soon become a very big reason

Although I thinks I'm quite OS, I know that there are areas that I can improve in, especially the about of food that gets wasted as Though I'm good at meal planning, Im not good at sticking to it and I end up throwing so much food out:embarasse

Welcome in, sweetheart, there's a great bunch up here. I'm a newbie and I get such a lot out of the threads, hope it will be the same for you, too.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Welcome happierdaystocome. I think you have to be quite discilpined when you start meal planning or food does go to waste. I have three evenings in the week when the meals need to be fairly quick to prepare so factor this into my planning as well. After a bit of practice I was sticking to the menus and food wastage is now unheard of in this house. Any fresh veg that starts to go over is quickly made into soup and dry bread is made into breadcrumbs for fish or topping veg bake etc

bertiebots at least you won't be setting off the alarms like you pictured in the bank :rotfl:.

Will try the charity shops tomorrow when I need to go out anyway to take DD2 to her audiology appointment. We have to contend with partial deafness as well as the special deafness teenagers develop when their parents want them to do something

NualaBuala

Just popping in to say hello and hope everyone's doing ok. Sending big hugs to anyone who'd like one.

I've been a bit busy with "real life" - making the most of energy while I have it so haven't had time for much MSE reading. It looks like I have hundreds of pages to catch up on so it may take a while!

But first I'm going to do a bit on the rather dusty sock that I started knitting aaaaages ago. It is so Spring-like here that I'd better finish them quick or soon it'll be too warm for woolly socks!

starsandmoon

I get nearly all my clothes from charity shops. Today I have on a Next skirt, Whitestuff t shirt and Oasis boots all from chaz shops. A colleague was amazed when she complimented me on my outfit. Total cost was about £15. The boots were brand new and leather and on the Oasis website for £89!:eek: I paid £7:T and helped a charity. Find it difficult to get my DD decent clothes from chaz shops but have found a few gems for her. Theres a whole thread about chaz shops and car boots on the Ebay thread.

Been told in work today I carnt claim mileage anymore whan I use my car to go to meetings as I dont have business class! I have the social, domestic and commuting as I dont attend many meetings and Im only part time. Im sure business class costs more plus I pay mine yearly and they charge an admin fee to change the policy so I wont be!

littlecal

happierdaystocome wrote: »

Good Morning all,

Ive been lurking for the past few weeks, whilst I've been off work and have finally plucked up the courage to post.

I'm in the process of trying to becoming more OS for a number of reasons not all of which are due to the current economic crisis, although as I've been signed off work for the last 6 weeks and have no idea when I will be ready to return money may pretty soon become a very big reason

Although I thinks I'm quite OS, I know that there are areas that I can improve in, especially the about of food that gets wasted as Though I'm good at meal planning, Im not good at sticking to it and I end up throwing so much food out:embarasse

:wave: welcome happierdaystocome

happierdaystocome

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

Mrs VP I always check the C.S for my clothes and household items. I'm unable to get OH's clothes due to his size as he is 6'6. DD and DS refuse to wear anything from a C.S, but I am working on DD as she like to look individual and Im trying to show her that with a little bit of imagination and patience she can look fab.

GreyQueen have you any idea when IB will be evicted as knowing their is a light at the end of the tunnel will help.

I've been and clean the fridge this morning and have throw a carrier bags worth of food out and discovered I have two packets of Chicken drumsticks/thighs and three of Chicken thigh fillets all needing to be used by tomorrow.

So the plan is to make a chicken and sweet potatoe casserole for this evening with the thights and either coq au vin or curry with the thighs/drumsticks tomorrow.

Our water rates bill arrived today and it has double since last year :eek: How can they justify that? `Oh well more rejigging of the buget but I waiting to do this until all the bills are in.

ChocClare

imataloss wrote: »

Good Morning All

Does anyone know how to make a lined curtain? I bought some lovely fabric to make a door curtain before Christmas and haven`t got round to making it yet.
I have made them before but just can`t remember how much fabric I need to allow for heading and hem. My soft furnishing books are all in the jumble that is our loft.
Also I went to buy some lining fabric at the weekend and it was more expensive than the actual curtain fabric. My Mom was with me and said that she has old curtain linings that I could use. Just need to get some heading tape now.
I do have metres of lining fabric and curtain tape in my stash but they are to make a pair of cream damask curtains for the living room. I bought all of that years ago and have never got round to making them. It seems a shame to use that just for one door curtain.

Thanks everyone.

Hi imataloss. For your curtain, you want it to be twice the width of your door (or rather, twice the width of the rail you're hanging it from. You then need to add to the width about 3" each side to turn in the edges (1 1/2" turned in and then turned in again to hide raw edges).

For the top, I usually just turn over a hem the same width as the heading tape - usually about 3". For the hem, I would allow 6" - turn it over 3 inches and then turn it over again. I also put weights in the corners as this makes it hang better. I always interline my curtains - particularly door curtains - as it makes it lovely and thick and stops the drafts. TBH, the curtain at the back door just has the interlining with the hems attached neatly and no lining at all - it was a thick fabric to start with!

If you haven't got enough fabric to have decent hems, just use what you have got! The main thing is, as you're drawing the curtain, that sometimes falls back to show the underside, so you don't want to be looking at unfinished hems. If you're not, then that's plenty good enough!!!

happierdaystocome wrote: »

Good Morning all,

Ive been lurking for the past few weeks, whilst I've been off work and have finally plucked up the courage to post.

I'm in the process of trying to becoming more OS for a number of reasons not all of which are due to the current economic crisis, although as I've been signed off work for the last 6 weeks and have no idea when I will be ready to return money may pretty soon become a very big reason

Although I thinks I'm quite OS, I know that there are areas that I can improve in, especially the about of food that gets wasted as Though I'm good at meal planning, Im not good at sticking to it and I end up throwing so much food out:embarasse

Welcome, happierdaystocome! :beer:

I also used to throw loads of stuff away. I invested in some plastic boxes (well, I had loads from Chinese takeaways, if I'm honest ) and just put EVERYTHING in the freezer. Even with the best of intentions, sometimes you get home from work shattered and just can't face rustling up a Delia, but if you bung the ingredients in the freezer, then at least they're not in the bin! Also, I'd be left with *one* portion of potatoes/veg/macaroni cheese which I used to believe my DH would eat for his lunch (ooh, I'll have that for lunch tomorrow, he'd assure me) until I threw it away when I cleared out the fridge the following weekend So now, it all goes in the freezer and that seems to give me a lot more leeway with stuff. HTH.

bertiebots

Hello happierdaystocome!! I missed your post earlier as it took about 15 minutes to write my last post 'cos my mum phoned half way through:rotfl:.
I really need to get my brain in gear as I have just realised I have also defrosted some stew (as well as the pork!) for tea..hmm I am sure it will be fine for tomorrow:o have a loaf in the bread maker so we can have it for lunch;).
My dad just turned up with a new pair of garden shears:T and a very strange 3 pronged hoe (also new!) ..my parents are moving house tomorrow and downsizing. Over the past few weeks I have aquired a pile of fab old flannelette sheets of various sizes, an ikea rosalind(sp?) throw which I have been after for years:D ,some new pillows and for reasons known only to my mum (bless her ) a large box of sage and onion stuffing and a tin of green beans:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: ooh and a very old budha which is supposed to be lucky because it has lots of children sat on its knee , belly and shoulders! I love it but the kids think it looks freeky:cool:
I am going to really miss them not being 10 mins walk away but they are moving to a lovely little cottage (about 40 mins drive) and I am hoping I can escape there for the odd weekend and sit with a glass of wine in hand in front of their woodburning stove;) The kids have already decided they will be happy to sleep in the cellor:D......its ok it has been converted into a den/office! Apparentley they have a dear that visits their garden too..fabulous!
Anyway sorry for waffling on ..must go and do a bit of bargain hunting!

jediteacher

Popped into Lloyds Pharmacy today as they have a buy one get two free on certain gifts and products. Very pleased as today I got a baby monitor, perfume set (for my sisters birthday) and a baby bottle steriliser all for the grand sum of £10! :j Very pleased with this as the monitor we were looking at is £20 - the cheapest we could find and the cold water steriliser was £30. I think apart from nappies and milk I think we're done with the baby shopping (not that we had much to get much).

Off to another of my 4 year olds social events. She's had three this week and it's only Wednesday - still not complaining as she does love the company.

polka_purpura

Morning all,

Kind of morning anyway.

Love the tip on using a flannel as a 'towel' such a simple saver. I can see myself doing 'wax on wax off' baths at the sink in winter.

I sympathise with the disturbed sleep having a wooden floored neighbour upstairs and parties. I also get echoes down the chimney breast and even thuds from two floors up. Can a ceiling be dampened without intrusive diy? I'm thinking of ceiling hangings if they can be kept away from lighting or bouncy things but they might need to be quite heavy.

polka purpura