As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

ChocClare

Had to buy 40p worth of net yesterday for a project. I parked opposite the haberdasher's, just in front of two charity shops. So yes, DD and I had a nosey... she has been on and on for about three years about wanting a long black leather coat - think Mitchell in Being Human...mmmm....Mitchell in Being Human....:smileyhea- I'm so sorry, I lost my train of thought there for a second ANYWAY, the local Goths must have been having a clearout, because there were FOUR black leather coats in the Sally Army, all at half their original (Sally Army) price, and she got herself a long Gap black leather coat - like new - for £20. So she was absolutely delighted - she is SO lucky with charity shop finds: I suppose being a slip of a thing has its advantages.

So admittedly, it was an expensive day out for me, but she is so happy that I can't begrudge her it. I suppose I should be pleased that I have a daughter who likes shopping in charity shops. AND she has asked if I can teach her to dressmake this summer so that she will be able to make and adapt her own clothes once she leaves home. Looks like the message is getting through, hurrah!

PepPop

Annie56 Loved reading about your OH and the Poodle

Why are some people so wasteful!! We have a bulk uplift day in our area on a Friday and I went out this morning so see a full 3 piece cream leather suite lying dumped on the grass to get picked up tomorrow. It looked in great condition from what I could see as I drove past. Why couldn't they CS it if they didn't want it!! Makes me really angry :mad:. Tell you wombles would have a great time near me, you could refurnish a house in a couple of weeks with the stuff that gets dumped out for the pick up.

scottishminnie I wonder if it was Molly that slapped :eek: my OH's hand as he tried to take some reduced chocolate puddings off a shelf the other day.

mrswive

I've also noticed the price increases in Mr T's, a few pence here and quite a lot of pence there; they've also been crafty with the multibuys, particularly on milk - the 4 pinters were £1.25 each or 2 for £2, one is still £1.25, but now it's 3 for £3. OM (old mother) likes the pure milk and they've done the same with that. Neither of us will use 3 bottles within the date and they take up too much space in the freezer. However,I've found that the 99p store does 2 litre bottles (3 1/2 pints) for, guess what - 99p, which works out cheaper than £1.25 for 4 pints.
I find that I'm still being as frugal as ever but the money just isn't going as far. I take £150 cash out each month, £5 per day, and try to spend just £120, knowing I've got the extra £30 as back up if I overspend a bit or there are really good reductions in Waitrose that are too good to miss (their reductions are sometimes brilliant , last night I got, amongst other things, 2 packs of Texan style beef reduced from £7.99 to 45P!!). We eat quite well, and there's always been at least £15 -£20 of the back up money left, which goes into the Christmas savings. This year though it's been getting more and more difficult to manage on the full £150.
Still, I know we're a lot better off than a lot of people and I do feel for those with growing families. DD is constantly broke, despite SIL earning a really good salary; like anyone in their 30s in the south who's got a mortgage, they have a HUGE mortgage and with 3 children it's not easy to make ends meet. They were coming to visit this weekend, but can't afford the petrol till payday, so we're going to them again instead.

I can't remember where it's from, but I heard
'Mr T is thinking of changing their slogan from' "Every little helps" to, "We control every aspect of your life".' It would be funny if it wasn't so close to the truth!

Seakay

JIL wrote: »

I was unable to sleep last night and put the TV on and there was the programme mother knows best by the hairy bikers. On this episode there was a man who made an Argentinian casserole thing with partridge but apparently you can use duck or chicken. What I was really surprised by, was once cooked it was decanted into a preserving jar and kept for four weeks before being eaten? This was with the meat in it?
I would be really hesitant to try something like that and wondered what others thought? It did use lots of vinegar and olive oil so maybe that was the secret? Heres the recipe but it does not mention preserving it http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/partridge_escabeche_52290

The oil would provide an airtight seal which along with the airtight seal on the preserving jar would assist the preservation.
I have a meat preservation recipe which is based on an Indian technique and uses mustard oil. I use belt and braces by sealing the mixture in kilner jars using the oven method which you could also do with this. I have kept the meat for up to 18 months with no problem.
I do think that this recipe as given is not very helpful as I can remember differences just from seeing the programme.
Here is a recipe using aubergines that you might find easier to adapt, and there are lots of other recipes online:
http://www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/argentina-berenjenas-en-escabeche-spicy-pickled-aubergine-/3808

thriftmonster

Redlady - hugs on OBB's going.

We had to make a final appointment for Tuesday for our old lady - I was such a mess at work that morning - she hadn't eaten for 3 days, could barely move etc. Got home to find she had had 4 breakfasts and was dancing on the sitting room rug! Luckily the vet's were really pleased when we rang to cancel. We know it's not going to be long now - but any reprieve....

JIL

Seakay wrote: »

The oil would provide an airtight seal which along with the airtight seal on the preserving jar would assist the preservation.
I have a meat preservation recipe which is based on an Indian technique and uses mustard oil. I use belt and braces by sealing the mixture in kilner jars using the oven method which you could also do with this. I have kept the meat for up to 18 months with no problem.
I do think that this recipe as given is not very helpful as I can remember differences just from seeing the programme.
Here is a recipe using aubergines that you might find easier to adapt, and there are lots of other recipes online:
http://www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/argentina-berenjenas-en-escabeche-spicy-pickled-aubergine-/3808

Thank you so much for the aubergine recipe, it will be very useful as I am hoping for an aubergine glut in the following months as I have planted a few in my mothers green house. We came to an arrangement that she would plant her usual tomatoes and I would plant some aubergines and peppers. My parents like to go off in the summer in their caravan so while they are away I will pop in to their house on my way home from work and water/feed the greenhouse plants. She was actually thinking that she would not do the greenhouse plants this year as her neighbour isnt well enough to water them for her, so it will suit us all.

JIL

grandma247 wrote: »

Jil I posed the question to my canning group last night and found 1 reply this morning. These people are mostly very experienced food preservers so I would always go with their opinion on safety.
here is my question and the answer.

Would you eat this after say four weeks without freezing or canning it?
Partridge escabeche

this site has the recipe and on the actual show it was apparently put in jars
and left as it was with no other treatment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/partridge_escabeche_52290

I found this blog which says it is perfectly safe to eat weeks later.
http://honest-food.net/2009/07/09/pheasant-escabeche/

I would not touch it with a barge pole but then I don't eat game meats anyway.

Answer:
Well, my barge pole ain't touching it either and I eat game meat. Saw too
many folks come thorugh the ER that ate some type of fish that was cured
like this. Nope, no thanks!

Lynda

Thank you so much for the information, I was just really surprised that the programme said you could keep it for weeks before eating it I did notice there was no mention in the recipe that you could. I dont think I am brave enough to try.

Reverbe

mrs wive you have to be careful with Tescos.. today I found that the value dried prunes were 19 p dearer than the same sized packet of ordinary.. i just wish shopping wouldnt take so long. havng to go from shop to shop to get one item here , one there cos its cheaper etc etc.. takes ages rather than 5 mins like it used to

lucielle

Hello o'sers, a while back you were talking about using soda crystals in your wm. Well today I've found some and now not really sure what to do. I can remeber that you put vinegar in your fabric conditioner drawer but not anything else. Can you point me in the right direction?
L

HariboJunkie

lucielle wrote: »

Hello o'sers, a while back you were talking about using soda crystals in your wm. Well today I've found some and now not really sure what to do. I can remeber that you put vinegar in your fabric conditioner drawer but not anything else. Can you point me in the right direction?
L

Hi Lucielle :hello:

Have a look at this thread to find out more about using soda crystals.

Finally managed to get out in the garden today as we had a dry spell after I got back from my voluntary work. Watered all the greenhouse veg and planted out my pumpkins. Will need to net the cherry trees soon as the fruits are getting bigger and threatening to ripen. I'm definitely seeing bigger crops on all my fruit trees and bushes this season. Not sure why exactly....

Have a day to myself tomorrow so will be doing a freezer inventory (it's mostly whoopsied meat in there) and will move anything I'm unlikely to use for a while to the spare freezer in the office although I'm thinking of using that entirely for foraged and cultivated fruits. We're all affected by the price hikes and i'm not sure how I personally can cut back more without compromising my family's health so we aim to forage more than ever this year and keep growing my own as we always have.

Thanks for the tip about the FF milk price hike. I'll be getting mine from Aldi too now as FF is just too out of the way to justify it.

Hope sammy is settling in to her new home.