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

Softstuff

paidinchickens wrote: »

Morning peeps

I was woken this morning by a phone call from DD who had her car broken into last night :mad:\

Sorry to hear about your DD. I detest thieves too. When you spend all your time scrimping and saving to get by, and wait for the things you want but they just take with complete disregard, it makes me hanker after stronger punishments for them. *BIG HUGS*

mardatha wrote: »

I wish I knew how to cook, whenever I try things they turn out awful. LOL. Picked some tatties from garden as they seem to have blight. They're ok but as bit bland, I forget what variety they are. I should've put mint or chives or something on them, I can never remember what you add to what.

I tend not to worry about what should or shouldn't go with things, and just do it by taste. In the case of vegetables, most things taste better with if you drizzle them with olive oil when they're still warm and add a bit of salt and pepper. Mint or chives are good with potatoes, cumin or coriander is nice sprinkled on them before roasting or on home made oven chips, half a teaspoon of mustard is nice in mash.

greent

Interesting article in the Observer's Food Monthly magazine today about why food prices will only keep on rising:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...se-commodities

Molly41

ginnyknit wrote: »

I

Got annoyed as the guy doing the whoopsies was s...l...o..w..l...y marking stuff down and secreting it all in a box , basically to annoy everyone. Had a look a couple of times but no joy, however if I had beena young pretty blonde I could have filled my trolley - as I found when I stood behind her in the checkouts - thats what annoyed me - i know I have no right to expect a bargain but favouritism is nasty :mad:

My DD has to do the whoopsies for the Co-op and the abuse/ harassment she gets whilst doing this is unbelievable and shocking:eek::eek::eek:

ETA = I am in no way implying that anyone from this thread would behave in such a way to those shop staff (often working for the minimum wage) reducing items. I just wanted to give the other side of the story from the shop workers perspective. My DD has been reduced to tears at times by the attitude of bargain hunters and this has become much worse as money get's tighter and desperation sets in.

[Deleted User]

It`s very hard to get myself going today, I hope I am not getting into hibernation mode already :eek: It is very autumnal again and has been for days really, berries almost ripe and apples well on the way, horse chestnut leaves withering. Going via the nature route, I am sure that my body is picking up on this and is getting ready for winter :eek:

I have this really massive bowl of german red cabbage and suddenly decided to try the vac storage so packed 6 servings for 2 in easy leave bags and then in another easy leave bag and lightly rolling each. I put them into vac bags in 3s and they vacuumed with no problem at all. Now written on with permanent pen (on the bit you cut off) and in the freezer, taking up a fraction of the space they would normally take. I am gradually going to do this with leeks etc. It`s all about making the freezer work efficiently

What will I be doing today? maybe picking a few runner beans, maybe a bit of weeding at the front, if it cheers up. Maybe a trip on the bus but I don`t need anything, except vinegar. I don`t need to sort any upstairs cupboards oh I know, I`ll tweak a bit in the kitchen cupboards

Sigh!! I know I am starting to hibernate, I feel it

GreyQueen

greent wrote: »

Interesting article in the Observer's Food Monthly magazine today about why food prices will only keep on rising:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...se-commodities

Thank you very much for posting that linkie, greent, it's a very worrying article. The percentages of increase on the staples like bread, oils and flour are something which we've all noticed.

I'm mentally reviewing my storecupboard foods and considering what can be added to hedge against even higher increases in the future. I've stuck a scrap of paper with the date I started them on the porridge oats and the oil bottle so I can calculate my usage so that I can buy within my needs and not have stockpiles that are well beyond their use-by dates.

I seem to take about 5 weeks to use 1 litre of veg oil and I have many many litres stashed (in date until this time next year) and am using them in sequence. There is a small mountain of pasta and porridge and the infamous tinned tommies and tinned fish, so that I can always make a meal from the cupboard.

I'm now down to a single can of sweetcorn so has anyone spotted any going particularly cheap lately? I know I could use the frozen form but freezer space is critically tight in my countertop model.

The weather here is dire at the moment, cool and grey and showery and somehow feels like September, as if the summer peaked too early and has ended too soon. Still, I shall be spending most of the day in an office, so it won't stop any activities for a few hours. Hope it may dry out this evening as I want to go to the lottie.

I have never had my Kestrels still in the green by this late in July; normally the're up by the first weekend, even with allowing time for all the tops to wither away naturally. Just hope that their late growth is allowing the tubers to get some bulk as the first weeks of their growth were in the most terrible drought.

We don't yet have blackberries ripe, even the ones on the tips of the sprays are only slightly pinkish so it will be a while yet. One thing I have noticed in the past 2 years is that a lot more people are picking blackberries along the cycle paths etc inside the city; you have to be quick off the mark or you'll miss out. I don't touch the lower ones as they're along major dog-walking routes...eww!;)

Oh, one thing I sort of "invented" which is helpful for blackberrying is to cut down a 4 or 6 pinter plastic milk bottle so that the handle is left intact but you cut across its shoulders to make a wide opening. This gives a handy receptacle to put your berries or other small fruits into and doesn't have the annoyance of catching the edge of the tub or bowl on the bramble and spilling your hardwon loot. Plus a walking stick with a traditional crooked end is very handy for pulling down those hard-to-reach canes.

Also have my eye on some wild plum trees which have small yellow or scarlet fruits and are delicious. Got some very funny looks picking them last year; it'll be interesting to see if people's attitudes have changed 12 months on into the recession. There's quite a lot of forage-able fruit adjacent to the estate where the lottie is, in a very poor area, but it's always amazed me that more people don't help themselves to nature's bounty.

With today's porridge I had the last of the foraged walnuts which a radical vegan lottie neighbour gathered from an urban street-tree last autumn. He did tell me where it was but it was in a suburb which I don't know so the landmarks meant nowt. Shall have to take a map or get him to show me in person. He's good people.

Hope everyone has a good day.

welshcamper

GreyQueen wrote: »

Oh, one thing I sort of "invented" which is helpful for blackberrying is to cut down a 4 or 6 pinter plastic milk bottle so that the handle is left intact but you cut across its shoulders to make a wide opening. This gives a handy receptacle to put your berries or other small fruits into and doesn't have the annoyance of catching the edge of the tub or bowl on the bramble and spilling your hardwon loot. Plus a walking stick with a traditional crooked end is very handy for pulling down those hard-to-reach canes.

QUOTE]

will be back to post later just going out through the door!..
but had to say Greyqueen this is a Brilliant idea!! i always tip them and my wrist aches from holding containers:T

mardatha

Very interesting article greent. Need to shift up a gear I think and get plotting even harder

VJsmum

I agree - a fantastic idea - simple but effective! Thanks

elona

I used to loop a carrier bag over my arm when picking brambles then use an old ice cream box as a base to put the bag on once it was full. If you don't have a walking stick then an umbrella with a curved handle does a good job.

Having a cup of tea before getting showered, shampood and changed and then going to next door neighbours for cup of tea. Might defrost pastry and make quiches for tonight or else a spag bol.

DH is phoning the tax credits people to see if we are due credits for last year. We moved house and things got overlooked and in a muddle. He has just come upstairs and said we can appeal and forms are being sent out.

DD's friend who stayed over has just left so house is peaceful. It is pouring with rain so can't hang washing out - thank heavens for the pulley and indoor airer even if it does not look posh.

I only have three tins of tomatoes!!! Might have to smuggle a few tins at a time home when I see an offer but they get heavy to carry especially up a hill. DDs will disown me if I get a wally trolley.;)

Softstuff

*phew* I'm exhausted. I've vacuumed half the darned day :rotfl: It amazes me how fine the dust it will pick up is. Eventually the novelty will wear off, but for now I'm loving it. Looking forward to sleeping on new flanellette sheets tonight too.

What an article that is. GQ, when tomatoes are 50 quid a tin, you should consider selling your investment and moving over here to a nice mansion

Everything is going up all the time here. The new carbon tax due to come in means little to families with kids or those on benefits (they'll receive tax cuts to compensate), but for us couples with no kids it'll mean more going out again. Still, there are always savings to be had on almost anything if you look hard enough, and I tend to have my binoculars out at all times!