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

bertiebots

mardatha wrote: »

I make mint tea and lemon balm tea. Pick sprigs , wash under the tap, shove in the teapot along with one weak teabag, and make tea as normal. Lovely!

Thanks thats the kind of simplicity I was searching for! Will give it a go ...have found my lemon balm fighting for survival with another plant so I think I should tidy my garden a bit:o

modern_millie_2

Hi everyone, haven't posted for a while, was feeling a bit off, think maybe blood sugar related, but feeling better now. Anyway, have just about kept up with posts - am also working every weekday now, for the Summer, so not so much time - but a bit more cash!

Maryb, I am doing the same as you with my Mr T money off vouchers - going to stock up on dried food, essential toiletries and a few other things, as last Winter was a shocker financially - don't feel bad, it makes total sense.

Had a lovely treat for our anniversary last night, dinner in local Indian restaurant, quite reasonable, food was very good and staff are excellent.

Sammy, hope you get your house, would make such a difference for your little ones.

GQ, we also had rain, and during the night - can't remember a time when the weather behaved so well!

Saw a reproduction of a 1977 Daily Mirror today - food price ads were v. interesting -- many things have increased in price fivefold, including butter and cheese -but tinned goods only by about three times.

mrswive

bertiebots - DS is also a real coffee addict and he said that he found that having mint tea decreases his need for the hard stuff.
Another upside which has just occurred to me - not a calorie in sight!

calleyw

Emptynester wrote: »

So, my latest penny stretching is getting more use out of my herbal/fruit teas.

Why not try sun tea.

It's an american thing never really go in to it myself.

My husband use to drink herbal teas (can't stand them myself)and in the summer he use to make up a jug full with boiling water. Let it brew and then take the tea bags out and pop it in the fridge. So he had nice refreshing cold drink.

Yours

Calley

rachbc

i love hm infusions so much more than bag herbal tea - mint with a splash of rose water and a crushed cardamon pod is exotic tasting and lovely, lemon balm, sliced ginger, slices of lime, cinnamon sticks are all lovely in various combos

hornetgirl

I find that either lemon verbena or mint leaves brewed in with a green tea bag then chilled make a lovely refreshing drink in the summer.

Isn't it funny how we all have different things germinating. Of the 15 sweetcorn seeds I put in, 13 came up, but none of the butternut squash. DH found some "casualties" at Homebase today - a tray of lettuce, another of French beans, 2 rather bedraggled cucumbers and a very sorry-looking lavender. He bought them all as nothing was more than 30p, so fingers crossed he manages to work some magic on them. It's always worth a look at any of the big stores for casualties, we've had some great bargains like this in the past.

lostinrates

hello everyone.:)

Have been MIA for a few days but had to reply about picnics/taking your own. I heard on the radio that some places are starting to crack down on bringing food in....claiming ''lack of room''. Also they are banning brought in food at the olympics I think??

one of the reasons I was away is I had to go to Italy for a few days. First stop as usual, was the supermarket for soe things to keep in the hotel room for snacks. (we do eat out once a ay when away, but prefer to have healthy things and stuff we can't get easily here for lunches etc). also, I need to drink all the time, if I can't take water with me, I don't want to go!

Hope all are well and coping. we've had a budgetary prolem with our house repairs: they have found bats in our attic which is going to seriusly hamper what we can do and when. we love bats and are thrilled to have'em here....but why, oh why couldn't they have chosen one of the barns or something. we've been asked not to put insulation up there or fix the flashing until October. we also can't do the chimney repairs etc. It will disturb them. The bat expert suggested a heater and a dehumidifier. I pointed out WE don't have a heater and are unlikely to before it gets cold thanks to the suspension of lots of the work, so I feel less inclined to give one to bats however cute, till we have heating too.

Softstuff

Sorry to mention this GQ, when you have a dustbowl for a lottie, but here on the glorious Sunshine Coast of Oz it's raining again. It seems like since I moved here the weather has changed dramatically, because all the locals ever seem to say to me about it is "it isn't normally like this at this time of year", regardless of what the weather is or when it is. Any tips for drying clothes without a tumble dryer when it's cold, wet and you don't have heating are gratefully received (don't really want to increase the moisture in here either, since when it's more humid we get mould).

There was a fair bit of recent talk on dropping a few pounds. I discovered that I could also stand to lose a couple. I hadn't figured I'd gained weight since the clothes I've been wearing are fitted (non-stretch jeans, t-shirts etc) and are no tighter. But over the weekend I tried to put on a pair of pants for the family celebration, and they wouldn't do up. So presuming they must have shrunk the last time I washed them, I tried the other pair. You guessed it. All I need to do is cut down a little on the desserts and wine, that should take care of it. Beats buying more pants.

charlies-aunt

redlady_1 wrote: »

I am just back from a very drunken day at Twickenham....sit down ladies I am about to shock the pants off you. How much do you think a cheeseburger and chips together with a bottle of water cost in the stadium today???


£10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

That is nearly my weeks shopping bill in one "meal". Thank god I was prepared to be ripped off - but even I was shocked by how much

Shopping in Sainsbury's yesterday - I was shocked and surprised by a pack of cupcakes :eek: :rotfl: (well, I do lead a very sheltered life!) :rotfl:

A cellophane box of 9 cupcakes in foil cups - standard size, topped with pink icing and decorated with simple icing flowers - the only exotic thing about them was that two of the flowers had a dab of edible glitter in them. . . and the price was . . .


£7 !!! :eek:

Stone the crows . . . who buys these things?

ceridwen

mrswive wrote: »

He also introduced me to mint tea, which I've never made before and was delish - a handful of mint leaves in a cup, pour on boiling water, leave for a bit and drink. I always find fruit/herb teas such a disappointment- they smell great but just taste of hot water - but fresh mint tea was a revelation.
.

I've just been reading the herb thread on this Board and picking up ideas re herb usage - as I'm getting rather more into that. I see there that they mention re using a "sprig of mint" (rather than the few picked-off leaves I had assumed) - so having read that it really couldnt be easier in fact - then I must try mint tea myself. I've never had it before - and have been feeling a bit wary (as there arent very many herb teas I like) but I have LOADS of mint (of 3 different types) so must have a go:). I have discovered I like lemon balm tea and it IS very calming I find (as per what my books say) - so you never know.

I've discovered a new Lets member running short medical herbalist courses for part Lets credits and part £s and it wont cost me many £s - so I shall be contacting her for that:).

Just as well I'm in the process of "selling" various items through Lets at present and getting down my debit balance then. I've got someone else coming round specially tonight to pick up a loaf of bread I will be making for him - my "fame is spreading" and that makes 3 people who will take any chance I provide to have me make some bread for them and 2 of them prepared to come round specially to get it from my home:D and I'm not even bothering myself about "trying" to "get the word round" - as I can only make a very limited amount obviously.