Daffy's 'patchwork dreams' diary

Karmacat

Killing myself laughing at Z and his scone on the end of a fishing pole - that friend of yours really does qualify!

Hope you're having a very cake-fuelled time today

Cheery_Daff

Honestly, I really couldn't quite believe what she was telling me! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Today's visitors (my mum and sister) knew in advance about the ratings, so tried to outdo each other Clearly I need to tell all future visitors in advance

Mum brought home made mince pies and cake, some shortbread, grapes, and flowers.

Sister brought chocolate dinosaurs made from galaxy caramel chocolate - and a large (and vile) toy duck which she had, get this, slit the throat of, and sewed in a big load of red silk, which gushes out like blood from a wound :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: So she definitely gets points for the most bizarre present, the most amusement caused during a visit, and sheer effort for absolutely no practical purpose :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Karmacat

Thats a great haul, Cheery :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Great choices from your mum, loving the idea of chocolate dinosaurs, and the *effort* your sister put in is really wild any chance of a picture? :p:p

Cheery_Daff

Will sort out a picture today KC, can't let this one go unrecognised :rotfl:

In money related news - sorted myself out a cash book yesterday :T :T Let's see shall we? Seem to have spent over my 'fun' budget already this week :rotfl: :rotfl: I guess I've been doing nothing but cafes and charity shops all week!

Cheery_Daff

Soooo... total spends for last week?

£24.50 fun spent (budget is £20 )
£17 food (budget is £28 - don't get the idea I'm some kind of frugal shopper though - I only pay for half of the food :rotfl:)

Everything else is on a monthly budget - so far spent

£10 on diesel (out of £30)
£7.50 of the joint treats fund (£30 - I put all of this in as otherwise there'd be squabbling about whether we could afford to go out for breakfast or not - and I *so* much enjoy it, and it's *so* much fun to have an extra Treats Purse )
£15 of bank treats money (I leave £50 of my monthly fun money in the bank to spend on 'bigger' stuff (in this case a book) rather than frittering away on cups of tea )

Ooh, and I also spent £80 of my Christmas bonus on a new breadmaker Was dispatched from Amazon yesterday - so hopefully today or tomorrow we'll find out if I accidentally ordered a very expensive BOOK about breadmaking instead :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

So far this year I've only managed ONE NSD - and that was new years day :rotfl: :rotfl: Must try harder! Today won't be one though - going out for lunch and I'd VERY much like a hand blender :rotfl: :rotfl: We'll see.

Love love LOVE having a spending diary again though - bit of a pest filling it in, but I feel so much more in control knowing what I'm spending! :T :T




Have told Mr Daffs to force me to rest today - poor old neck is a bit achey after a few days of feeling relatively normal and pottering about a little bit too much... so I fully expect to be prevented from sewing, and ordered off to bed this afternoon for a nap

Karmacat

You sounded like you were doing a lot - all good stuff, mind, but still a lot - hope you take notice of Mr Daffs!

Cheery_Daff

Thanks KC - he is being like some kind of prison guard :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Going to aim for today to be my second NSD of 2012! :T :T :T Not meeting anyone, not got to be anywhere, we've got milk and can live without everything else :T

My lovely breadmaker arrived yesterday! I bought it 'used' from Amazon, supposedly in 'good' condition (bit of cosmetic damage but works) - it was £80 rather than £100. But when it arrived, the only cosmetic damage I can find is a dent in the box! :T :T :T Excellent stuff. And it woke me up with nicely fresh smelling bread this morning :T :T Think I'm going to like it

(seems like a ludicrous amount of dosh to spend but it's my Christmas bonus And we've now had 2 cheaper ones, which have both broken within a few months. This one is SO much quieter, and already feels a lot sturdier, so we'll see! And it's got a timer function )

Karmacat

Ooh, I like the sound of that breadmaker - wonder if you can bribe the prison guard

Cheery_Daff

Well, breadmaker is being well used, although it'll take a while to get to know. The 'rapid' programme definitely needs the crust settting set to 'well done' - came out almost completely white this morning! :rotfl: Emergencies only I think (still, I timed it, and it took 2 minutes to get the ingredients together and in the pan ) Mr Daffs remembered we worked out with the last one you need to use LESS yeast than it says, otherwise it rises too much and falls again - definitely what happened with this one. Pah! Still, I always was an expert on making artisan bread I just thought I had half a chance of getting it right if I actually followed the recipe - clearly not! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Will stick another loaf on timer tonight ready for the morning - fingers crossed!

Just popped in to report TWO no spend days in a row! Didn't even intend to! Well, could have popped out yesterday, but decided not to, and today just kind of happened without going anywhere near a shop! :T :T I've never quite understood how fabulous NSDs are before - I mean, I *know* of course, but always just thought 'well, I'm going to buy it tomorrow anyway'... - yes with some things, but others you end up just not buying at all...

And today a friend gave me a jar of pickle, a large tub of organic hot chocolate, and a jar of gingery marmalade :T :T :T Will go nicely with the home made bread - and especially good as we've just run out of jam! :rotfl: :rotfl:

Won't be a NSD tomorrow - I want to post a letter to Belgium, we'll be going to the WI no doubt, and we've got no fruit at all. Still, that's 3 so far this year

Karmacat

Excellent, well done you!