Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

Pippilongstocking

Thanks chaps

Pasta boxes rule

Cheery, as there are between 1-3 students with me in a room, I fear those games are a bit stalkerish!

KC thanks, I do, I've a lot of good pals with and without families, I need to start planning more, which means budgeting and finding a bit of 'spare' income for those necessary (for me) adventures. xxx

Squizz, thanks, its weird but it happens every year, the kids, not the sun coming out! I should be use to it, but I'm not. I never thought I'd do 'empty nest' stuff, but I appear to. x

Chev, I'm self employed so that unleashes other help, no I didn't do anything about the rent yet, I still feel weird about it, although I do have the forms for it and the council tax. Landlord phoning is re tunnel, I'll eat a frog today. (thank you for the push)

Meeting at 12pm, then walk mutt then back into the land of paid work
Need empty more of office - and actually set up the office at home (mr me's office only used once a month) so I might actually set up printer etc in there, makes more sense than me spreading myself everywhere and there being a semi-empty office most months.

Lula-Hula

Love the pasta idea, we have farm shop with some rare & random varieties near here ... will investigate on your behalf .

Yay to coconut yog, I do a similar thing with honey one, never buy what can be created for less .

I'm off to inspect my leeks, bye for now
xx

Hovel_lady

Peering over the lurkdom wall to say:
I was once given some very rude "adult only" pasta but that's probably not appropriate for her is it?

MrsMoo2U

Love the pasta idea. I have a similar tradition going on with ex MIL (now best friend) and hot sauces. It started because she loved making curries, I brought her a hot sauce from honeymoon in Jamaica and she loved it. Now if I dont send a hot sauce of some description for her birthday or Christmas she gets upset. Even the years when I have had the money to spend on her she preferred the sauces. I think it is about the thought more than anything.
Glad the sun is shining.

Pippilongstocking

Cheri that's lovely!

Hovel lady hello, thanks for the novel pasta idea, um, maybe after she's married!!

Lula, thanks and all these years on MSE and me still buying posh yoghurt, whoops, hope the leeks inspected ok?

Yay I phoned landlord, at the frog so to speak. He said yes, no worries and only gave me one option for the place for it, that solves that one then!

Thanks for the nudge Chev!

Off to make tea......

Cheery_Daff

Well done for phoning landlord! :T :T :T Good stuff :T :T Glad he's taken away decision about where to put it - sometimes it's hard o make decisions!

Speaking of which, think we've made a decision about the weekend... will let you know once I've done some ringing round...

Igamogam

Had to laugh at the pasta presents. My OH has bought me a ball of string every Christmas for many years now - well since children came on the scene and we said we would no longer buy presents for anybody else including each other ( although I do contribute to works Secret Santa which I have already bought for £1 in N*xt sale ). The string gets used through the year and I am amazed just how many different kinds there are:rotfl:
I did think once DD1 had gone to University that she would no longer want her Christmas stocking but she made sure she was included and said its the best part of Christmas - always has knickers and socks and chocolate orange in it along with lots of nonsense goodies I buy throughout the year. In her first year I got a text to remind me to send her an advent calendar 'one with pictures Mum not chocolate' - some of her housemates had never seen one before!

I am not speaking to our cats today - we love them dearly and they serve a anti rodent purpose but todays delight was Mr Mole:(:(:(. We got our 'big cat' from a national animal rescue organisation - didnt mind paying the £40 for a neutered, vaccinated and micro chipped moggy and assured them we were responsible owners - they didnt come round to check.But we were told he would never be able to socialise with other cats, be semi wild vicious, bites, scratches etc. If anybody has read the childrens book Six Dinner Sid he is a tabby version and although he is a voracious hunter, he is as soft as a brush - having been in 'solitary confinement' for 18 months at the centre he took about 2 days to settle down and has never looked back!

Keiss_21

Love the pasta ideas and stories. Pippi, I did wonder why one of your cupboards was full of pasta!! :rotfl:

Good that you have been in touch with the landlord...are you having the polytunnel where you wanted? :j to the kids coming home soon, I know you have soo missed them.

Been into big town today taking a friend to the eye clinic for a check-up. Only in here for an hours and a half...speedy today!! Managed to finish a sock for DH and get the next one cast on. Yet again had loads of lovely comments...one chap asked my how much I charged!!! He went quiet when I told him the wool itself cost £8.50:eek: Mind you, it is lovely to knit and will last a fair old time. Did a bit of shopping on the way back, and lunch out paid for by my friend, a lovely day.

Managed at last to clear out the fridge and give it a right old clean this afternoon. Rather embarassed at the state of it !! Now plenty of room...even with the 20 Ald$ yoghurts on the top shelf!!!

Having a lovely day out tomorrow, off to the NEC for The Festival of Quilts...the largest quilt show in Europe...I am going up (and back) by train, working out cheaper than driving - and much less stressful. Not planning on buying anything (much!)...going armed woth my camera, spare batteries and a notebook. Looking for ideas and inspiration...so shouldn't be diappointed

Have a lovely evening and weekend all of you xxx

starnac

yay to phoning landlord Pippi. Well done.

My sister and i have a similar silly present tradition like your pasta box. We both compete to see who can get the other the biggest box of freebies. It's our most eagerly awaited present each year.

Not long til kiddies are home now though

Pippilongstocking

yay to all of you

Weather horrid here 40+mph winds

Bah

Watching cows fly past!