Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - Part 3.

dizzy_lizzie

[QUOTE=rubytuesday;45940173
Luckily I was able to make a lovely spicey carrot and lentil soup as I've been ill and haven't left the house since Saturday night.
Hope everyone else is safe and well![/QUOTE]

Hi ruby. Hope you're feeling lots better. Soup really does help. The one I always make when I'm poorly is potato and leek.

Luv Dizzy x

SandraScarlett

Have cancelled Saturday's outing. The theatre is near Trafalgar Square, and things could be fine at the start of the show, and then awful afterwards.

Mind you, it shows how rumours start. I'd heard that in Romford, Asda, Debenhams and Primark had been "smashed" - then I found out that about 50 x 12-13 year olds had broken a window in Debenhams, and overturned bins wherever they could - and that was it.

But they had closed all the shops, bars and restaurants early and avoided problems. I live in Upminster, where, I believe, they have the highest percentage of over 60s in the London boroughs, but I'm a Bow girl originally, and just can't believe what I'm seeing.

Hugs to all, but especially to those in the Midlands and Manchester, who seem to be having a rough time tonight.

xx

rubytuesday

Bit better Dizzy Lizzie thanks though feeling a bit weepy about all this.

Survived my acupuncture and it was eerily quiet in Bloomsbury with rumours of trouble but it didn't come.

Went to Wagamama for Lunch with a friend which was lovely - he offered to pay as he had got back missold PPI and was finally out of debt but I went halves so he doesn't end up back there!

There was trouble just round the corner from me near the park but I don't think it was too bad.

Apparently all the shops here closed at lunch time apart from the chippy who is doing a roaring trade!

Unfortunately we dropped half of ours on the floor when we got home.

dizzy_lizzie

rubytuesday wrote: »

Bit better Dizzy Lizzie thanks though feeling a bit weepy about all this.

Hope it stayed quiet for you. Very worrying.
What's happening to the world at the moment...:sad: It beggars belief...

Luv Dizzy x

rubytuesday

Dizziy - I hope you are still asleep!

It really is just so sad that is has come to this!

Lets hope sanity and peace are restored soon.

I am already involved in the campaign to regenerate my area - it's hard enough without this!

SandraScarlett

Superb response by the Playhouse Theatre, they've let me rebook for late September, and only have to pay 10% of the ticket price, and they couldn't have been more understanding.

I've felt really weepy over all this, and so worried for people who live in the heart of the areas that have been ruined. I used to feel so safe in London, it never bothered me walking in the most run-down areas, and though I was "aware", I wasn't worried. I pray everyone stays safe.

xx

rising_from_the_ashes

Spiral - hope you've recovered from the party - sounds a huge success!

Ruby - hope you're feeling better now.

Sandra - glad you've got re-booked & well done to the Playhouse for being so understanding.


Hope everyone's OK this morning, it's horrible seeing the pics on the news, it looks like a foreign country:(. It's easy to get weepy when thinking of how peoples' lives are being destroyed by mindless thugs.


Anyway, yesterday didn't go according to plan:( - DM arrived & her back was killing her (had an op several years ago and has to be careful) - she'd been wallpaper stripping the day before tut, tut. So, walking around all day was off the list.

So, we decided to hit the shops instead (and sure we did just as much walking!).

Got stocked up on a few bits like loo rolls, more cat food/litter etc for op recovery so not a totally wasted day - however, it did turn out a lot more expensive than it should have!

Nevermind, we're going to try to "hit" the festival next week (if it ever stops raining, it's horrible again today - boy, did I not get a good week to be on my hols:().

Dug out my tapestry (that I started around 4 years ago:eek:) and have spent the morning stitching away at that - quite therapeutic!

23rdspiral

sandra - that's brilliant of them! am so glad you can still go to the theatre when it's all calmer.

thanks Rising. i think shopping is quite exhausting as you are carrying bags and dodging other people and constantly scanning for where to go next. hope the rain stops soon for you.

re the party... thought i'd post a few thoughts / feedback.

the 'Pot Luck' went brilliantly. a couple of people were slightly confused about the idea, but i simply explained i was doing a buffet spread but was asking everyone to bring a dish as i wasnt sure on numbers this would mean there would be enough food no matter how many people turned up! I'm glad i did it this way as...
~ 3 people cancelled in the morning; 2 just didnt show;:(
~ 1 person could have turned up alone or with 6 family members! so unknown!
~ 2 people didnt bring any food, but one of those did ALL the washing up so i didnt mind at all!:A (the other brought a housewarming gift which was lovely of them anyway)
~ it magically worked out to be enough savories and enough sweets... and even someone turning up with a steaming bowl of chilli didnt phase me, i cooked pasta to go with it and the mix of hot and cold was fine.
~ there was enough for everyone for dinner, and a little snacking.
~ there was enough leftovers for brunch with the 7 that stayed over! (with added toast) (AND afternoon tea with those plus a few people who couldn't make it the night before! which was so lovely, it was like a second party!!):j

We told everyone we were doing sangria and pimms (well, A*da's own version!), though asked them to bring any other alchol they wanted (which worked nicely - some are big drinkers, some arent and i couldnt have afforded to get Everything anyone would have wanted in), and spent somewhere under 4.00 a head. i did pizza, salad, pasta, dips, bread, chicken legs, quitch, sausage rolls, drinks... I was pleased with the cost, though it's hard to say as some things were Woopsied (mini doughnuts, chicken legs), some were eaten for brunch (bread, sausages, onion bajis(!)), some for afternoon tea (cake, strawberries), and some are still in our cupboard (spare orange juice, lemonade).

this was the first propper party we've ever thrown, other than student style Bring Your Own BBQs and Birthdays, and although i was wigging out before hand, i can happily say i'd do it again.:D

rubytuesday

Glad it went well spiral.

Pot lucks are great - my friend did one for his Birthday unfortunately that was what coincided with me nearly breaking my foot on the way there.

I meant to post you a punch recipe but forgot but here's one for next time if you like or for anyone else.

It certainly made my daughter's 18th go with a swing!

http://www.stluciacoalpot.co.uk/recipe/caribbean_punch.htm

It's Ainsley's Mum's one.

dizzy_lizzie

ruby I was up sooooo late as waiting for daughter to come home. She works as a chef now in one of the popular pubs and even though its a few miles from Manchester City Centre you never know if it would spread to smaller towns. In a bit later than usual though as she went for a brew and a natter to a friends house after.
We are roughly 6 or 7 miles from the Centre and it's soooo sad seeing it all unfold. I naively thought that Manchester would be unscathed but no Hope the worst is now over and everything returns to normality...whatever that is anymore!

spiral the party sounds like it was brilliant. It's a great idea everyone bringing in dishes and leaving you more time to enjoy it all :T

sandra we can only hope that some good has come out of all this and at least now the Government will have to have a hard look at what's happening outside their ivory towers, though by no means will the cause of it all or the solutions be simple to put right, unfortunately.

Hope everyone has a good day today. I plan to go to Hobbycraft for a few bits and get some crafting done today. But we'll see if I manage it

Love dizzy x