It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

Mrs_Veg_Plot

[QUOTE=scottishminnie;I_still_don't_have_any_red_tomatoes_-_my_mother_says_to_pick_the_big_ones_and_bring_them_inside_to_a_dark_cupboard_and_they_will_ripen._I'm_not_convinced_though_-_has_anyone_else_heard_of_this?[/QUOTE]

Last year I sucessfully ripened a lot of my green toms by putting them in a bag with a ripe one and putting in a dark drawer in the kitchen.

PaddyPaws

Churchmouse wrote: »

I'm jumping in here with what might be irrelevant info scottishminnie, but for egg poachers for the totally inept ( that's me ) I can recommend these
I bought some years ago when I was in Canada, and they're still going strong, and never stick. Just a thought if you want to give it another try.

I've got those too - fab! we got ours from a little local ironmongers (it's like an aladdin's cave in there, narrow store front but goes back, and back, and back...)

Another suggestion for those trying to ripen tomatoes, try putting the green ones in brown paper bag with a banana

HTH
PP

kidcat

Scottishminnie - I use cling film for egg poaching there is a video on youtube somewhere of how to but basically I get a square of film over a mug drop in the egg then twist the top tight and drop into the water. Works ok too!!

culpepper

Oh dear this is a bit of a male bashing whinge LOL...
I made peanut butter last week. One pot for home and one for OH to take to work. His is gone already! He must absolutely shovel it down. I think I will wait to at least the weekend before making him some more or he will expect to put in an order every couple of weeks.
The yoghurt making is still going well. I am making about 2 litres a week and the pot I bought in July is still the original source of the starter. Oh is managing to guzzle most of that too but he is managing to keep up with the partial cycling to work(motor cycle to London,then 15 mile cycle) so mustn't grumble .
I do wonder whether women who shared a home would be more economical with the same housekeeping than men would though.
I have caught OH using pricey kitchen roll to wipe his sweaty brow when he gets in from a run !
The vinegar put in the loo to descale it overnight has twice been flushed away too soon( either DS or OH is the culprit).
On the plus side, OH has hung the gate that he and DS made out of a huge pallet. It looks okay and is way better than the split and cracked former gate that was all that was between the tool /bike shed,his motorbike and the local crime.
Our little Apple and pear tree are still soldiering on ,the apples look nearly ready.
I am still keeping up with my exercises. We run a couple of evenings a week and I do home exercise 2 or 3 times too. I think it is as much about keeping cheery as it is about keeping fit and it is a good way of warming up too.

Pink.

Hi Scottishminnie,

For poached eggs the most important thing is that the egg is very fresh. I use Delia's method but break the egg into a saucer and slide it into the pan rather than dropping it from a great height.

This thread has loads more advice:

how to cook the perfect poached egg?

Pink

kersplatt

Morning all

Feeling more positive this week and much more 'get on and sort the mess out.' I'm normally very proactive but low mood gets the better of me occasionally. I'm trying to work out how much extra work I can pull in as well as what I can cut down on. I really don't suffer from the need to go shopping at all and will actively avoid the shops!!!

I'm hoping that by joining the grocery challenge and having NSD's as a target it will keep me focussed. I have won some heavy lined curtains on ebay for £7.90 (inc p&p) to put up in the hallway and kitchen to keep the cold out.

I'm off onto nights again tonight and tomorrow so that will cut down costs - night duty is great for not spending money and keeping warm because you sleep all day!!!

Thinking about going on a blackberry forage this afternoon after I've hung the washing out. Oh and I need to wash my uniforms - eep, I'd forgotten about that!!!

Hope everyone is ok, not so cold this morning I think

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Have just come back from grocery shopping with 51/2lb in weight of salmon trimmings for £5 from Morrisons. Have been through them and there is some skin to disguard but most of it is quite thick pieces of salmon great for freezing in portions for pasta dishes, quiches or fish pies.

I do not usually shop there but called in on my way home to see what offers they had. Have never seen these off cuts before but I am really pleased with my find.

Rosanna79

Ceridwen
Have got OH calculating the square footage of our beds as we speak! We also do a load of container growing, a legacy of living in London and have an 8ft by 6 ft greenhouse. There are 6 x 4 foot troughs along the side of the garage as well as a cast iron bath plus 17 containers of potatoes in the side return of our semi which OH considered to be wasted space.

It wasn't possible to turn the bottom half of the garden into allotment like rows because I needed safe concrete paths around the beds. I have a history of really bad falls and since OH organised the garden with the paths, I've been safe for almost 2 years. It also means that our approximately 90-100 foot garden has relaxation areas including a small lawn, so shrubs and perennials can also add colour in season. It's a hobby as well as exercise and saving on the grocery bill.

As we've got landscapers doing a great job on turning our front lawn into a gravelled parking space with a nice border I've had to stay fairly close to home today. I persuaded OH to be kind to himself for a change and give his back a break. It's taking 3 considerably younger men to do the job properly with machinery so I'm glad he's taking it steady for a change.

I used the trolley to do a local shop up our high street, Home Bargains, Wilkos etc. OH won't have to do much this week as after a half hour session on the home Xtrainer (bought from our vendors when we moved here 8 years ago) I then set the Garmin watch as I walk around the area. Even if it's only 1.5 miles it all adds up. It's amazing how much exercise I get into my day when I put this initially expensive piece of kit on my wrist. Pedometers are wildly inaccurate as I've discovered and having to keep a food / exercise diary for my dietician it works well.

Two of the lads who do health walks with me wear talking pedometers but one has THREE of the things about his person all registering different distances for the same walk!!. My GPS watch always comes up with the most accurate results. No I'm not plugging into the website to download the workout but wanted to know what the recommended 10,000 steps a day equalled in mileage.

Tomorrow's market day and Aldi so the trolley gets another airing. I don't need a stick or pole when I'm using it so feel more like a normal person. Not standing out in the crowd feels great after having to use two sticks.

Increasingly we're trying not to take the car out for shopping at Mr M unless I'm passing there on my way back from the Friday walk.

Trouble was last Friday we all got so rain soaked despite the right kit it was urgent to get home and dry out!! Just as well that I had to pass Mr M again on Saturday. Thinking of ways to save on petrol is becoming even more important.

Really dreading the autumn/ winter fuel bills. Wearing lots of layers with no heating on isn't an option for someone with arthritis. Cold just increases the pain levels so we're looking at using more electric heating this year,( rather than the central heating or gas fire)as electricity seems somewhat cheaper.

We do have a halogen heater as well as an electric log fire type heater we had down south but have kept just in case - We'll be looking at how cost effective this is to run as well.

The possibility of converting the back fireplace into an open fire or multifuel burner is there but as I cannot bend or kneel it would not appear to be a very practicable option. Our neighbours have converted to an open fire but are young enough to be our children so it's a different story?! Interesting reading the other thread on preparing for winter so will have to see how things pan out- this forum, as always, is full of very useful ideas,

kersplatt

And then something else slaps you down

I was very sure that my car tax was due next month - wrong, thank goodness I discovered today that it was due instead of being certain - I just checked because one of my fb friends mentioned she was poor because her car tax had just been paid. Oh well, there goes another £104.50 - seriously I am going to be scratching around for pennies to pay things this month since I still have DD's school uniform to finish getting. I know October will be much better as no big bills are due but that's 30 days away

Onwards and upwards cos it can't get worse!!! lol

ginnyknit

wilding_arms wrote: »

Gutted! Hope they come back for you. We have just discovered the deer are eating our wax beans and broad beans just as they are coming in - I am livid and have put up offcuts of fencing all round the patch, not sure it will have an effect though! But then we did find a giant cep as big as my head yesterday - duly chopped for the freezer. Win some, lose some.

Im sure the same thing happened with the slugs last year tho' I only had 2 plants then, and they grew well with me totally ignoring them.

Your deer sound much nicer than my slug problem but just as annoying really. I love deer and OH has often driven miles for me to see them, well basically any animals but Im not really a softie with them, its just the photographer side of me I guess.

Been to hospital, not at our best with only 4 hours sleep. TBH I was a ratty old bag this am, but OH choosing an early appointment actually worked and we were in and out in 1/2 an hour plus a cuppa and some toast in the cafe (£1.95 for 4 slices of toast and a coffee -OH had juice I took with and they didnt mind him having it as they had no cold drinks) More invasive tests on the books.

Off to do something interesting anything but bloomin' housework. chutney to make, sewing to do.:)