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

notjustlaura

Rosanna79 wrote: »

We're currently drowning in cherry tomatoes, OH will NOT touch pasta or rice and hates the taste of basil! The home made tomato ketchup recipes I've trawled on line seem to have endless ingredients and seem rather expensive. Am going to do what I can in using these tomatoes in various guises ( freezing /roasting) as he doesn't want to give them away after the effort of growing. Does anyone have a really simple tomato ketchup or sauce recipe?? Answers on a postcard -please....

I think there's a recipe for 'chopped tomatoes' (as one would find in a tin) in Economy Gastronomy. It's a bulk recipe and would freeze well, if I remember correctly.

ceridwen

Fingers crossed to all those who have had/are about to have paycuts. There was a time when I would literally not have believed anyone who said "There will come a time when even local authority employees will have paycuts" - but the last couple of years or so would have proved me wrong:(:mad::(. So - here's hoping you find a way to deal with the "income discrepancy" at a practical level and your (understandable) feelings about it on the other hand.

It is getting harder and harder to "stay calm/detached/etc/etc" emotionally as all this stuff is going on - and if one puts time into "stay level/stay calm" the next thing you know is summat has come along and "tipped the balance" and its back to Square One at trying to get back to "calm/detached" all over again.

So - the whole set-up is difficult to deal with financially for many and difficult to deal with emotionally for everyone - and I've certainly noticed people getting "shorter-fused" over the last couple of years.

****************

On a different tack:

- thanks Kittie for the cashew cream method. I like cashew cream - but cant get it any more and hadnt realised quite how easy it is to make. Will certainly have a go then.

- thanks also for the "reel history" tv programme mention. I'd not noticed that - but have made a note to watch those:)

Rosanna79

v8monkeyboy & notjust Laura
Thanks a lot- tomorrow will be fine
Rosanna

fayhare

Rosanna79 wrote: »

We're currently drowning in cherry tomatoes, OH will NOT touch pasta or rice and hates the taste of basil! The home made tomato ketchup recipes I've trawled on line seem to have endless ingredients and seem rather expensive. Am going to do what I can in using these tomatoes in various guises ( freezing /roasting) as he doesn't want to give them away after the effort of growing. Does anyone have a really simple tomato ketchup or sauce recipe?? Answers on a postcard -please....

You could always bottle some, its fairly simple http://unboughtdelicacies.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-bottle-tomatoes.html

[Deleted User]

brine them. 2 tbs of (iodine and additive free) salt in 2 pints water. Sterilised jars. Pack in and cover with the cool brine. Keep in a cool place. Mine are looking good 3 months after packing

Also passata, roast with garlic, shallots, herbs olive oil. Put through a mouli, or sieve. Re-boil. Put into hot sterilised jar and bottle as normal, water bath or oven

I have learnt such a lot from you. about plantar fasciitis. Sounds terrible so maybe a good thing that I always wear crocs

paidinchickens

I do like the reel history. My Mum lived in a slum when she was first married and it still gives me the creeps when she talks of bed bugs behind the wallpaper :eek:

shegar

Hobsons_Choice wrote: »

So sorry to hear about job losses and cuts. I used to work for Local Govt and had to endure the ribbing of "only sitting drinking tea" and "not producing anything worthwhile". I tell you...I worked bl**dy hard and my last boss couldn't even be ar*ed to put a letter in an envelope! PLUS he was on three times my salary for attending useless meetings and talking about football.
These cuts never seem to start at the top, do they?

Im well p.ss.d off with all the cuts going on, our local council give me 3 wks respite for hubby to go in nursing home to give me a break they now want to cut it to 1 week a year:eek:I had to tell the Dr when I saw him yesterday about my feet , cos ineed more than 3 weeks per yr not cut it..........:eek: Dr said he would write to Social Services,god the cuts should start at the top like you say, theres far too many different departments when you telephone local council offices and so many different staff you aint got a clue who you are talking too, and im passed about from pillow to post, toooo many white collar workers.........................god its so frustrating:eek::mad::mad:.................when will it all stop, ?its such a worry for most householders how to pay things that we have to have daily..................On our local Radio station on Thursday the presenter said that our local council need to cut back by 93 million this year :eek::eek: he said theyve clawed back 50 million, so could listeners phone in on how they can save on the 43 mill, most people phoned in and said start at the top and work down............stop paying Chief Executive £two hundred and eight thousand per year :eek::mad::mad:.............it got quite a lively debate, I didnt phone in cos your not allowed to swear.!!:mad::mad:............Hope you all have a nice evening to start your weekend off....

Becky_2

shegar wrote: »

Ive been having some real serious pain in my feet/heels, for the past 3 weeks I keep thinking that if I ignore it it will go away cos im always ill and get get up with it ......:eek: but when I needed a wee in the night I have to slip my feet into my crocs because they seem to cushion my feet, so I made an appointment and went to see the Dr he examined my feet and said I have planta fasciitis:eek: sounds painful and it is, he gave me some excercises to do and some ointment to rub in and told me I must rest them as much as possible, I told him the only shoes I can wqear is crocs and he said they and trainers are the best for this condition because they are cushioned and shape your arch.............its a thing that a lot of woman get between the age of 40 to 60 yrs old, my mother had it real bad for a yr a long time back.....if its not better in 12 weeks he wants t o inject cortisone:eek::eek:god im gonna do those excercises 3 times a day and try my best to get them back to normal........................so tonight ive got my feet up

Shegar, I also had planta fasciitis last year and during the spring this year. I didn't realise how common it was. I agree it is incredible painful and at times I felt so low. I never thought it would go but thankfully now I am pain free again. This is what I did. For several months I saw an ostepath who massaged my arch, this is incredibly painful. This made things better. I was also told to stretch my arch several times a day in the stair. I also kept an empty jam jar in the fridge (to help with inflammation) and then rolled the arch over the jar and when I was really brave I would roll it over the lid to massage the arch. As you have done, I started to wear shoes with a low heel, thinking this would help with the pain. Several months later I made an appoinment to see a podiatrist to get personalised insoles done. After the podiatrist had examined my feet, he said that I was one in a million and that because of my very high arch high heels definetely would be better for me to wear and that trainers etc was the worst thing I could wear. If you have high arch like me this might be worth remembering. As soon as I started to wear high (10 centimeter maximum) heels I could feel a difference straight away. Now 5 months later I find that the best I can do for my arch is to keep alternating my heel height. The personalised implants have also made a difference and I wear those most days. I am also frequently massaging my arch .

I really hope yours and anyone else's planta fasciitis goes away so that you can be pain free again.

bluebag

To all those having their salary cut and complaining about those at the top not getting it, well what comes around goes around. At some point the little guy on the bottom is supporting the big guy at the top, less salary means less spending and taxation and sooner or later it affects the top.

You can't keep knocking bricks out of the foundations of the house and expect it to remain upright.

It's a sad state anyone getting their standard of living cut (especially mine) and it beggars me to understand how the government can expect the economy to grow when no one has anything to spend.

HariboJunkie

Starsandmoon and Gigervamp I am so sorry to hear about the wages cuts. We are self employed and so constantly have to live with a fluctuating income but I am used to it now and can prepapre for it. To suddenly be told you are losing a huge chunk of your income must be awful.

Shegar I am sorry that the cuts have affected your respite care too. I hope your GP can fight on your behalf.

I had a hellish day yesterday. Drove for 2 and a half hours to leave my car in for pre arranged repairs. When I collected it at the end of the day they said it couldn't be fixed until next week. :cool: And no one there thought to tell me that while I waited around in the town all day. So I drove two and a half hours to get home again, this time stuck for 40 lochside miles behind a caravan and a 16 car queue. Car goes in again next week but after my "words" with them I will be getting a courtesy car for as long as it takes them to fix it.
It's under warranty so won't cost me but I spent £40 on diesel yesterday on an unecceessary journey. (Though I did make a dent in my Christmas shopping) :shhh::whistle::silenced:;):D