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

Kimsmum

Thank you Haribo Junkie
Hes back to stay with us on the 24th Sept and then back to Australia on the 1st Oct.
I also did my ironing today and went through some of my clothes that dont fit and sent them to the CS so wardrobe looks alot better.:)

Cheapskate

Hello folks

Long-time lurker breaking cover. Can I ask a question? Have I got it right that some of you use dishwasher salt for icy drives etc? Is it cost effective, does it work better than table salt? Last year I used really cheap cat litter, but kids tracked it into the house & it made a right mess, so not doing that again! :mad: Things getting rather tight, so didn't want to buy some in case it didn't work and I had to buy salt or whatever again.

Been given a bucketful (literally!) of tomatoes last Friday, picked out the split ones and hope to make some sort of chutney with them; then I can give a jar back to the chap who gave them to us.

Our income's gone down a fair bit as DS (who's 19) is now not classed as a student, so ChB down, plus TC - quite a big hole! He works part time & has spent all summer looking for more hours or a full time job - genuinely not fussy what he does, but so little out there for him. Lots of things he's seen require experience, which he doesn't have, so even suggested he go for low-level admin jobs, just to get some experience.

We've got to have the boiler and radiators replaced next month, plus paint the external windows and doors - all this will wipe out our savings entirely, not a bean left! - but my freezer's full-ish, we don't owe any money except the mortgage, so think we'll manage.

Sorry to waffle - not used to having a bit of time to myself on computer, so making the most of it!

A xo

ceridwen

Cheapskate

You gave me a grin looking at your signature....think its not that "no-one will tell you the plot". More like - "They tell you the plot - but then change their minds part way through (ie when you'd got everything arranged in accordance with the original storyline)..."

But there does come a time when one starts feeling the effects of getting older - both good and bad. At that point - then I reckon you're entitled to say "The plot is now cast in stone - unless I myself decide to change it. I've spent too long Arranging My Life to have any more enforced changes now". Plenty of "chosen changes" coming up though in the future....

Hope your son manages to find a suitable job soon.

crumblepie

Hello Cheapskate - a big yes to using dishwasher salt for paths.

Its cheaper than table salt, and some technical reason ( I may have made up this bit) about dishwasher salt being bigger bits so take longer to dissolve, so you keep a clear path for longer.

DON'T USE CAT LITTER ! My neighbours decided this was a good idea when they were moving out during the snow...... I was very unimpressed and took me days to get rid of the mess. If anything it made the path slippier as the clay dissolved....very bad.

GreyQueen

Gigervamp wrote: »

GQ, how is Supergran?

Haribo, thanks for those pumpkin recipe links. I was given a pumpkin last night, so those recipes will come in handy.

She's on the mend, thanks for asking. She is hicking about on one crutch not two, reckons it's 6-8 weeks to heal this kind of cracked bone, and it's 4 weeks down. She told me yesterday evening when I bumped into her that she's told the hospital she wants the X-rays.

Yup, the ones they took in A & E and told her that there was no break, only to ring her 5 days later and say there was. She was a nurse for 35 years and can read an X ray quite handily, I imagine. Don't know what she wants with hers but if I was the person fielding that request, I'd be a wee bit anxious.............!

Today I need to be up and dressed promptly as the Council chappie is incoming at 9 am; today I'm on lates and would normally be in my jammies at 9 - although I have been up since 6am doing stuff inc t'internet.

:o Better go and round up anything incrimiating and hide it, as well as dragging the duvet down to hide the tinned tommies under the bed.

Hope everyone has a good day, GQ x

Cheapskate

crumblepie wrote: »

Hello Cheapskate - a big yes to using dishwasher salt for paths.

Its cheaper than table salt, and some technical reason ( I may have made up this bit) about dishwasher salt being bigger bits so take longer to dissolve, so you keep a clear path for longer.

DON'T USE CAT LITTER ! My neighbours decided this was a good idea when they were moving out during the snow...... I was very unimpressed and took me days to get rid of the mess. If anything it made the path slippier as the clay dissolved....very bad.

Yes I know this NOW - DH was distinctly p****d off -said t'internet had a lot to answer for if that's where I'd got the idea! :rotfl:

A x

SDG31000

Cheapskate we use dishwasher salt and it does work well. DH brought back a 25kg bag of the stuff from work and I grumbled at the time about storing it, but I now wish he had brought 2 or 3 of them.
DH is in a foul mood as he had a bad day yesterday. His car got locked into a car park last night and he had to do a 3 mile round trip to a cash point carrying parts and his tool box to get the £50 to release the car. Work class it as his mistake so won't give him the money back.
I'm in need of a kick up the bottom this morning. I just can't seem to make any decisions and get organised. It is grey and cloudy here and that is probably having an effect. I might have to find my light box and start dosing myself up. I had better go and start coring and peeling apples. *sighs* I have such enthusism today.
Take care everyone. I hope the sun shines on you all at some point today.

kidcat

Morning, had an awful day yesterday and didnt manage to post, had a visit from the RSPCA - our cat went into the neighbours and she didnt recognise her so called them!!
DD5 had an accident at school and her face is all grazed and battered!!
Added to the news that my friend has had her hours cut at work to three days - this means she cant pay her bills and eat. We had already cut her bills to the bone so no idea where we can make any more savings at all. Only thing I can think is to try for a new mortgage deal over a longer period and drop her repayments.

Re benefits - not all councils are slow - ours has a new system for claiming housing and council tax benefit that is simply you take your documents in, wait for adviser who sits and fills in form with you, scans documents then does the calculations while you wait and prints out your entitlement letter - takes about thirty minutes, and as long as you have the right details its all sorted in that one visit.
I believe that they are also considering trialling it for others benefits in our area too but not sure how long that will take. BUt it does make sense that they process in front of you that way any questions you can answer and any mistakes can be easily recified.

Cheapskate - it may be worth your while buying rock salt from a garden centre or builders merchants - we paid about £4 last year for a big sack that lasted us the winter and was therefore much more cost effective than even dishwasher salt.

taurusgb

****warning***** huge moaning session about to commence.

I am so FED UP I could cry. Spent another night in A&E on Sunday with horrific abdominal pain and sickness. As my spleen is so enlarged I didn't dare ignore it or assume it was a bug in case it was connected. Anyway, turns out the strong pain relief I'm having to take has left me all backed up (IYSWIM without going into gory detail )so have had to take lactulose all day yesterday and senna last night. Am spending hours in the smallest room but still have horrific pain and can't walk about without feeling my stomach is about to fall out.

I have some really important tests to be done at the hospital tomorrow and I'm scared to death I won't be able to lie on my stomach (have to be able to do this) or be able to cope with it all.

I'd like to say something OS but nothing much under that heading going on here, unless you count the Sainsbury delivery of stock up items delivered this morning. Had to ask driver to carry it all inside and it's now scattered all over the kitchen and hall with just a little walk way through so that I can get to the sink for copious supplies of water to drink. Complete mess and I have no clue where to put it or how to deal with it because I can't think straight.

Thank you ladies - at least there is always MSE to read when times are tough. Some of you are having a really hard time at the moment ((((HUGS)))) but the sense of camaraderie (sp?) and support on here is such a help. I have a lovely DH and great kids but I don't want to bring them down with moaning all the time, so appreciate greatly being able to post here and get it off my chest. Changes nothing I know, but it does provide a place of support.

ifonlyitwaseasier

(((((((((((taurus))))))))))