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

SDG31000

The weather here in Leicester is being a pain at the moment. One minute it is sunny and warm and the next it is raining, dark, windy and generally bleugh. I'm sure Mother Nature has PMS or something.
No OS activities here today, as I'm researching the cost of a new cooker. Apparently Comet have a backlog of insurance claims to get through and they can't even tell me when I will get a call about my claim, let alone a new oven.
DH is dropping hints about having brought my birthday present and that I will need a working oven to use it. He has been told that if a Kitchen Aid mixer turns up then it is going straight back. I would love one, but they are just too expensive. I nearly had a fit when I saw them for sale in the US at Easter for $200. If I could have managed to have fitted one in my suitcase then I would have in a split second. I wonder how they can charge over 3 times the price here.
Here's hoping that I don't kill DH is in oven buying process. Wish me luck please.

redlady_1

Yeah RD but I bet you didn't have the big ginger poodle perm to go with it though!!! :rotfl:

I am flipping knackered at the moment as coming back off my hols I have gone straight back into picking up extra shifts at the pub and as a result have done 14-16 hour days this week. I am nearly falling asleep at my desk today! It's all very well people telling me I am doing too much and thats why I get ill but they don't have to worry about paying the bills.

I have also realised my exam results are out a week on Monday! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: Fingers crossed because I really, really don't want to have to resit them.

Frugalista

greent wrote: »

I have loved this thread in its many guises over the past few months. What drives me to leave it occasionally is the strong opinions of some posters - they appear to feel their opinion is "the" opinion (:p;)) and can post criticisms, yet are the first to attack others for posting criticisms of their views. They can also wander frrely off topic yet criticise others for doing so.

The 'ignore' button has been my saving grace to get past this - I would suggest others may wish to make use of this facility so that they can continue to read this thread without getting frustrated/ angry etc.. :D

:T:T:T:T Well said!

Red_Doe

Yeah RD but I bet you didn't have the big ginger poodle perm to go with it though!!!

Well, I did try out henna for the first time, misread the instructions and left it on for three hours instead of three quarters of an hour, and walked around with flourescent orange hair for months.
Plus, I did the New Romantic thing... eek....

ETA, good luck with your exam results!

Athome1

kittie wrote: »

I had to preserve the big quantity of green beans collected this afternoon, so am now trying a slightly different way. I really couldn`t be doing with all the blanching and cooling so I have used my slicer and packed the runners sliced and ready to use in 2 people portions, same with the french beans but in chunks. I did a good google first and it seems that not blanching is ok.

When I got my first freezer 35+ years ago, I religiously blanched etc but I found (through trial and error) that most things freeze perfectly well without all that rigmarole! Just as well, cos I hated doing it!:o:D

redlady_1

Oh David Sylvian was my hero - before Paul Weller! Madonna before she went weird and Michael Jackson when he was black, the uproar of Never Mind the B*llocks being released and was Boy George a man or woman! "Music was my first love...and it will be my last..."

Boy, we had some strange fashion sense in the 80's. I think its the only decade that wont ever come back!!!

toottifrootti

greent wrote: »

I have loved this thread in its many guises over the past few months. What drives me to leave it occasionally is the strong opinions of some posters - they appear to feel their opinion is "the" opinion (:p;)) and can post criticisms, yet are the first to attack others for posting criticisms of their views. They can also wander frrely off topic yet criticise others for doing so.

The 'ignore' button has been my saving grace to get past this - I would suggest others may wish to make use of this facility so that they can continue to read this thread without getting frustrated/ angry etc.. :D

Keeping back to OS/ and 'it's tough' issues, I see Eon are also increasing their prices wef September

On a stockpiling note, TEsco have Kohinoor basmati rice (Gold range, I think) at £7/ 5kg - or 2 bags for £10, so £1 per kg. Good quality rice in reasonable sized bags (I find 10 and 20kg bags too large to have open). They also have 5kg bags of red lentils at around £5.29 per bag - just over £1/ Kg. I now have 40kg of basmati rice in my garage...

Need to go through my fridge tomorrow to ensure anything fresh which will not be used before we go away gets frozen so that nothing is wasted... I used to give my fridge contents away when we went away - no longer, I freeze it instead

greent thanks for putting my thoughts into wise words. And thanks a million for the idea of freezing the stuff in the fridge - as you know I go to hospital frequently and although I try to run the fridge down there is nearly always something left - why did I not think of freezing stuff - you are a genius:T
about the rice - I am not used to buying big quantities - is that a good price? and can I use basmati for anything ( not a good cook either:rotfl:)

Red Doe I am from your area -about 40 miles (i think) south east of you- I love where you are - well maybe except in the freezing winter:rotfl:

kittie I havent been here very long but I have read some of your posts and your suggestions are brilliant so please dont leave the thread because of other posters - dont let them 'win':(

I bought some things on offer today that i usually just but in 1 and 2's - breaking myself in gently:rotfl:

SDG31000

redlady_1 wrote: »

Oh David Sylvian was my hero - before Paul Weller! Madonna before she went weird and Michael Jackson when he was black, the uproar of Never Mind the B*llocks being released and was Boy George a man or woman! "Music was my first love...and it will be my last..."

Boy, we had some strange fashion sense in the 80's. I think its the only decade that wont ever come back!!!

I wouldn't be too sure about that redlady_1. So far ra-ra skirts, leggings, leg warmers, lace gloves and puff ball skirts have come back into fashion. I say that if you can remember the trend the first time around then no way should you be doing it during the second. :rotfl:
I had a white puff ball skirt and I loved it. Looking back I must have looked terrible. I have to admit to buying leg warmers last year, but I haven't worn them out of the house. I found that my calves were getting cold and I was darned if I was putting the heating on just to warm that part of me.

redlady_1

Good Lord woman! Leg warmers and puff ball skirts?!? :eek::eek: Next you will be saying pegs, string vests, shoulder pads and make up that you could see from Mars will be back!

*sneaks off before admitting to a red and black rara skirt*

greent

toottifrootti wrote: »

greent thanks for putting my thoughts into wise words. And thanks a million for the idea of freezing the stuff in the fridge - as you know I go to hospital frequently and although I try to run the fridge down there is nearly always something left - why did I not think of freezing stuff - you are a genius:T
about the rice - I am not used to buying big quantities - is that a good price? and can I use basmati for anything ( not a good cook either:rotfl:)

I bought some things on offer today that i usually just but in 1 and 2's - breaking myself in gently:rotfl:

LOL Toots at your genius comment:D! - let the freezer be your first friend when it comes to clearing the fridge - and there is sooo much which can be successfully frozen (if unsure of freezing anything there's a brilliant thread on here somewhere - or just post on here and you're likely to get an answer straight back from someone:D) I will be chopping and freezing excess peppers and onions, 1/2 tub natural yogurt and some other stuff that I know we'll not use up.

It's 'good' basmati rice (Tilda will always be my favourite, but it's a ridiculous price) and getting basmati at £1/ kg is a good deal anyway - so getting good rice at that price in reasonable sized bags (I have a large plastic jar which will hold 5kg of basmati) is good for us. We only use basmati for rice accompaniments - egg fried rice, with curries, with casserole type dishes, etc etc, rice salad... I use pudding or risotto rice for rice pudding or risottos (I interchange them - they are both fat short grained rices and I find work well either way) although I have used basmati for stove-top rice pudding

hth x