A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

PolkaDotsAndLace

I just chuck my split red lentils into stuff, have never presoaked them - though I think I'll take the suggestion of adding a bit of water to it, it's my first time adding them into cottage pie.

I hardly used to use lentils till a few months ago - now I'm almost cackling with glee when I make lentil soup and how cheap it is! Mr Heinz/Baxter etc isn't getting any more money off me!

fuddle

mardatha wrote: »

He looks like a spoiled wee brat who needs a good nose twist Our coalman just came and took £70 for 2 weeks coal...he says some of the dear stuff has gone up to £25 a bag! :eek:

£70 for 2 weeks Mardy :eek: How long does one bag last?

lizzyb1812

Oh goody :T We can say It's Tough again - thanks fuddle

So dark here this morning that I had to have the kitchen light on to prep today's veg - but there is an upside in that what sounds like a howling gale has not disturbed my new-ish lean-to polycarbonate greenhouse one bit. V proud of that as I put it up myself. I'm overwintering herbs and chili plants in it and have 2 tubs of salad greens - mixed leaves in one and peashoots in the other. No more bags of green stuff for me.

Budgetting is going OK but there is an intermittent warning light on my car dashboard. I'm pretty sure it's still under warranty but need to check.

Have cut out having heating on in the morning - I'm warm enough in my dressing gown and am being very quick in the bathroom! It's on for an hour or two in the evening but only after I've put on enough clothes to resemble the Michelin Man :rotfl:I even bought legwarmers at the weekend - 70p red and white striped ones - good job they're invisible under my trousers. I couldn't have knitted them for less.

Making do and mending this afternoon - trousers, slippers and a towel need revamping/repairing. Could do with bubble wrapping the bathroom window too as can't afford to get the frame repaired and it's v draughty.

Tip re soups - something thick, white and dairy will rescue most soups - creme fraiche, cream, sour cream (my fav) or yoghurt.

Nice to see old and new faces, long may we soldier on

Lizzy

rachbc

yowzers - we just got 6 25g bags of doubles for £46. With the 3 bags from last winter we shoudl have enough to last now

mardatha

We use 2 bags a week, at £17 each. Fire heats the whole house and water and is on 24/7. I only use a fiver a week in elect though (Bags = sacks here)

Memory_Girl

Gigervamp wrote: »

I've found that when my mum comes to stay it costs us more because she doesn't like spicy foods (out goes chilli and curry), she doesn't like rice unless it's a packet rice mix used as an accompaniment (out goes risotto), she eats spag bol, but not other pasta dishes, jacket spuds have to have sausages or something like that as well as the beans and soup isn't a meal. :rotfl:

Boy your Mum may be a faff - but can I come to visit please

MG

PixieDust

westcoastscot wrote: »

Morning guys,
We used to get through so much bread I used to make it in the microwave each day - keep a couple of "proper" loaves in the freezer for visitors. So funny - they couldn't figure out quite what to do with it - a cake-shaped loaf!! we used to slice it into wedges and eat as usual - doesn't last long made this way but barely made it to the table anyway. Happy days.
WCS

Hallooo.....please could you share how to make cakey-bread in a microwave?

ragz_2

PixieDust wrote: »

Hallooo.....please could you share how to make cakey-bread in a microwave?

Ditto, sounds like easy solution for soup nights...

taurusgb

Afternoon all.

Many thanks for the welcome back comments and PM's all of which I appreciate greatly.:j
I'm having a mixed sort of day really. 3rd visit to the dentist in just over a week as I had a tooth out on the 21st and the socket isn't healing properly (Lord I wish my body would pull itself together!). It's pouring with rain, blowing a gale and cold brrrrrrr.

On the plus side I have a date for my operation in a couple of weeks time so I should, with a bit of luck and a good surgeon, be home in time for Christmas. I really do have to stop procrastinating now though and get on with writing cards and wrapping gifts. I wish I had more space in the freezer so that I could get some Christmas baking done, but then again I have so little energy I might push myself too far if I did so it's perhaps as well that the freezer is stuffed full and unable to accomodate any such efficiency.

GreyQueen I'm so sorry to hear you have Labarynthitis. I had this in 1994 when I had a small child to look after and my DH was in Spain on a business trip. Came on out of nowhere on a Sunday afternoon. One minute I was normal next I couldn't walk across the room without falling over and was sick everytime I moved my head. Ended up in hospital and walked with a stick for about 6 months as I had really awful problems staying upright and balancing myself. How you managed to stay on a motorcycle Mardatha is nothing short of a miracle ....... perhaps I don't eat enough sweeties?

I've got a really peculiar problem with my wedding and engagement rings. I haven't been able to remove them for &^%$^ years due to a larger than reasonable increase in my weight. I've lost a fair amount of weight since I've been ill and now my rings swivel round my finger so often it drives me mad - but I still can't remove them as they won't go over my knuckle :doh:I don't have arthritis or any other illness that would mean swollen joints so how can this be?

I'm another who is burying my head in the sand re the Autumn Statement. I can't look at a politician from any party at the moment without wanting to scream and poke them in the eye. Oh if only they had to live the life of an ordinary mortal for a while.

7_week_wonder

Gigervamp wrote: »

I've found that when my mum comes to stay it costs us more because she doesn't like spicy foods (out goes chilli and curry), she doesn't like rice unless it's a packet rice mix used as an accompaniment (out goes risotto), she eats spag bol, but not other pasta dishes, jacket spuds have to have sausages or something like that as well as the beans and soup isn't a meal. :rotfl:

Something that made me laugh when my mum was here for a few days over the weekend: I had all these "posh" meals prepared. There was one lunch-time where I'd planned on taking her out for lunch, but the weather was so bad that we decided to stay in. I said "stuff it, we're having bacon butties for lunch" and guess which meal she enjoyed the most during her stay:o

Glad you've got a date for your op taurusgb: hope everything goes ok and remember to take it easy in the run up to it, so you've got plenty of energy for recovery.