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

Byatt

Hi everyone, will go through and respond a bit later but there's lots of chat here already! I've had a busy day; had to go the Big City for an appointment of 20 mins (if that), but a 60 mile round trip, so tried to combine other things. Picked up some washing powder offered on Freecycle, then trawled through 5 CS's all on the same street, but nothing worth having. Then trawled the SM's for yellow stickers; it wore me out, but at Mr T's (I think the new L!dl has taken a lot of their business), I got a load of meat and such like and spent £24 but would have cost around £45-£50 full price. Only thing is my freezer (a small table top one) is not as empty as I thought. Anyway, that's my February food sorted.

wen3

Hello

Hi and welcome to anyone new:)

Good for you 3v3 with the ladder thingy. I have 2 chooks but my Dad has made me a new coop and runner and I plan to get some more in the spring. Was looking at getting some quails but am a bit worried they make to much noise, has anyone had any experiance with them?

Went and did the extra hours at work today and then onto my friend who had the twin girls new years day. They are real poppets.

DH was meant to have beem taken out to lunch today but that fell through so he will have to have cheese and crackers, DD and I are having fish finger sandwiches yum yum

gardenia101

wen3 wrote: »

DD and I are having fish finger sandwiches yum yum

Mmmm, not had that for ages. An old favourite which I'll try & do next month when my freezer stops haemorrhaging

www.postcrossing.com is good fun for those of you who love getting real post, & not too expensive...

3v3

wen3 - I used to keep quails. Bit like chickens really, some are quiet and some are noisey (compared to the size of quails the noise can be big!). It is a case of try and it and see really. Do you plan to hatch quail eggs under a broody hen or buy chicks? I kept mine in a finch cage (it was handmade by my friend's father) and fitted half a dozen quite nicely. The eggs are delicious, but obviously tiny - but they do make great pickled eggs to give as Christmas gifts. My friend hatched shop bought quail eggs and others she hatched from an Ebay seller's eggs. The only negative about quails, in my experience, is they are dusty birds compared to chickens; or maybe it was because they were kept in a wooden finch cage? Not sure. I recommend you try it, because you'll never know otherwise

thriftwizard

Just a quick aside here - as a marker of just how tough it's getting out there, our local Royal Marine base has just asked for a washing machine on Freecycle. I know we've hardly got any Forces left, and what's left doesn't have much of a budget, and they're at the end of the budgeting year, but I never thought I'd see the day... and I do think it's a genuine request, it certainly reads that way.

silvasava

Feeling somewhat today. Updated my spreadsheets to the end of last year & we're still spending too much. We do have a lot of bills in December & January so coffers are really low. Our tenant of my mum's house did a 'moonlight' at the beginning of December & left the place like a tip - no rent owing though so thankful for small mercies. This is the third time we've had to go through the house top to bottom & re-decorate - we've still got about 4/6 weeks work before its presentable & what with cleaning stuff, paint & various handles, locks, etc its really biting into our pennies - first time I've been overdrawn (arranged) for about 6 years:eek:.
DH is in his late 60's & although very handy I don't want to be in the same situation again in 2/3 years so I've made the decision to sell the property. I feel sad about it as my mum kept her house beautifully right up to the day she died (she was very OS!) & its like losing a link with her.
Anyway enough wittering - we're better off than many, must go & do some sort of budget for next month

Big hugs to all who need them

modern_millie_2

Evening all. welcome newbies and good luck to the new ex smokers!
B&T, that sounds like a great bargain - well done. Also Byatt - gold star for persistence!

Agree weather has been dreadful in W. Wales today - saw forecast yesterday so decided to have a day indoors, will get cabin fever if it carries on tho. Made Welsh cakes and ate banana cake I made on Sun. - microwave recipe, turned out surprisingly well.

Window cleaner turned up yesterday, had decided to do my own but had a change of heart as hopefully putting the house on the market in a couple of months, and he cleans them so much better than me (is also cheap).

Catbells, hope you manage to sort your situation out - are you in an area where there might be foreign students - thinking short term lets/lodgings?

Mardatha, how's the snow? Would like just a little bit here.

mardatha

It melted !!

Pitlanepiglet

Margaret54 wrote: »

Hi all:) Welcome to all who are new. I know you will enjoy here and will learn so much. We all learn from each other:) Going to the library in the morning, as have read my last book. I finished reading Helen Forrester(By the Waters of Liverpool) I also read two of her other books called Lime Street at Two, and Twopence to Cross The Mersey. Very honest and moving writing about her early poverty stricken life in Liverpool.

I love these books, very inspiring - from a time where poverty didn't mean only having a 20 inch television!

BitterAndTwisted

I am happy to report that this bread-maker lark is very satisfying for no effort whatsoever. Because it was second-hand it came with the instruction book but not the measuring cup, so I had no idea what volume this cup was. I assumed that it was the same as an American cup, that is eight fluid ounces. Success! White bread made with any old plain flour and it's absolutely splendid, so no walking round the corner to L!dl for the strong bread flour or anything like that. It's a shame I can't say the same about the L!dl bread-mix I had lurking in the back of the cupboard for Bauernbrot which I used before that and came out as a dense, sweaty mass with a crust like iron. I hope the birds will eat it. Was a tony bit disappointed because due to my German roots I am very fond of any kind of rye bread.

Talking of charity shops (hello Byatt) I found an absolute gem on Saturday. Naturally, I didn't really need it but had absolutely no intention of leaving on the rail. A very beautiful black cotton and linen Edina Ronay coat for £7.99. Roll on spring! Unless I sell it on ebay but that's not sitting right with me. Still, when you're brassic maybe morals, or some of them, need to go out of the window...

Oh, and I paid a visit to Approved Food today and placed an order for many toothsome but needed items. Two kilos of Granose soup and broth mix for a pound anyone? Oh, and litres of red wine vinegar for chutneys and whatnot when I have the fruit & veggies and the urge comes over me. Getting a rare delivery is just like Christmas all over again

Now, I must get a grip and stop spending any more money. It's not like I actually have any.