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

Stillstruggling

Morning to everyone,
Apologise's if this is a long one.
I have been reading but not been up to posting for a number of reasons First of all i had that awful bug thing that was going round and to top it off i got a migraine attack on top of it :eek:.
Don't really now where to start with the other things so apologise if this seems like a load of rambling but need to get things of my chest.
1. OH told me that it was time to seriously look at changing his car ( cavalier about 16 yrs old) before it went kupt for good and the Tax was due on it . we managed to swop it with a little cash for a slightly newer Astra that has cheaper car Tax. nothing spectucular but ok as he only uses it to and from work. During this change over he got the use of the works van so we shave saved on 3 weeks of petrol. although we don't appear to have had the benefit of this ?
The said new car has already started to cost ie: radio not working had to get new airial (£1 shop thank god) then need some other wiring and now has a water leak thats coming from the thingy, whatsamer flipper i am so :mad: there is no comeback as sold as seen. and i am so of hearing about it!! although i do understand.
2. As with everone else Money is really tight in January we have had the worst time ever in December ( struggled to get DD11 for xmas and only very small pressies for DD21 ,DD29 and granchildren. so it has been a knock on effect.
I suddenly realised last week that i hadn't paid the Council Tax for Jan ( had a arrangement with them) that was due 1st but thought i would pay on friday which is pay day.
:eek::eek::eek:Had a visit yesterday while i was at a hospital appt from tthe BALIFF'S OH answered the door not Good as i hadn't said anything to him.:eek: .
I had to ring them to discuss further, well they are coming back on Friday and i have to pay them at least £50 and they have agrea to make a monthly arrangement which he said verbally the lowest they will take is £89 pm which on the surface dosen't look to bad but then in april the new CT starts. My oh is on Min wage and i am on DLA which is due for review in the next few months i have never presumed this would be renewed in the past but with all the changes coming in i am more concerned than ever:eek: if i do lose this i would have to go through appeals etc as my health is not good as we have both discussed if i could manage to go back to work and being totally trueful i wouldn't last more than a few days before i would have a total relapse. as i have Fibro/Joint problems in that i can't lift my arms up to above chest level/ artistis in my knees and have recently been diagnosed with a rare condition in my lower legs and feet called EM and Nueropathy. and i only just get by now doing a daily school run and the occasion trip to the local shops.

so all in all i am feeling pretty low.
I hope you don't mind me sharing but i don't really have anyone else to share with as i lost my Mum 5yrs ago, don't really communicate with my sister and my Dad well thats another story
Hey Ho winge over onwards on upwards

scrabbles_2

lizzyb1812 wrote: »

I know I did a calculation ages ago and it came to well under 40p for a basic white loaf using 500g white bread flour which costs about 70p a bag. Leccy in my Panny and on my tariff came to about 3p - I used a monitor to check. Adding milk powder as some recipes suggest adds about 5-10p but can be left out of all the recipes I've tried so far.

This is probably coals-to-newcastle stuff as well, but if you save the water left from boiling potatoes and use that instead of plain water, you can use basics plain flour instead of bread flour bringing the cost of a loaf right down. It's something to do with starch in the water makes up for less gluten, I think, but it doesn't affect the flavour of the bread at all and I actually think it improves the texture and the rise of the loaf!

Well, I've had a pants few days, old-style-wise. I've been in too much pain to do very much. OH has been cooking which means he goes and buys whatever he fancies cooking, however much it costs. To be fair it's not like he's been out buying lobsters and caviare or anything but I just resent the loss of control over one of the areas in our life that I usually deal with. We're going to be proper skint next month (I only get SSP) so I want to reign things in now and cushion the blow.

On the plus side, my mate brought round all his old 80's vinyl for me to sell for him. He's useless with t'internet, both to list and to research prices, and can't be bothered with postage or packing, so he's giving me a 50% cut for doing it. It's certainly not going to make either of us rich, most of them are only worth 50p or £1, but there are loads of them, so I'm still hoping for a positive outcome.

Happy birthday Jamanda :beer:

Stillstruggling

Byatt -regarding your hair why not try your local college if they do a hairdressing course that dept is always looking for models for the students and they are supervised so thier are no mishap they are a lot cheaper. although expect the app to be a lot longer than normal.
preparesthome- your Garden is huge compared to mine and i did lots of growing( well i planted the OH did all the heavy work) the year before last . Good Luck its such a fabulous feeling when you get the end product.
Hugs to everyone else that is in need of one.

Damn my mouse has broke ermm think that may be a classed as a nessary purchase

scrabbles_2

Oh bless you stillstruggling. I don't know enough about these things to offer any practical advice but I just wanted to reach out and give you a big fat virtual (((((hug)))).

elona

Byatt

Hope your nose bleed gets better. If it helps I am sat on my bum with a pot of tea and the lappy. Only thing I have done is made boiled eggs and soldiers for dh and dd, loaded dishwasher and checked post.

Went to Mr S last night and got YS small joint of beef, lamb and two packs of lamb mince which got shoved into freezer. Made cream of mushroom soup with basic pack of mushrooms and everyone liked for last night's dinner with burgerinnabun!

DH has driven dd to train station so enjoying peace and quiet. Hope for a few more bargains tonight to slam in freezer and might make a curry with quorn pieces later . Bill just came for house insurance :eek: so wish my tax rebate would arrive to help. Still sulking dh has bus pass and I don't as he never uses his and I would.

Could do with a haircut but the local place is as expensive as going to York and at least then I could browse round shops . Typing this I remembered the local college does hairdressing and beauty so might phone them.

Grey Queen

Fingers crossed for your job.

scrabbles_2

Oh for the love of cheesecake! It keeps on getting better and better! My landlord has just been round to announce that someone is coming round to measure up for a new bedroom window THIS AFTERNOON. Really glad its being replaced (sealed unit has gone, it is currently covered in bubble wrap and silicon sealant to keep the warm in) but surely he could have given me a little more notice? Grrrrr. I know I could have technically said 24 hours notice and all that but I didn't want to be difficult when he is actually trying to do the right thing. But my house is a tip and I can't get it sorted! And I live in a bungalow where the bedroom comes off the living room so they're going to see the whole sorry mess in glorious technicolour!

End rant.

Sorry I just had to get that off my chest.

ginnyknit

Prepareathome, the section you are looking for is greenfingered money saving above the Old Style section - you may get some good help there. Other than that keep with the narrow beds you have started so you can reach your plants easily. You need to dig them over bit by bit and possibly add some goodness in there, compost and such. Some of your plants would do well in pots, pound shop planters or old buckets, Ikea bags, then you can deal with them easily. At least you havent got hedges, fences are much better as hedge roots make the soil unworkable - ask me how I know :mad: With a bit of planning you could do very well with the amount of land you have but preparation is needed and soon.

OH finally doing better, been very up and down. Craft room now changed back to bedroom for DS with help from kids and partners, not going to be easy but we will survive although my bedroom is now total chaos. I did get very stressed with everything but dragged myself out of it with friends help on here. Best of it is, through all the struggles with his landlord and the deterioration of his rented house DS has managed to impress his bosses and is looking to be promoted soon - he is the most laid back guy on the planet and has his Mum to rant at about things which seems to clear his mind. :rotfl:

Margaret54

Just wanted to say so sorry to hear you have so much on your plate Stillstruggling big hug to you

Margaret54

and forgot to add a warm welcome to you Stillstruggling

Mrs_Chip

Morning All!

PAH - you need to lay your beds out so that the plants get then most amount of light, so probably long sides along an east/west line through the patch. I can't quite work out from the piccy the orientation of your garden (were the shadows on the right being cast by sun rising in the east, how big are whatever is casting the shadows?). Remember that a 4ft hedge will cast a shadow in some directions at some times of the year, so work out where in the garden will the most light and work outwards from there. Some plants don't like being in full sun all day, others will thrive, so having some beds that are only in sun part of the day can be useful.

If you will be getting runner beans or other tall plants (sweetcorn?) they would ideally go at the back near where you took the piccy from.

Grass should be fine between the beds, if you are on draining soil that does not get boggy when wet - just make the paths wide enough to get a mower through, it will make things a lot easier.

You have got a fair amount of space to work with there, much more than me (and all mine is on a slope!) you should do fine.You can still use you pots, Igrow a lot of herbs in pots as it is easier to give them the conditions they need (dont all want the same).

I think you have got space for a small growhouse or two or a little greenhouse - for what you have paid for the rocket garden you could easily get a cheap one. A lot of seeds will go directly into the beds (carrots, lettuce, onions etc) you dont need a lot of space to produce sufficient seedlings for those that need heat, I use a small heated propagator on a window sill, you would only need a few seeds of things like courgettes, tomatoes, marrow, herbs.
You would be able to do this for very little outlay, and the feeling of pride growing your own is so uplifting!

I have got a big tin of veg seeds, apart from a few I need to replace, my aim this year is to spend nothing more on producing our fruit and veg this year. I am no expert, and learning too, so happy to chunter on with anyone who is in the same boat!