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

katieowl_2

Evening all....

Well as you know, we met Mrs Chips today. Lovely to have a nice cup of tea and chat with a fellow traveller on the OS path! It's so bizarre that we were living not ten minutes away from each other in London. Both of the girls thought Mrs Chips looked vaguely familiar, so I'm sure we must have seen each other before, as we seemed to have shopped in the same places.

We were all very, very naughty in the lovely knitting and craft shop and I've totally OS disgraced myself, by coming home and buying a knitting pattern for one of the yarns I bought online. She didn't have any in the shop. :o:o

I sent DD home tonight with a bag of goodies from around the house, some fruit we are not getting through quick enough, some of the Bookers BOGOF onions, and we split a kg bag of sprouting seeds from the health food shop, as the bigger bag was cheaper. I always enjoy sprouted stuff when I eat it...I don't know why I don't think to do it more often? DD was telling us in the car on the way home that it's coming up to the three year anniversary of her BF being laid off...that's when they were nearly made homeless in London and we had to go and rescue them. He's done a year at college here to try and extend his skills (he was a plumber in London and did an IT course at college) and we put him through his driving test - which he passed - but he just cannot find a job here either:( He's 25 now...and been out of a proper job for 3 years! DD says she's worried about him because he's become so despondent. Think I need to make him a proper 'project', He's such a nice lad, someone must have a use for him!!!

Kate

SDG31000

*passes BitterAndTwisted the jar of Sloe Schnapps*
That should send you into happy oblivion. I'm saving it for when DS2's teenage attitude kicks in properly. I figure with proper planning I should have a continuous supply for the next 5 years.

elona I feel the same about Fisherman's Friends, I get my fix from teddy Grey's Herbal Tablets. My Great Uncle Len loved Fisherman's Friends and used to crunch his way through packets of them a week, along with bottles of Buttercup Syrup. Both bring back happy memories for me.

katieowl and Mrs Chip I'm glad you had such a good meeting. I'm slightly jealous of that lovely sounding shop. katieowl I'm sorry to hear about your DD's BF's job problems. I hope that changes soon. I'm thankful that my son's have a few years to go before they are in the job market. They are just going to have to deal with all that Uni debt instead

(((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))) and get well soon vibes to everyone that needs them

My DMIL remembers going to a little shop run by a Chinese man to buy a certain type of gripe water for DH and DBIL. It was only years later that she realised that it was higher in alcohol than a bottle of vodka and no wonder they hiccuped and zonked out after a dose of it.

Today's plans have fallen by the wayside. DH was home all day and suggested going for a walk after he spent the morning in bed. Good idea until he stood up and the room wouldn't stop spinning. He has spent the rest of the day lying on the sofa alternating between watching Monkey Business and snoring his head off.
I have won two competitions today A movie download and tickets to a comedy night on Saturday. Now I just have to argue with the rest of the family about what film to watch. Their influence is rubbing off too much and everything seems to involve bloodshed, superheroes, explosions, zombies or ninjas.
Tomorrow I am going to get out of the house to do something. I just have no idea what right now. I like the idea of geocashing, I just don't have a smart phone. I also need to go through the freezers and work out what is in them and what I can make out of them. I'm still using the latest batch of £12 off a £60 shop vouchers that Mr S sent me. My shopping bills are still horrendous however. I must start meal planning. DS1 being so fussy doesn't help with that, but needs must. Any advice would be greatly appreciated
I'm watching Boots, Bullets and Bandages on BBC Four at the moment. I get the feeling that the ladies on here would be able to do better than some Generals seem to have managed.
Take care everyone xxxx

elona

SDG

After cough (nearly 30 years of marriage) cough and four dds - one won't eat beef. a couple went veggie for a while, various slimming ideas, one won't eat lamb, won't eat pork )except bacon rashers! one does not like spicy food. another hates boring food, hates potatoes, another rice etc . etc.

In short whatever you do is wrong!!

I now do a couple of traditional meals a week like hotpot. shepherds pie or meat pie, a home made curry one night, another a lasagne or pasta dish, another a stir fry or chow mein dish and another a thin bought frozen pizza ( home made is too thick for them) with lots of fresh veg added on top. I also make my own soups like lentil, mushroom or potato and leek.

Anyone who does not want what has been cooked can help themself to rollls, cheese, cold meat or beans on toast etc.
It helps that the youngest is now 18 so hardly child cruelty if they do not like the dinner!

How do you make sloe schapps?

shelley_crow

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

VICTORY Vs! You are a clever one Shelley-Crowe. Many thanks for putting me out of my misery. No chloroform or ether? What's the world coming to? There's no cheap fun to be had anywhere any more. Where's that vodka bottle?

I remember my mum telling me that she ate a whole bag once as a child and felt spaced out before vomiting violently everywhere, it did actually make me want to try them :rotfl::rotfl: I had gas and air while giving birth to my two and I vividly remember asking the midwife if she would let me take some home, it's excellent stuff.

silvasava

I remember Victory V's - I loved them. My Grandad told my Mum not to let me have too many as they were addictive ......ah , those were the days My DH got me on to Fishermans Friends - the aniseed is the strongest......! If I have a tickly cough that keeps me awake I put one at the back of my throat & just let it dissolve - does seem to help sooth the throat & stop the coughing

BitterAndTwisted

Silvasava please stop trying to raise the tone here: we were talking about cheap kicks. Or rather I was. I didn't hit the voddy, some pals gave me half a dozen limes to use up so it's been a tiny little Pisco Sour. Viva Peru!

meme30

elona wrote: »

SDG

After cough (nearly 30 years of marriage) cough and four dds - one won't eat beef. a couple went veggie for a while, various slimming ideas, one won't eat lamb, won't eat pork )except bacon rashers! one does not like spicy food. another hates boring food, hates potatoes, another rice etc . etc.

In short whatever you do is wrong!!

I now do a couple of traditional meals a week like hotpot. shepherds pie or meat pie, a home made curry one night, another a lasagne or pasta dish, another a stir fry or chow mein dish and another a thin bought frozen pizza ( home made is too thick for them) with lots of fresh veg added on top. I also make my own soups like lentil, mushroom or potato and leek.

Anyone who does not want what has been cooked can help themself to rollls, cheese, cold meat or beans on toast etc.
It helps that the youngest is now 18 so hardly child cruelty if they do not like the dinner!

How do you make sloe schapps?

Not sure on schnapps, but I made sloe vodka before Christmas. Don't know how to link so:-
1lb sloes put in freezer for two days...skins break so you don't need to !!!!! them. Defrost:D
Put in wide jars (i use two) share 1 litre of cheap Vodka between jars.
Shake every day for 6 weeks.
Add 12oz of sugar. You can remove some of the Vodka for a while if jars too small.
Shake every day for 2 weeks till sugar dissolved.
Pass all contents through some muslin (baby muslin squares very cheap in A*da) till clear.
Result is ok to drink at once. purists say leave for at least 6 months.
Was so happy with mine have now got Cherry Vodka on the go. Frozen fruit work great apparently! :rotfl::rotfl:

PS: forgot to say, some people say add some water at end to increase volume but I didn't so not sure how that tastes! xx

D&DD

:jLast day of DS2's work experience today just in time too they forecast snow tomorrow so he'll be trapped indoors if it does!

Hallway is finished looks nice and fresh and the house is *whispers* tidy

Popping out for milk and strawberries in a bit,every year I end up wading through snow to get DS3's strawbs,he eats other fruit too but has to have his strawberries every day,no matter what!

They're changing his school transport after halfterm we won our appeal but most of his friends have lost theirs so we're lucky but not sure how its going to work.Grateful to still have it though god only knows how I'd work it if we didn't.

DS2's genetic tests are still ongoing we had news yesterday and they've found a mutation to the MYH gene which they've never seen before apparently *well they would wouldn't they!!* so they want a huge pot of blood from me and OH each blimey you should see the size of it..:eek:
The gene they looked at re his heart is fine weird considering all the probs he's got with it and the fact he's awaiting surgery 'cos it's knackered!

Sooo all is pretty much usual here for us anyhoo.

Taking doglet out then plan to rot in front of the screen for an hour or two to play catch up boy you lot can natter

Sending happy vibes to those who need some this morning,tissues for the poorly's and squidgy hugs covered in emulsion paint for those who want one XXX

Winchelsea

Byatt said:

Made some bread pudding last night and it is, even though I say it myself, gorgeous. The best I've ever made and on par with my mother's. The trouble is I keep eating it, which isn't supposed to happen.

That's what I say about biscuits - "I don't buy biscuits as I only eat them" - yes I know that's what they're for!

Reading about walking is inspiring me to start again - used to be a great walker, but didn't have time when I was visiting DH every day in the nursing home. Now I've lost my confidence a bit about walking off the beaten track by myself, but may try a short foray this afternoon.

The other factor is that I've lost my fitness a bit too - start small is the way I think. At present I get out of breath just walking up the road out of our close!

lizzyb1812

Morning!

I've been awol - bit of toothache, bit of a runny nose, bit of a crunchy knee - nothing really bad but added to perishing cold I've been bad company. Of course the perishing cold is probably the cause of all of the above and as it's not going to go away anytime soon I need to give myself a shake and just get on with it.

It's good to read this thread and see how cheerful you all are despite what the world throws at you - a lesson for me there methinks.

Despite eating out of freezer and storecupboards in January I still have about 200 meals left according to the inventory I did on 1st February (that's to feed one person). The only thing I've run out of is frozen peas! So this month my money will be spent on lovely heating and as little as possible on food - 20p spent this month so far

Now where's that hot water bottle?

ETA - walking - Winchelsea after an illness years ago I was very breathless but you soon get back to basic fitness. I don't have a pole but a walking stick that extends a long way with an extra saucer shaped tip I can put on to convert it into a pole thingy.