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

prepareathome

Scrabbles I certainly would use them and when friend pops round and if she says anything, and only if she says anything, then tell her cat loves lying on them on couch but prefers her blanket, current cushions in her bed - oh if you cannot bare to tell a lie then tell her the truth, maybe she is not giving them away because she feels they are no good, but she is just fed up with them and might not think you would accept her cast-offs and doesn't want to risk offending you..........anyway put them on your couch and enjoy them.

Hobsons_Choice

Scrabbles: If I gave you cushions for the cat to use, I'd be flattered to know they were being used on the sofa.

katieowl_2

Yeah cushions on sofa!!! If she asks tell her you are making them smell of home, as cat won't sleep on them otherwise :rotfl:

We managed a frugal double whammy today...The delivery driver for approved foods managed to pull my letterbox flap off a few weeks ago...I wasn't cross because I'd left him a message taped to the door to tell him not to take no answer for an answer as the mancub WAS in!!! He and I have exchanged tales of the uselessness of teenagers before.

Anyway...it looked blooming awful, and although OH and I would like a new door, we can't run to one, and apart from the letterbox the handle was very pitted. He said maybe he could swap the handle with one off one of our other doors, and was looking up letterboxes in the screwfix catalogue, when I piped up and asked if he could just turn the letter box round so the inside flap was outside...and he could. And he swapped the handle. So we fixed it for nothing. Then I reminded him that if the bell had been working the driver wouldn't have pulled the flap off (he's due again this week!!!) so he mended the bell too! Hurray!

I spent some time today doing battle with chocolate truffle recipes - I've got to do a choccie workshop locally for Valentines day. I need to make sure these recipes work...the dark choc one was fine, but the white choc split, and even bunging it in the magimix didn't solve it! I thought I might have to throw it away :eek: then I figured it was pretty similar to the white choc brownies I've made, so I put in a bit more melted butter, put it all back in the magimix with some flour, sugar and eggs, and blitzed it all up. It turned out fine so very happy I didn't have to waste my experiment. Shan't be doing THAT recipe then! I've selected a cake based recipe to use for the kids workshops...which is much easier. I've also ordered the little darlings some white aprons from approved foods. They were £1.49 each, I don't think I could have sourced any cheaper! I've a cream cheese based truffle to try tomorrow - I tell you by the 14th I shall be sick of the sight and smell of chocolate!

I cooked some chicken thighs for dinner, and have a bit of stock on from some of the bones. The rest of the thighs are for tomorrow. I also used some out of date passion fruit juice which I found a bit acidic to make some jelly. I mixed it with raspberry jelly cubes, and dropped in some tinned mango and grapes. It's taking an age to set, but I think it will be edible.

DS, OH and I have just watched 'Thor' from Lovefilm. I can't have much left on the list now. I really struggled to get it up to the recommended minimum of ten films, I think I might just cancel it... Is it just me, or are all the recent films very 'dark'? For the first 15 mins, I couldn't see enough to make out what was going on. It's not the first we've had like it, but it's not the contrast or anything, as we've fiddled with it.

We've not a hint of snow here not even very cold, the birdies water wasn't frozen this morning. I 'suppose' I should be grateful, but I still hanker after my 'Long winter' snowed in fantasy (Little house on the prairie)

Kate

lizzyb1812

I nearly put an order in to Approved Foods that included that apron Katieowl but in the end I didn't order at all. I would have used it all and it was looking very good value for money but I have so much stuff in cupboards/freezer that I really must concentrate on using what I've got. Shame about the apron, I really fancied it at that price.

I delayed sending in my Tax Return as I was sure I would have tax to pay. It came up with a repayment of over £500 and on Friday it went into my bank account :T That's an excellent start to my new challenge - paying off my mortgage. I could use it for repairs but until the house is in my name only I'm not spending lots of money on it. So the money will start off a dedicated savings account and when the house is mine it will go off the mortgage In the meantime there will be a lot of making do rather than mending in the house

jamanda

Morning Toughies,

I thought I would post a "heads up" on the following:

I've just read (elsewhere) that Lloyds/Halifax are discontinuing their pet insurance immediately, so people with poorly pets will struggle to get insurance elsewhere as other insurers won't take them on if they are ill.

This was on another forum and I haven't checked it out. If anyone is insured with them it might be a good idea to check.

I hope nobody is with them.

J

prepareathome

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/insurance/pet/8805322/Lloyds-and-Halifax-to-pull-pet-insurance-cover.html


This is the story being run in the telegraph about it, it does say customers will be offered alternative cover with Petwise, but doesn't say if they will take pets that are undergoing or on long term treatment.

Can see a lot of lonely people not even being able to afford to have the company of a pet in future if they work but are low paid and I wouldn't be surprised if PDSA changes its rules to make it harder to use them.

I had to give up the luxury a few years ago of pet insurance as for my three all getting older it was just to much and as we do not get council tax we cannot use PDSA and we don't have Blue Cross here so I just have to hope my three go the way my last dog did, suddenly age 17.

D&DD

Morning all finally got DS3 off to sleep at 4.55 a.m and was up at 6 to cancel DS2's cab as its still too dodgy for him to go in for the sake of 1 lesson so have them both home today although schools are open.
DS3's teacher is off until after half term anyway so they aren't going to miss too much!

Got my beef out for a slowcooker stew its all this talk of dumplings on the board yesterday so will look forward to that later.

Thats a bit naughty re the pet insurance isn't it especially as treatment can run into many thousands for some people.

I have an Approved order coming too couldn't resist the baking mixes for 99p and it ekes out my flour I have.

With regards to the Quantative Easing would it be worth us posting ideas on how we will be trying to sidestep rising inflation..it's too early in the morning for me to start us off and lack of sleep is hurting my remaining few braincells but I'll pop back later after my caffeine infusion

Hope everyone has a great day and stay safe if you have to travel XX

katieowl_2

Yes I saw the pet insurance story yesterday. I've got two dogs covered, and it's gone up and up and up. I seriously considered just sticking the money in a separate account, but it's s*ds law isn't it...If I did something 'expensive' would happen. I vowed I'd never ever own a dog if I couldn't afford to insure, after the amounts I spent on my last boy...all but 10% of it was covered fortunately. Trouble is, apart from any pre-existing conditions, you can't switch insurer if your dog is over a certain age, and both mine are now, or I'd be looking for something cheaper. I dare say all the people affected by the LLoyds/Halifax thing will hit that problem too, even if they don't have a pre-existing condition.

Today I need to return a high chair cover to work (and hopefully get paid!) I bought it home Saturday, soaked it overnight in bio powder and vanish, and bunged it in the washing machine. It looks brand new! Also need to wash my hair, between waiting until I can bend over of a morning, and timing around not going out, or going to bed with it wet - I seem to have been trying to do it for days!

I shall take most of these truffles in with me - I can't possibly work my way through all my experiments, or I shall be the size of a house!

Kate

Mrs_Chip

Morning GQ.

Just had a squiz through your other thread, and it looks like they have given you some good advice, and been pretty well behaved with it! Installing a network card is very easy indeed, as long as you can wield a screwdriver (which I am sure you can being an OS'r Officer Class!).

modern_millie_2

Morning toughies, damp and dreary here but no snow in the West, overall happy with this as I hate doing the early morning college run in the snow! Nearly missed the bus this morning - DD always cuts it fine but worse than usual today. Katie, I read your posts about teens and recognise us - have to give them as much encouragement as possible, but sometimes want to give mine a kick up the !!! Well done on the repair for no cost - so satisfying - I am pretty useless at this sort of thing, but OH is excellent - has probably saved us a fortune on boiler repairs and the like over the years.

Trying to think of ways of combatting inflation, DD&D - most of us are already stocking up on non perishables when cheap - getting a fixed rate on fuels is probably a good one, esp. now we're having colder weather - also cutting excess water use, bills are going up soon, average of 5.7% I believe. Can't think of anything more original.

Not much on today, so going to batch cook bolognese - veg. version with mung beans (AF special) and will check in again later.