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

meme30

Have just put my first order into Approved food. Hope I have got shelf room for it all. A*da's own Fruit and Fibre went up by 40p a box since last week.! :eek: highway robbery!! how can they justify that?

Good luck GFN today:)

No snow here now, am even contemplating hanging washing outside! Just sick and tired of putting it on the radiators. even a couple of hours will do and I'll finish them inside.
I loved the dangleberry stories, made me remember our Old English Sheepdog, he regularly had a 'dangleberry' problem. :rotfl:

Don't miss that part of looking after dogs!!

savingqueen

Morning all,

hope everyone is safe and warm. feeling tiny bit sorry for myself today so ok to share? ....

.... thanks then

Had horrible coldy "thing" on and off since - well if I'm honest end of November. I detest going to docs, our GP shows no emotion whatsoever (though that helps me with any embarrassing conditions!!) and gives no advice etc. I'm fine when I know what's up and what I want out of visit. I also hate taking medications unless really necessary (get that from my motherwho has lots of allergies and often a reaction to medication on top of what ever she originally had, poor mum!)

Anyway I'm already in serious waffle mood so will be firm with myself. I've made a docs appointment for tomorrow.

We have snow and I'm no good in it. Scared stupid when I'm driving, bad enough when walking. DH cleared our drive/path/bit of pavement but I have to do a funny reversing "dance" to get on the drive due to garages opposite, other drives, parked cars, narrow, windy road etc. Today after coming back from supermarket sweep, I could not, for love nor money, reverse the d*mn thing onto drive. Luckily had a bag of cat litter in boot that I'd just bought so tried spreading that, reversing, ditto repeat several times, just wheels spinning. Then I gave in and got my lightweight shovel to manually clear...can't do too much of that for various health reasons when a knight in shining armour - a man from gas company doing something to someone's front garden - came along with his big heavy spade and cleared loads for me then guided me in (took several attempts). I was so very grateful & offered to make his crew hot drinks if they knock on my door (haven't done so yet) Aren't some people just great?

When I went shopping I spent £30.81, paid and then realised I had a had a £5 off £30 voucher there.....at home. I nearly screamed out loud, at least the cashier and queue laughed and I had a good MSE type chat with a lovely woman while we were bag packing.

Actually main reason for gripe is that in-laws are coming, quite a story about them in general but a bit worried someone might recognise my posts if I go into detail. Both are a pain at best, especially MIL. They do have a caring side but unfortunately they also have another side, cutting/nasty comments being the worst, drinking heavily doesn't help (and then they drive, no "designated" driver :eek:, a really big issue with DH & I), never saying exactly when they are coming, for how long etc, don't respect our home, moan or start a big row as they can't smoke inside. They often tell me how friends drop them like hot potatoes or gradually phase them out of their lives - they can't understand it but I can. DH has a few days annual leave this week so we can get a few things done whilst kids in school and also have a bit of rare, quality time together. Have been looking forward to it for ages and in-laws are coming on those days. We are determined to stick to at least some of our plans. I refuse to bring myself down to their level with the nasty comments etc. I know MIL would love me to get upset/angry and although I am secretly, I refuse to let her see it. She will NOT grind me down - even with PMT this week - I will need every ounce of patience. DH gets narky with me when they are due here & here though he tries not to as we are walking on eggshells the whole time.

Feeling better already after rant.:rotfl: Just eaten a whole biggish bar of chocolate and feel a bit sick/guilty, serves me right!

So plan of action. Stop feeling sorry for myself, get off bum, sort out essentials like kitchen, washing etc before scary school run. Chill out later and pop back on here and see how everyone else is faring.

Sorry for really long post. Have a good day one and all and keep smiling Toughies

savingqueen

GreyQueen wrote: »

:)I'm gonna put my Yaxtrax on in earnest for the first time today, to walk the huge distance up to the office. Most annoyingly, they are now on offer in Go Outdoors for £7.50 with a card, which is several £ cheaper than I paid for mine (and I bought 3 extra sets as gifts for the family). :mad:


Can't wait to hear how the Yackety Yack Trax fared today. I was going to buy some but wasn't sure our budget allowed it and I do have walking boots (but a faff to get on and off and can't drive in them). We have a big Go Outdoors nearby so might have a look.

[Deleted User]

I think if things get difficult because of quantative easing I shall dust off my collection of wartime cookery books and live a ration book lifestyle. We have a freezer fairly well stocked with home produce which i shall use to bulk out recipes and a shelf of homemade jams and pickles to alleviate the possible dullness of the food. We are lucky enough to have a woodburner so should be able to always keep one room warm and cook on that if necessary. A magazine I subscribe to has a suggestion that we emulate a peasant lifestyle and use everything possible to make our lives more comfortable, really think about what we need and what we waste and live seasonally if at all possible. Worth consideration perhaps. Cheers Lyn.

Mrs_Chip

Very drere here but not cold which is good. We had terrible snow in London last year, three times in all, and each time we had to abandon the car and walk home, ussual 20 min journet taking several hours. As we only lived a few miles from the centre, these were most unusual episodes. Our area of the Big City is very hilly, and on one occasion everything ground to a halt literally witin minutes of it starting to show as the busses could not get up the hills.

Our cat George is a Norwegian look-a-like, with great big hairy feet. He too suffered from dangleberries and was not in the least impressed as he thought they were things trying to 'get' him :rotfl:.

Caught a bit of a River Cottage Short on More4 this moring, Pam Corbin doing 'Compost Heap Jelly' - linky to an interesting blog with the recipe I have got a load of fruit hanging about that has seen better days, and have got a new maslin pan that needs christening I'm going to make some today. I've got some seville oranges left over from making marmalade (first time and it is lovely nom nom nom) so will chuck a couple of the runty ones in too.

Ladies down here very into jams/jellies/chutneys/ I am looking forward to learning a lot from them. OH brought back a load of lemons from London trip, 10 for £1, and I have a lovely big Lidl gherkin jar, so will make preserved lemons with them. Also brought 10kg onions - 5 kg bag was 45p!!! I wnted more but he couldn't carry them :rotfl:. When we go back to clear the house I will do some targeted shopping for Lower Town Ladies, bring them some bags of veg and big bags of spices etc, which are much cheaper in London. I will miss the 'ethnic' shops, I guess nearest to us will be Swansea.

Right going to round up my mangy fruit, then have a toasted muffin for lunch!

Hugs for those who need them, hopfully everyone is still keeping warm!

katieowl_2

I nipped into work and picked up my cheque - thank goodness!!! Bit too close to the bottom of the barrel for my liking, if DS hadn't paid me back a small amount of what he currently owes me, and then borrowed it promptly back next day, I'd have been ok! Anyway.... while I was in town I popped into Oxfam which I rarely do as I think it's overpriced, and there on the shelf for 99p was the single salt cellar I've been looking out for!!! I had a set of Prince of Wales investiture commemorative china ones I bought in a charity shop for £3, I was going to use for the B&B but DS broke one...so now a set again :j I've a collection of Royal Commemorative china on display in the dining room, so it's not as daft as it may seem!

While I was in town I 'may' have bought two paperbacks...but they were only 25p each - and one of them I wanted to read anyway Even though it's a small breach of the new years resolution it would have been churlish not to get them at that price. Also bought myself an outrageous bright yellow peruvian bag, with appliqu!d lady, lama cactus and smiley yellow ball on...will make a perfect knitting bag!!! Guess that means I'm officially knitting again! LOL!

When I was out all of a sudden my cornflakes wore off!!! Does that happen to anyone else? I know I get dips of blood sugar (I'm not diabetic) but lately it's like someone flips a switch and I'm hungry, ravenously hungry and I must eat immediately! I managed to get home rather than buy something though, as I knew I'd some parsnip soup for lunch that just needed heating through. I feel a bit better now I've eaten...so off to do some work!


Kate

D&DD

Been thinking re the Q.E and hyperinflation and have been browsing a few sites to understand what it could all mean.
Looking at it now I think we're as insulated as we can be from any significant problems
we don't have investments just a few bob emergency funds
we don't have a mortgage or loans/credit cards and have no plans at present to borrow
we have no debts to service
We have a large food store
We have the capacity to grow a fair bit of our own food
We have nearly new appliances/white goods
I have done my yearly financial review to take advantage of the best insurance etc deals

Things I DO need to do are

Save a bit more in our emergency fund
Manage garden better (I have soft fruit overload still!! :rotfl:)
Bottle more pears and apples this year they've worked brilliantly and saved me loads as they were all free
Bag some bargain veg when being sold off cheap for dehydrating as I haven't got space to cram everything in I want to

Thanks for all your ideas so far

VJsmum

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Good call to whoever mentioned Kathy Lette. Her books should be available to all women via the NHS imo.

Definitely - if only for this.

"The boredom of raising toddlers (sometimes I was so bored Doing Creative Things With Playdough that I could see my plants engaging in photosynthesis)".

She spoke to my soul when she said that having babies and little ones could be bl00dy boring - everyone around me was saying how wonderful it was. Which it is - at times. But a lot of times it is mindblowingly tedious.


ANyway in other news - you might want to block your ears

WE HAVE HEAT

:j:T:beer::j:T:beer::j:T:beer::j:T:beer:

We are considerably poorer, but have a shiny new boiler that heats up water and radiators and stuff!! Honest plumber knocked £50 off the bill as he said he got the boiler cheaper than he thought - he could easily have kept quiet.

I now have no excuse not to tidy cold rooms, however.

Very happy

mama67

modern_millie wrote: »

Morning all, really interesting posts atm - I am reading a book about the 70s currently, and it's struck me that in many ways we were better off then - I had a govt scheme 'job' then, youth opportunities programme I think it was called, I earned about £27 per week as an 18 year old, out of this could afford a decent bedsit, food and bills. Learned useful skills working in a community centre which gave me a lot of confidence in looking for other work. Where is the equivalent to this now?

One of my daughter's friends is 19 and at college. In theory lives with Mum, but Mum is never there. She calls in once in a while to bring food. Currently he has no central heating - oil has run out - no coal or logs. Discovered this when he came over a couple of nights ago - gave him some logs, dinner and offered to lend a kettle - his is broken - but he said he can afford to buy one. Luckily for him, he has £30 per week in term time as we are in Wales. Assume if we were in England he would have nothing. Politicians seem to have no idea. And he is a young person who is trying to do something with his life!

And breathe! Pass the bread pudding Byatt, I need sustenance!

Just before Christmas my DS1 (16) came home from college saying he'd not had lunch that day, he'd put his lunch money into the college collection for the homeless students which makes up approx 15% I think he said of the student body.

He couldn't believe that some of his class mates mostly his age could be homeless/in hostels.

scrabbles_2

Yay VJsmum! :T

I am being naughty and surfing from work between calls (not really - we're allowed to). I'm feeling very smug because I'm wearing my special suede boots and I've had some compliments. The reason the boots are 'special' is that Tesco paid me £30 to take them away They were priced £40 down to £5 but they still went through the till at full price. So I got double the difference.

This was two years ago but it still makes me happy every time I wear them :rotfl:

Thanks for the advice on the cushions - I was just a little worried I was crossing a line. As it happens, pusscat took it upon himself to sleep on the furry cushion (on the sofa) last night anyway! This particular friend is a from a family of massive spendthrifts and she probably didn't even think whether it had plenty of wear in it yet. Her sister once gave us a double divan that was three months old and had only been slept in half a dozen times - it was so new the mattress still had a label across it. She decided she wanted a day-bed in the spare room instead. She was going to throw it out :eek: She kept thanking us for taking it away. It honestly never occurred to her that anyone might want it.