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

meme30

Yes! it certainly makes life easier doesn't it!
DD1 has been given someone's cast-off fridge freezer, which means she no longer needs our old small chest freezer. (Mam the screws on the lid are not right!?) I don't like the idea of it going to be chucked out ,- it still works. So, I am needing to convince DH that there will be space for it in his shed. :eek: Yes, I know! his shed. It's sacred and all that! But there is nowhere for it in the house. I also need to think of lots of things I need to freeze so as to make it essential! So I think I will start with outrage at the thought of freezer being dumped and see if I can find/reach his thrifty side first!:cool:

Mrschip:- We had cats years ago and when we moved we got lots of advice on how to settle them in. Like yours they were serene and oblivious amid all the noise/fuss, found themselves a sunny windowsill and supervised the whole proceedings! We are just mere mortals compared to them.:rotfl:

Gardinia:=- nice to see you, hope you are feeling better now.

PIC:- Hi how are you?

Elona:- Am loving the cardboard cut outs! Most of us try and meal plan. It's a mixture of thrift and not having to wrack your brains every day trying to think of something new to cook/eat. Nothing worse than DH saying 'what's for dinner?' and having that sinking feeling as I open the freezer looking for clues! :idea:
When DD's were little I used to prepare dinner at 10 am so I didn't have to think about it later. Here I am thirty years later and I find I am doing the same thing now!
Perhaps I am reversing the ageing process!... nope! still got the wrinkles and the saggy bits:eek:

paidinchickens

elona wrote: »

Wave to pic!

Got a real fright earlier as freezer in garage was out of power!!

:eek::eek::eek::eek:eek: What a nightmare :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek

Meme :wave:

Feeling a little guilty this morning as it is DHs birthday (a big one) and apart from asking him what he wanted and ordering it from Amazon I have done nothing I have not even managed to buy any cards and had to use the emergency stash out of the drawer

In my defence, I still can't drive and he is with me wherever I go so not much hope of a fab surprise.

It is my (big one) later in the year so I will pick a nice weather day in the middle and have that as our celebrate our birthday day :A

I have said he could have the day off cooking :rotfl::rotfl: (I still can't stand long enough)

Any ideas would be welcome (and totally ripped off as my own )

Chooks are doing well. I was told to keep them in their cage for a few days but I felt sorry for them and let them have a wonder round the garden for a while. They are amazing, funny, little critters :rotfl::rotfl: They had a good old wonder and the foster cats craned their necks in their pen to watch them :rotfl: and when they had enough they just popped back in their pen and went to bed :rotfl:

I have not let the moggies near them yet but I think when the chickens have a flap they will run a mile.

We have had two eggs already and only got them on Saturday, was told it would be a few weeks before they started laying.

DH made the cage and it's solid and made of decking boards. Not the prettiest structure you have ever seen but solid and warm. We popped to the pet shop yesterday to pick up some litter and the size of cages they had for sale for FOUR chickens was terrible. Our home made (eye sore) is four times a big for three chooks and they will be let out most of the day.

Must dash and lavish DH with BD attention (make him a brew)

PIC x

SDG31000

Morning All

Happy Birthday PIC's DH :bdaycake: How about an indoor picnic? A quick trip to a deli/supermarket will get everything needed, so no cooking required
Congrats on the new arrivals. My DH being allergic to fur and feathers stops me from even thinking about getting chickens, so I'll have to live it through the chicken owners on here.

Good luck with the unpacking Mrs Chip. I hope it all goes smoothly.

meme30 I have that sinking feeling nearly every day. I really should meal plan, but it normally ends up with one member of the family sulking because they don't want what's on offer. At least if I ask them they can't complain about what gets produced.

welcome back gardenia101

Well I've been to see the nurse and my blood pressure is 140/80 so she is happy with that. I've had a needle shoved in my arm and wiggled around as she lost the vein before taking the second vial of blood, but I'm doing ok. I had to leave notes on the kettle and cupboard containing the teabags telling myself not to drink tea this morning. DH and the boys thought it was :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: They should know better than to mock a caffeine addict when her supply is cut off, no matter how short the wait might be. I've had a big mug of Assam and feel much better now

Today I'm off to the gym for an assessment and to Knit and Natter for more tea. I've warned Scott my gym instructor to take it easy on me and I'm hoping that I've lost a bit more weight. You will probably hear the shouts of joy if I have.

Much love and pots of tea to everyone xxxxx

Mrs_Chip

Morning Chaps!

Virtual buns for OHs with b'days today - an indoor picnic sounds a great idea!

Well, the van has been unpacked and is trundling back to whence it came. It was parked on the harbour when we arrived just after 1am this morning, and the removal men were up and about and raring to go at ten to eight :rotfl:. It took just over an hour to unload and squeeze everything into the alloted storage loacations. We are eyeball high with boxes of 'stuff', I have no idea where it will all go, but that is a problem for another day! All in all it could not have gone better, and all that worrying was for nothing.

Cat was totally oblivious (again) and snored gently throughout the whole operation.

Having brought a fridge and a freezer with us, we now have a grand total of 3 fridges and 4 freezers here :rotfl:, which may seem a trifle excessive, but we need some for the business. However, having tried to cram the small amount of frozen stuff we brought into the freezers here (at 1.30 this morning) and ony just suceeding, we need to do some serious scoffing :rotfl:.
I have filled up both the 'business' freezers with stuff for home consumption (siege mentality kicked in big time), and will need them as soon as we start trading. I dare not turn on the freezer we brought down, I wil just fill it up again!

Hope you have managed to lose a bit SDG, nothing worse thay being good and the weight not shifting!

Very envious of your chooks, PIC. There is an unused garden behind ours that would be perfect for chickens, next plan it to bribe the owner with home-made goodies to let me use it!

It does seem quite here atm, where is everyone I wonder?

gardenia101

Still catching up here :rotfl: but I'll be there soon - I had planned to meet a friend for coffee today, which would be the first time I've been out doing something nice (rather than hospital/job centre appointments) but, as always, my DS is too ill for school so I've had to cancel her. This is the second time in 3 months I've had to cancel due to ill children & I think she feels I can't really be bothered to meet her as she was a bit sharp on the 'phone. What she didn't see was my tears of frustration.

I know my DS can't help feeling poorly & I feel like a rubbish mum for daring to feel upset that my plans for a rare day out have been ruined - so far this year I have planned to meet up with different friends 4 times (so It isn't like I have a wild social life ) & all 4 have been cancelled due to DS or DD being ill - I just wish they could have been ill on one of the other 68 days of this year instead! But then timing has never been one of my strengths....

Still it will mean I'll get to catch up here, & do some other stuff, so that will help (that is my Alistair Campbell head talking :rotfl:)

Prepareathome - I'm also having my benefit stopped at the end of next month (C ESA) as my sight has magically not been restored after those important 12 months. I'm not suffering with "the system" anything like you (& others) are, & for that I'm lucky, but the unfairness of it all makes me want to scream & weep at the same time. My DLA will continue for now, but when/if PIP/UC come in then I'm sure it will stop.

I'll still be expected to go to "training" even though I won't be getting C ESA, & at the moment I'm debating whether to continue with it all as it appears (in my case) to be a box ticking hoop-jumping-through load of pointless nonsense - & when I've had another session with my "advisor" I'll post my experiences & you can all give me your opinions.

But my frustrations pale into insignificance when I read your posts. I feel for you, & prey someone sees sense in your case.

Byatt wrote: »

Kidcat, it doesn't get easier; you just get tougher. Each milestone you feel like you've been hit by a ton of bricks again; but then you pick yourself up, more quickly each time, smile and set to...and so it goes...

Byatt honey - you are spot on with that quote. I'm so sorry to read about your black dog days & wish I had some words of wisdom for you (as you have had for me & others at many times on this thread) but sadly I don't, just a dodgy :grouphug:. I hope the improving weather & extra daylight are helping you. Your ex sounds like a delight...

Ladyshopper wrote: »

Whilst I am a lover of pasta sauce jars, I have to confess I definitely don't feel the same way about curry sauce, and haven't found a jar one that I like. If anyone has an easy curry sauce recipe that would be fab (I am veggie, so would be vegetables or quorn or both going in).

I am a lazy cook, and am the first to admit it. My "excuse" if you like is that I'm a single Mum, I work, and therefore a lot of the time after a full on day at work I'm just too knackered to cook, even if it is something as simple as a pasta sauce!

I love this book for SC curries - I find if I prepare tea in the morning (even though I know I need to get up a bit earlier :eek:) it does make the rest of the day less stressful, & there is less washing up too. There are lots of veggie recipes & I've found that if I swap meat for potato/squash/veg then the meat recipes also work. It does use some spices, but I cant see why you couldn't use some of the Patak's curry pastes instead - what do all you SC cooks think about that?

Grandma - I'm so sorry for what you have been through & I hope all of you are managing to cope with a vile situation.

Thank you to whoever posted the link to the Jamaican website - some lovely recipes there. Do any of you have a recipe for Jamaican bread (not the coco bread on that site)? I remember being given some amazing bread from a West Indian bakery in Birmingham - it was a lovely golden colour & denser than our bread, & quite a bit sweeter from what I remember. It was a proper loaf rather than rolls, & the nearest thing I can compare it to is cholla (?sp).

Mrs_Chip

Hi Gardenia - I think you mean Hard bread - linky to recipe here.

It was my link to that website, you are right some very yummy recipes, I love west indian food (ok, just food :rotfl:), and its great to be able to find site like that.

gardenia101

HariboJunkie wrote: »

It's quite cold at night but I've been sleeping with the curtains open so I can wake up to the view of the sea and the snow covered mountains. It actually makes me want to get out of bed. :rotfl:

Wow - I have view envy! That sounds like a beautiful place to be. I'd love to live somewhere quiet with a sea view, but am mindful that such places are usually a swine for public transport, & if my sight gets worse then I won't be able to see the view anyway :rotfl: (oh, & of course such places tend to be far too expensive for me to afford, but why let reality get in the way of a good daydream?).

katieowl wrote: »

Took the dogs out, which was a bit of an ordeal as the back lane was full of sheeps poo, and for some reason the foul beasts decided this would make a tasty snack, and I had to put them both back on the lead and keep telling them off! Yuk. There will be no dog kissing for a few days!

I hate this - I used to walk 2 dogs through sheep fields & they'd regularly munch on offerings & the odd carcass (this was in the middle of nowhere)- Yuk.

I then nipped into work as one of the office staff had printed off the poster I designed for my Credit Crunch cookery lessons. I'm going to pop into town tomorow and ask a few places to put it up. I've settled for four lessons to start with, Storecupboard meals, Love your leftovers, Spice up your life (a curry one) and Frugal Far East. They are three hours long and we will eat what we cook in the class. They are a month apart, so I have time to work out what to do in each as I go along. I thought people could opt for what they are interested in, and maybe suggest some stuff they'd like to do later.

These sound fantastic - if I was nearer to you I'd be wanting to sign up. Sure it will go well & continue to evolve.

I've just had my DD at uni on Skype again, she's been really poorly over the weekend, the stress of finishing uni is getting to her, and she's having panic attacks.

Bless her. I remember the feeling of panic that descended onto the entire campus during finals - it was very claustrophobic & it seemed that everywhere you turned someone was in tears or having a turn. I can't remember if she is in halls, but if she is then trying to study elsewhere may help. When you are in the middle of it all then 3 weeks can seem a lifetime.

I also have a recipe for SC Jamaican goat curry which has the hottest rating in my book (has 2 Scotch bonnet chillies in it so waaay to hot for me). Let me know if you'd like it.

ginnyknit wrote: »

DS just got home from work and his eyes lit up when he saw it was Tater Hash for tea- I have to stop it or he will never move out this time :rotfl: Will buy him a ready meal for tea tomorrow night and put him off me

That made me :rotfl:. My DS (only 9) is adamant he'll be living with me forever as "I make good cakes". Hope your OH is doing OK.

PAH - I'm so relieved you have been, quite rightly, put into the support group although I guess that must bring on a whole set of other feelings for you. But this should at least give you some of your time & energy back from fretting about it (who wouldn't have been fretting in your situation?). MP's can seem to work wonders sometimes.

SDG - have you tried Telfast? It is the most similar antihistamine to Triludan. Think it is only available on prescription though.

Softstuff - the "healthy" section of my muffin book has a few recipes but some contain 4tbsp oil per 12 muffins, so don't know if this is low fat enough? Some also have 2 tbsp sugar, but I guess you could use a sugar substitute? Have apple & raspberry, fruity, blueberry, orang & almond & sugarless choc recipes if you'd like any of them. I've not made any so can't comment & I'm sure you'd be much better at experimenting than me. I was intrigued by Grandma's comment about using yogurt... I hope your health gets "sorted out" & you feel better soon.

Meme30 - I always thought twins would be lovely, then I had my DD & was glad there was only 1 of her! I struggled a lot in the baby years, but now think twins would have been lovely. Best wishes.

gailey_2

Hi guys

so much to catch up on.
hope everyones ok.

toddler had chicken pox.
babys teething.

its the 13th so food selection dire payday thursaday:)
lose tax credits in april:(so need to find way to make up 40quid shortfall.
listing loads of stuff for sale which is funding kids pressies and clothes next size up for them plus some bits for house.

was hoping for flat month but march

teenage stepsons birthday
road tax-car 2 £70
agents letting fees £80
nursery fees £100

thinking doing 1st approved foods order on thursday plus we off to farmfoods never thourght see day whens see the bottom of my chest freezer but i can the stupid amount have frozen veg from farmfoods has gone down! Also whopsie hunt been dire so not meat.
we even out biscuits so making flapjacsk today as not got eggs for cake.
unless could make an eggless cake which not sure possible.

still have stockpile of tomatoes though.

having meatballs and spagetti with garlic bread tonight but wed be far more inventive.

think might make onion soup for lunch.
The dire until payday is working weight wise lost 51\2 lb at sw class mostly bacause havent snacked.

trying to declutter and clean as always w.
worried hubby starts new job with diffrent paydate so need to move stuff about.

kids are adorable but hard work.
weathers been lovley so made the most of that been to several different parks.

cant wait to go foraging.

also make staret on garden this week as hubbys got 3days off so will be planting lots.

Winchelsea

SG31000 - glad your BP was OK.

The other day my DD1 sent me three packs of loose tea as she knows I really like it. I opened it, was very pleased....then opened my next item of post, which was from the hospital. Appointment for cardiology - telling me to avoid tea, coffee and chocolate for the 24 hours before! (And most of my tablets.) Don't mind about the pills (though my body's so used to them that I suppose I might notice some sort of effect) - but not to have a cup of tea...!!!!:eek:
And for 24 hours! :eek::eek::eek:

prepareathome

Gardenia (hugs) to you, oh I remember well those frustrations when I had plans and one of the children would be ill, some people are lucky their children seem to go through childhood with hardly a days illness, I always ended up feeling I must be a bad mum as mine seemed to catch everything going and always seemed to be off, but looking back I can see they were ill no more than most but it just felt like they were at the time.

Why on earth if they are not going to give you any more money have you got to attend the training, or do they count towards your NI contributions for your pension or any other times you might need to claim ESA ( heaven forbid), if they don't and you will not be getting anything I would inform them you will not be going. Have you had any help from the Blind charities, you amaze me how well you manage considering how bad your sight is. I understand why you could not fight to be put in the support group, as technically with the right help you could work, but in all honesty there is so little work available I know its almost impossible to find work, that if things were fair they would have put you in the support group. I admit I have been one of the very, very, very lucky ones having had a fairly easy battle, to change from the work related group to be put into the support group, I don't l don't to be honest know whether to be grateful or sad, sad because it was so obvious to them when they looked properly at my claim that I most likely will never work again, but I do live in hope that a cure for whatever I have will be found one day. Its one thing me knowing I cannot work now but its another when all the professionals and the DWP agree, brings it home to me more if you can understand.

Mrs Chips glad everything has gone so smoothly, now the fun beginnings with the unpacking - and I have serious freezer envy....

PIC I also have serious chicken envy - am hoping once I clear back garden I will be able to put a small chicken hut and run at back but that is a dream that will not even be considered for quite a few years - will take me that long to clear space.

I am busy my usual lazy self today as did a bit too much in front garden yesterday and typical last two days although not cold it has been so dull and grey and today sun is out shining brightly and me stuck in - am hoping to make it to the WI meeting tonight, so far only made it to the first one in Jan, didn't make it last month although I did send hubby along with my membership fees as I had been given last vacancy and didn't want to lose it. Still plenty to do in all the gardens but that will be another day, although am itching to get it all done, especially with sun being out.

Better go and make sure hubby has not fallen asleep after eating his breakfast ( he goes out at just before 6am without eating so has it when he comes home) as he has to go and pick up half a dozen empty biscuit/sweet tins that someone offered on Freecycle and I have been lucky enough to chosen to receive them as have uses for them.

Hope everyone is having not to bad a day and all those not to good ( including little ones) are feeling or starting to feel a bit better.

Hugs and Love
xxx