Our beautiful recycled life: a patchworking income, green living, dfw adventure!

Pippilongstocking

starnac wrote: »

KK you don't seem to whinge. But if you do I don't blame you x

Pippi how long does elderflower cordial keep for? DH opened a bottle from about 2weeks ago and there was a lot of gas in it you'd think he'd opened champagne! Do I have to do something to it to store it?

DD is a bit better today so will be sending her to school tomorrow for the last day of term. She hasn't had a last day of the year before so it'll be nice for her I think plus she's got presents to take her teachers and teaching assistants. There are 2 TA and one who's been there on placement for months so she needed 4 presents :eek: luckily I am a MSE convert so I managed to make 4 presents for less than £1 each :money: so I'm pretty pleased with that

Glad DD is better Starnac - but crickey to all those presents! Thankfully that doesn't happen in high school!

Elderflower cordial - I kept mine in the fridge for almost a year. The bottles were sterilised beforehand and seemed to be OK - we had bother wiht one being a bit fizzy but it had some flowers in it and I wondered if that was the problem (my bad straining). Wonder if keeping them in the fridge helps? You can freeze it too, some folks freeze it in icecube sizes and then use it like that.

I just sterilised the glass bottles in the oven - quick wash out and in the oven for 20-30mins. The plastic ones I gave a really hot wash out (as hot as they could bare).

I also used a bit of citric acid - which is a preservative. But you don't have to use it.

Wonder if any of that will help? If its a bit fizzy I guess its beginning the process of turning into alcohol?

Goodluck!

Pippilongstocking

savingforarainyday wrote: »

Oh my Pippi you do have quite a plan.

I remember your lists from days gone by and by those standards this one is quite tame:rotfl:

How very true - that's what a job does for you eh?

I should have been getting on with revising business plan, but I have to confess I have been distracted by MSE'ing. I have revised my tv/phone/internet package and have saved myself about £20 per month on that. My next job is to cancel sky and that will save us about another £59 per month:eek:. I can't believe we spent that on tv. I am not the watcher here, this was the rest of the clan, however were, one's moved out, one "doesn't have time for tv" as he is busy, and dh, is happy with n*tfl*x. saved £40 a month on gas/electric. These little chores were long overdue.


Well done there!!!!

I have to confess I am quite worried about lottie today, was hoping to go up later and pick fruit, but I suspect it will have been battered to a pulp by the rain we have just had:(. Little dog, has been barking like a banshee at the thunder, but I think she is protecting me:rotfl:. Cos when I had had enough of the noise and put her in my room she shut up and went to sleep:D

Poor lottie - I guess you guys have had the weather far worse than us lot up here.

Thanks for the heads up on the cheese/custard. I am going to have to try that one.

To be honest as strange as it sounds it was OK - and we don't eat custard here so its a good way to use it up

Eco car sounds good, and well timed as well. Moving on will be quite an adventure for you. My dd moved out last year, and she starts uni in September. DS has another year at college and then I suspect he will move on as he wants to teach as well as perform. So we will see.


Wow lots of changes for you too. I'm trying to focus on work, streamlining my/our life and getting us all through the next stages. Scary as it is - a smaller place, smaller car and DS set free on the world is a start!
:wave:to everyone (yes still lurking)

Well maybe another coffee, and I think some cleaning. I will probably be better working this evening, as all the grot around me is getting on my nerves

Ah the dreaded grot - it gets on my nerves too. Hope you continue to pop your head by here and there. and I hope the allotment dries out and the poor pooch comes out from hiding. I don't like thunder either.

Pippilongstocking

lucielle wrote: »

Eeey up chuck. Lots of plans in place for a fresh start and you know we're all willing you on!
L

Lucielle I wonder if its my lack of cleaning which prompts such regular moving? Easier to pack it all up and shift than actually drag a hoover around!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Thanks for the best wishes - I'm seeing the new house lady tonight to thrash out when we can move in.:eek:

And, I've brought home boxes for packing - so I guess I must mean it.

Have a great one x

Pippilongstocking

Ok today - a 'non' work day (I work every other day but often work 'leaks' into life, so I'm trying to keep work in 'work' days.

Banks to check
CC to check
Hens to collect eggs
Text chum about eggs
Dogs to walk locally
Grass to cut (still not done)
Hokeycokey to get out on line as its dry - might do sofa covers.
Amazon parcel to wrap up
Meals from cupboards and stores
Clear out airing cupboard and streamline bedding.
Make a bag for charity shop of other stuff
Go through board games and decide if we actually need any of them anymore - haven't played htem in a couple years.
Pack at least one box
Go and meet lady about lease on new house - £70 a month cheaper than were we are and on a bus route.
Arrange to skpye with kids in france (free)
Put some stuff on freegle
Clear out somethign from the shed
Make more elderflower cordial - sugar was cheaper to buy a 5kg bag so need make up some syrup
Text landlady about meeting tonight
text a chum about walking dogs later?
Arrange a cuppa locally with a pal ?
Clear out all kids 'plastic' stuff and give to a pal with a wee baby who's weaning.
Perhaps hoover - but only if I can get myself motivated.
Think about chopping some wood in the shed and bagging it up, as the new house has a woodburner
Try and make it a NSD - I don't need anything
Talk to OH on skype
Check one poll and do a couple surveys if I can.

OK it seems like a monster list but actually its not too bad - mostly a brain dump!

Have a good un!

DedicatedDFW

Have a good day Pippi - its good that you're trying to keep your day off as a day off as i think that is so important - especially when self-employed as otherwise i think it just ends up feeling like you are working all the time xx

Hi to everyone else too of course x

Pippilongstocking

Thanks DDFW - its so true isn't it - keeping a day off is so important. I was frazzled before I left on holiday and now I want to keep that feelign at bay.

Well - today - thats the airing cupboard cleared out. (insert shreeky smiley)

Who needs 5 spare single duvets (thats all I've found so far) - not looked in the kids rooms yet - now bagged and ready for the charity shop.

Going through the linen now and streamlining sheets/duvet covers too. Hard to recycle stuff as lots of memories with it all.

Time for a cuppa.

and maybe some eggs - must go and check the girls for eggs.



Need to shove a wash on too as its sunny here and get out and do that grass in a bit.

Kittikins

I was like you with bedding, had tons of it when we moved to our new house, and am slowly streamlining it now....I've started putting a whole bed's worth inside a pillowcase whenever I remember, makes life a lot easier when changing sheets, even though there are only 2 beds of very differing sizes to deal with!

Yay, the sun is out, washing is on the line, I'm pootling about in the office and am happier today, having had a bit of a rant at OH about how I was feeling about him being irritating/thoughtless/etc (just like I am a lot of the time too, lol).

He then went out for dinner with an old friend who told him how lucky he was to have someone as wonderful as me in his life, and how OH seems much better and happier since we've been together, so I think it hit a nerve and he's been very lovely again.

Phew! He's over tonight to babysit and have a sleepover and I'm looking forward to seeing him! Recently, I've been a bit smiling through gritted teeth, so it's lovely to feel happy and excited at the prospect of seeing him

Pippilongstocking

KK it just creeps up on you doesn't it - (the bedding) and glad you're feeling better about OH - we all go through dips don't we important to recognise it.

I've rehomes 12 eggs and done 2 bags for charity shop so far so good.

Back to the coal face.

Pippilongstocking

Post here - tax letter back confirming nowt owed for 2011-12 woo hoo.

WTFC payment slightly up but not updated review = argh - who knows what on earth they are up to. Shudders to think.

One box packed

Does a little dance.

DedicatedDFW

You are doing so well Pippi!

Bedding I've not much - i made the conscious decision when we moved in and needed new bedding due to a different size bed that there would be 2 lots 1 for on the bed and the other for when that was being washed. Its since morphed into 4 lots only because i got 2 in the sale (last year) huge reduction :T I am trying to persuade my mr to let me get rid of the old 2 now, they've served there time and will come in handy for us decorating but he's not for budging! The thing is we have no spare storage so i may have to have a washing 'accident' with 1 If they were in good nick great but we've had them 5 years and they were cheaper ones (not like the new ones which were expensive but cheap in the sales) and 1 lot in particular hasn't kept its colour well but after 5 years use and washing i think we've more than had our moneys worth

Properly banged my head this morning and its throbbing now ouch!

KK - good news with you and your mr

Oh Pippi - i forgot to say i saw your DF 2 year plan notes a page or so back - fabby :T I am desperate to clear this last bit of debt and then i can start on the mortgage *gulp* Got myself all motivated again with getting rid of things and raising the pennies We are off on holiday again soon though which has scuppered some of my plans - don't get me wrong i love travelling to new places, meeting new people, learning about a new culture but the spending money would have come in handy for the debts this next month

You've probably thought of this pippi but if you're getting rid of lots of things and as you say still have some debt have you thought about doing a carboot ? Bedding always sells well i find as does kitchen stuff (even plates) and lots of other things too of course. Just an idea. Whenever i have a carboot anything i don't sell that day i put in bags and then straight to the charity shop