No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

[Deleted User]

Happy Mothers Day everyone!!! Love and Hugs Lyn xxx

katep23

Thanks for the granola bar recipe FTM, will give that a go as they sound lovely.

Beef and pork are in the slow cookers and smell lovely, potatoes prepped, in-laws are due over at 1.00-ish (so more like 1.30 then!)

Just need to polish, quick tidy up and bring some wood in for the fire then we are all set for lunch and the rugby

Also, got my first courgettes up in the heated propagator - bit early but we thought we would grow them in big containers in the greenhouse so hoping for early courgettes this year - I love them and don't get bored of them (just as well!)

Also got cucumbers, tomatoes and cauliflowers on the go (never done caulis before) so feel like I'm doing well so far. Still need to put the onions in though!

Have a lovely day everyone x

scottishminnie

Well the dinner guests have just left (aka my parents) and dinner sent well. The coca cola gammon joint was very tasty, if a little fiddly to carve and the brisket was cooked perfectly. Mum was most taken with my creamed corn casserole and I made some baby new potatoes and honey mustard parsnips to accompany the rest.

I also made the Barefoot Contessa croissant pudding which is sort of bread and butter pudding with croissants and custard. It was delicious and much lighter than BB pudding so I can see it being repeated although it left me with 5 egg whites so I at this moment I have a huge pavlova and some meringues doing away in the oven so as not to waste them. They should keep until next week though so next Sunday's pudding is in hand already!

We had a day of blizzards here and we now have quite a covering of snow which will be very slippy by morning as it is currently below freezing. It's going to be a chilly start to the week so scarves and gloves at the ready. Glad I didn't pack anything away just yet.

I was a bit harassed today as I decided to strip 2 beds in their entirety, duvet covers, pillows et al so I was a bit frazzled by dinner time. It meant I didn't really have time to set out my beloved wedgwood dinner service so I used some plain white M&S china instead. It looked equally good and rather than using my late grandmother's silver cutlery which comes out along with the wedgwood I used some clear acrylic cutlery and a set of very simple but pretty wine glasses which she also passed on to me. We were half way through dinner when mum suddenly noticed them and asked if they were her mother's which led to a few tears but she said she was happy that she felt we had included her mum too on mothers day.

I can't believe it's after 10 on Sunday evening and I feel like I have masses to do before tomorrow. I hope you all had a good mothers day and your children made sure you had some time to relax.

flowertotmum

Hi all...

SM..o that was lovely to include your granny in the meal with the wine glasses..i love my grannys china and always think of her when i see it..

MLW..thank you i hope you had a lovely day too...
I had a lovely day..tea in bed and then flowers and choclates plus some of my favourite perfume..Iris by Crabtree and Evelyn..so beautiful.
I have been quite busy with schooling and bits and bobs...i have worked out that if i make my own bread for a year i will save over £270..so thats a bonus..plus we like doing and eating it.
I have bought Fern a bundle of clothes off ebay for £10..and what a lovely bundle thay are too..and smell so clean and fresh...Iris is next week...i had to pop to the chemist to get hubby's pills..he is doing much better by the way.I went into the CS and spotted a bargain..a sylvanian family house with accessories for £2 yes thats right £ 2...i was in shock..the girls are super excited with it and are playing up stairs now..it matches the ones we got them for christmas..i got some lovely books too..so thats my splurge for the month.
I have made some HM cleaner called " blessing in a bottle"...it works..i have tried it so here is how you can make it.

Blessing in a bottle.
12 liquid oz of white vinegar
12 liquid oz of fairy liquid
1 tablespoon of liquid laundy detergent
Pour into spray bottle and shake gently..
Use as you wish..gets rid of most dirt,grease and a good kitchen cleaner..i added 1 tablespoon of zoflora to it..it smells amazing.
Right thats me up to date...what you all up to?
I am doing the home baked chicken tonight with HM oven chips..yummy.
love you all
ftm

[Deleted User]

Afternoon FTM so glad you had a nice Mothers Day and were thoroughly spoiled too, that's how it should be!!! Glad Mr FTM is doing better too, when the OH is down and poorly it spills over into all the other parts of life too doesn't it? Do you know I have half a loft full of Sylvanian Families and little Houses, Shops and Stables and a School along with all the little animals too. Both my girls loved them when they were small and just couldn't (and still can't) part with them , I also have a Brittens Farmyard and all the animals and DD2s rocking horse. It's a good thing we don't have much stored up there of our own! I am off to visit DD1 this weekend as there is another choral society concert in the Cathedral, they are performing Bachs D Minor Mass which will be beautiful. I am staying up for a couple of extra days to be Mrs Mop and Chief Cook to blitz the house and fill the freezer, this term has been very full and busy for her and she is worn out. So I'll be giving her breakfast in bed for a couple of days and just doing the day to day running to give her a break, she has an eye infection due to being so tired and run down and looks as if she's been 3 rounds in the ring with Mike Tyson poor kid, it's what Mums are for yes? Glad all is well in the FTM household, roll on spring eh? Cheers Lyn xxx.

flowertotmum

Hi all...
MLW..i hope you totally enjoy your lovely choral concert..i bet its bliss to listen too...and you made my girls squeal with delight when i told them you had an attic full of sylvanian families...bless them..they asked if your big girls still played with them..and that they could come and play with theirs if you can't get them out the attic...i had to explain that your girls were really big girls and would one day let their own children play with them...Fern said " its a shame they don't play with them..its so much fun"..the life and mind of a 7 yr old eh?..
O you are such a great mum..cooking and cleaning for your poorly girl..i hope she thoroughly spoils you and i bet you just love doing it for them..i know i would. I hope her eye is better and she knocks mike tyson for six lol.
We have had snow,hail and wind all in 2 days...and got up this morning to fog and its so cold.
Hubby wasn't at work til half eleven today so we kinda had a lazy morning..best ones i think.
The girls and i started school after he had gone..we actually got a lot done...vowels and consonants,punctuation and math. Iris is doing letter recognition and working through the alphabet with me..she enjoys read it,trace it,paste it..she gets to use scissors and glue and has to put the words in the correct order..after lunch we had 40 minutes quiet time..they can read,colour,draw or use lego..all has to be done quietly. This may seem mean but i think they need some time to reflect and just relax...i use this time to get my bread made,laundry ironed and the main evening meal prepped..that way its not a rush later . After this we played with plasticine and made spiders,worms etc..and fern found a pattern for octopi(otopuss's) that she cut out of fabric and glued googly eyes on to them and then mounted them on pink card..it looks super cool...Iris glued her alphabet stars onto card in a random pattern..i laminated it and now its a game..spot the letter and circle it..only it wipes clean.
MrFTM is doing much better..he has actually got a plan to work from home ..don't want to go into details but he is working it out.I am hoping he can do this..i will be behind him all the way.
Just hoping the weather brightens up ..i need to get into the garden and start growing ...
Anyway..you all take care and keep warm..SM..i hope you don't get that god awful snow and gales...thinking of you.
love
ftm

katep23

FTM, sounds like your littlies get so much out of home tutoring.

Have been doing a bit of money-makeover the last few days; just closed an old account so that's being transferred, moved some other money around ready to close another old account, checked my credit file to see if there is anything else I have open which I can close.

Checked our electric tariff and it is still the cheapest so no need to move. Going to get comparative quotes for breakdown cover then see if I can haggle my RAC renewal down, ditto with contents insurance.

Emailed council to arrange to pay by DD over 12 months instead of 10 as there is the possibility we may move in the next year and if so we won't need to claw back as much.

Just been to Costco and stocked up on 320 toilet rolls (not all for us :rotfl:) which are on offer and the expensive cat food which is all one of our cats will eat which was 25% off (and cheaper to start off with than the supermarkets "special offer" recently - got 8 months supply which are currently living on the bookcase .

Also scraped up all my change and counted it yesterday and there is £39 so that's a trip to the supermarket tomorrow to stock up and a visit to the self-check outs (better go when it's quiet )

Had to clean the bed clothes today as cat was poorly in the night but the sun has come out this afternoon so dried them on the line - had to use the TD for one load though.

And even managed to apply for a few jobs in between

OH is off to Somerset for several days so it should be quiet here - planning to get on with more decorating and cleaning the windows.

[Deleted User]

Hello FTM, thank you I had such a lovely time with Nell and the concert was magnificent, it's such a beautiful piece and the Cathedral makes a very appropriate setting for something as grand, it was fab!!! Bless your littlies. I shall share that with Nell when I speak to her this evening, it will make her smile and wish she was 7 again!!! Glad MrFTM is feeling more positive and hope the plans for working from home come to fruition very soon, it would be so much better for him, yes? The home schooling goes from strength to strength for you all, it was so the right decision for all of you wasn't it? You are all sounding fulfilled and creative it is so lovely to hear. I have cleaned, cooked, ironed, fed and cheered up My lovely girl and she only has tomorrow morning before the term ends and she can relax a little, and tomorrow will be all cathedral services for the year groups so she won't have to teach at all, which is just as well as she has a rotten cold and no voice poor old thing, she needs her holiday.

KATE 320Toilet Rolls? My goodness that's impressive! Well done on the money make over. it's getting that all aspects of life are creeping up in price, I'm staggered at how much food is these days and making a real effort to use beans and lentils for main meals and buy less meat and cheese, it is all silly prices isn't it? Hope your poorly pusscat is feeling better now and hope you have a nice domestic time whilst your OH is away.

Stay warm and dry all, Cheers Lyn xxx.

flowertotmum

Hello MLW and katie..how are you both..

MLW i am so glad you had a lovely time and that its your girls last day..sounds like she needs a rest..my tots say they are welcome anytime to come and play..so sweet...MrFTM is working in the greenhouse making staging and is quite excited about hydro-ponics for growing year round veggies...he is looking into it..nice to see him getting excited again...we had a quiet day today..up lateish..lovely relaxed breakfast..then hubby and girls went to clean out the chickens and just a general tidy up in the garden..i went to the CS..and got Iris 3 of the most gorgeous hand made summer dresses for £1..thats for all 3...they are so pretty..pale pink and pure white..plus a floral one..so pretty and very well made...was so pleased with them..iris is harrassing me to hurry up and iron them so she can try them on...

Katie..wow how many loo-rolls...o and your poorly kitty cat..so sorry..i love doing my finances..its almost like a spring clean of the bank statements...i absolutely love doing my shopping with change...i have 3 jars..one is for a holiday treat and the other 2 are silver and coppers...last time i had about £50 in them both..it paid for christmas treats and a turkey...
Yes ladies i love home schooling..i feel more relaxed about it now..and fern and iris are actually starting to ask for work..
The bad news is my sewing machine is broken..had it lokoed at and it would cost a small fortune to get the parts..its very old and not many places have the spares..so i am saving for a new one...

I have done a kind of food make over...now i buy in bulk and store and freeze as much as i can...and only buy absolute essentials from the supermarket..milk,butter,cheese..the rest i buy online in bulk..may sound silly but its working..AF are good for bulk buying..and £70 goes along way on that site..
Katie hope you have some nice quiet time ..and get your windows cleaned..if you get 5 mins mine need doing too...;)
right got to go tea time and i am starving...
love you all
ftm

scottishminnie

Kate - I'd been thinking about stocking up on those loo rolls at Costco. I'm down to the last 24 (6 packs) of the previous. I've been trying to avoid Costco as it is my favourite shop ever and I become a woman possessed as soon as I enter however 24 toilet rolls could be gone very quickly so maybe I should stock up. Maybe I can get round the shop without buying anything else:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

FTM - I spent today in London and although there were amber weather warnings when I left I didn't think too much of it - just back and it's an absolute blizzard with a good 4 inches up on the high ground where we are. Got home to a grumpy hubby as the sky dish isn't getting a signal due to the snow- honestly you would think the end of the world had come!

Glad to hear Mr FTM is feeling better and you are planning for the future.

MrsLW- your concert sounds lovely. The right setting makes such a difference and can make the atmosphere just perfect.
I was in Bristol earlier this year and the bus passed by the most beautiful cathedral. I've no idea if it is still in use but I was really taken with it and could imagine recitals taking place inside. I'm determined if I'm back at some future point I'll make time to have a closer look.

I've been organising store cupboards over the last few evenings so I can make sure that nothing goes out of date. I have noticed that some tinned fruit I bought a few weeks back has BB dates in 2013 which seems strange. I'm used to tinned things having really long dates. I wonder if that is a sign that people aren't buying so much? I found a small bottle of hot and sweet jalapeno sauce in the cupboard so wondering if I could simply use it as a chilli substitute? It's made by a company called Cottage Delight so I think I will go and see if they have a website with any more info.

Keep warm everyone - I'm slightly concerned - we have about an inch of kerosene (according to hubby)in the tank and can't get a delivery until Monday. I hope it last us through or we will be very cold. We recently had a new en suite installed complete with electric underfloor heating. I have visions of us sitting on the bathroom floor to keep warm when the oil runs out:D