So poor I can't even pay attention

Piquant_2

Noonar wrote: »

Hi Piq et al
I hope the back/fluey thing is getting better!
I have been camp mum at Pony Club this week - I am now absolutely shattered - as are my two girls and the horse and pony. It was great, fully catered (amazing food) and as such have gained lots of llbs and lost lots of £s. It has been a right reality check tonight having to cook tea!
Anybody got any new funnies for us?!!!!!
Take care all, Noo

Hmmm, not sure I envy you being camp mum [dodgy title, did you choose it? :rotfl:Have visions of you doing a Louis Spence round the ponies...] But I do envy going away and spending time with ponies!

Piquant_2

recoverydust wrote: »

time to admit i have been stalking you since the beginning, well i started late and read the lot.
How on earth did you move that debt.
What are your three top tips?
I have just started a diary and had my light bulb moment.
I love your horse, I used to ride and would love a horse...... maybe one day again....

Nicky

Have you indeed? How lovely! You should have joined in ages ago, although I must admit some of the meanderings have taken us all down some very strange roads.

How did I move that debt? In the beginning it wasn't easy. I, like so many others started off with a lot of enthusiasm and cut back too much straight away. Paying off too much on various challenges and leaving myself with no money at the end of the month because I'd paid it off debt. Then had to use the credit card to buy food!! Crazy!

I've watched/read several diaries where folk start off thinking it is so simple and then hit a brick wall. It's not actually difficult, it just needs a new mind set and the mantra on the site do I need it? can I afford it? can I get it cheaper elsewhere?

Top three tips?
The mantra above, it's amazing how much stuff I haven't bought because I don't need it, I just want it. A KitchenAid mixer for example, you have no idea how much I want one! I stroke them in shops when I walk past....I have space on my credit card for one....but I don't need one! When I clear the debt and that includes my overdraft I will have one as a reward and I will pay for it with money I have saved for it. It will be shiny and black...

Meal planning saves a fortune. I love food, just look at the waistline and used to food shop just because I could. The wastage was criminal....I still buy the bog offs and three for two, but only if it's stuff I will truly use, ie coffee, loo rolls, can store or freeze.

I cook everything from scratch, even my own bread! Tomato sauces for pasta, biscuits etc. I normally make double portions and have one portion as an evening meal and the other as lunch or freeze it for when I don't want to cook.

I'm always available for recipe ideas, I love making something from random ingredients so you can but challenge me for an idea!

Now you've made me write a long boring post and all my other friends and you will probably s*d off! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Seriously, hello and welcome! I will visit your diary and join in!

Piq

Piquant_2

NewLeaf wrote: »

Hi Piq! I am glad you havn't left me any of your spare lbs this week.

It's quite windy here, so I was wondering if windy days give the Captain a bit of get up and go? My old horse used to be a right spaz on a windy day.. xx

The Captain and a windy day! What a combination....You will be guaranteed a fast ride, but not guaranteed a direction....

Piquant_2

I'd better do an update whilst I'm here, not that I have much to report on....

• Four nectarines and three bananas = smoothies for breakfast
• £1.02 and 28p road kill lying around
• 10p sack of carrots for the Captain, man wanted to clear the shelf. A few of them were mouldy, so I've thrown them on the compost, washed and stored the rest in the fridge, he will be so pleased!

I got caught up in the Olympics last night, really enjoyed it too. I also watched the playback of Oscar Pistorius running, how amazing is that man??

The stuff is still sitting on the dining room table waiting to be ebayed The ironing pile is huge and I must do some filing

The sun is out The Captain will be waiting for me and my pots of geraniums look wonderful

I'll pop by later this evening for further updates on the Captain, the Bear and life in general...

Noonar

Piquant wrote: »

Hmmm, not sure I envy you being camp mum [dodgy title, did you choose it? :rotfl:Have visions of you doing a Louis Spence round the ponies...] But I do envy going away and spending time with ponies!

Lol, had not thought about that connotation - although we did do a spot of karaoke!

lucielle

Piquant wrote: »

The sun is out The Captain will be waiting for me and my pots of geraniums look wonderful

That's good to hear, especially the last bit. LOL
L

Piquant_2

lucielle wrote: »

Piquant wrote: »

The sun is out The Captain will be waiting for me and my pots of geraniums look wonderful

That's good to hear, especially the last bit. LOL
L

...and the reason the geraniums look so good? Banana skins....I've been putting the banana skins around the plants and everything is blooming huge! My bay tree has gone from yellowing to vibrant green with masses of new growth and the roses are also doing exceptionally well. I saved a banana skin for each of the geraniums because I treasure them as they were sent to me by a very dear virtual friend :heartsmil

Piquant_2

The Bear refuses to go to the toilet unless I carry him over the flooded drive, wait for him to do what a cat must, then carry him back.

The Captain refuses to go through the puddles and jumps them whether he's being led or ridden, danger of crocodiles, you know...

The storm today bought even more rain and there's nowhere for it to go, very bored with it now. I wish I could afford a holiday

I've actually managed a NSD for a change, made up meals from the store cupboard and fridge, poached eggs, asparagus with hollandaise sauce and spinach salad. May well have the same tomorrow it was so nice.

On a serious note, I'm worried about the Bear. He is very needy and follows my everywhere, even to the toilet. He calls me if he can't immediately see me. I think he's getting old and I can't bear to think about a life without him. He's not eating as much as he used to, but there again, he's not doing very much either and he hasn't lost weight. He's stopped hunting and roaming. I had to get his claws clipped and he was getting stuck in the carpet. Maybe I'm worrying unnecessarily, and tomorrow I'll feel fine about him again.

Still have the pile of ebay stuff on the dining table....

Applied for a job to be an employment adviser! They have sent me a huge form to fill in, which is in fact, asking me for a repetition of my CV. Why ask for the CV then? It's going to take a long time to do, for a miniscule salary, can I be bothered?

NewLeaf_2

those long forms are soul destroying?

How old is bear? Our cat Marvin was 22 before he went to the great furry reward. I think cats can have a change of life where they stop hunting and stuff and mellow out.

Poor Bear is likely feeling very out of sorts with all the rain and is maybe just in Need of some TLC (like we all are!)

I saw the hman steeplechase race on the Olympics on tv and thought of you and Captain and how scared he is of puddles

xx

PS (in all seriousness) can I have your banana bread recipe? I saw one online but you had to microwave the bananas first!

Piquant_2

The Bear is about 14 years old, not sure exactly as he's a rescue cat and I don't know his history. Maybe he is just mellowing. I googled the following around, calling and licking and apparently he really loves me!

Here is the banana bread recipe, it is very easy. I use ready made cake tin liners as I can't be doing with lining tins, or greasing them The marsala wine makes the difference it adds a slightly spiced warm undertone to the cake, it keeps forever in the fridge, unless you drink it as a bedtime tipple

100 g sultanas
75 ml marsala wine
175 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
125 g unsalted butter, melted
150 g caster sugar
2 large free-range eggs
4 small ripe bananas mashed
60 g walnuts, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat the oven to 170C.
2. Put the sultanas and marsala wine in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and all it to sit for an hour or more, until the sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid. Drain.
3. Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl.
4. In a large bowl mix the melted butter and sugar together until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time then add the mashed bananas, walnuts, sultanas and vanilla extract.
5. Add the flour to the banana mixture a third at a time, mixing well after each addition.
6. Butter a 23 cm x 13 cm x 7 cm loaf tin or use a liner. Scrape the mixture into the tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 1 to 1 ¼ hours. It is ready when a knife inserted into the middle comes out cleanish