make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

Oh very excited at the thought of mcculloch and pops having seen each other. Mcculloach you're not too far from me then. I live about 7 miles from you, have the same MP, we have a bus route going through both our places and the town I live near begins with S. Can you guess?

DH back home He has been giving a really good winter coat from a supplier's rep Chuffed to bits.

That's a nice surprise and very welcome I am sure. It is funny to think you could be talking to or pass someone you know on here isn't it!

I know which town(area)I think you are in...not saying on here though;)

I suspect a few on here are quite closeby...

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

Pops you got an Aldi? My bus goes there. Is it easy to find?

We will have very soon and yes it's very close to Tesco's(I'm sure they won't be too happy about that)they are still building it but it is coming on very quickly, the bank staff who look onto it think it may be ready by late September...

Mrs_Chip

Pops - pretty much most fish and meat that comes in a plastic/vac pack can be bunged in the freezer. The worst that will happen is that the texture might go a bit, but to be honest I have not noticed this.

Don't keep smoked fish too long (three months) as oily fish can become a bit iccy after that.

At the worst you will not find it palatable and have to chuck it, but at least you will know. and if you are running out of time to use it, what's to lose?

I would not wrap directly in foil, better to wrap in cling film first, foil does not last that well in the freezer and can cause freezer burn.

Popperwell

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Pops - pretty much most fish and meat that comes in a plastic/vac pack can be bunged in the freezer. The worst that will happen is that the texture might go a bit, but to be honest I have not noticed this.

Don't keep smoked fish too long (three months) as oily fish can become a bit iccy after that.

At the worst you will not find it palatable and have to chuck it, but at least you will know. and if you are running out of time to use it, what's to lose?

I would not wrap directly in foil, better to wrap in cling film first, foil does not last that well in the freezer and can cause freezer burn.

In that case I may put the mackerel in the freezer and have it next week(it's smoked)and in a vacpack...and being slim I can find room for the bacon too...

If I have to split up the cooked chicken thighs for the freezer. They should be in foil in the freezer? Or is cling film ok and better?

I know sometimes they'll say once opened use immediately but I would throw so much out if I followed that rule, I still quite often freeze what I have opened and up to now I have been ok.

Thanks for these tips...much appreciated...

SpikyHedgehog

Oh goodness, what a day - I got home after the end of the school term, DS1 was home so made DS2 & I (& himself) some hot chocolate while we got changed into nice warm dry clothes - I'm wearing fleecy trousers I got last year from m&s, a CS jumper & fleecy socks & my slipper boots, & it's still cold. Ah well, I guess that's what you expect in December...

What, you mean it's July & we've broken up for the Summer Holidays? Are you sure? It jolly well feels like winter. ('Nuff moaning now Spiky, we're all experiencing it.)

I made up DS2's clean bed last night & thought that the fairy tale was probably about the princess and the pee, not pea - he had his bed base & mattress, the fitted waterproof mattress protector, a fleece blanket folded in half, flannelette sheet, another fleece folded in half, another flannelette sheet, then his pillow & top sheet. He didn't stop doing origami & finally get into bed till 9 & wouldn't let me put his night light on as he wouldn't have been able to see his glow in the dark stars. So I went back in at half ten to turn it on, & discovered he'd already wet the bed - so much messing about, he'd forgotten to do a wee in the toilet before bed And as he'd done such a big wee, it soaked through every layer :mad: I rolled him out of bed & into my bed as his other mattress protector was still damp on the horse, & the only shower curtain I've got at the moment is in use as a shower curtain.

DS1 got up this morning! & when I spoke to him at 12, had put the washing on the line! Unfortunately, he didn't listen when I said, watch out for the weather, & we've had the torrential rain again today. So again, I came home to soggy washing. DS2 went to play in the rain in the garden so I asked him to get it off the line so I didn't get wet.

Thinking about moving north to Aldeburgh since it was sunny yesterday, we had torrential rain from 2pm onwards here in Ipswich. Errant Husband phoned to speak to DS2 & said it's been dry in Felixstowe today, then started complaining that DS1 should have known to keep an eye on the weather, so I started defending him . Apparently all other 16 year olds know to keep an eye on the weather in case it changes... Not convinced.

I gave up on finding the letter about letting the CB people know if DS1 was staying in education, & phoned them from the number on the letter saying 'we're giving you less money since DS1's not in full time education from Sept' I spoke to a lovely helpful man, who was fantastic & took down all the info needed & that's done. So thank you Bernard!

He made me promise to phone WFTC after a restorative cup of tea - I knew they'd stop my moeny for this year if I didn't tell them my earnings for last year, but hadn't realised they'd also ask for all the money they gave me last year back. I can understand why so many families like my sister in law decide not to claim anymore, as it's so frightening when they ask for money back that you're sure you didn't get wrong, or you loose the letter or have to wait for the P60, or don't know what info they need. 50% of the families at work have English as their 2nd or other language, & I know the Children's Centres are able to help, but if you've no child under, who helps then? I do claim, now becasue I need it, but before then-DH &I claimed because if you don't, it's not reused for those who do need it more.

Anyway, I phoned, listened to the options - 'Was your renewal letter in a brown envelope, or a white envelope, have your circumstances changed...' So many options, & I just cried with panic listening to them, thinking 'I don't know, I can't find it! I just want to talk to a human who can help!' After holding for 15 minutes, I hung up & went and searched through more piles of paper, and found it! I'd managed to file my P60 where it's meant to go (no wonder I was so worried, not having seen that in the piles either I thought I'd lost it but I'd just carefully filed it), so I filled in the form, which took me all of no more than 10 minutes including reading through everything carefully & getting a black pen & making a few marks. So that's posted, along with the electoral roll form I'd found while looking for other stuff - need to include DS1 on in now as he's 16, so I couldn't do it online.

Sitting here typing this, I've realised why I was struggling so much with the WFTC stuff. I'd never claimed as an individual till Errant Husband left last year, & then it was 'fill the form in, make sure I can feed the boys & pay the bills, not thinking about it just reacting to him not being here'. & we'd always sat & done the renewals together, so I think I'd been hiding from doing it on my own, as it's another reminder that I do have to do things on my own. So big hugs (((( )))) to everyone else who's having to do things by themselves that they used to have help with.

I've worked out an overestimation of my projected earnings for next year & need to update them with my new hours, as they've got the ones before I got the job share manager job. I used http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQWorkBenefits.aspx
their calculator to check as my first over estimation was the same as my friend told me the other day she'd been told stops her from getting WFTC anymore but the calculator says it's ok :huh: so I'm going to tell her to get them to check again. I overestimate as I end up doing extra hours at work from my contractual ones, so it makes having an overpayment letter next year less likely.

Did stir fry for dinner with DS2 helping do the sauce - used 2 onions & a few carrots from last week's shopping, the mushrooms from this week that I'd not taken the cling film off so were getting a bit slimy, a pack of tofu (think I'll open, cut & freeze it next week so we can have half a pack at a time). DS2 crushed the garlic, mixed some dried chili, ginger, cornflour, a stock cube, some soy sauce, sesame oil & water that I put in when it's nearly done to make a yummy sauce. I used 4 wholewheat noodle nests - I can only get them from MrM near us, & I prefer them as they're ok for my mum if she comes round. & we had a slice of lovely tart that a mum at work had made for the teachers - like bakewell tart but lemony, loads of slivered almonds on top. I brought 1 slice home & shared it with the boys.

prepareathome

Pop when I can pick up mackerel in the vac sealed pack like yours I throw it straight in the freezer and just defrost it naturally and eat it cold, so far never caused me any problems.

GreyQueen

short_bird wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

that reminds me, it's the Zombie Walk tomorrow, in aid of the Children's Hospital.

Surely that should be a Zombie Shuffle?

Actually, I shall be leaving the chainmail at home if it looks like raining as I'm having a terrible time keeping the rust off it this year. Plus it pinches summat awful.

fuddle, great new about OH's new coat. And how bizarre is it that some of us are within spitting distance of other OS-ers.

Popperwell

What a day Spiky,
I'd get upset too. I hate dealing with the DWP...oh how I'd like to be able to have nothing to do with them...I can hope/wish...even if I am only fooling myself...

I have taken to using tinned mushrooms(sliced, whole or creamed)I like fresh but I tend to not get around to using them when fresh...

Popperwell

prepareathome wrote: »

Pop when I can pick up mackerel in the vac sealed pack like yours I throw it straight in the freezer and just defrost it naturally and eat it cold, so far never caused me any problems.

So long since I had it like that, I'm not sure about eating all the bones:pif I start picking on at them I'll stil be eating it at Christmas.

It's Tesco's own and was in the chill cabinet as opposed to the freezer cabinets...

I'm thinking of Mum again but still avoiding a wobble and am still brighter than I was yesterday...

Mrs_Chip

I would wrap individual portions in cling film, put them in a plastic bag and seal up. That way you can take out what you need. Foil tends to split and unwrap and seems to go brittle in the freezer.