make do and mend for tougher times

westcoastscot

Hi Spikey,

Care to share your vegan ice cream recipe? We've gone off swedish glace as they've "poshed it up" (according to my boys) by putting real vanilla bits in it - they like a plain boring ice cream to put on crumble etc. Youngest finds real vanilla goes for the back of his throat a bit as well, and having so many allergies it worries us!
Thanks,
WCS

SpikyHedgehog wrote: »

I have got an ice cream maker (birthday present last year) & it isn't cheap to do unless you get great reductions on stuff. My mums a vegan, & it is worth it for yummy vegan ice cream, but takes up loads of room in the freezer.

Our social housing stock has really deteriorated under the new HA - they have pots of money to do new kitchens/bathrooms but seemingly none to do normal repairs. Coupled with that rents have risen, they've stopped the right to buy in all areas around here and with the "bedroom tax" coming in it's getting dire since we have no one-bedroomed houses.

GreyQueen

fuddle wrote: »

Byatt lovely to see you posting I'm spitting feathers on your behalf re: stupid ex and his quest to buy out sheltered housing. I can't understand it as if he's in sheltered that means warden controlled homes for the over 60's. Surely they cannot sell off these properties! Well, as I fully am aware of what that said council get up to, I shouldn't be surprised but if I find out those types of housing are being sold off I will be dropping my local paper a line.

Edit: Byatt just checked said council's right to buy info and they state clearly that sheltered housing cannot be bought privately.

Well done for checking; as I said yesterday, Sheltered homes can't be bought here under Right to Buy, glad it's the same there.

Psssst, no one tell Byatt's ex, OK? Let him spend his money on home improvements and find out the hard way........... oh, I am feeling slightly evil so better have my brekkie and stabilise the blood sugar and take my meds.

Popperwell

meme30 wrote: »

Popperwell:- I have been giving your finances some thought. I understand your concerns about having too much money and I appreciate that while renting you would not spend your money improving your house.
Think about buying something that you will be investing your money in, that will retain/increase in value. Property may be out of your reach but gold may not be. It's alright to spend the money you have now. If you choose to spend it on something that you can later sell in order to make your life more comfortable then that is your perogative. You are not cheating, you are spending your own money. Receipts can be kept to prove where the money was spent if you are asked about your spending. You will be thinking about your future, and safeguarding it as well.
When my Mam became a widow she bought herself some nice expensive jewellery, she call them her 'safety net' :rotfl: I believe the aristocracy have done this for Years!!

You've nailed my concerns...the stupid thing is if you could save at some point you may claim less and if you have savings when you become elderly where you probably cost the state the most because you need care they could actually save and should anything remain after you've gone I would not mind it being returned to the state to help others.

They may have a point that it's wrong for those who are not genuine and are perhaps unemployed but if you are ill with a long term condition/illness your income is never going to be great so if you can improve your situation it should be allowed.

bossymoo

De-lurking to say WOW! PAH you really got their knickers in a twist. Good for you! Fingers crossed the door disintegrates and you get a new one after all, as well as the other bits and bobs that need replacing.

Lovely to see all the good news, now I've finally caught up!

mardatha

Can somebody give me some ooomph please - I feel like a slug with a hangover. We have had torrential rain and winds all night and it feels like October. I can't be a$$ed to do anything at all, think hibernation mode is setting in early :eek:

Popperwell

Well said GQ,I'll stick with my scales. My Mum worked in a high class grocers in the 40's/50's and probably did similar to your Mum.

It's years since I had liver...well, I don't usually eat offal. The only meat I avoid is beef. But I seem to remember liver and bacon was nice so...you never know.

I bought some diced lamb last night...it cost a bit but I think I can get a few meals out of it!

I guess those mixes will be ok...

They did a big piece about blight on the farming programme on Radio 4 today...

Popperwell

mardatha wrote: »

Can somebody give me some ooomph please - I feel like a slug with a hangover. We have had torrential rain and winds all night and it feels like October. I can't be a$$ed to do anything at all, think hibernation mode is setting in early :eek:

Had the rain but not the winds yet...

Cheapskate

Morning all

mar, it feels very backendish here, too, DH and I were sat wrapped in !kea fleeces whilst watching tv last night. It's Yorkshire Day here, should be cracking the flags but it's dreich and no sign of much sun this week. Hope the link below works for you and cheers you up! A shop in the next little town over from me makes similar things to this (but better!).

http://www.sweettreatco.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/_/m/_mg_8342.jpg

BB dates - I tend to ignore too, but cautious with meat and fish, prefer to use my nose irrespective of the date on the label. I've used ancient bread mixes (6 months + out of date), they make rubbish bread cos they don't rise, but are ok for pizza bases.

If I missed anyone the other day, congrats on all the good news re jobs, exams, dealing with the high ups, etc..... smashing to have some good news amongst the impending gloom! :j

Girding my loins to hand in my notice at weekend job today; expect they'll be surprised, will hate to leave, but the high ups in the council who fiddled and changed my job beyond belief won't give a monkeys.

Anyone else noticed their SM having lots of YS things? In our town there have been LOADS this last week or 2 - I wonder what's going on!

A xo

fuddle

Are we due winds pops?

Speaking of slugs and snails Mar we appear to have something that leaves a trail visiting us in the living room overnight!:eek: I have no idea where it's coming from as the trail only appears mid carpet journey :mad: Any idea what I can do?

Mrs_Chip

Ooh Mar, be careful, you will have GQ hoofing up there stabbing at you with something pointy:rotfl:. Same here re weather, rain and wind and nothing like August! Weather forecast has already been revised for tomorrow, so not so good for kayaking and rain all week again :(.

Pops, anything in tins and packets tends to last for ages (and in some cases years) passed 'sell by' dates, which are just for guidance. 'Use by' are the more important ones on perishable food, but even then if your senses tell you the food is ok it probably is. I have used unopened cream several weeks after it's use by and it had been fine. Meat you must be careful with, but as long as it has been stored properly it should be fine a few days after the use by, but give it a good visual and a sniff.

As GQ said, sometimes stuff is off before the date, so always best you use your own judgement not just follow the dates.

Sometimes meat can smell a bit when you get it out of plastic, I generally wash and smell again - if it is ok after a quick wash I use it, if not it gets chucked.