make do and mend for tougher times

westcoastscot

Spikey thanks, I appreciate you going to the trouble for me.
Can I ask another question? I don't have an ice-cream maker - have made it by hand in the past but wondering if they are good, and if so which make is best??? I can see a lot more ice-cream making in the future now the vegan recipes have changed.
Thanks, wcs

GreyQueen

Pooky wrote: »

GQ - to some extent my DH was one of the smug ones, having missed maybe 5 days work in his entire life due to sickness, his career was that important that he'd struggle in come hell or high water but the car accident that has left him in this state was something completely out of his control (he was a passenger in a car with two cars going into the back of them). He was horrified that he'd have to claim benefits but as he has a family he's had to bite his tongue, fill in the forms and accept that life is as it is just now. Luckily we had provision to help us out and we are not totally reliant on the benefit but he's entitled to it on a contributions based level so why shouldn't he receive it. Hard going though when you've been brought up with a work ethic that makes it hard to admit you can't, at this time, provide for your family.

I think the targets are wrong, target the work shy, those who've never done a days work in their life, not those like my wonderful hubby that would, given the opportunity be at his desk doing what he does best. But who wants to employ a 42 year old with severe pain, mobility issues, debilitating muscular spasms, bladder issues, severe depression, neurological and neuro psychological problems and neck and lumber disc prolapses?

Rant over

Hi Pooky, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles and I hope you don't think I was "having a go". As a CAB adviser I once assisted a gentleman's daughter; the gent had gone out for a drive and there was a catastrophic car accident (not his fault either) and pffttt, everything changes in a heartbeat and someone with 20 years of well-paid employment ahead of him and a comfortable retirement to anticipate is left crippled and unable to work and in a world of pain. It can happen to anyone, ourselves personally or to someone we know.

Taurusgb, lovely to see you back with us and good luck for your latest round of tests. Glad I'm still making you laugh.

:eek: I had my own personal brown envelope moment with the Tax Credits yesterday when I came in from work. I'd advised them of a change in my circs (1 hour more work a week) and was expecting a new notice reducing my disabled WTC by a similar amount that I'd gained. What I got was a letter saying they'd stopped my benefits and that they wanted over £1k back! No explanation of how they'd arrived at this decision. I was pretty sure from my knowledge of WTC that it was completely wrong but I still had to find what they'd done, and why, and challenge it.

I spent the best part of an hour shaking and tearful and finally got thru to a nice lady on the Helpline who checked it and the person who'd processed my change had ended my employment. She's undone the error and was very apologetic and it should be OK now but I don't trust them to do that properly, not after this. I shall put in a written appeal anyway, and send it registered post, to protect my claim.

I was a physical and emotional wreck as a result of this and went crashing into bed at 9 pm and am still shaken. I'm blessed that I'm spared anxiety and depression and other mental health problems on the top of my physical ones, but what if I hadn't been so fortunate? Some vulnerable person might have done themselves some serious harm...............

:mad: Grrr! It's long been recognised that the greatest cause of stress in life is those things we cannot control and the benefits system is high on that list.

Anyway, another day, another dollar and there are things to do. I didn't get out yesterday to pick over the potatoes in the lottie shed as was a wreck who could barely move, so will do that this evening, hopefully. I have to get on top of the tatties as they got blighted and it is in some of the tubers. In times of trouble, we have to focus on the important stuff and you need to make sure that the stores are in place.

Have a good day, everyone. GQ x

Possession

Sorry you had such a shock GQ, but well done for fixing it!

2 extra children with me today, while I'm supposed to be working and DH wants to concentrate on working for his job interview tomorrow. Should be fun! *Doing a little sun dance*

katieowl_2

kidcat wrote: »

Katie - if the flat is that bad call the environmental health dept, they can either force the work or negate any contract I believe, no one should have to live like that, and if its making them ill they should get to see their GP and have it noted on the file.

Alternatively we could send PAH and GQ to sort them out

Well I send OH round there, and he and DS took the mouldy paper off the walls and sprayed it with mould killer. Other DD went round with her camera earlier and took loads of 'before' photos. OH and the BF opened up the boxed in pipes and the main pipe down from the flat upstairs (loo and bath water mixed) IS leaking. LL didn't show last night, but he called and said he didn't 'say' he would come, and he's gone back to leicester :mad: He's going to call the BF at other DD's at 10am this morning (they have got a land line) older DD and BF won't have phone until end of Aug, and they have no reception, which isn't helping matters.

OH says he'll give them a couple of days work to sort out some of the bad stuff and make it liveable. BF can sort the plumbing, but obviously needs access to the other flat, and some agreement to be reached about costs when he speaks to the landlord :mad: Grrrr - that's all!!!

Kate

katieowl_2

fuddle wrote: »

. Been browsing the sewing patterns on sewdirect and found that they had 50% sale on butterick patterns. I have placed my first order of £1.50 with free P&P for I realise hardly stylish but I'd use the jacket out walking the dog and the gilet indoors. Anyway, I can make it stylish with some lovely fleece fabric, thinking a sage for the jacket as will match my wellies. Hoping that I can alter the pattern to make children's ones too. Happy I can begin down the road of learning how to make my own clothes

Edit: scrap the sage, red it is as Asda have fleece blankets for £2.89

Really like that pattern Fuddle. I live in fleece waistcoats, and although I have several, I really like the long sleeved top in the pic. Wanders over to buy a pattern....


Kate

katieowl_2

I can't find it Fuddle....do you have a pattern number???

Kate

grandma247

Pah in our next house I have decided on a wall mounted oven. We had a good gas oven here but it was expensive to run for some reasn. It was one with a drawer at the bottom and an eye level grill. It also had a glass door. I liked it but because it ran away with gas my daughter offered us her brand new one when she moved house. I absolutely hate it. It is cheaper on gas but that is it. It takes forever to do a roast dinner with yorkshires and roast potatoes. It is also close to the floor which is painful for me having arthritis and I feel it is dangerous to lift from so far down. The door opens side to side whereas my old one had a drop down door so I could rest something heavy on it to get hold of it properly..
When I got my compensation from my car accident I bought a Remoska from fleabay. I hardly use the oven at all now but will be doing soon to do some biscuits. The Remoska will cook them but I have to stand over it because they quickly go from ready to overdone. Cakes are fine though.

Taurus I hope all goes well today and your mind is put at ease.

Fuddle is it possible for you to put a regular little amount in a credit union if you have one? I have a standing order to add to mine and because I never see the money in the bank I don't miss it. Or you could put it in a savings account. Even if at the end of a year it is only £260 (based on £5 a week) you would be able to get a loan from a credit union for an emergency.

I have never been a folower of fashion since I think it is a money pit. That style will be good in ten years or more while a lot of stuff is out of fashion in less than a year, go for simple clean classic lines every time and you will have a wardrobe that you will wear out rather than throw out. Standard coats hardly ever seem to change much. Have you ever noticed how little mens suits change?
Quote[
Fuddle:- Fear...That is what your experiences have taught you. You will always react to it, it's a learned memory thing. It's hard to accept it as part of you because you don't want it. In time you will learn not to beat yourself over the head with it and realise that it has taught you to survive and given you the chance to show your self your ability to cope. Anyone who could look at those patterns and think..fleece!... A*da red ones! shows a great depth of thinking laterally. It's that sort of thinking that is going to keep your family safe over the next few years.
Our shower broke, and we rigged one out of a hose pipe, shower head, 12v pump and a bucket, until we could afford another one. Friends could not understand how we thought of it. Easy..Necessity is the the Mother of invention! You are learning how true that saying is!]


That is so true. Meme well done on the invention:)


((hugs)) GQ. I hope you feel better today.
So many can not do their job properly now. Goodness knows how keeping kids in education for longer is going to help, many don't even want to be there at 14. People years ago like your parents and myself left school at 15 or earlier and learned to work and do their job right.

The sun Is shining but I have to work inside today I hope I can get out for a little while though.

Molly41

Hope you feel steadier today Grey Queen. I dont know how people working for HMRC and DWP sleep at night knowing the effects of the brown envelopes that they send. i think they hide behind their corporate identity :eek::eek::eek:

Hope you all have a good day x

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies, just want to say you have all been through the mill one way and another over the past few days and I'm thinking of each and every one of you and sending out as many hugs as I can and the biggest 'hoping that it will improve' that it is possible to send you all. You'll weather your own personal storms I'm sure but life seems to be particularly spiteful at the moment doesn't it? Keep your collective peckers up Cheers Lyn and the Lurcher xxxxx.

SDG31000

Morning all

katieowl It's not your family's job to fix the landlord's house. I suggest getting Enviromental Health out to inspect the house while it is in the worst state possible and before you have fixed the problems. The house sounds uninhabitable and they can force the landlord to make repairs/say that the contract is void due to the condition of the house.

GQ I hope you are feeling better this morning, that must have been such a shock. ((((((((((hugs))))))))))

Today I'm trying to think of something to do to occupy myself as I'm feeling flat and generally bleugh. I'm dosing myself up with Vit D and multi-vitamins and doing my best to give myself a shake and to get moving. I have £7.50 to my name for this week so no chance to go out galavanting. I need some peppers for the chilli I'm making for dinner, but don't want to go shopping for the sake of it. Not sure if that makes any sense, but hopefully someone gets what I mean.

Lidl have steak and salami on offer this weekend and I'm thinking of things to make with the steak. I think I need to use it and then freeze what I make rather than just putting it straight in the freezer and then forgetting to defrost it and having to think about what to cook when I'm not feeling 100% and my brain doesn't want to function. Any suggestions will be gratefully received. It's labelled as quick fry steak, but people in the food and grocery forum bit have said it can be a bit tough and is more suitable for slow cooking.

Ok, kick up the bottom time for me and time to find something useful to do.

Take care xxx