make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

Well, As when you have washed you are clean, I can understand why towels do not need washing as often and the towel is used only to dry you. So it should not be dirty, just damp/wet.

SDG31000

Evening all

I hope everyone is well, warm, happy and has a more than ample supply of sweeties

Today I got DH to get my Great Auntie Nell's old sewing machine out of the attic. I'm not quite sure how I ended up with it, but I haven't attempted to use it in years. I have been reading about all your wonderful creations and thought I would give it another go. I went to the charity shop earlier in search of fabric and came away with 6 pillow cases for £2 and a pack of two floral tea towels from Poundland. I split one of the pillow cases open and have been practicing sewing straight lines and trying to work out how to use the machine. The manual went walkies years ago so I've been pressing buttons, looping thread in every possible combination and quietly swearing at the thing on occasion. I'm planning on starting slowly with a new peg bag and then a knitting needle holder. I'm hoping to make some curtains for the living room and DS2's bedroom.
I also popped into the library and got The Hairy Bikers pie book and have reserved the new diet book. I figure I'm going to need it after the pie book :rotfl:
Tomorrow I plan on being up bright and early so I can drag DH to Lidl in search of half price steak and salami. I also need some baking stuff as I have said I'll make chocolate cakes for my friend's twin daughter's birthdays. They don't want a party, but have hired a bouncy castle for the day. I plan on going along and having a go

Time to go and sort the kitchen out. Take care everyone xxxxx

jpscloud

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Yes jps, I have two, a small square one and the larger rectangular one with two drawers. They are invaluable as our galley kitchen is very narrow, and we only have a worktop along one wall. These are narrow enough to sit against the back wall and not narrow the walkway too much. I brought the little one with us from London, but left the bigger one behind, which I then regretted, so got another one! They help no end, as I can fit the halogen, dff and bamix on them and all my pots and pans can go on the shelves underneath.

Yes I agree, they are great! I ripped out the falling-apart nasty kitchen cupboards that were here when I bought the house (couldn't really be called a fitted kitchen by any stretch of the imagination anyway) and whitewashed the kitchen.

I now have freestanding trolleys (one from Ikea is also lovely, I will get two more when I can afford them to replace the old pine table which is a temporary measure in the kitchen) and will put up some shelving instead of having traditional kitchen cupboards. I can get away with this being on my own, not sure if it would work for a family though.

fuddle

I look at the kitchen trolleys every time I go in ikea. I like the little wooden one. I would like one but fear it might double up as a skateboard for the dog while I'm out the house!

Yes I fancy the Hairy Dieter's recipe book. It's my birthday in Sept so hopefully I will get some one to gift it me. Also have my eye on some ankle wellies for the school run

kidcat

Pops have you considered putting some money onto supermarket savings cards as well? I know when I considered OH job to be at risk I quickly started adding to my cards as much as I possibly could. I figured that way it would gain the bonus at Christmas but also that I would always have a way of buying food and even household items if times got extra hard.

Have been able to read today from my phone in little bits and pieces but not reply as DS8 has had a "difficult" day. We did kids film this morning £1 per ticket so that was ok but his temperament has gone downhill since. DD6 running amok with her friends is not helping and am planning on reigning her in alot tomorrow to give him time to settle.

We managed finally to attack the hedge today, it looks so much better but has exposed a real potential escape risk we hadnt counted on, so need to secure the area pronto.

Steroids finished and should have gone for xray but the letter the GP gave me to go with has become wet (DS threw his bottle across the car at me) and is illegible so will now need to visit GP again next week to get fresh note.

Mrs_Chip

We have some fitted cupboards here but they are pointless as the cottages here are always damp (there are streams under the foundations and they were built with beach sand full of salt). Everything goes fusty or mouldy :eek:, so I would rip them all out and have trolleys and open shelves above. The in built oven can go too as it is rubbish and I don't need it . The tap is carp and needs a washer but it's not sure how to fix these new fangled ones .

Basically, it all needs to come out and start again!

Popperwell

What a good idea Kidcat...

It's bad time to ask this question being so late but I was prompted by seeing another reference to it elsewhere on the forum...

Have any of you filled in A2 form regarding whether you are entitled to Income Support. I have to send my form back for Tuesday and some people have said if part of the form is highlighted that is unusual...mine is on two sentences...

"You must answer for every item in the list. Tell us about accounts even if they are not in credit" and "How much are you and your partner's savings worth in total"

And in the same thread it mentions that a sentence has been blacked out on the front page "if you wait for more than a month, you could lose some money" but the line "Send This form back as soon as possible" is clear and the covering letter says "don't hand it in to the JC but mail it back in the envelope provided...

Perhaps no one here has had to fill in that form...

I'd go and see the CAB but that would be the day they are supposed to have the form unless one day late won't make any difference...

prepareathome

Well only taken me a couple of hours to catch up 'you've all been quiet today:rotfl:

I eventually fell asleep around 7am and so lost the day:mad: Am now wasting electric as I have 3 lamps on as badly need light - I have a daylight bulb but previous one broke in ceiling holder yep my fault and I need to turn power off to get the bits out as I for life of me cannot remember if light switch is off as in this house each room light switch goes different ways........so must get it done tomorrow

I had written at 6.30am a post to pops saying it was great to hear he was living the high life with his kitcat in bed:rotfl: a man after my own heart, but laptop threw a hissy fit and froze so just gave up and went to bed.

Thankfully hubs looked in slow cooker and saw the sausages so helped himself - I had deliberately made sure some of the sausages were on top as if he looked in and saw only potatoes or veg he would have just made himself a quiche(store bought:o for the days I am not up to cooking but always ys) and he admitted he checked I was asleep and went to chest freezer which lives in hall (no room else where for it as no garage here like last house) and took out a quiche but then went into kitchen and saw what was in sc and he took the correct amount, leaving me just what I wanted....so he was very good.

Fuddle I make dumplings in sc all the time - well I should say when I want dumplings with the meal and its cooked in sc(which so many of my meals are) I always cook them in it and always been fine.

Got everything crossed for Mr F winning.


Just got hubs to help me bring washing in, forgot I had put it out around 8pm as it was sunny,luckily it stayed dry and sunny all day (and I missed it:mad:) so everything dry but rain forecast for during tonight and all tomorrow.

Mardatha the photos are so beautiful and I eventually remembered to give DGD1 the rat soaps and she said her fav colours and she loves them. DGS1 I have been told loves using his in bath and DGD2 will receive hers on her birthday later this month.

I started this post around 8pm tonight but keep getting side tracked by other threads on MSE as they arrive in my inbox........

I hope now to stay up till tomorrow night

Oh just had an email saying my name came out of the hat for a fully working electric Ladies Recliner so will have to see if it will fit in back of car......am thinking no room in bedroom for it just now but eventually dogs will not be here and where their bed is chair can go( as the space will haunt me being empty)....until then it can live in living room and they cost a lot so when I saw it asked for my name to go into the hat....if it won't fit in car will have to hire a small van for an evening next week to collect it as be worth it. Might even sit in living room a bit more often with it there as although Occupational people put raisers under one of my couches for me its still so deep I struggle to get out of it, so if I am in living room I sit on a dining chair so months can go by without me sitting in living room as dining chairs uncomfortable for more than a short time.

Right better post this

prepareathome

I have a wooden trolley at end of kitchen by oven ( as the cupboard underneath contains entertaining dishes so not used often now). Its type with wine rack and two shelves underneath. BM lives on it and oven door still can open down fully. Shelves are where I keep all my baking sheets etc and wine rack does actually have some wine but an expensive bottle of champers I bought to toast son and fianc!e when they came over last year, but she was on antibiotics so it was never opened, they are coming over for Christmas so hoping to open it then, other bottles are usually tonic water or ginger beer which are only soft drinks I like. Trolley at top is thick wood butchers block type and have used it as an extra work top when entertaining and BM is just put away elsewhere. If I had the room I would have another but sadly no more space. If I didn't have to have the inner back door( leads out to downstairs toilet and back door ) I would have room against that wall but rules are that door must stay- I actually like the door as its the original back door from1932 and is so thick, stong and glass is lovely-small panes over half the door.

prepareathome

Still catching up on todays emails and found this from HA subject Subject Access Request

Good afternoon PAH, my apologies if you feel that you have already stated this during your telephone conversation with SM in HA Connect, but I would like if possible some further clarification on exactly what it is you require so that we can respond to your request correctly.

As far as I have been advised, you require access to the data on your file regarding to your interactions with HA. For the purposes of clarity, we can certainly provide you with a print out of all the data we have regarding the repair history for your property this would include a summary of the complete repair history for your property, but we can also be more specific i.e. we can include a particular period of time or records of any specific repair including any notes recorded on the system relating to that repair.

Can you therefore advise me what information you require PAH?

So going to email back stating how I wish everything they have regarding me and hubby on file and see what happens. Woman did send another email later saying she will be on holiday for two weeks so will reply to any emails I send then.

Have 6 calls on the answer phone as well I have not listened to - how come some days phone never goes and day I sleep lots of calls. Hubby never checks answer phone leaves it to me.