make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

My slow cooker ain't that slow...I used the slightly higher temperture and the lamb, roast potatoes and etc...have cooked in at least two hours possibly quicker...I haven't even got around to the halogen oven or used the combi micro...

Looks like I am going to be able to use cheaper cuts of meat when money gets tighter:)

Found some more theatre shows to go to:pgoing to buy the tickets now and put the taxi fares aside so if money stops or gets tight I can still go and see them next year. Some are in September/October and some are in January/March next year...the theatre is a little further away but that only adds another £3 on the taxi journey compared to the local theatre...

GreyQueen

elona wrote: »

kidcat

Definately complain.

GQ

Could you move the stash of tomatoes and hide under the bed?

kidcat wrote: »

elona - now hang on a minute, evict the tomatoes from under the bed:eek::eek: what happens if they get hit by stray bullet:D keep them safe under the bed GQ - hide in the wardrobe instead!!:D


ETA - wheres katie and her grand goggie pics? Has she posted since?

LMAO, if you could only see my bed; the side rails only have 10" clearance above the floor and I'm a substantial lass so wouldn't be able to get under there, tommies or no tommies. And I don't have a wardrobe. If bullets are flying the safest place to hide is a bath tub, actually.

kidkat that was an atrocious experience for your children and you and your OH. Complain. Complain lots.

Well, nothing else went bump in the night so I went to bed and slept well. Can't do late hours on a work night. Can't do late hours on a non-work night, come to think of it.

Some of my neighbours have serious mental health issues and some are just lazy so-and-so's. Most are perfectly OK. When I got allocated this flat many moons ago, people who knew me looked askance. It was a case of "Shoebox Towers?! Isn't that a bit.....you know.......rough?" Like I was living on Easy Street beforehand - NOT.

My response was that the neighbourhood had just improved; I'm not a drug dealer, prossie, thief, street-brawler or anti-social s0d. But some of those people across the river in the Posh Flats really get on my wick because they're sooooo snooty at neighbourhood meetings. We're not all scuzzy just because we don't have enough money to buy a flat or a house in a nice neighbourhood.

Well, I could be going a but of ironing but as I already have a flat item to wear for w*rk, I shall leave that for later.

Have a good day, people.

ETA Pops, if you're only going to be sewing up trouser hems after shortening, you won't need a sewing machine. If you use one, you'll have a line of stitching which although is usual on jeans and some casual trousers isn't the done thing on dress trousers. What you need to do is turn the hem under and press with the iron, through a damp cotton hankie if you're pressing something like polyester. Then turn them inside out and using a hand sewing needle, lightly stitch down the hem using a "whip stitch" with a tiny little bit showing on the good side. This will give an undetectable alteration. I have shortened a lot of trousers in my time.

For sewing, the deployment of the iron is as important as the actual stitching in terms of getting a good result.

fuddle

Good morning

An email this morning says my halogen oven has been dispatched I wonder how long it takes to come no more than 10 miles?

I have put on 2lbs before even managing to loose any weight :eek: If I didn't have the school walks or the fast paced (not kids paced :cool: ) dog walks then I would be in a right mess with my weight. Really going to get to it with my eating.

I've made myself a cleaning rota. Today is kitchen cleaning day. The oven and fridge are destined for a de-yuk.

Kids. I'm tired now. Running out of things to do with them. MIL is taking them for the day on Friday for me but that seems so far away at the moment.

Money. Going to get a list of our direct debits, sit down and shave, shave, shave. DH agrees he wastes too much money on work lunches and fancies the idea of leftovers and a pud daily. More organising on my part but not much.

Off to a birthday party later for a 4 year old. I really don't want to go but have to.

As you can see I've lost a bit of my sparkle this morning. I do hope it comes back as there's nothing worse than a moaning Minnie :cool:

mardatha

Fuddle you always sparkle pet I couldn't do anything like as much as you. I have to tackle one thing at a time - like the money, or the food. One thing per day is my limit or at very very most two things on a good day. How are the socks coming on? I finished my first pair of xmas sockypocks yesterday and am so pleased that's 1 pair done - usually I'm knitting like a tornado all of December lol cos nothing is ready.

fuddle

A couple of questions if I may?

Looking at batch cooking as a lot of my meals are mince based. I have been bulking out my mince meals with lentils, however I have read that oats can be used effectively too. Which is better nutritionally?

Also, I buy my milk for the month and freeze it in the garage freezer. This takes up an awful lot of room. I can buy 4 litres for £1 so 44p a litre. Smartprice UHT is 49p/litre so slightly more expensive. Do you think it's worth buying this for the month and putting it in store, leaving room in my freezer for bulked meals? In a dilemma here, don't know what to do for the best and actually worried about UHT taste.

jpscloud

fuddle wrote: »

Kids. I'm tired now. Running out of things to do with them. MIL is taking them for the day on Friday for me but that seems so far away at the moment.

Morning toughies, I'm feeling very blah this morning - it may be a duvet day. I am trying to do a bit of washing but even that feels like too much effort. Perhaps 'tis just a chocolate deficiency...

Fuddle, have you done the den making activities yet? We used to amuse ourselves for days on end building ever more fantastic dens with clothes airers, blankets and cushions. We had some epic collapses too, but I don't think the elf and safety problems are too high with that sort of equipment!

Edit: Both lentils and oats have great nutritional benefits. I use lentils myself, as I found oats made the consistency change to more gloopy than I like. Lentils are just right for consistency for me.

fuddle

mardatha wrote: »

Fuddle you always sparkle pet I couldn't do anything like as much as you. I have to tackle one thing at a time - like the money, or the food. One thing per day is my limit or at very very most two things on a good day. How are the socks coming on? I finished my first pair of xmas sockypocks yesterday and am so pleased that's 1 pair done - usually I'm knitting like a tornado all of December lol cos nothing is ready.

Socks are a nightmare Mar my yarn was supposed to be DK but when it came it was a lot thinner so my 4mm double pointed needles are a bit too big. I decided to just try with them to practice, and after a while I have sussed how to knit in the round. I can't get the ribbing right though, I forget all too easily whether I have knitted 1 or purled 1 and I end up with a missmatch.

I was thinking of something like knitting 5 and purl 2 to help me remember but don't know if it would work. So just practising until I can get some 3.25mm double pointers. I'd get them on ebay no problem, just don't want to until I have sussed out this flaming rib.

elisamoose

Just making bread and using hotel type shower caps to cover bowls whilst proving.Can't remember how I know to use them for this but guessing it must have been someone on here!Really can't think it came form any of the other places I haunt on the net ( Norfolk broads,boating,The Archers)

So thanks to whoever it was!

katieowl_2

kidcat wrote: »

elona - now hang on a minute, evict the tomatoes from under the bed:eek::eek: what happens if they get hit by stray bullet:D keep them safe under the bed GQ - hide in the wardrobe instead!!:D


ETA - wheres katie and her grand goggie pics? Has she posted since?

Here I am.... Pictures later today.

It took nearly 12 hours to go and get the Grand-dog. Four hours there, four back and a couple of breaks, including the long one at Hopwood Services where we met the rescue lady. Exhausted. I got home at 11.30pm - WAY PAST my bedtime Sat night.

What can I say. He's got a head like a football, markings like a tiger, mouths you when he gets excited (easily) but he's a lovely natured boy...but DD has already had the neighbour on pit bull alert :mad: DD has now explained to her (while Bodie sat at her feet ignoring this woman's mad yappy small dog) that he's a staff, from a special Staff rescue society, that he was given away because his family lost their house and they had kids, at 18 months he's still very trainable, likes kids and cats etc. and she's a bit miffed that he's so well behaved and her's is bouncing off the walls, barking.

Anyway. Today is other DD's birthday (26) and we are off to CAB as the flat issue is not resolved. I had a bit of a meltdown yesterday, as I'm back to having piles of !!!! all over the house in bags (from their flat) and I've had to stick them in the B&B room for my own sanity, which means I'm going to effectively loose the ability to rent it during the busiest month of the year. I've already had to turn down two bookings. What can you do? :wall:

The a$$hole landlord is apparently sending the builders in today...but we removed all their furniture to storage in town yesterday, and if he thinks they can live in it while that happens around them he is wrong. I think I'm just going to call environmental health in too...that was my threat but he's p'd me off so much now I just want to hit him where it hurts (the wallet apparently)

I sent an e-mail Sat telling them I was booking the kids into B&B and it's going to cost £65 a night, also that we'd be putting in a bill for storage, and cost for transporting them to town. The letting agent says it's nothing to do with him (again - to me this time) and I've told him I'm holding him equally liable, as he has be negligent in making sure the flat was fit to rent. It's going to be another pants week, and I'm so, so, so, so sick of sorting out other peoples lives.

Kate

elisamoose

I know you may have already done this but some local authorities have a housing officer with responsibility for private rentals.In my job I have contacted them when children and families have Problems with repairs or unsanitary conditions.In one case a toilet s leaking into a kitchen for months and the Officer served a repair notice on the landlord giving a short period to get things fixed.He actually moved the family out to another property while he repairs were done. The family had been complaining for months but the LA being involved certainly moved things on.