make do and mend for tougher times

fuddle

Oh Kate I really feel for you. Other people's stress but your stress because you care for them dearly. I think it means twice as much stress on you But , being a toughie, you'll get this sorted for them and I would have to agree that you have to do this properly and no more staving off the big guns. This guy obviously has many properties and and doesn't take his basic, and I mean basic, responsibilities seriously. I believe it is a health issue and as this guy seems like he would take your family for every penny they have got, your family needs to make sure this guy learns his lessons as a landlord. Did you say he did not even have the relevant checks in place - electricity safety certificate? I may have read that elsewhere. If this is the case he should be running scared not being a a$$. He needs to learn his lessons. Just sorry it's you havin to do it.

Kittikins

fuddle - I only drink UHT skimmed milk, and love it (mind you, I was brought up on it....). If you have a Co$tco card, the best is the Candia in my opinion. You can get it in normal supermarkets, but its more expensive. I think at C'co it works out the same price as the Smart Price stuff but is tastier. HTH

Mrs_Chip

Morning Everyone!

(((Hugs))) to everyone going through the mill at the mo, esp SGD and Kidcat.

Well done Mr F for the fishing, sort of foraging in a roundabout way!
I have just purchased a hand-line for trolling mackerel when we are out on the kayaks, about as much chance of catching anything as flying, but can but try!

Two days off now until we work again Wednesday evening (always a lot of prep to do during the day on a workday) and we are off to see Ice Age film in Cardy. Will do a bit of foraging of our own in the shops before hand, don't get a chance to mooch around the shops these days.

Hope everyone has a good day!

ETA: Kate, just read your post - so sorry it is all still carp with you. How many bags/stuff - we have got a bit of space if you need somewhere else to store things so you can use the B&B?.

SpikyHedgehog

fuddle wrote: »

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.

As a vegetarian, I use lentils instead of mince already, so use oats as needed :-) I have used frozen vegetarian mince, but its expensive, & I don't use dried tvp mince as often as I should (mainly because I lost the last pack in the very messy cupboard) but that's also nice & cheap & bulks up well.

I was thinking about your frozen milk the other day - we use soya milk & I get long life so only give fridge space to the open cartons. I've not had milk from the milk man for ages (doh! cos he doesn't deliver soya ;-) ) but that did come up more than supermarket milk, but I'm sure its worth finding out how much it would be. I think I'd get in a couple of uht cartons & see what you all think of them - it could be you could use them on cereals & for cooking & keep fresh milk for the girls to drink?

katieowl wrote: »

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

Oh, well if its nothing to do with the letting agent, I'm sure he won't be getting any money from the renting. How ridiculous! Of course he has some liability! When I was renting privately, the letting agents held the gas check certs etc so they could show tenants the properties had been checked.

grandma247

Fuddle please don't give your children skimmed milk. They need the fat in milk to process calcium for their bones. The UHT will be fine for you and dh. If you are at all concerned about their fat intake cut down on other fats.

There has been a lot of controversy over the years but I believe that there is nothing wrong with any natural food unless you consume huge quantities of it. I am concerned that we can only seem to get homogenized pasturized milk now.

whole milk fat also contains fat soluble vitamins and minerals.


Extract
Children need milk
Milk is essential for a child. Children start by being breast-fed, then they get the bottle and, from the age of one, they are ready for normal whole milk. Whole milk contains important nutrients for growing: high-value protein, valuable milk fat, milk sugar, which is a source of energy, and high-value calcium for teeth and bones. Children should have whole milk, as it is rich in valuable fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids. Milk products with less than 1.5 percent fat are no use because they do not have enough fat-soluble vitamins.

fuddle

Oh gawd, thanks grandma. I plough on as I have been then. I don't want to risk my little ones bone health. See, the wealth of knowledge here is second to non.

So plan is, half the amount of frozen cartons in the freezer for the kids and UHT for DH and I. I can still claw back some freezer space so that is great.

Also just checking. I have defrosted mince to batch cook 4 meals. Once cooked I can re-freeze the mince mixture can't !? Having a wobble and doubting my knowledge.

Possession

Yes you can refreeze once cooked Fuddle.
Kate I'm sorry the LL is being a total ****** (insert word of your choice).
I would definitely get the big guns out now - or rather DD should. Hopefully an official agency being involved, and being informed LL does not have the relevant electrical certification should force his hand.

Kittikins

Eeeek! that's scary, I didn't know that, think I might have to look into the full fat milk for DD....

cutestkids

I was advised by my health visitor that children should have full fat milk up until the age of 5 minimum after this then semi skimmed is fine but skimmed is not really suitable for children at all.

I have just changed from full fat to semi skimmed in the last few months for all of us and my youngest is almost 7.

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

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.

You'll be fine...even without the exercise...smaller portions...you'll get used to it. The other thing sadly...a cake etc...higher calories(enjoyable)but won't fill you so you'll still be hungry. A full meal probably the same amount of calories(or less)but your tummy will be filled.