make do and mend for tougher times

fuddle

I wonder if all our bulbs go in the same week :rotfl:

I managed toast in the halogen so that will do until I can get a new toaster. A toaster is a must in our house.

Had some bad news today. Our library is going to go to a 2 day week with some hours on a Saturday. I suppose I should be pleased that I can still access my library but shesh, 2 days for something that is so important to each and every generation. At least it's not been closed, that's the positive

bluebag

Tink_04 wrote: »

My SC is still a mystery im afraid. I always have it on just low - I brown stuff first then put it all in on low I try not to use gravy granuals although they thicken it up its too much salt for DD so try to avoid them I know you can use flour but it tends to go lump for me - think ill try the Knorr stock and adding extra herbs for flavour.

I use about 5 teaspoons of porrige oats to thicken most things in the slow cooker, about 10 mins before I serve it, I put it on high add the raw oats and stir it well in.

No salt or fat and thickens it up nicely without lumping or making it too thick, I started to use it to keep the salt and cholesterol down for my hubby.

I hardly ever brown stuff before putting in the slow cooker (lazy is my middle name) I just chuck it all in ! I only brown meatballs, and thats to stop them falling apart.

Hope that helps.

prepareathome

Meme only thing is you discovered you were not so far ahead in credit now instead of middle of winter so still time to plan ahead and you have your oven.

Oven is big (12lt) a 17lt would be to big for just hubby and me. This one will hold enough for full meal nicely.

The recipe book is nice but as usual they give all more unusual recipes but I like to get basics and adapt ( I did same with sc Tink) so done a search and found a site that gave them. 200c seems to be average temp for chicken and 180/190c for beef it just the cooking times that varied and I will find out them as I go.

I have been so busy with my own doings I have not said Hello and welcome to those newbies and delurkers lovely to meet you all.

Together we will face whatever the government throws at us and survive. We will make do and Mend and Mend:rotfl:

fuddle

lentils are added to mine to thicken, same difference I guess. I do use gravy granules though. Spag bol might be a good one to try in there, or maybe a chilli?

Tink I'm self taught too. Everything I know is from here or you tube or reading books from the library. I'm no where near at the competent cook stage yet but the meals I do do, I do them well now. Practise and determination

I'm thinking about houses. Houses round here that are 3 bedrooms jump up about 40 or 50k. Do any of you know of teenage girls/girls in their early 20's that share a bedroom. I have seen many a two double bedroom house round here for £89k. I don't want or need anything fancy, just my home By the way... you have years to reply, look how much mortgage deposit I have saved :rotfl:

prepareathome

fuddle wrote: »

I wonder if all our bulbs go in the same week :rotfl:

I managed toast in the halogen so that will do until I can get a new toaster. A toaster is a must in our house.

Must try toast tomorrow.......I have carefully put my spare bulb away. I ordered the cookie and biscuit maker - its quite large and will make a few at once - hopefully make some tomorrow and cook them in Scarlet and they had put its box in a padded envelope so put the spare bulb in that, wrote on what it is and stored it with all my bulbs(on top of double wall cupboard)

Hugs and Lovexxxx

Possession

Stiltwalker it's good that your two are good-natured about their squabbling. Even with DS out with a friend for 4 hrs, we've had some humdingers today and an unfortunate injury when they decided to play Tae Kwon Do after seeing the Olympics and DD got a little enthusiastic and floored DS on the trampoline.
Tomorrow I'm looking after two of their friends for the day, same as last week and hoping it doesn't all end in tears. The summer holiday is definitely in that middle phase!

Pooky

Fuddle - I shared a room with my sister until I left home, didn't do me any harm (some might not agree ). Some two bedroom places have the scope to convert lofts/build extensions in years to come.

Just heard on the news about the crop failures in USA, the knock on effect looks like it will be worldwide.

grandma247

Fuddle years ago no one questioned kids sharing a room. It was normal.
It can be good for them They learn how to get on with each other and consequently other people.

It may well be that we will see kids sharing again because people will not be able to afford bigger homes.

When we lived in the south we had a two bedroom flat and five kids. 3 girls,2 boys (one a baby) . Oldest son 16 had smallest bedroom, girls 8,9,14 shared the largest bedroom and dh and I had a bed settee in the living room. Baby either shared our bed or went in his cot in the dining room. We all managed fine. We lived like that for a couple of years till we lost the flat due to the recession. Before that we lived in a caravan for 7 months so the flat seemed big in comparison.

kidcat

Fuddle - I think sharing gets harder the older they get, however there are so many things to consider and it may well be worth thinking outside the box.
Firstly if you bought a two bed now or in near future you could sell it and move before your girls get older.
Second if you bought a two bed you could split the largest bedroom in half, building a dividing wall and doorway doesnt cost much at all.
If you can find somewhere with decent sized kitchen and a separate dining room you could in future use the dining room as bedroom instead.
Of course you could also consider loft conversion or if you had a garage then convert that.

Can you tell I spent ages considering how to fit us all into a house that did not have enough bedrooms - when we were buying I fully expected to buy a three bed and have to find a way to increase the number of bedrooms. We were exceptionally lucky that we were in fact able to buy a four bed that had a large enough living room that was shaped in such a way it was incredibly easy to section an area off and create the fifth room - it cost us £300. Apparently it adds £10k to the value - but I dont care, it means that each of the kids get a room of their own.

The boys having their own room is not a luxury its essential - some days I cannot have them in any room together (today being one) at all, so sharing a room is just not possible.
The girls have so much to deal with that making them share seemed so wrong, DD17 needs the space and peace to study whilst DD6 needs a space she can take her friends to away from the boys.

Dont give up Fuddle you will get there, you are so strong and resourceful it will happen. When you have a deposit keep an eye out for properties being sold by developers as part ex, they are usually desperate to turn them over very quickly and have made so much on the new build they will take a loss on the part ex just to be rid, (we did that)

Possession

Enjoying hearing everyone's halogen adventures.
Fuddle plenty of girls share. You can only do what you can do, and there is always something better if you just had a bit more money, whether you're buying a one bed house or a six bed house. It's admirable that you're so determined and I'm sure you'll get there.
Right off to bed as DD didn't go to sleep until 11.45 last night, I discovered my friend had let here have 2 cokes. BIG mistake.