make do and mend for tougher times

Possession

mardatha wrote: »

Where is GreyQueen? Has anybody seen her??

I think she said she was taking a week's holiday.

kidcat

Possession wrote: »

I think she said she was taking a week's holiday.

Yes she said she couldnt give out any details but there was no bushcraft involved this time!!

Managed to shift DD17 bedroom around last night, dismantled old bed and moved furniture around, all it needs now is electrician to sort electrics and then the new bed can be built and its all done. But I am in so much pain today, its frustrating that whenever we do anything like this I always pay for next few days.

DD6 has had to visit GP as she has acquired a water infection, they now want a sample to confirm by 2pm - was hoping to take kids to nature reserve for some duck feeding - but if she wont deliver (and so far she is refusing) then we cant go. We all sitting waiting for her to go the toilet!

elona

kidcat

Have you tried running the taps? Or pouring water from one jug to another? The sound of the water is supposed to make us want to spend a penny.

Have written out the Dan Lepard recipe for soft rolls and going to try to make it once dd has gone out and I have the kitchen to myself.

Feel very daring trying to make dough myself as I usually do this in the panny and then bake it. Need to defrost something like mince for tonight and possibly use up courgettes and mushrooms for home made soup or soups.

Does any else find it impossible to find foil dishes to bake tiny pies or quiches in? I used to get them from local small supermarket or a pound shop but can't find them anywhere now unless it is for more than double the price.

Hug to all

lisakay_2

Kidcat, I hope she goes soon!
I hope the tummy upsets have subsided x
Gailey, I know exactly how you feel, every month is a struggle and we do feel the pressure. We make sure we sit down and talk regularly and look at ways together that we can cut back (although DH wasn't supposed to find out that I stretch the mince with oats, lol). He is currently moaning because i bought him cheap deodorant instead of lynx and it leaves white marks.
we have agreed to get rid of sky tv (i need to ring them later).
his favourite inch thick rump steaks are a thing of distant memory.
I've started(just) to try home made wine to see if that's drinkable rather than pay £4 for a bottle. off to the lotty shortly to pick more rhubarb:beer:.
our main outgoing is debts there's 2yrs left to pay on a loan and after that i reckon we're home free, if we last that long;).


I'm feeling very OS today. I have made the best pastry I have ever made, using Ald* cheap baking fat, and made mini pasties with the leftover chilli from last night.
made cheese straws with the leftover pastry.
I have washed and chopped 5kg of rhubarb and coated it in sugar in the fermenting bucket, got all the bedding washed and on the line.
I'd best get dressed now:D

edt. B****r, B****r, B****R!!!! not at all old style, lost track of my days and forgot to go to my little cleaning job! only an hour a week, how flipping stupid. just rang her and it's ok to go tomorrow. I think she likes the company and much as she needs the cleaning doing. grrrr, can't believe I forgot!! will now have to get up early in the morning, and on my birthday too

stiltwalker

The kids must have been tired from yesterday as they both slept in this morning. Not unusual for DD but DS is more of an early bird. I'm sure DD is practising to be a teenager as when I finally drew the curtains on her a 10 am she lifted up her head and said "no mummy, sleeping" and put her head back down!! So I put her little brother on the bed and let him kiss her!

Started on the new bags last night - cut half of the patterns out then cut one bag out to start on.

Off to our group after lunch and OH has to feed the vampires when he finishes work so a nice cheap day. Car in for it's MOT tomorrow so that won't be! I know we need something to do with the suspension at the back - already had a quote for £180 - but apart from that I'm hoping we'll be ok. This is the first car we've had that we are pretty sure will go through an MOT - we've had some right bangers! - and I must say it helps the stress levels.

Got the appointment through for DD for wheelchair services finally but not holding out much hope that they will be able to offer us anything suitable. A little birdie tells me they don't 'do' double buggies - not lot of help if you have 2 then? Might be different now DS has a diagnosis too but I think the best I'll get will be a voucher towards something - oh well best get researching again then and checking my grants lists again.

VJsmum

Morning all. Back at work but it's quiet as the grave here. There are supposed to be 30 of us and so far there are 5. Might be an early dart for me - actually need to buy some cheap ready made curtains, do Primarni sell them? i could nip out in my lunch break (lunch break - that's a laugh usually but could manage it today). I've tried Dune!m, A$da, Mata!an, H0mebase, and they are either horrid or too dear.

Bl00dy administrators are getting on my wick - so unsymapathetic to some students' genuine cases of hardship and will not bend the rules. No bosses here to override them and so this poor student is going to have her marks capped. It annoys me as she is having issues with depression - if she'd broken a leg they'd have agreed to defer her submission.

And breathe..

As GQ isn't around, can i gloat about my runner beans? I have TONS of them. Mahoosive ones - some are at least 10" long (ooh err, missus). OH hadn't picked any while we were away. I have two big bags full in the freezer and a load that still need picking. I have some borlotti beans as well and a fair few tomatoes coming along. My mini sweetcorn is a bit too mini - after seeing it 8' high in the states it seems a bit pathetic! I won't get any maize mazes out of that. I think there are probably spuds in the ground but am a bit scared to check after all the rain - they may have rotted. OH hasn't eaten the salad greens and that seems to have bolted, I may just get it all out and resow some. He has actually done wonders in the garden in our absence. It was very overgrown in parts and the patios were dreadful. it's all clear now and patios are jet washed and resanded. We have a large area under a mature beech tree to fill up again - any suggestions? it is very dry and pretty much in constant shade.

The big announcement has been delayed, maybe Sir xxxxxxx has some influence after all? :cool:

Mrs_Chip

Here's a recipe from the Dorset Homebrew website for Rice and Raisin wine. It is dead easy to make and makes a nice white wine for not too much outlay.

Rice and Raisin Wine
Makes 1 Gallon/ 6 bottles


2 Ib. Raisins
2lb Rice
2lb Sugar
1 Gallon water
Juice of 1 Orange and 1 Lemon
General purpose yeast

Dissolve the sugar by bringing to the boil in 1 pint of water.
Allow to cool and pour over the rice and raisins (do not chop or
mince the raisins) in a fermentation bucket.

Then add the lemon and orange juice, plus a further 6 pints of
cool water and stir in the yeast.

Cover and leave in a warm place for fourteen days, stirring daily.

Strain through a muslin into a 1 gallon demijohn, top up with
cooled boiled water, fit an airlock and bung and leave to finish
fermentation.

The wine is ready for drinking straight away, however if not
drinking within 2 months, add a crushed Campden tablet and
the wine can then be left for up to a year.

lisakay_2

ooooh, thanks for that recipe mrs chip. will start that one off later as well have everything in for it already

how much yeast do you add??

fuddle

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Here's a recipe from the Dorset Homebrew website for Rice and Raisin wine. It is dead easy to make and makes a nice white wine for not too much outlay.

Rice and Raisin Wine
Makes 1 Gallon/ 6 bottles


2 Ib. Raisins
2lb Rice
2lb Sugar
1 Gallon water
Juice of 1 Orange and 1 Lemon
General purpose yeast

Dissolve the sugar by bringing to the boil in 1 pint of water.
Allow to cool and pour over the rice and raisins (do not chop or
mince the raisins) in a fermentation bucket.

Then add the lemon and orange juice, plus a further 6 pints of
cool water and stir in the yeast.

Cover and leave in a warm place for fourteen days, stirring daily.

Strain through a muslin into a 1 gallon demijohn, top up with
cooled boiled water, fit an airlock and bung and leave to finish
fermentation.

The wine is ready for drinking straight away, however if not
drinking within 2 months, add a crushed Campden tablet and
the wine can then be left for up to a year.

I like the sound of that MrsC. I have a demijohn but haven't used it since I gave up alcohol but I know I will miss my Saturday nights tipple when the dark night draw in. I'm going to give this one a go

How many oz in 1lb? Sorry I'm a g/kg gal but I can work with oz

boultdj

16 oz in a lb fuddle