make do and mend for tougher times

shegar

Possession wrote: »

Aargh! I have the Great Slug Invasion 2012 on my front lawn. It isn't quite as bad as last year when they were converging on my front door in a Hitchcock-like fashion but there's lots of 'em and they're BIG. Dreading opening the door tomorrow, will have to make sure I don't look anything like Tippi Hendren.
LOTS of rain, which kind of ruins outside summer holiday plans. Hope it will be dry tomorrow so the children can get out.

We too have loads of slugs, when im n the garden and find some I chuck them in the hen run, hens go running around with them in their mouths with 30 odd hens in hot pursuit....:eek::D......
I dont get on here much at all, espeically during the day ,too much going on and always busy.........
Inever get a chance to keep updated with the posts, so sorry to jump in and not comment on previous posts..........

Been beautiful again today, 24 degrees and sunny , hubby went to headway as usual on a Wednesday , so I have to get out on that day, so took 2 grand children to a zoo, had real good hot day busy day, ive come home cream crackered..............

Temperatures should hit 30 degrees at the weekend , got my sons wedding so that will be nice...................

Hubby still waiting for hospital appointment to have a MRI scan on his head, seem to have lots of problems going on and I cant leave him alone at anytime on his own, it took 3 months to get the neuro appoinment, its all wait, wait,wait.........I do take him up hospital this week to have botox , each injection only lasts 2 months so its very much a on going thing........

I know theres other people waiting as well, but when you watch someone so young going downhill so quickly its very worrying, then you over hear a conversation in the supermarket " saying oh my grandmother aged 90 odd is having a hip replacement soon"........!!..at 30 thousand a go............

I dont want to come on here whinging away about our problems , but sometimes its nice to "unload".........

Well my runner beans are coming on nicely and taste so nice, very mouth watering, im watering them madly each evening and the crops keep coming..........:D Got tomatoes coming on nicely too I love them when they are firm and orange, ive been taking the salt pot outside and eating them......:eek:.....lubbly...:DSoon be able to pick my orange pippins , they also look so red and lovely , but I need to leave them til Septembeer really so they are nice and sweet..........Well thats me for now, hope all of you okay................................:)

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

Eeeek! Scary stuff right now. It's very, very scarily dark... and the rain stinks! Seriously the rain here smells of manure. Pops, stick your head out the door and see if the rain smells. Very ominous and we've lost our sky signal.

Think I missed Hairy Bikers Diet. Has show two been on yet?

I thought so MrsL the bags of fruit I get that are frozen go all a bit gloopy when defrosted. Still, better than waking up on day 2 to mouldy strawbs only fit for the bin.

HBD two on last thursday..still available...well done on the start of your weight loss. That was some downpour wasn't Fuddle...it must be bad when Sky's signal goes down...

I had the blinds closed but knew just how bad it was...Malifore seems to have had the same storm too. Maybe lived in our area too.

Cheapskate

Evening folks

Malfiore - try this link, there are some free patterns to download on this site.

http://crossstitcher.themakingspot.com/downloads

A lot of the cross stitch mags have free kits on the front to stitch as well. Your library should have a good selection of books, too. I've done cross stitch for nearly 20 years and love it - I even do a bit for one of the mags!

That DM article just shows how daft some parents are, IMHO. Little, affordable treats are OK (who hasn't bought the odd kids' comic or treats from the ice cream van?) but not umpteen quid on an iphone for a 12 year old, or whatever! :eek: Think I was born a grumpy old woman, cos I never gave in at that level even when we did have money. :rotfl:

A xo

fuddle

There is a new food bank starting in my village. There's a meeting a training event in September for volunteers. I'm going to go help out

SpikyHedgehog

Popperwell wrote: »

That's why I asked...because I don't know what it will come to until I use the electric and gas and that could change each month even if paying a set amount and I want to be right. I hate having to take state help...and yet without it...

Thanks for the ideas about shopping Fuddle...

In fact a lot of what I wrote earlier can be disregarded...I say I can doings now but I keep forgetting when Mum's savings come through my income drops by over half...then I'll be paying full rent, probably full CT and we know that next year there is the bedroom tax and the change to DLA which changes to PIP and no guarantees you'll get it, then if you don't whether you'll go on one of the ESA schemes or JSA or whatever. Then all these changes may mean HB will be affected also.

We also know that IS will be scrapped to so I really have no idea what's going on...hope I can keep a roof over my head. As I really have no family/friends. I couldn't expect Mum's brother in his 80's to take me on...no wonder I worry...

I don't think the CAB could advise me at present because a lot of the changes are up in the air...can't think of anyone else to ask to be perfectly honest, doubt the DWP would even know at present.

My worry is that I will be left with nowhere to live...

Pops, if & when the bedroom tax comes in, it will mean that as you are in a Housing Association house, AND get housing benefit, you will get less than you get now. That will be jolly annoying, & reduce your available income. But it won't mean you HAVE to leave your home unless you want to move to a smaller property. What it does mean is that you should carry on making your home comfy & prepared for you - get the carpets done, get a new sofa, get electric blankets & have your food stores. Find out about a mobility scooter.

fuddle wrote: »

If you avoid the fact that there's plastic pegs and state of the art Ikea Irma fleece this would be OS play My two making a teapea out of branches.

What a lovely photo! I miss those days, with the 7&1/2 years between the boys, they don't just play much. I looked after Dear Nephew 1 from when he was 18 months to 8 years, & there's less than 9 months between him & DS1, so they just played so well together.

We're home from Kessingland, had a good time away but good to be home. We'd got the caravan through someone mum works with, or we'd not have been in 1! So didn't find out much about the site before we went. Another time, we'll do a bit more research - as it was a Park Resort, the pools are only open at certain times, & you have to pay to do the activities at the other times. I'm sure it's great if you want entertainment on site, but if you want a base to come back to for a swim after a days' exploring, there's better sites.

I've got 3 loads of washing done, now finishing on the clothes horse & in the airing cupboard, & all bags unpacked. Made bread, & hotpot for dinner (linda mac sausages, onion, herbs, tin each of tomatoes, beans & potatoes) with dumplings in. first time we've put tinned potatoes in it, & they really tasted fine. Errant husband came round to see the boys, & the girlfriend hadn't fed him, so I put some hotpot in the microwave for him. Luckily I'd covered it, as the potatoes exploded!

Now soaking in the bath while boys watch football (insert yawning smily here ;-) )!

VJsmum

shegar wrote: »

Well my runner beans are coming on nicely and taste so nice, very mouth watering, im watering them madly each evening and the crops keep coming..........:D

SHH - GQ will be back soon and she'll be jealous. I've had runner beans 10" long

Hmm, we come out of that Daily Fail article quite well. My 2 13-15 year olds have a mobile phone, some DVD's and x box games (but they buy them out of pocket money) and clothes - but nothing especially designer - y (i will admit to a couple of Hollister things for DD - can't stand the place myself, you need a torch and ear plugs just to walk round)

So, Christmas and the New Year will be an interesting time for us with regards to OH's job. But we have been in this position before and survived. Hopefully we have enough in place to be OK even if his job does disappear. I think he would be happier if it did, so we shall see.

Popperwell

Thank you for that reassurance Spikey...

If I can survive on less...things change when you are not of working age, if I eat frugally and save on heaying etc...cut some journeys by taxi I may be able to absorb the BT...

Remember how some on here have said they want to change some things in their lives?

This looks interesting...

http://www.hipandhealthy.co.uk/

Sad that another food bank is needed but well done you Fuddle getting involved...

fuddle

Thanks for the online magazine link pops it looks right up my street.

I've got to get involved with it. I can't see how I can just not. It's everything I stand for and who knows, one day I might just need the help myself. Every item they need on their shopping list, I have in abundance in my cupboard. To give a few pence of food and some of my spare time, well it it will be good for my soul.

Malfiore

Cheapskate wrote: »

Evening folks

Malfiore - try this link, there are some free patterns to download on this site.

http://crossstitcher.themakingspot.com/downloads

A lot of the cross stitch mags have free kits on the front to stitch as well. Your library should have a good selection of books, too. I've done cross stitch for nearly 20 years and love it - I even do a bit for one of the mags!

That DM article just shows how daft some parents are, IMHO. Little, affordable treats are OK (who hasn't bought the odd kids' comic or treats from the ice cream van?) but not umpteen quid on an iphone for a 12 year old, or whatever! :eek: Think I was born a grumpy old woman, cos I never gave in at that level even when we did have money. :rotfl:

A xo

Brilliant! Thank you

The article is in line with the first ep of this season's superscrimpers where the parents spent something like £7k on their kids in a year just in treats :eek: Little treats are fine, but it's the big ones that I think are ridiculous and usually for no reason at all. A woman I work with is always complaining about her daughter and how ungrateful she is, but she then goes on to say how she's bought her a new ipad/laptop/phone etc just for 'being her'. I sort of understand what she's doing but I know for a fact her daughter would turn her nose up at a home made cake baked 'just for being her'!!

Of course, I don't have kids so I may be a little OTT...

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

Thanks for the online magazine link pops it looks right up my street.

I've got to get involved with it. I can't see how I can just not. It's everything I stand for and who knows, one day I might just need the help myself. Every item they need on their shopping list, I have in abundance in my cupboard. To give a few pence of food and some of my spare time, well it it will be good for my soul.

Now how could anyone say that what you do has no value reagarding what you give to your family and society(you know the phonecall that came from your sister and the difference your reward is not financial. And again, how on the ball you are as you say all that is on their shopping list you have in your own store cupboard.

You were looking for something to do when your children return to school this could be the very thing to fill those hours and give some purpose...