make do and mend for tougher times

monnagran

The BM offer sounds attractive but I used to have one and gave it to my DS1, I never really liked the hole the paddle made in the middle of the loaf when you took it out of the machine. Now I've gone back to doing it manually.
I have trouble with gadgets and machines and am quite happy doing things by hand. The Rev is very different and would get every gadget going if I didn't stop her. Our kichen cupboards are stuffed with things she has bought swearing that they will enhance our lives. there's a deep fat fryer that she has used twice, a vegetable cutter/slicer thing which has never left its box, likewise a burger maker, a pie maker (why?) a sandwich toaster that I think she used to use but now just shoves a sandwich under the grill and lots more.
Ah well. It keeps the economy afloat I suppose, but the waste of money makes me cross.

My second AF consignment has arrived and is sitting in the hall. I will have to sort it all out soon and take it round to the church for the Drop-in's food bank.

I've often wondered about MF mattresses, they sound very tempting but I've always balked at the price - far too much if you then find you don't like them, so I will follow the debate closely.

SpikyHedgehog

Popperwell wrote: »

TC I took to wearing socks in bed and they really work. I only have a continental quilt on the bed at present not even in a cover and that can sometimes be too warm and it is a light tog...and now that I am back to be used to wearing PJ's when I need to or a t-shirt and lounge trousers of shorts there are so many combinations.

I picked up a lovely thick warm coat from the cyharity shop, probably be great for winter if I go out and it cost me 99p!

When it's hot, I do it the other way & have the quilt cover but no duvet :-) I get the look that matches my pillow cases, but it's easier to wash than even the thinner duvet. I've got a 3 in 1 king size duvet from Arg0s that's nearly 8 years old, & hasn't worn well, & I needed to sew snaps onto the corners to hold the summer weight & autumn weight duvets together for a thick winter weight 1.

DS2, we got a 3-1 single duvet from MrS which has lasted well. DS1's 3-1 double duvet also from a supermarket.

kittie wrote: »

oh memory foam toppers, don`t remind me. It smelt of chemicals for weeks and it was boiling hot at night both me and dh, night after long night. Yes it was comfortable in that the hips sank in but waking over and over in the night because of the heat was no joke. We got rid after a long and fair go, never again.

Now I have got an excess of beetroots, they must like this weather. I`ve been putting my thinking cap on and decided that I want puree for beetroot/chocolate cakes. I did frozen portions last year but they took up quite a bit of freezer room, so I am going to puree the lot and then weigh it as I need 125g portions. Yes you guessed it, I am going to lay the puree flat and dehydrate it but doing a 125g portion on its own, so I can work out how many tsp of the dried flakes I will need

Now I`ll go back and read the zillions of posts, I daren`t come on too much as mse is quite addictive and (for me) time wasting

Dehydrating the puree, what a good idea! I don't have 1 yet, so will stick to freezing for now. I get a square box & put freezer bags in that so they freeze flat & stack well. Next time I do sauteed onions & other veg, I'm going to use my silicone cupcake cases to freeze it in though, & then pop into a big freezer bag once frozen.

D&DD wrote: »

*resisting the urge to buy a spare panny*
Thats a great deal isn't it!
Mine has been working overtime during the hols DS3 has discovered he loves bacon so I've been making baguettes every day for him since they broke up plus the usual loaf every two days for the pullman and the odd normal loaf in between :rotfl:

DS2 has had his AS results...drum roll... he got two c's and a merit very proud mummy considering all his woes and his cr*ppy attendance records his school did quite badly apparently this year so will be interesting to hear if it was down the staff or the courses or just in general.

The boys are currently playing the board game Attack so I actually get to catch up for 5 minutes

Re mem foam mattresses we spent an arm and a leg on the eldest two's and they were worth every penny..went cheaper with DS3's and already regretting it although it was still £149 :eek:

Just got the bill for my sewing machines OH is currently in a state of shock..£90 for my overlocker and £180 for my Janome :eek::eek::eek:

Well done D&DD's DS2! My best friends son has the results to get him to uni of choice, so that's good too. DS1's GSCE results next week, I'm more nervous than him. (As he has no back up plan despite me & school pointing out that this is a jolly good idea.)

Pooky

I love my memory foam mattress, wouldn't go back to a normal one. We have an 8 inch foam mattress with 6 inches of memory foam on top, it wasn't cheap but it's amazing.

We don't have a duvet on in the summer, just a sheet and lightweight throw, much easier to wash. I'd have clean sheets on every day if I could be bothered to change them, I love the smell and feeling of freshness.

It's been silly muggy here today, hope it cools down this evening.

prepareathome

Opinions wanted - would a woman of 56 look totally daft in footless tights?

Now chances are I would be wearing them under trousers, but daft as it sounds for all my cold feet, they warm up very quickly and then I cannot stand anything on them. During the winter I rarely even have tights on or socks just my fur boots (and even then have to take them off if indoors somewhere so always carry a pair of pumps with me).

I know I don't go out much but just wondered if they would be a good buy - Lidl are going to sell them for £2.99 a pair from 23rd.

Its just sometimes I wear a skirt in winter but it can be chilly so these would be better than trousers (which I have worn before now, but only with a skirt that is basically down to ground).

Thanks

Popperwell

PAH,
I may be a fella but it seems perfectly reasonable to me. Just a variation on leggings. Over the past week I have been out in lounge trousers and had all the comments about being out in my PJ's. I don't care I just wear what I like and if I'm happy that's all that matters...

VJsmum

PAH - i wear footless tights and leggings of various lengths with skirts and dresses. I am pushing the boundary of 50.(:eek:) I actually think it is a really good look, especially with boots or ballerina flats.

prepareathome

D&#8517 wrote: »

DS2 has had his AS results...drum roll... he got two c's and a merit very proud mummy considering all his woes and his cr*ppy attendance records his school did quite badly apparently this year so will be interesting to hear if it was down the staff or the courses or just in general.

Congratulations to Master D&DD its great when they pass, seems not that long ago when I was waiting with baited breath to hear my lots results. In a few years it will be DGD turn :eek: makes me feel old.

Pops love the jackets, especially the stone one. I had one the same and wore it till it fell to bits as I love jackets with lots of pockets. I have two fishing vests which I keep for the rare time now, we go out for the day into countryside - one for winter and one for summer so each has some different things in the pockets, but there are plenty of them. They might not look fashionable but very useful.

My current winter coat is a lovely thick padded cream coloured duffel coat I picked up in cs last winter for £8. I love duffel coats also. Never win prizes in the fashion stakes me, but at least I am warm:rotfl:

mardatha

I keep the bedroom window open all year and love a nice cold room, with a nice hot electric blanket and roasting hot duvet It has been nice here today with no rain at all, lots of sun and fluffy white clouds, great drying day.
Only I did the washing yesterday when it was clammy and misty
Has anybody noticed prices going up yet?

Evie74_2

Afternoon all and (((hugs))) to anyone in need

I've had a lovely day with my friend - we had a cheapy pub lunch and a bit of a walk and a good catch up - it was great therapy! I wish we lived closer to each other so we could meet up in person more often.

DH had his interview at the job centre and they have given him the JSA, which is a relief. He's been looking for jobs today in the local agencies and online - the local paper comes out today as well so we'll get searching there when that's delivered.

On the great memory foam debate - I had thought about getting one of those toppers, but then we stayed with some relatives who had a memory foam mattress on the guest bed and both DH and I hated it! It was very warm and waaaay too soft for us, so we'll be sticking to traditional mattresses Chez Evie!

Hope everyone's had a good day

Evie xx

Possession

That's great news on the JSA Evie. : )