make do and mend for tougher times

Mrs_Chip

Well if there is an upside of having not a lot Byatt, you've found it! Hope the form filling works.

Try not to take your family's behaviour to heart too much, hard I know but it gets us no where, and can make things ever harder to bear.

bupster

I didn't either, and my parents were really keen on academic achievement. But surely the passing of the exams and the bright future is the reward?

Possession

I don't remember getting anything for passing exams, or getting degrees, although I'm sure I must have had some kind of celebration. My parents were pretty OS but actually I don't remember any of my friends getting big presents, and only one girl at my school got given a car when we were 17.
I may have written this before here so apologies for repeating myself, but DH, 20 years ago, graduated from Oxford and despite having a successful career ever since up to his redundancy, recruitment agencies are still fixated on his degree and mentioning it as a plus point. One interviewer was mentioned as being very picky about A level grades - even at senior management level. So the grades, and the doors they can open up for you, really are their own reward.
Whether any kind of degree actually gets you a job any more is a whole other discussion of course.
Mrs Chip congrats on your corporate order! I like your winter selling idea. Are there any other items along the same lines?

I lead such an exciting life. For a bit of a change this afternoon we popped out to see the new Waitrose. I need milk and eggs so thought I'd get them there. Ha! 4 pints of milk was £1.70, its £1 in Aldi. The voucher booklet in the Mirror today also lets you buy half price eggs, so I didn't buy either in Waitrose. I timed it right for YS (although they aren't yellow of course in Waitrose!) and got some lovely looking fruit but couldn't bring myself to pay their prices for anything else.

kidcat

Mardatha - thanks will do, are you going to post some pics of this new look of yours

Mrs_Chip

I got a few 'O's' in subjects I did not really need to work at (told you I was a lazy student) and I didn't get anything at all. That was the 70's though. I heard today a boy on the radio talking about going to get his results and saying that they had their pictures taken getting them - is this another new thing like Proms? I really find it hard to understand the need to document and turn everything into an 'event' in this way, such a huge change since my time at school. I am such an old fogey :rotfl:.

SpikyHedgehog

Molly41 wrote: »

My son did really well with his exams and Im so very proud of him as he had a year off school in year 9 as he had a chronic hip injury and had a very tough time x

Well done, Molly41's son, SDG3100's son, Pooky's daughter, & VJsmum's daughter! & all the parents & teachers ;-)

bupster wrote: »

I didn't either, and my parents were really keen on academic achievement. But surely the passing of the exams and the bright future is the reward?

I didn't get any reward, well there wouldn't have been any money for anything as my dad had skewed priorities :-/ I certainly wouldn't go for £100 per pass, or even per A/A*! But something that says 'I know you've worked hard on your course work & exams over the past 2 or 3 years', is, to my mind, a good thing as it encourages young people to realise there are tangible rewards as well as intrinsic ones :-)

lisakay_2

mrschip, excellent news on the booking
mardatha...hahahahahaha
molly, I know all too well that it takes a lot of guts to ask parents for help, at least you're close enough to do so. I hope he manages to resolve it soon xx

DH's xray was ok this morn so he just needs the dr to mess with his pain relief dosages now. DM has informed me that you can get the prepay prescription cards on a monthly Direct debit, so will look into that tomorrow.
I picked up 2 newspapers this morn with the aldi vouchers. I need a lot of shopping so DD1 will be helping out by pushing another trolley for me to split it into 2 separate bills and using 2 lots of vouchers.]
really chuffed with the discounts as well. everything on there is stuff i use lots of, so it will save me a fair bit.
managed to get 2 loads of washing dry on the line today, i really love line dried clothes they always smell so much fresher.

Yesterday the girls both wanted fish and chips for tea, so I made the batter, dug a couple of fish fillets out of th efreezer and made my own. so much cheaper as they share a portion of chips from the chippy, but have a full fish each!! little piggies. Their appetites are massive compared to the size of them, they're very dainty but eat like horses. I used the leftover batter (i saved some so didn't dip the fish in it) to make a giant yorkie pud and they had that for tonights tea with frying steak, veg and gravy. looked yummy, but i dont eat meat. I had beans, scrambled egg and fried mushrooms on toast that i didn't end up cooking last night.

i think i'll add more gravy to the leftover steak and do it with dumplings tomorrow.
I'm going to dig out this months receipts in a bit and see if i managed to beat my grocery budget challenge. i actually think i have smashed it as had to get new tyres for the car so barely spent anything else. in fact i'm going to do that now.

edit. i actually spent £154 on groceries/cleaning/toiletries/pet stuff for 2 adults, 2 kids, 2 rabbits a cat and a dog. nearly £100 under budget. amazing what you can do when there's no other choice! we've eaten very healthily as well and luckily the 4legs actually prefer the cheapo food

kidcat

Mrs C - I wish you lived closer you could cater DD birthday and save me the hassle!! Maybe thats something you could consider, catering parties - I think it could be quite a novelty having fish and chips at a party.

[Deleted User]

kidcat, insulin and diet led diabetes perhaps in the frame. He needs to eat wholefoods like wholemeal bread esp the one with seeds in it and baked potato with skin on, not eg mashed potato. Look for low GI like on the list

http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/

congratulations to all on getting the results out of the way, lol now wait for the sleepless nights while they celebrate

I met a fellow allotmenteer today and she said she felt so lacking in energy and unenthusiastic and was diagnosed with SAD. Its going to be a blooming long winter for some. I wanted to tell her about biobulbs and vit D but she doesn`t listen and I didn`t want to intrude on her (depressive) thoughts. Also a confirmed veggie so I also believe she needs a multi B supplement but I kept my mouth shut. Oh doh, so frustrating

Autumn is definitely coming to our allotments and I am slowly gearing up ie tidying because I just hate leaving it all to the end of september. I am still harvesting a lot of stuff so this year has turned out better for me than expected but I can`t wait to get it done now, so I can get me feet up

Painter has finished the outside by the skin of our teeth. Was a two day window of dryness so thanks to PC as we arranged things entirely because of my weather action sub. Lovely man but tbh is overcommitted with work and it is causing him stress.

Also loving my trolley and keep it stored in the study, I put cs stuff in it and when full I`ll take it to a hospice shop. Oh I would so love fish and chips, really felt like it after a full 8 hour day on the allotment but no it is too far to drive so had to set too and cook hot meal from scratch. I used to make it for 9 when I was 12 and was a dab hand at estimating temperature and times. The best night in the village hall is when we have a pub night with a fish and chip supper. I don`t keep a chip pan these days as fish and chips is only a one off here and I need the room for other things.

Mrs_Chip

Hi Kidcat

We do advertise parties, weddings, events etc on our van. We can do much more than fish and chips - Mexican, Asian, Welsh :rotfl:. I have not pushed that side of things as I still haven't got a prep kitchen, but plan is to try again next year. Winter birthday parties would be great!

ETA: Kittie, you don't need a 'chip' pan, a saucepan will do, just drain the chips with a slotted spoon. Let the pan cool and pour the oil back into the bottle.