make do and mend for tougher times

lisakay_2

I've really enjoyed reading all your intro's

Very quickly...I'm 32, DH is 42. We've been married nearly 2 yrs together for 8. We have 2 girls, found out we were expecting DD1 after just 6mths together!
We live half an hr walk from mum and right over the rd from the park which is perfect for bearhunts, shark fishing, jungle expeditions...
I love cooking, baking, preserving, crafting, knitting, sewing, veg growing on the lotty, kids, pets.
I don't like having to work, but as jobs go it's not bad (school cook)
I'm also qualified as a childminder, but haven't got any extra kids yet, I'll be advertising at the school when kids go back.
oh, and I'm veggie, but DH and the girls aren't so I still cook meat for them.

We had a lovely roast for tea tonight and the rare event of all eating together. The spuds, beetroot, parsnips (all roasted) and purple carrots were all off the lotty, made yorkie puds (cup of plain flour, cup of milk and 1 egg made 10 smallish ones so very cheap) and an aldi small chicken.
still plenty of chicken leftover for something for the girls over the next couple of days. They both like pasties so probably something along those lines for tea tomorrow.

SpikyHedgehog

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Smiley - you seem to be terribly unlucky with your boys! I have got lots of gay friends, and to a man, the boys are usually totally fastidious and almost OCD about keeping themselves and their homes clean!

SC K&S was a triumph, OH had to finish it from the bowl (pig). Will do a comparison pud in the pressure cooker just to see which is better (fiiiiiiiight!) but def a keeper that one!

We don't seem to use too much electric, although I do have lappy on all day and cctv cam in garden. Our heating is oil, but the boiler does use electric to run. We have the wood burner too so we try to use that rather than CH. Don't use big oven much, so that will save, no TD, but we do wash a lot now (whites and tea towels).

Can you put electric on your accounts with the washing costs as they're for the business? - Worth checking with your accountant, I think...

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

For ages I was going to ask where everyone is (roughly) so it is really good that we are getting a recap! For some reason I thought PAH was way down south! It's handy to know these things when talking about the weather, or growing conditions, I just hope I can remember

Oh, I forgot to say! I'm in Suffolk, but further south than Shegar & on the outskirts of Ipswich.

prepareathome

Nope Mrs C stuck here in this horrible city, sorry if anyone has a soft spot for the place but I cannot abide it, got dumped here many years ago due to ATC and the rest as they say is history, but never felt settled here, I exist, mind you felt the same way about Glasgow where I was born and grew up, basically I hate cities only was happy when we lived up by Black Isle in middle of no-where but alas couldn't stay........so I rarely travel the 10 miles or so into the city preferring to forget it exists, preferring to shop in Knowsley or even Runcorn or Widnes for things cannot get locally. At least with the farms round the corner and the country park I can make believe I live in countryside

Not one member of my family has ever lived anywhere except a city since grandad came over from southern ireland and other great grandparents from Russia - still have family in Tyne and Wear, where some settled (others London) somewhere but lost touch, so not even got country relations can visit, I am complete old ball in family wanting to live in countryside as even those living abroad live in cities boo hoo poor old me :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Right bed beckons............hugs and love to allxxxx

kidcat

Its lovely to read all the intros, have had a quiet day trying to get as much rest as possible before tomorrow when my week gets really busy.
DS14 has appointment in morning with CAMHS and then DD17 is off to her new babysitting job, I then have to take DD6 shopping for school shoes. Its the Trafford centre for us I think as she wants Lelli Kellis and they have a couple of shops that sell them.

I did consider buying her clarks or start rite but it occurs that DS8 regularly gets "extras" as rewards to encourage him, dvds, small toys etc and the cost of them adds up to way more than the extra on the shoes for her. And she does put up with an awful lot more than most little girls her age, with a brother who regularly breaks her things, hits her and wrecks her room. So I am seeing it as her little reward and will also take her for lunch too and give her some mummy time without interruption.

Then I have probably the oddest job ever, I have to go and buy red toothpaste, as many brands as I can. DS8 has always used morrisons red toothpaste happily, gags at even the smell of mint toothpaste ( even if someone has just brushed their teeth in the bathroom and DS walks in straight after he is gagging) last week I bought the normal stuff and discovered they have changed the recipe and he cant stand it, its making him gag and causing major meltdowns so I am off to find a replacement.:)

I somehow also have to fit in getting OH a card for his birthday and a present, and of course get myself to GP to pick up forms for blood tests and xrays.

And get all the stuff sorted for Wednesdays big trip to Cadburys, Thursdays theme park (freebie ticket) and Fridays outing with my parents. No idea when I can actually fit the xray or bloods in but will worry about that later.

Have discovered that using my wheat pad heated is helping my back today - I just wish I had found it earlier. DS8 rather sweetly offered me his keep warm micro bear/rabbit earlier to help my back twice as quick

DS14 is really worried about the whole school thing today after spending night as his friends - I can only assume they have been discussing going back and he is now getting upset again. I had a long conversation with him about what he would like to do and he said he wants to be able to go back and be with his friends if school will let him do normal lessons and do the subjects he would choose (yr 10 pick their own). Doesnt seem alot but so far they have refused this.

Have decided today that I am going to invest in new light fittings, to cut down on electricity, my living has two fittings with five bulbs in each, DD17 room has two fittings with four bulbs each. I am thinking that if I can put single fittings I must surely be able to save a fortune as they are all those halogen bulbs which also cost a fortune.

Hester - you have my utmost admiration in taking on fostering,

Popperwell

I'm going to bed but only because its warmer there and hey I can use the laptop and listen to the radio...unfortunately the "S" key keeps coming off:mad:

homerdog

Fuddle, your jars look lovely, what a good idea making heart shaped labels, much nicer for giving.
Hubby keeps mithering to try jam making, we've already done marmalade and chillililli, and these were successful, so looking out for some free hedgerow fruit or some cheap in the shops.
Lisakay makes amazing onion marmalade so might even try some of that...if I can't scrounge a jar or 2.

Mrs_Chip

Thanks Spiky, I think we can claim a small amount each week to cover the cost of using the house for business - mainly washing up and washing. Not sure how it works while we are not actually in profit, but will be good once (if !) we start breaking even.

I might have to get a map and put pins in for all the Toughies! A forum I used to belong to had a virtual one, it was dead handy (for some reason I like knowing where people are, and my memory is carp).

kidcat

PAH - could Mr A not deliver it for you as its their fault you couldnt collect it when you went? Mr T did something similar a while back for us when I wasted a trip and they couldnt find it, they stuck it on a grocery delivery truck that was passing anyway.

bossymoo

I mostly lurk, but do post occasionally...

I'm a 37 (eh? How did that happen? ) year old mum of two, my boy is 3.5 and my girl will be 2 next week. We live in west yorkshire, and I work part time, 3 days. My children go to nursery those days. I was married but lost my husband to cancer 9 months ago. I am very close to his parents, they are good to us, and we get a lot of support.

I like my garden, we try to grow edibles (great fun for the kiddies), and I try to keep a ship shape home without wasting money on the latest miracle cleaning product etc. Just trying to have a simple, uncomplicated life with my babies, trying to teach them independence and good life skills. Lol, they aren't even in school yet...

I work for a rather large bank, the less said, the better

homerdog

Sorry to hear of your migraine Prepareathome, they are the most horrible things imagineable....don't get them very often but have had 2 in the last month, hope that is my share for the next year.
Hope you're feeling better tomorrow. xx