make do and mend for tougher times

Sunshine4

Pooky Thank you never though of that, Oh loves onion chutney.
Off to look for a recipe.

GreyQueen

grandma247 wrote: »

I did that a few years ago. Tv has just got worse and worse. I knit while dh has Tv on. I started buying Tv series on dvd because I am so fed up with it all.

Too right, whenever I look at a TV listing I think to myself that I'm not exactly missing out by not having a set as wouldn't want to watch 95% of that if you were paying me.

Today I came home from the lottie to a TV Licensing letter. Well, it was To the Present Occupier not to me by name which is of course Ms G Queen.

Now I have been tussling on and off with TVL since the 1990s and have had many a surreal call with them. You tell them you don't have a license because you don't have a telly. They tell you that 3 out of 5 people who tell them they don't have a telly actually do ahve one. The (L)iar word hovers in the background, unmentioned but unmistakably present. So, I could call or write to them and tell them no telly but since they won't believe me on general principles, it seems like an unproductive use of my time.

On past form they will send a succession of letters with ever more nasty (and unenforcable threats) and more and more red ink. Then, they will either send someone around and they may or may not find me at home. Having checked my facts with the Police switchboard beforehand, I rang them up one time because I took grave exception to a threat of entering my property to search it and questioning me under PACE.

Pointed out that they can't come in without a warrant and the geezer at the call centre didn't seem to understand that. If I get one of what it amuses them to call their "enforcement officers" on my step, there will be some serious leg-pulling perpetrated. I really dislike people bullying other people, who are often not as [STRIKE]bl00dy-minded [/STRIKE]well set up to defend themselves as I am.

Kittikins wrote: »

GQ - I'm just back from a trip to MrT's, yup I know how to live the high life me, and was pleasantly surprised to see their value tins of sweetcorn have gone DOWN 2 p, back to 33p

Thanks, hun. They're 34p in L!dl but 38p in my Mr T (a Metro is all I have access to, the big one is miles away and I take 35 mins to reach it and can't do that more than once in a blue moon.

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I am experiencing severe envy pangs FUDDLE I saw the lights on Hadrians Wall on the News this morning, enjoy them for me I thought they were beautiful. One of these summers Nell (DD1) and I are going to walk the wall as it's something we've always meant to do. I really want to see Vindalanda the Fort and the whole thing would be a good holiday. Hope the littlies and your DH enjoy too. Have a good one Cheers Lyn xxx.

:mad: Wahhhh!!!! My trip to Yorkshire in August was to take my brother to see Hadrian's Wall. We got half an hour up the road from York in the day we were doing the Wall (going to overnight in Carlisle YHA) and the blinking car broke down. Got 'er mended but we were still on the outskirts of York at 3 pm (having originally left at 9 am) so I had to scrub that little part of our car safari. Was going to Vindolanda, too. Never mind, it's been there for nearly 2, 000 years, I expect it'll be there in 2013........


205 That, gentle readers is how many gastropods I have killed in a 3 hour sesh this morning on the allotmentino. All bar about 15 were slugs, horrible great ones inches long. Yeuch. I was weeding the potato-patch-as-was which is sprouting every weed known to personkind and they were everywhere, literally couldn't go more than 2 inches without finding them. I even found a pair of them entwined in a froth on my path and we all know what that means, don't we children? Slug eggs!

Or, as I was there with a sharp spade...........not.

Honestly, I'm getting seriously worried about this level of slug infestation. These mega slugs are only part of the story there are also the ones which live underground and the derelict plots on either side of mine which have reverted to rough meadowland with grass 4 feet tall. It's scary to contemplate that the burgers can live for 4-5 years and that they're breeding and this season was enough of a gastropod nightmare but that next year might be even worse is too disheartening to contemplate.

I'm gonna kill every single one I can get my spade on, s'welp me.

I also have a batch of the tiniest frogs imaginable, their bodies are about the size of my thumbnail. I seems a bit late in the year to have frog babies, anyone up here know their lifecycle? I also disturbed a large common toad which was roundly told of for slacking in the slug-eating department.

Good job I was the only fool on my area of the site on a cool and sodden morning or I'd probably have people thinking I was quite quite mad.

OK, enough drivel. Going to make a late pass up to the library and then see if there are any YS bargains to be had.

Laters, GQ x

PS took Jiffy to the c.s. with 3 large and heavy donation bags inside (lotsa china) and they asked if I wanted her back! Gosh, my face must have been a picture!

Possession

Sunshine yes onions are fine frozen.
Thanks LB, we've just been and there's no picking at all, apparently hardly any plums have grown round here. They did have a few for buying so got 5lbs, and also 5 lbs of strawberries for £5. The children are having a fruit feast as I type.

kidcat

PAH - the carriages are absolutely gorgeous, My DD has one in bed with her!!

Well I have slept for the afternoon and woken to an invasion, seems OH allowed DD out to play in front and within five minutes they were all inside, as DD17 is out with boyfriend I have no back up as it were so they are being allowed to get away with murder under OH supervision.

fuddle

Arms round Jiffy and mutter my precious! lol I bet your face was a picture.

Byatt I'm scared now. Think I might get a ticking off. I don't like being told off Should i go back and delete the code do you think? I think I should. Really sorry, I had no idea :eek:

Porch is backing papered and ready for paint out of the garage.

Cast off's from family. My sister has given me a white wood slatted venetian blind. It's in as new condition apart from a bit dust. DH is putting it up in my toilet room upstairs as I type. I'm very excited as it will go some way to hide the bubble wrap and look good too. I have no problem with second hand items but I get embarrassed at accepting stuff from my sister. I think it's my lack of self confidence really. I think I think that deep down she's aughing at me for needing to take her cast offs. She has money to waste and I do not, and she knows it. Speaking of which, her friend has managed to get a job at Argos. Only 8 hours but it's a start for her. She was taking the mickey out of her "only 8 hours, what's the point of that!" I took it personally as I will only be working 7.5 hours a week. Again, I'm thinking is she just insensitive or is she trying to get at me. :cool: I dunno. Tough me thinks - silly mare needs to wake up and stop being so judgemental but the inner lack of self esteem me thinks - she's getting a kick out of rubbing my nose in it.

Anyhooooo :rotfl: I'm fine, just thinking.

I fancy a beach hut feel in my toilet room... The Range I love you!

chilli was lovely, ta for mentioning

Byatt

westcoastscot wrote: »

Good Evening,

We've had a power cut for a few hours - it was off for a short while this morning too. Winter seems to have arrived here - it's cold wet and dark, and I understand it got to -4 degrees last night in some parts of scotland - eek!!

Grandma I was the same, didn't work for 16 years and then found myself a single parent so had to! Good luck with your wee business once you get going - I agree its a good idea to have a few strings to your bow.

Byatt a friend recently did a counselling course and loved it - it's led to some interesting opportunities for her with the local college.

Happy birthday for tomorrow SDG - love your new avatar fuddle - cannot think if I have one, but think i may give it some thought to something in keeping with my lifestyle.

WCS

Thanks WCS, I'm hoping it will give me some long term options with which I can work around my health issues and tiredness, as well as support my DD emotinally still, and to be able to work in an area I would enjoy. I'm really glad I did my degree although it hasn't got me a job per se, it has given me a good background and helped my confidence. These days degrees aren't job openers as such, but they can be built on.

kidcat

fuddle - it was a genuine error dont worry about it,

Maybe your friend feels that people will judge her for working just 8 hrs and is trying to deflect that type of comment by getting in first. I know a few people who do this and its a self defence mechanism - criticise yourself before others do it for you.

And unless your sister actually says or does something then you may well be misreading her - maybe she feels good that she can help a little. I have a friend who wouldnt accept direct help, so if she needed a kettle say she wouldnt let us buy one for her, however if I bought a kettle and "didnt like it" she would accept it, as she was doing me a favour!!!

Sometimes we project feelings that are not there onto others when they really feel nothing like that at all. Until she does say something accept the things you need and make a promise that one day you will pass the favour on.

Byatt

fuddle wrote: »

Arms round Jiffy and mutter my precious! lol I bet your face was a picture.

Byatt I'm scared now. Think I might get a ticking off. I don't like being told off Should i go back and delete the code do you think? I think I should. Really sorry, I had no idea :eek:

Porch is backing papered and ready for paint out of the garage.

Cast off's from family. My sister has given me a white wood slatted venetian blind. It's in as new condition apart from a bit dust. DH is putting it up in my toilet room upstairs as I type. I'm very excited as it will go some way to hide the bubble wrap and look good too. I have no problem with second hand items but I get embarrassed at accepting stuff from my sister. I think it's my lack of self confidence really. I think I think that deep down she's aughing at me for needing to take her cast offs. She has money to waste and I do not, and she knows it. Speaking of which, her friend has managed to get a job at Argos. Only 8 hours but it's a start for her. She was taking the mickey out of her "only 8 hours, what's the point of that!" I took it personally as I will only be working 7.5 hours a week. Again, I'm thinking is she just insensitive or is she trying to get at me. :cool: I dunno. Tough me thinks - silly mare needs to wake up and stop being so judgemental but the inner lack of self esteem me thinks - she's getting a kick out of rubbing my nose in it.

Anyhooooo :rotfl: I'm fine, just thinking.

I fancy a beach hut feel in my toilet room... The Range I love you!

chilli was lovely, ta for mentioning

Oh no, don't be scared sweetie, I'm sure no-one's noticed, although, yes remove it. You can put it on the discount/codes thread if it's still applicable. I had no idea when I did it, as I rarely go into that side of the site, but because I had been on here a while people assumed I must have known, but I didn't. I was really told of. :eek:

Possession

Fuddle is she really the kind of person that gets a kick out of you feeling bad? I save virtually all DS's clothes for my nephew, and they had all our baby stuff but I don't think for a moment about feeling somehow superior over my sister, I'm just trying to help. At times we have been quite considerably better off than her, and now I think about it I paid off her credit card debts, but it doesn't make any difference to me and I hope it doesn't to her. I'm lucky though, both DH and my families are pretty stress-free.

I suspect the children won't want any tea....large amounts of fruit have been eaten! I don't really want any more jam, so I'm thinking I might freeze some cut up strawberries to throw in muffins. And maybe stew plums for crumbles. Problem is I have no freezer space. I didn't really think this through did I?!

pennib

Fuddle just popped in to say if your ever do decided to head for the Scottish hills, you wont starve:D

Although we live near J.O'Groats and it gets breezy (windy) A Lot, we have a very productive garden even tho sun is limited we have very long days in summer to make up for it.

In the garden there is b'currants, b'berries, tayberries, r'berry, g'berries,carrots, onions, broccoli, lettuce, sprouts, runners, peas which are a threefold thing cos you can eat them with your dinner, eat like sweeties (oh yes you can Mardatha!) and use the pods for pea pod wine. Also runner beans which are only in the red flower stage. Then we have a poly tunnel crammed with stuff. The caulis were brilliant.

We havn't had the rain fall that others have had this year:eek: so things havn't been washed away. Strangely all the slugs must have gone to England on their hols

Still working on DH for some hens;)