make do and mend for tougher times

SpikyHedgehog

Possession wrote: »

Does anyone want any soft toys? I have a whole black sack of cuddlies lots of which look brand new (probably because my children never touched them!).

Why not ask the childrens school if they want them ready for the Christmas fair?

lisakay wrote: »

Byatt, you are wonderful:cool:.

I'm sure there is a thread somewhere on HM dog treats, i'll have a look.

I was craving mince and dumplings after reading earlier...just finished a savoury veggi mince and lentil thingy in gravy with herby dumplings was very yum, but managed to use plain instead of sr flour by accident in the dumplings. still tasty but didn't rise:o.


The girls uniforms all have labels sewn in now, so that's another job out of the way ready for next week. I'm really, really , really not looking forward to going back to work . There are so many other things I'd rather be doing...cooking, baking, allotmenting, crafting, I'd even rather be cleaning:rotfl:.still, needs must I suppose, and it is only 4 hours a day.


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1453297

I'm really not looking forward to going back to work. Theres just so much I need to do to look after my boys & the house, & I can't do it all when I get home from work.

Byatt, you are wonderful!. So are you Fuddle!

Byatt

WCS, my degree is in H&SC Mgt, it's an academic degree and not much use! Most of us realised too late that we should have done social work and actually studied with SW's. It was a newish degree and no-one knew where we really fitted in. Took the wrong options too, based on lack of information, so if I had to do it again, it would be very different, but hindsight is always 20/20.

Anyway, I hope I can enjoy the counselling course as the degree was taken during my divorce, problems with DD (bless her because of her dad) , selling my home, and my mum dying! I think it's inevitable though that as "mature" students you have a life to deal with as well.

edit, my post appeared and I saw Byatt you are wonderful from Spiky! :o
Thanks everyone for being so kind, I just found it helpful for me to write it down yesterday as another carp day in the life of Byatt. :rotfl::eek:

We are all wonderful...:D:p:A

Beccatje

westcoastscot wrote: »

mmm may sulk in my corner of scotland. Not a single tomato this year - my plants have flowers still, only a few tiny courgettes (and I want them to make lemon curd) the brambles are still green, potatoes yielded enough for one dinner and my winter veg are still only 3 inches high ....................... and I think winter has come already!!

Fuddle eldest waited a month recently for his disclosure to come through, so don't worry if it's a little longer.

WCS

ps GQ my uncle had a wee dog when I was little called Filey Fred :-)

Crops here are meager as well. Tomatos are ok, but the rest is pityful. I see along cold winter ahead.

jpscloud

GQ I don't know if you have considered this but bran is a great slug killer. You can use wheat or oat bran and put it in half pop bottles so it doesn't wash away - slug predators will still find their lovely "stuffed" slugs and eat them!

I'm a wishy washy pacifist and don't like killing anything but I am going to make an exception of gastropods soon. Little sods.

the_cake

jpscloud wrote: »

GQ I don't know if you have considered this but bran is a great slug killer. You can use wheat or oat bran and put it in half pop bottles so it doesn't wash away - slug predators will still find their lovely "stuffed" slugs and eat them!

I'm a wishy washy pacifist and don't like killing anything but I am going to make an exception of gastropods soon. Little sods.

Agreed - they are the only things I enjoy killing ... my preferred method is by salt, as I like seeing them fizz up!! (Am very kind to all other animals, honest). I think the final straw for me was finding one in the bathroom, on the first floor. Still can't work out how it got up there ... stairs or window? Possibly stuck to a cat, but it was quite a big one (slug, not cat). Bleurgh.

fuddle

Feeling guilty again. I have spent £39 on Tesco.com on 2 pairs of plain black trousers (£6 each) an pair of flat shoes (£14) and a bra (£13) for when I start my job. £39 on rubbish items. I just hope they last.

I have loads of cheap carp and didn't need any more but I figured I need to be comfortable and as I will be the person who the parents see when they drop off/pick up their little ones at nursery I figured my skirts and flowery tights or leggings or skinny jeans with floaty blouses just were not appropriate.

I don't really like blending in It feels like a mistake. Oh drat. Well, I'll wear what I like morning and afternoon for the school runs and just have that as work wear.

We went to Hadrian's Wall. Couldn't get out as it was choked with cars and really unsafe as people were walking along the roadside. There's no street lighting as it's all country/roman back road. We saw the lights but from the car. Loads of people walking along the wall though. If we didn't have the girls we'd have been up there with them.

pennib

Pooky wrote: »

Hello Pennib :wave: nice to see you over here. I was showing DH your mini sampler today on your blog. Without even saying who's blog it was he said "that's the lady who did our quirky village and water colours" . I'm training him well. (the mini sampler is stunning btw)

I cooked 40 jacket spuds in the end, they're all processed, cooled and in the freezer (aside from the 4 we just had for dinner). My carpal tunnel is bad on my wrists today so between DDs and I we managed to put all the potato through the potato ricer to make it fluffier, it turned out better than just mashed. Now sitting here with my wrist splints on looking longingly at my crochet. Ah well, always tomorrow.


Hello Pooky :) When I did the watercolours DH and I used to say we have 2 extra daughters! It's so nice to hear how they are growing up and sound like such well rounded girls with their feet firmly on the ground. Hope your hands get better soon. Not much fun when you are desperate to do something.

I didn't think about freezing baked potatoes, what a good idea. Although DH is not keen on b.spuds, I make thin cuts to nearly the bottom (not all the way through) and then put a little oil and a bit of butter inbetween the slices, sprinkle with salt and these he does like:o even the kids are impressed!

Gosh, Grey Queen I didn't realise it would be that expensive....as you were then, back to sharpening your spade or any other implement. I feel :mad: for all those suffering from the rotters.

How horrible to get them climbing into your trees and eating the plums. Didn't know they did this:eek:

WCS; Putting courgettes into lemon curd, that sounds interesting. Does it alter the consistancy of the curd and add any flavour?

SpikyHedgehog

charlies-aunt wrote: »

In a time of uncertainty, one thing is certain - no-one is safe.

The next grand plan (its already "under discussion" - DWP/Govt speak for "plans already being forced through") is to stop all HB for all claimants aged 25 and under, regardless of circumstances. They have already made a start on this by hiking up the age for single room allowance from 25 to 35.

Pensioners form a large percentage of the pro-conservative vote so certainly for the short term, will enjoy protected rights. Although as the pensionable age rises and rises - (it will eventually rise to 70) more and more people will die whilst still of working age and never live to draw a pension.

I feel very gloomy about the future, the gap between the haves and have-nots is becoming a chasm and I wonder if we will eventually see the introduction of complusory state run hostels/training institutions for benefit claimants..... turning the clock back to the workhouse system.

I'm with the stocking-up-for-a-siege brigade - times will be getting tougher and tougher

We were in mums car the other day & the radio was talking about victorian poverty & how people struggled to feed & clothe their children & there was a high suicide rate - I said to mum 'Good thing times have changed, hey?' :-(

Possession wrote: »

Didn't they say last year's winter was going to be really bad too though?

I think someone (Kittie?) said it wouldn't be that bad last year, but lots of the papers were saying it would be cold...

prepareathome wrote: »

Can just imagine you grabbing jiffy back and saying 'shes mine, mine I tell you' I know you are far to ladylike and polite and would have really said yes thank you.

Mention of slugs reminds me that the other day I came down stairs to find one on the woodwork half way up the stairs - did someone tell them I have all my stores and freecycle freezer up there with my vegetables in it, has word got out among the gastropod population that its worth the trek for all that food:eek: First time I have ever seen one indoors. They didn't get much of my crops this year, basically because weather saw to it that there were hardly any so they are coming indoors for it instead.

Jeepers there is definitely a chill appeared. Am still sitting here in towelling robe with nothing on my feet and one bedroom window open, one of the small ones about 15ins wide and have top part open about 3 ins and suddenly wind must have changed direction and the air that is being blown in is definitely more in keeping with what I would expect in early November not Sept 1st.

When my lot where young I used to spend all summer hand knitting their winter woollies - if it could be made in wool I made it everything from head to toe and all real wool. I would have everything ready for Nov 5th as it was a tradition that hubby would take those over 2 to a firework display then home to a bonfire, some fireworks, sparklers and hot chocolate and home made cakes.

I would spend the time lying on couch reading and having a tipple with whatever dog or cat we had at the time keeping them comforted with all the bangs going off(my 3 now are first ones that don't turn a hair after first bang but still stay close). it was only thing hubby did on his own with the children so I had a few hours off. I might be exaggerating but I am sure I never needed to put any of the woollies on them before then. It was part of the family tradition out would come nice jumpers, hats, mitts and they could chose what ones they would wear and off they would go wrapped up so much they waddled and littlest in buggy as wasn't worth driving.

As they got older and MacDonalds became the in place hubby would take them into the city as none nearer to one there after the display so I had quite a few hours of peace. Its so much a tradition that hubby has to go with son and his children, he says doesn't feel right going without him. Sadly as I did everything else with them there is no tradition with me, but hubby literally did not go anywhere on his own with them any other time it was either we went as a family or me and children.

Cannot see anyone lasting out till Nov 5th this year to bundle up their little ones far to chilly unless we suddenly have an Indian Summer, wouldn't that be nice to match those two lovely weeks in March.

I promised to knit some new hats for DG3 for the winter I think I had better check to see what if anything is suitable in my stash and get knitting.

Hugs and Love to all xxx

PAH, how lovely to have traditions with your children. I'm trying to make them with my boys - I took DS2 on our summer holiday trip on the open top bus yesterday& was really pleased at how much he remembered from last year.

I'm not pleased he downloadeda game onto the pc which seems to have lots of rubbish with it - seem to have got it all out but will run the full scan again tomorrow to check.

[Deleted User]

some good assorted preserving recipes, including preserved lemons and some christmas preserves
http://www.kilnerjar.co.uk/recipes

I made preserved lemons last year and they are very nice, they really uplift some dishes.

I finished bottling chutney at 11 last night and got 11 x 500ml kilners plus 6 recycled chutney jars. Now I have to re shuffle, yet again, to find somewhere cool and dark to store them. I`ll be keeping them at least a year before opening

Plants I moved yesterday are still upstanding thank goodness. Will plant chard and leaf beet into final positions today. Need to get my root trainers out as radar onion sets arrived yesterday and I like to start them off at home. Now also thinking about garlic and aquadulce broad beans. Blimey that is the start of the next growing season!!

Will pick the last of the orange tomatoes today and this afternoon will set to and wash polythene patio gro cover and move tomato soil into flower bed. Am making the most of the nice weather

jpscloud

fuddle wrote: »

Feeling guilty again. I have spent £39 on Tesco.com on 2 pairs of plain black trousers (£6 each) an pair of flat shoes (£14) and a bra (£13) for when I start my job. £39 on rubbish items. I just hope they last.

I have loads of cheap carp and didn't need any more but I figured I need to be comfortable and as I will be the person who the parents see when they drop off/pick up their little ones at nursery I figured my skirts and flowery tights or leggings or skinny jeans with floaty blouses just were not appropriate.

I don't really like blending in It feels like a mistake. Oh drat. Well, I'll wear what I like morning and afternoon for the school runs and just have that as work wear.

Now I have a funny set of ideas about clothing altogether - I really dislike power dressing in any form and I don't fully agree with the comments posted earlier about lack of smartness signifying "CBA", although I can understand why people feel that way.

I'm naturally not a smart dresser, partly because my body doesn't lend itself to it, and looks lumpy and silly in most smart clothes. I am a strange shape (very apple) and it is hard to find clothes that look ok. If I had my way civilised society would drop all the judgement by appearance thing - but I have to admit it seems humans just aren't wired that way.

So wierdo hippy rant over and I do think you're doing the right thing fuddle - blending in and being as formal as any adult employed by the school. I do the same thing, and spent £15 (down from £30 :eek:) on a pair of trousers yesterday for the new school year (gives me two decent pairs and two going west pairs to last the year). They'd better wear well, that's all I can say! I wish I could buy the supermarket ones but I can never find the right size with short leg length - I know I could turn them up but I'm not good at that and they end up looking scruffy.