make do and mend for tougher times

GreyQueen

Good morning campers.

Well, having taken myself offline last night to ensure that some much needed housework was done, I am pleased to report that most of the sofa is visible and I can even see counter-top under the clutter.

Such a thrilling life I lead.

Today will be gardening, with help from my parents, in what is expected to be one of the hottest days of the year. Madness..........sunhats and water bottles to the fore, and lots of restbreaks are imminent, I imagine.

Hope everyone has a good Saturday and that YS bargains spontaneously leap into your baskets and trollies.

Ooooh fuddle, forgot to say - very impressed with your outdoor cooking. I haven't a garden so my stove-experiments will be on the lottie and they have a burning ban until Oct 1st. But once that is past, I'm going to have a go myself, can't wait!

OK, this isn't getting the baby a bonnet. Must have a good breakfast (eggs will feature prominently) to fuel me for the day.

I expect those blasted slugs will be in deep cover in the long grass on the derelict plots on both sides of mine, but should any be uncovered, the parents have standing orders to kill on sight.

It's a war, people, they've almost won in 2012 and I'm burgered if they're getting away with it in 2013, not with the way that veggie prices are predicted to head.

Girds loins, sets jaw into a suitably-dauntless expression and strides (3 whole strides) into the kitchen. Heroic image being slightly derailed by the black and purple jammies.

fuddle

Good morning

We're off to Kielder Forest today, deep in the heart of Northumberland. I'm quite cross with myself though as DH dropped it on me last night and have absolutely nothing ready or prepared for a picnic. I'm supposed to be a prepper :cool:

Debating whether to go buy our picnic or call off at the cafe when we're there. The Coop have meal deal things so I think the Coop will be the cheaper option.

Richard Maybe will be with me and I will try to identify some edibles. I'm determined to learn about sloes next. I will go pick some rose hips when we get back. I have my eye on making rose hip jam.

I have been weighed and found that over the 6 weeks holidays I have put 9lb on :eek: All your fault you realise, tempting me with baking and cooking experiments. 9lb, shesh. ?I already had a stone to loose. No pudding of an evening apart from Sunday Dinner day - fancy flapjack and custard tomorrow.

Really toying with the idea of some chickens. Daft or not so daft? Are they expensive to keep? What do 3 chickens eat?

mardatha

Boys at school used to make itching powder from rosehips and throw it at us, I always wondered how you got nice tasting syrup out of horrible hairy rosehips... I loved the baby clinic orange juice as well, and I remember my daughter saying gripe water didnt work any more - I suppose that's progress eh?
Am I the only person whose mum didn't Cardinal her step? Some neighbours did but not us.
Hundreds of swallows on my roof, getting ready to fly away. How I hate autumn I get miserable in autumn because everything's dying. But I like winter, with long cosy nights and a good fire.
Did you see the village hall in the !!!!!! - bet they're going to end the series with a VE day party or celebration in it.
The RV's birthday today, he is 66 and wondering if he's too old to have a bike. I pointed out that every single biker you see now has grey hair cos only old people can afford the bloody insurance

mardatha

We have dark, dull, pewter grey here but is quite mild. I so wanted one last good weekend so we could get away up to Oban and have a wee trip on the ferry
God I'm whiny today - somebody tell me to stoppit

Pooky

GQ - have a nice "lottie" day with your parents. I can almost hear the slugs retreating as they hear you coming.

Fuddle - have a lovely forest day, picnics are often just a round of sarnies, pack of crisps and bit of fruit based on the last minute decisions in this house. I'm sure you'll have a lovely day.

Mad - you'll have to make him a big RV sign to go on the back of his bike leathers...he could start his own club.

Lovely dewy morning here, blue skies and a threat of another warm one. Might be heading off to a boot fair in a bit, just waiting to see how DHs meds are kicking in. Garage tidying is on the cards for today, I need to put the outdoor furniture away and get some coal ordered but I have around half a square foot of available floor space at the mo.

[Deleted User]

[QUOTE=fuddle;55693313

Really toying with the idea of some chickens. Daft or not so daft? Are they expensive to keep? What do 3 chickens eat?[/QUOTE]

dd is waiting to hear from a hen rescue. They get battery hens from the slaughter house and get them into good homes. Dd is having 4 and they will still keep producing eggs. Just needs a donation. She is waiting for a hen house to be delivered

just bought `thrifty fifty` from amazon for DD, 28p plus p and p. I have one and it was my absolute lifesaver book when we were struggling. She is struggling now and has discovered lidl so that book will help a lot. It made meals for 4 for 50 pence in those days. She just visited for the night as on a course today and has gone home with several useful items. Didn`t know about the food struggle so didn`t have a load ready but will find reasons to offload food packages when we go down

savingqueen

Morning all,

Hello to everyone! I haven't posted for a couple of days. There is so much to catch up on this thread!!!

Hope you had a fabulous birthday fuddle and enjoy your day out today. Can't remember much else from the quick skim of posts, will try and come back later on.

I've been struggling a bit last few days with kids back to school, all out of routine and getting used to waking up to the alarm clock and not naturally. Saw my two favourite friends on two morns and DH been working from home most of time (due to working right next to Olympics) so though it was lovely seeing them,I couldn't push myself to get more done. Next week all back to normal and I will have a big to-do list which I'm keen to get stuck in to.

DH told me he heard about the big rise in food prices coming. He said it as if it would be news to me! Honestly! When I relay things to him, I think he thinks I'm exaggarating. I plan to declutter our box room soon (along with 1000 other tasks ) and see how I can make more room to increase our stocks. Myabe try and get some free shelving or similar from freecycle as lots of space wasted with things in boxes on the floor.

Plan to do lots with kids this weekend. Going to our town's carnival today and maybe blackberrying later. DS1 has his first ever school project to start so will help him get started wih that and DS2 wants lots of "homework", especially sums. He's just started year 1 so doesn't get much homework, mostly a reading book. He's very bright, came home with a reading book which was way too easy for him which he showed me in disgust. I put a note in his home-school book about his reading level being checked and next day he had a book 3 reading stages higher. He has read tons in the holidays, both are avid readers (big thing in our house, books literally in every room even the bathroom!), DS1 aged 8 has started reading bits of the Gu*rd*an (never know how to type names to disguise them IFYKWIM) So proud of them both.

right, washing ready to hang, lovely bright day so better look lively. Have a good Saturday!
sq:)

Anyway

Mrs_Chip

We get lots of bikers going through here, and they all look over 50 - now I know why! Their bikes are fab, big tourers usually, I really want one!

I went to Oban on the train once - a 'day' ish trip from my home town Southend :eek: Was a rail special, all the way non-stop. We left late in the day, travelled all night and got to Oban before 7 am. Peeing with rain and nothing open, no food on the train and no ferry until about 10 I think. When we finally got on the ferry the weather was very rough, it was full of old ladies necking down spirit miniatures and by the time lunch was served the boat was rolling so badly the food would not stay on the table. By now the indulgence of alcohol and the motion of the ferry was having it's effect and the loos were full of the said old girls chucking up their lunch. Honestly the worst thing I have ever encountered. The trip was to Iona, getting there in the swell was interesting to say the least, we had to get into an open boat via the car deck, it was heaving up and down about 4 ft and you had to be quick! The trip was wet (weather had not improved), there was nothing on the Island apart from some monks, could see nothing through the low cloud. Return home via Staffa to see Fingal's Cave was pointless - invisible through the rain. Back in Oban we had the worst Chinese ever then got the train home. I needed a week of work to recover!

Possession

I've never been to Oban or Iona, think the furthest I've ever been is Skye. In fact I suspect I've explored more of Asia than this country and I've never even been to Ireland. It will all have to be rectified.
DH went for a very rare night out last night with a friend from his OU course. It was the friend's 56th birthday. He has been out of work now for almost 3 years, and it isn't for want of trying. Now he's 56 he feels like nobody is going to employ him, and I'm not sure what the answer is. He was on a very high salary before but he isn't looking for anywhere near that, but still he's barely even had any interviews. I think perhaps he should retrain as a plumber or something but he went through a messy divorce and has no savings at all now so I guess he can't fund it.

lillibet_dripping

:o)

mardatha wrote: »

Boys at school used to make itching powder from rosehips and throw it at us, I always wondered how you got nice tasting syrup out of horrible hairy rosehips... I loved the baby clinic orange juice as well, and I remember my daughter saying gripe water didnt work any more - I suppose that's progress eh?
Am I the only person whose mum didn't Cardinal her step? Some neighbours did but not us.
Hundreds of swallows on my roof, getting ready to fly away. How I hate autumn I get miserable in autumn because everything's dying. But I like winter, with long cosy nights and a good fire.
Did you see the village hall in the !!!!!! - bet they're going to end the series with a VE day party or celebration in it.
The RV's birthday today, he is 66 and wondering if he's too old to have a bike. I pointed out that every single biker you see now has grey hair cos only old people can afford the bloody insurance

Mar - the Earth is only 'resting' and getting its breath back...
Fuddle - I adore you:T Every day you seem to come up with something new that you want to learn about. I have 4 chickens and wouldn't be without them. They are easy to look after as long as you keep on top of the hygiene bit. Mind you, they are also great timewasters - you will find yourself sitting watching them scratch about and 'talk' to you and they will all have individual personalities. Mine are called Ethel, Madge, Vera and Dot because they remind me of a mothers' meeting (apologies if any readers have those names:o) There is an excellent thread on here about chickens (sorry, don't know how to do linky things)