make do and mend for tougher times

mardatha

I love the tin cans pics - very 60s. I used to use them for all sorts of things including legs. Stick them onto a bit of wood and you've got a coffee table - the biggish ones like marvel tins or the family sized soup tins work best for this, painted . In one house I did this on an old door and then put the tc and stereo and phone and radio and pot plants etc all on it. Was the only furniture we had in the room for a while

valk_scot

Been to dump with all my textile recycling (they have a container for rags) and then back round the CSs to look for a couple of casual shirts for DS. No joy but found a Downton Abbey book for my sister, who is a fan, one of DS's set English texts and a novel for me. Then to the podiatrist to be fitted with my new insoles, one of my feet rolls in a lot, the other one a little and it's affecting my balance. And my back! So I'm hoping these insoles will work at least a small miracle.

fuddle

Finally sussed out the stickered reduced stuff in the Coop. With us walking home later as DD is in the junior school I'm later in the Coop. They must wait till after the school rush to put the reduced stickers on. Tuesdays is eldest DD's youth club at school (40p a week, can't not!) so will be in there browsing tomorrow come 5.30pm

Oh, today stir fry veg for 54p instead of £1.20

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE - Our co-op reduces at about 11.30 in the morning, but seems to have done away with a specified area for reduced things, they are just on the shelf with the ordinary ones. It makes you go through the shop I suppose, and might, if you weren't OS tempt you to buy more than you went in for. Cheers Lyn x.

[Deleted User]

oh I like the tin can innovations, reminds me of using bricks to support a plank for low level shelving

So so tired now as have been on my feet the whole day. First was making parsnip wine, ok they were not frosted but I put them in the freezer for an hour. Used 3 kg and looks as though I`ll get near to 3 gallons, will add yeast etc this evening. Book is good, lots of good wine recipes in the back. There is also a recipe for a gal of wine from a bottle of ribena. I`ll get the book title when I stand up

Dh collected sloes, lots of elderberries and blackberries for me so I have also prepared for crab apple and hedgerow jelly. Now in jelly bag for the whole night. Honestly I am so cream crackered, can hardly move. Wasn`t going to waste the 3 kg of cooked parsnip chunks so have peeled them and sliced and filled the dehydrator. The rest I am roasting for tea tonight. Tbh I sometimes wish I could stop myself being os, I didn`t want to be bothered with the cooked parsnips

The wine book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Steps-Winemaking-C-J-J-Berry/dp/1854861395/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347291480&sr=8-1

oh it is fatal to look on amazon, I just bought the one with 130 recipes to join the first one

Has anyone gor a rhumtopf going this year? I haven`t, I was too late in thinking about it. Shame, it went down really well last winter

Cheapskate

Our freezers are both full, with a mixture of YS things, ready-cooked stuff for HM fast food and brambles/sloes ready for making things - defrosted some chicken legs that we're having for tea and need to eat some of the things in there! I have to work most of next week, so hope to make a few things to defrost and reheat for speedy teas.
(Already dreading it, hate leaving the littlies, still want to return to be a SAHM! )

Our SM reduce at different time, small Sainsb has a shelf all day, but larger one tends to only have later at night, after tea. Had to walk past today, cos the freezers are too full!

A xo

fuddle

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

FUDDLE - Our co-op reduces at about 11.30 in the morning, but seems to have done away with a specified area for reduced things, they are just on the shelf with the ordinary ones. It makes you go through the shop I suppose, and might, if you weren't OS tempt you to buy more than you went in for. Cheers Lyn x.

I noticed that the veg was in with the veg. I did buy something else that I didn't intend to... rubber gloves. I've never used them before but feel like I need to look after my hands a bit now the colder weather is coming in.

Kittie I don't know how you do it. :eek: I'm a busy bee but not on the scale that you do. You get me thinking about what it means to live. To get up and spend the day making sure you have your land tended, your produce preserved and thinking ahead for provisions for the future. I do wish we could live 'the good life'. Tiring stuff though :cool:

Tonight is the first real autumn feeling night here. I'll be drawing the curtains soon and putting the candles on. The girls are having their first Horlicks of the season before bed. May the autumn bring calm and cosiness for us all.

FairyPrincessk

Oh, don't worry kittie we've got the brick/plank combo.:rotfl:

We decided to rent an unfurnished house since we're in an inbetween stage of owning furniture. It saves us money and gives us the space to slowly acquire quality pieces as we find them in CS etc. Emphasis on the slowly. ATM OH has a chair and I have a door for a wardrobe.:o But, It makes sense for us in the longrun and even though we'ere fast approaching our 30s most of our friends are also doing lots and lots of extra degrees so they all still live like students too. Makes it a bit easier .

Still haven't worked out how to use any tins in dinner.:( Since the meals are planned for the week I shall be woefully short. However that will be my first priority when I plan next week's dinners

westcoastscot

Hi guys,
That's me back from up north - haven't read back now to catch up but will sit with a cup of tea later. I headed off on friday in winter clothes - it just got hotter and hotter the further north I got, ended up 25 degrees!!!! couldn't believe it - i had a hat and gloves with me.
I'm home now and it's raining (still) and back to 10 degrees.
Hope all are well, WCS

kidcat

You lot cant half talk, have skimmed so please accept my apologies for any glaring ommissions.

FairyP - could you look in your recycling centre for a few tins, if they are only for growing it wont matter so much if they have been a little weathered.

Kittie - I am exhausted just thinking of what you achieve in a day, one day I aspire to manage a tenth of what you do.

PAH- well done on the babysitting and school runs, speaking from experience school runs exhaust me.

SDG - I hope your day in the shop went well

I managed the school runs and then had yet more blood tests, I then finally had an appointment with a doctor who was lovely, she actually examined me!!! And has requested X-Rays, she says that when she knows exactly what it is she will forward me to pain clinic too.

Another no spend day as I really could not be bothered shopping at all. ended up cooking five different dinners tonight to use up bits and pieces.
Tomorrow will have to take out a prepayment certificate for my prescriptions as I now have three to put in so it will pretty much pay for itself immediately.