make do and mend for tougher times

fuddle

Pops have you got s.u.n? A refreshing sight!

I wanted to ask all those who have had anti-D's, is it possible to still get down periods? I'm on day 3 of just head shakeably lost lust for life, I'm down, I'm pathetic, I'm cross and snappy and feel teary. It's like I was never on anti-D's. I slept for 11 hours and feel poorly too, I now have the kids' sickness.

We're all at home today (minus the hard working DH) so we're going to go weeding in the garden. I don't want to but I am making myself and the kids need to get out!

Smiley knock 'em sideways today! Good luck hun

The discussion over homemade is not cheaper a lot of the time is very relevant to me. Just last night I was on the phone to my sis, catching up. I was telling her about how long it is taking me to knit the legwarmers and how I'm enjoying it. That I would like to knit my own socks for my next project. She asked how much sock yarn was and I said about £5. She was horrified that someone who prides herself on her frugality (me ) would spend £5 on a pair of socks. I have to say I agreed with her! You can get 3 pairs in Asda for a couple of quid. It got me thinking why and all I can think of is I like the feeling of learning skills, being self sufficient-ish and enjoying the process. It's good to have a hobby right?

What happened to making your own to save money? My grandma made so much stuff herself because it was cheaper, it was a must. Now we're in a situation where the raw materials to knit/crochet, sew or bake far out way the price of it ready made. Plus many of the items can't be sources locally any more. I can't pop down to the shop in the village that used to sell wool and haberdashery stuff because it's now a takeaway. I guess society evolves. Sometimes I feel it's not for the better though.

Sunshine4

Morning Everyone,
We had beautiful blue skies and sunny here early this morning for 30mins now it dull and blackclouds.

PAH, Enjoy your gift you deserve it.

Kitschy, Well done on the interview, fingers crossed for the next one.

Smileyt, Hope your interview goes well today

I was invited out to lunch yesterday, with the lady I had worked for.
She is so down about having to close her business felt so sorry for her she has owned it for years. She also had invited the other girl who lost her job.She treated us to lunch, and then handed us an envelope each and said she hoped it would help alittle as she knows there is not many jobs around.
Voucher for Mr As for 60pounds and 100 pounds cash.
She was in tears when she give it to us, she also said if she hears of any jobs she will let us know.How kind was that.
I was already to a on-line shop and now I can do a big one and include her voucher and as theres only the two of us it should last awhile. I will be very careful in what I buy it will all be basic items we use and need.

For the time being as I am not working I am going to go through this place and see if I can sell as much as I can on ebay. We have stuff sitting around we dont use so will see if I can make a few pounds while I am sitting at home.

SDG31000

Morning all

smileyt The best of luck with the interview xxx

kitschy Fingers crossed the flat is the right one

fuddle From what I remember my hormones and feeling ill affected my mood on anti-ds, but it was a long time ago and I mostly remember feeling like a zombie on them. I hope you all feel better soon ((((((hugs)))))) As for the making vs buying debate, I always think that you need to compare like with like. So a homemade cake needs comparing with a cake from a goood bakery and not with a value cake made with veg fat and cheap ingredients. The same goes for the socks and knitted items. Yes you can get socks really cheap, but they aren't the same as hand knitted ones made to measure and made out of wool/cashmere. I wish I could knit in the round, it's on my list of things to learn. I think my next project is going to be a cardigan for me. With any luck it will be done by Christmas 2013.

Today I'm off into town to see Jasper Fforde I have to admit that I'm feeling nervous, but I will make myself eat breakfast and dose myself up with Kalms before I go. I haven't managed to read the book for book group, so I'm not going to rush back. I'll have a look around the pound and charity shops and pick some things up for DS2's packed lunch tomorrow. He is meant to be having his Sports Day, but I think it will be cancelled due to the rain that is forecast. I'll still send the packed lunch as I don't know if the school kitchens will be open or not.

I'd better go and get dressed as I don't think Jasper is going to want to see me in my pjs.

Take care everyone xxxx

VJsmum

Morning all - working from home today. I will start sometime!!:D

Good luck for those with interviews and results of interviews. I haven't been properly interviewed for a job since 1993 - I have kind of "fallen into" all my teaching jobs as a result of being in the right place at the right time. Or they were desperate, one or the other!

Popperwell and Bossymoo - and others - so sorry for your loss. I lost my mum a couple of years ago and it never goes away but you do get more used to it. If i feel like sinking into despair I can hear her in my ear saying "you've got to get on with it". See - she's still telling me off!!! :rotfl:Bossymoo - my BIL died 2 years ago leaving a wife and 2 small children, so I know how tough it must be for you. My small niece is coping remarkably well but I am a little worried for my nephew, who is troubled. He is now 8 (his sister is 10) and uses "Daddy's not here" arguments to get his own way with his mother. I am sure he does miss his daddy but I think there is rather a lot of manipulation going on. Bossy - great name, I can be one of those too! - not saying your kids are like that, but he is a worry. My BIL took his own life after many years of mental illness and failed attempts so, as you can imagine, the children grew up with an awful lot of stress and worry about Daddy and their behaviour was appalling before he died. They were fighting for attention all the time. But, after 2 years, they are all starting to move forward but it is a slow road. I wish you well.

On a brighter note, but completely and utterly not MSE, DD had her prom yesterday. My goodness but she looked stunning. She spent the whole day getting ready - she even had a "getting ready schedule" :rotfl: but it paid off. Make up, hair, nails, shoes, bag, frock, jewellery etc etc and arrived at the prom on Santa's sleigh, courtesy of a donation to round table! It was nice for her as she is going to a completely different 6th form to anyone else from her school so it really is the last time she will have anything to do with most of them. All the kids looked fab - oh alright - most of the kids looked fab, there were a couple of badly chosen frocks but nothing too TOWIE about it.

I have potatoes in, too, but haven't time to deal with them so they will just have to take their chances. I have just eaten the one - yes, one - perfect strawberry I have managed to produce from my dozen or so plants and jolly nice it was too. The only thing that seems to be growing well are the runner beans. TOmatoes are OK; peppers, squash and aubergine are just dormant; radishes and carrots non existent; sweetcorn has odd growth spurts and I daren't look at the onions. This is all learning for me, until I can be like Kittie!!

Regarding flooding - we live at about the highest point of our town, so if we flood we're all stuffed :eek: However, I guess we could be affected by flooding drains, so thanks for the advice kittie, I passed that on in the pub last night.

I really should do some work, but can't be [STRIKE]ar[/STRIKE] er bothered. I may pay a visit to the fruit farm and buy some jamming strawberries. They can go in the freezer until I have time to deal with them. I will have to do the work at some point before tomorrow's 5 pm deadline (honestly what is the point of a Friday 5pm deadline, why not make it 9am Monday and make everyone's life a little easier??) but think I will be better doing chore-y stuff today.

Have a good day all

Possession

kitschy wrote: »

Thanks Possession! Yes - at the new stadium. My East London geography isn't great as my clan are from West London, but it seems nice! So far on my Olympic travels I've been to Dagenham, West Ham, Canning Town, Star Lane and Stratford, so I'm getting better at knowing where I am!

It didn't used to be nice, LOL, but with all the Olympic spending over the last few years, and the big new shopping centre, I suspect it's a great deal nicer than it used to be!

Uniscots97

fuddle wrote: »

The discussion over homemade is not cheaper a lot of the time is very relevant to me. Just last night I was on the phone to my sis, catching up. I was telling her about how long it is taking me to knit the legwarmers and how I'm enjoying it. That I would like to knit my own socks for my next project. She asked how much sock yarn was and I said about £5. She was horrified that someone who prides herself on her frugality (me ) would spend £5 on a pair of socks. I have to say I agreed with her! You can get 3 pairs in Asda for a couple of quid. It got me thinking why and all I can think of is I like the feeling of learning skills, being self sufficient-ish and enjoying the process. It's good to have a hobby right?

What happened to making your own to save money? My grandma made so much stuff herself because it was cheaper, it was a must. Now we're in a situation where the raw materials to knit/crochet, sew or bake far out way the price of it ready made. Plus many of the items can't be sources locally any more. I can't pop down to the shop in the village that used to sell wool and haberdashery stuff because it's now a takeaway. I guess society evolves. Sometimes I feel it's not for the better though.

I think now because a lot of the fabric shops, wool shops have disappeared and where is left charge a fortune we have to be more ingenious than the previous generation. I recently bought material to make a top plus a pattern and it came to £25, the wool to knit a scarf £6.50. But I have a long black gathered skirt (that I don't wear anymore) I'm now planning to turn into a light weight dressing gown. I think for wool I may start looking in the charity shops again. So I think going forward unless its something for a special occassion I'm going to reuse what I have and make more use of the charity shops, pound shops etc.

grandma247

Fuddle making your own is about quality as well as what you make being unique. You need to compare what you make with a higher price range and also designer stuff.

I find that anything I make myself lasts years longer than shop bought cheap stuff . Imade a crochet jacket recently for about £7 using wilkos cheap acrylic and get so many compliments about it. It is likely to last about 5 years so that is £1.40 a year roughly. You can not even get one for that in a charity shop.

I don't know how long socks would last because I have only ever made acrylic tube socks for speed and using up my stash. They don't last many months because they get a lot of wear and acrylic is not up to the job for that. The more expensive wool for socks is harder wearing. Have a look at the price of proper wool socks. I think you will find they compare well with your hand knitting wool.

As for sewing look at online sales as many of them are very good prices. Just be sure to check out the postage because some are a bit over the top although they do discount if you spend over a certain amount.

With baking and cooking you have to remember yours will not have any additives, preservatives or any other nasties. I find it hard to believe that everyday food costs less if you buy it ready made unless you buy really cheap stuff and who knows what they do to make it that cheap sometimes. Some cheap biscuits are now horrible in taste and texture.

fuddle

I'll remember that, like for like. Thanks

Been looking into folate deficiency with depression. Looking into my diet I only eat lentils (tiny amount to bulk out food) and broccoli (once or twice a week) that has folate in it.

Some one suggested a site a short while ago by wheezl (i think) that was meal based but got all the nutrients that a body needs. Anyone know what it is and can remind me? I really need to rethink my meal plan because I'm worried we're not getting everything we need through our diet. Until then we all have to be sure to have our multivitamin. One thing is for sure, I'm struggling right now. This is month 4 on my anti-d's and up until now I have been so positive about their effects. Maybe it is because I have a bug too?

grandma247

Fuddle you might have a bug but you might also be suffering like the rest of us from a lack of sun. It does more than top up your vitamin D levels it lifts your mood. People who live in sunnier places have a sunnier disposition.

dragonette

Popperwell wrote: »

Funny you should mention acrylic, of late I have purchased some lovely jumpers and cardigans at the charity shop(some orginally from M&S)thought they were cotton or wool and they've been acrylic...soft and yet warm too.

I envy you all for your craft skills...

I find crochet really easy, there are youtube videos to help you learn. There are often needles and hooks and the CS's, sometimes you need to ask as apparently there have been fears about knitting needles being used as weapons. You get anything from acrylic to mohair in a CS too and its great for learning I would strongly urge you to try and there are lots of variations, if not knitting or crochet there are knooking or tunisian. Or I've recently tried tatting and want to try rug making.

I'm pretty evangelical about craft!!

Grandma247 - I completely agree, the satisfaction from what you've made is amazing I just wish I could get more clothing patterns for crochet.

I used to live near 2 wool factories and it was fantastic, I now struggle to find either reaaly cheap or good designer wool (Louisa Harding etc). I then found out I could order from one of them and its still cheaper than JL etc. Its encouraged me to make clothes.