make do and mend for tougher times

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE - I've got The Victory Cookbook in a 3 book edition called Jubilee Dishes by Marguerite Patten, the other 2 books are the Post War Kitchen and We'll Eat Again, the Post War Kitchen takes you through year by year from the end of the war until rationing stops in 1953, We'll Eat Again goes from the start of WW2 until the end in 1945. I've quite a collection accumulated over the years but this is the one I always end up going back to. The three books are available singly as well. If you library sells books, I've seen We'll eat again on the for sale shelves more than once, worth a look if you're passing maybe? Cheers Lyn x.

2tonsils

Olive oil should be kept in the dark and cool if possible. It should keep a long time in an unopened container in those conditions. If you have a big container, once its opened its worth putting into smaller bottles so very little air is in them. If you keep it in the big container and keep taking it out it can go off and taste strange. Incidentally, you can put it in the freezer and use it like a spread as long as you keep returning it to the freezer after use. You can put herbs in a small bottle of oil to have lovely herbal infused oil for cooking. If you want to fry with olive oil ie sauted potatoes, add a knob of butter to stop the olive oil burning.

mardatha

Oh great tonsils, ta

Popperwell

kidcat wrote: »

Its all so depressing isnt it. Am feeling really low today, no reason in particular, maybe its the weather but I just feel a serious sense of foreboding and really down.

Maybe its because school want a meeting about DS14 next week to sort him going back with "support" but I really dont want him going back at all - having listened to their promises before I dont believe them nor do I think DS will cope. But how to handle it I dont know, I thought we were set for a tutor to come in but apparently school are fighting it and saying they havent been given a chance!:eek::eek:

Popped into Mr T to collect some school socks (DS8 seems to eat them) and looked at buying some bits of veg I needed - walked out again when I saw the prices, no way I could afford that at all. Obviously a sign of whats to come.

I try to stay happy and cheerful but it's difficult to, we now that on the MSE board our fears are similar, we are trying to cope and be prepared for the future but I wonder when I see others who are shopping, on the bus etc...are they feeling the same or are the oblivious of the situation because it is still hardly mentioned in the media.

I buy vegetables sparingly but then often find I don't get around to using them but have every good intention of doing so and know that I should.

Regarding moving to Australia some 30 years + I had connections to a dentist who took his family there and it was going to be great and was never coming home to the UK...within a few years they were glad to be back.

On the other hand one of their sons did go back and started a family and are doing fine so who knows what is the right thing to do.

I suspect at this time it's the same wherever you live and it will be a struggle for many.

And as for the dentist(you'd think they'd have a great pension plan/savings)he avoids putting the heating on, stays in one room to avoid heating the whole house, eats frugally, tries to avoid using the car as much as possible, avoids invites from friends to go out etc...because he hasn't the cash.

valk_scot

I've been looking through the High Street clothes shop websites for new clothes for DS. He's only 16 but he's a rugby prop and built like a bull from all the weight training and such and as a result he's grown out 90% of his clothes again this summer, mostly across the shoulders. School uniform and shoes were all bought at the start of term but he needs some winter clothes and also for a couple of upcoming school trips. Most teenage/young men's fashions seem to be cut for pipecleaners though, not bulldozers. Where do rugby props buy their clothes then? I'm seriously looking for stuff with a 48" chest and bigger than normal thigh girth. And at a decent price because he's just going to grow out it next year. Goodness knows what size he'll be by the time he's 21...:eek:

kidcat

Fuddle - kittie has it spot on, emigrating leaving debt is very foolhardy, no matter how good the job package is, what if the company fails? What if a member of the family falls in and requires them home? So many things could go wrong, you are right to be worried for them. But some people have to learn these things the hard way and even then appear to repeat their mistakes.

It is freezing here today and am almost tempted to put heating on but am holding off, will have to put it on when DS arrives home though so begins the bills.

Have bitten the bullet today and requested a DLA form for DS14, we have been told a few times we should be claiming but have held off, but its time to face the inevitable and do it.

Mrs_Chip

Have a look here Valk, not sure what the prices are like but there might be some deals.

Feeling very CBA, sure some of it is down to the weather, but also not feeling very positive at the moment for some reason. Got so much to do but difficult to motivate myself to do even the simplest thing. Have 4 ltrs of double cream to butter and courgettes to turn into curd as well as those red onions I still have not turned into chutney - oh and a bag of runners to prep for freezing. But sitting here feeling bleurgh.
Work tonight so I will have to shake myself soon.

midnight_express

valk_scot wrote: »

I've been looking through the High Street clothes shop websites for new clothes for DS. He's only 16 but he's a rugby prop and built like a bull from all the weight training and such and as a result he's grown out 90% of his clothes again this summer, mostly across the shoulders. School uniform and shoes were all bought at the start of term but he needs some winter clothes and also for a couple of upcoming school trips. Most teenage/young men's fashions seem to be cut for pipecleaners though, not bulldozers. Where do rugby props buy their clothes then? I'm seriously looking for stuff with a 48" chest and bigger than normal thigh girth. And at a decent price because he's just going to grow out it next year. Goodness knows what size he'll be by the time he's 21...:eek:

Cotton traders and jacomo.co.uk do clothes up to 5xl.

[Deleted User]

VJsmum wrote: »

That's a good idea - i guess you could freeze it in ice cube trays and then bag it rather than prize bits off?

oh yes, much better idea but I would make small cubes or had another idea, sort of. Freezing flat in bags and breaking bits off

Popperwell

I felt the cold yesterday(perhaps time to start wearing the thermals)or a cardigan/jumper but I was lovely and warm in bed...today, it's cold, dull and raining heavily(and I know I will struggle soon)well I do in many ways now so what I am about to say will seem frivilous but I have another of those theatre shows tonight so it won't be great having to go out in the poor weather.

I have managed to save money on the cost of taxi's(quite a lot)and purchased a bus ticket that meant I could use a bus as much as I like and as often for approx £3.25 daily...and the other night coming back from Durham(return trip of 24 miles)another person got on the bus for a single trip of approx3-4 miles and it cost him £2.40 so my ticket was a bargain but the walking to and from the bus route to home is a struggle and I need to top up with painkillers and am quite slow...

Even a single bus ride to Darlington is nearly £5 and a daily ticket(Return is approx £4.80)so the weekly ticket is better. And a return taxi fare on the town is approx £6 so again the bus ticket is better value.

Wish I could really get my money's worth out of it before it expires but I will have had 5 trips to Darlington and home, one to Durham. I have done two shopping trips to a couple of neighbouring towns(but if you haven't the money to shop why bother)and there aren't many places at this time of year worth visiting to try and have day out nor many places locally worth seeing.

So though the bus ticket isn't bad value, I will have to buy one occasionally as a treat. If you haven't your own transport I can see why people don't go out much.

You can't afford to socialise. People not going out affects the success of businesses in the area because customers don't spend and bus services then say that not enough people are using the services.

When I have used the buses in the evening you are lucky if there are half a dozen people on the bus.