make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

Interesting about the dehumidifier Byatt and 2Tonsils...I have an oilfilled radiator that I am not using, I wonder if that is a good idea for heating say a bedroom and would be cheaper than using the CH. I haven't used it for sometime...

2tonsils wrote: »

Italy and Spain are in an even worse situation than we are in Greece, so they won't be any better off going there than if they came to Greece.

I had no idea except for the demonstrations and the Red Cross
appeal in Spain...again a lot of this played down by the media over here...worse than Greece!:eek::(

[Deleted User]

Afternoon all, just taken the hound for his afternoon drenching/walk and got caught out in some really heavy downfall, but we found a tree to shelter under so didn't get quite as wet as we could have.

FUDDLE - I make fruit crumbles at the weekend and when they are cool clingfilm them in the cooking dish and they will keep in the fridge for a good 5 - 6 days. If you don't cover them they tend to go dry. Baked goods like flapjack and shortbread or fruit cake I keep in tightly sealed tins in the larder cupboard in the coolest part of the kitchen and they keep perfectly well for up to a week. I wouldn't keep anything with cream, like a gateaux anywhere that wasn't the fridge or quiches or sausage rolls but for cakes, biscuits flapjacks, provided the container is airtight they should keep perfectly well in a cool cupboard. If I have any cake that does go stale I make trifle with it (He who knows likes trifle!!!) and use it up that way. Hope the cookies were nice, and the girls enjoyed them too. Cheers Lyn xxx.

Popperwell

Sounds Good Mrs L...

More food ideas here...

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/jo-romero/regional-british-foods-more-proud-154800453.html

2tonsils

Yes Popp (hope I can call you that xxx) its amazing what you don't hear on the news.....of all the debt in Europe, Greece owes just 3 percent of it!

Our local bus has to come up the mountain to take the villagers to town, its fourteen km and it costs 1.75 euro each way. It's five times a day and also goes down to the resort at the bottom of the mountain (I don't know how they get the bus back up, its really steep LOL).

Yes, the oil filled radiator should be cheap enough to run and they hold the heat for a long time after they are turned off. We used to use ours on the temperature switch on it, as when it reached a certain temperature it would turn itself off until the room got cool enough to turn it back on automatically. Put it on your side of the bed and you should get full benefit from it. We also use an electric blanket in the winter as it keeps the bed aired as well as warm enough to get into without shuddering for half an hour.

2tonsils

When I bake I freeze everything in portions as soon as it is cool enough. That way it comes out of the freezer as fresh as newly baked. It also stops me eating more than I should. If I buy food at the supermarket such as bacon I split it into portions and I do the same with the bread for my OH (I have to have gluten free bread so make my own....but still freeze it in portions. If I have leftovers I freeze them if there is enough left. Waste not want not.

VJsmum

Pooky wrote: »

VJs - your buffet sounds lovely, what time do you want us?

kidcat wrote: »

VJsmum- oh that sounds lovely what time are we to arrive - shall we bring wine?:rotfl:

You are all welcome - we've had a cancellation due to illness, and a change of plan but enough food to feed an army. So instead of tomorrow with 7, we have just 3 for tonight. Added to which DS has had a better invitation. I have a huge gammon cooking and a turkey breast joint due to go in the oven any minute. I am never going to get that freezer defrosted at this rate as I will have tons of leftovers . So we are going to serve roast turkey and / or gammon with roast trimmings. I bought a raspberry pavlova and have made a simple choc mousse. I am about to fly round like a mad thing hoovering and dusting. This way it frees us up for tomorrow. Ah well, c'est la vie - the poor soul can't help being ill.

Leftovers tomorrow, I feel

fuddle

Did you see any mushroomy things on your drenching Lyn? I have to admit that while making the carrot cookies I was dubious, even taking them out the oven they didn't smell yummy but once cooled they were a hit... and they've all gone!

Thanks for the baking storage info. I will need to get some lock containers (marg tubs do? I suppose they aren't air tight?)

I no longer watch the news. I look at the headlines and read the facts of what interests/disturbs me. I'm tired of watching 'news' that is about some retired professionals' opinion or the sensationalisation of some devastating news. I haven't seen any evidence that being in Greece is unsafe, nor that we shouldn't holiday there, just that it's mighty hard for people living there.

catznine

Churchmouse wrote: »

Oh dear I'm afraid it's too late for one cancelled booking. A large contingent of my extended family were planning on a Greek holiday next Spring ( we couldn't go unfortunately) but having read your posts about the hardships, and the threat of all those strikes etc I told them to think again, and referred them to this site. They've now decided on Italy instead.

Churchmouse - we were out in Zante a couple of weeks ago and had a lovely holiday! As 2 tonsils said you really would not have known there were any problems. We were so very well looked after and would love to go back next year (funds allowing). We usually go to Spain/Menorca but found Greece even friendlier, wish we had gone years ago!

smileyt_2

fuddle wrote: »

GreyQueen is around, I seen her... prepping

Is he new smiley or is this the same baffoon as before? (oops sorry, should't call people I don't know a baffoon!)

It's the same one, Fuddle. Glad to hear Greyqueen is prepping, I'm relying on her to stop the Zombies invading the northern end of our fair isle!

Sitting here with a cup of tea and relishing the idea of doing some cross-stitch and some crochet for the evening. The cross-stitch is destined to be a Christmas present and the crochet is a cover for my Kobo to try and stop the screen getting scratched. I'm 43 in a couple of weeks' time .... perhaps I should take early retirement :rotfl:!

kidcat

smiley - I have been buying Zagg screen covers for all our phones and gizmos, they are pricier than normal screen protectors but excellent quality, the phone DD uses is my old phone so the cover is 4 years old and still protecting well. They probably do a kobo version too.

Fuddle I also have stopped watching the news, I will read headlines on an app on my phone and then just read the bits I want to.