Preparedness for when

D&DD

Rhubarb and strawberry cobbler done in the slowcooker is gorgeous..

Just trying to work out what needs doing in the garden today I'm itching to get stuff out but the nights are still forecast to be cold this week,next week will be warmer but the week after its turning cold overnight again,bliddy annoying!

I may just have to stick stuff in next week and let it all take its chances!

Have Tescos delivering in a mo but want to knock up a loaf before they arrive.They have lamb on half price this week for anyone who needs some.I can't believe the price of their chickens :eek: I got some half price the week they were on glad I did now..some of these price rises are getting stoopid

Wondering wether the breadflour will drop back down to 62p I was paying before,it's up to £1.32 now,shocking! May just get a sack from Amazon if it doesn't go back down will have to see how it works out on price.

Well need to get cracking have a great day all X

alfsmum

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Morning all,my idea of torture today but, it has to be done, I'm off to t'city for a look at what might be available as a wedding outfit for late August when DD2 and her lovely OH are getting married. I do NOT do clothes shopping, I hate the primped and made up and bejewelled ladies of a certain age that always seem to work in those shops selling smart things, who hover while you are trying things on yukkkkkkkk!!!! Howsomever, it has to be done, so with gritted teeth I go!!!

PERPLEXED PINEAPPLE I cut the rhubarb into chunks about 1" in size, pre heat the Slow Cooker on high and then add the rhubarb and about 1/2 a pint of boiling water from the kettle. Then I just leave it alone on high and in 2 to 2 1/2 hours I have perfectly cooked rhubarb in perfect chunks. I use a liquid sweetener H*rm*sitas is the one we like and add in as much as you personally like. Let it all cool down and drain off most of the juice until it is as dry as you like for a crumble filling. I got some of those foil containers from the pound shop big enough to each take 2 portions of crumble and put them into the freezer with the crumble uncooked on top of the cooked fruit. Works well and you don't need to defrost them before cooking, just into a warm oven I do Fan 180/190 deg C until the crumble is cooked through, hope that helps, Cheers Lyn xxx.

I don't have the courage to go in those shops staffed by made up and bejewelled ladies. Even walking past the make up counter in B@@ts brings me out in a cold sweat in case someone leaps out and offers to try out their goods on me :rotfl:

I do like to look respectable, and smart ish for work, but I just don't have time to put on slap in the mornings, might frighten the dogs!

BessieBooBoo

Hello all (waves at new faces)

Off work with sore throat, n feeling kerknack-erred.

Been insulating shed, just need more skipped wood for covering, well OH did that whilst I praised him...!

All my seedlings are ready to go, just, waiting for frosts to disappear, keep putting them out to harden off then bringing them in again...

I was listening in amazement to one of the office girls discussing clothing:

"I've written to complain about the quality of clothes from (insert designer name); their coats aren't anywhere near as good as they were. If I'm paying £800 for it, I expect quality, etc..." The speaker always wears full on slap, manicured, jewellery, expensive clothes, but her income isn't at designer label level, she relies on her OH who works in construction, to provide the shortfall. She's always eating expensive ready made stuff too, fancy pasta salads, etc. and very faddy.

Several weeks ago, she and her OH had to give up their rented flat to go live with parents as they couldn't afford to live! Go figure.

It was on the tip of my tongue to say, why don't you live more frugally e.g. visit charity shops/bargain shops, cut out the expensive tastes (manicures, pedicures, facials, expensive gloop); and actually save up for a house deposit! Beggars belief. However, they already think I'm odd for bringing home made lunches, not wearing designer stuff, just wearing my old comfortable just about smart enough clothes, and, horrors, not bothering with make-up, so I think I would be flogging a dead horse on that one. If they only knew my preptastic shenanigans I think I would be left sitting in a corner on my own!

But, I am not in debt, not struggling to fund a place to live. Paid everything off. Not worrying about financials. I have a modest amount saved up. I enjoy eating the freshness of the stuff I have grown, and know where it's been, how its been treated, not some polywhatisname, saturated this and that, Ecoloured thingy. I'm not slathered in chemicals. I prefer to be natural and not multi-coloured. Don't get me wrong, I'm clean and tidy, get my hair cut nicely (I like a good cut), keep my clothes and self groomed. I think about the future, have back-up heating and cooking, stocking up on basics in case of job loss, more inflation/rise in cost of living, wanting more skills and be less dependent on existing systems.

But I feel I am the polar opposite of what the office crowd deem 'normal'. I think they are weird for spending hundreds on over-priced carp, following some dim-witted celebrity with more money than sense, then moaning they can't afford their own place! Sheesh. Who is really the nutter here?

Sorry, rant over, but can you believe the mind-set of some people?

Anyway, looking forward to sun, sun, sun, and plant, weed, crop, preserve, freeze, eat... Just need to persuade the DDog that eating plants is not a good game...

Happy gardening/prepping all!

Sending out hugs to poorlies and carers, keep your peckers up the summer is edging in.

BBB

pineapple

alfsmum wrote: »

I don't have the courage to go in those shops staffed by made up and bejewelled ladies. Even walking past the make up counter in B@@ts brings me out in a cold sweat in case someone leaps out and offers to try out their goods on me :rotfl:

Don't you think they all look 'overdone' and horrible though? It was brought home to me a lifetime ago when I returned from an E European country in the days when make up was too expensive for many over there. I got used to it and it was most scary returning to the UK - it seemed like everyone was wearing a mask! Over on another forum there are girls talking about having make up tattooed on. :eek:
Nowadays I'll wear a bit of blusher (else I look ill) and when I am pushing the boat out, a bit of lippy and eyeliner - and foundation about 4 x a year. I do have good skin for my age (she says). Not sure if it is down to genes or the fact that I don't smother my face in gunk everyday.
Anyhow my bulk vinegar arrived today (complete with 'free' gifts!). So cleaning is taken care of for the next 100 years or so . Yesterday it was the organic liquid castile soap - ridiculously expensive but long lasting -I find a penny size drop in the hand does for a shower - in place of potentially toxic shower gel. I add a touch of my fave essential oil to the container and it is heavenly.
Happy to share the supplier links though not sure if it is allowed :huh:

VJsmum

I wear make up :eek: I look awful without it - really tired. I wear it, even if I am home alone all day.

I wear a bit of eyeliner, shadow and mascara. If my skin looks rough then I use some tinted moisturiser. The whole lot takes 2 - 3 minutes to put on. I look odd in lipstick though, so I only use a tiny amount of natural colour if I feel like it.

I was covetting a posh handbag a while ago, I had earned some extra money abroad and thought I would treat myself. We are talking a couple of hundred quid, rather than thousands - but I just couldn't do it. It seemed such a ridiculous amount of money. So off to TKus maxximus I went and got a £70 for £25

There is a lovely girl at work, who thinks nothing of spending £100 on a lampshade. Though austerity has kicked in for her and she's now bringing in her own lunch - she can't believe how much she's saving - close to £30 a week! :eek: Mind she said she was downgrading the supermarket shopping from Wa!trose to Sainsbugs, so I think she has a way to go :cool:

daz378

hello people lovely sunny day here in salford, in work later, my heel is very sore, might be the new karimor walking trainers i bought a few weeks ago... so im limping towards my 1 in 3 weekends off,... cleared out more shelves to stock more

PattiPickle

Just been reading my way through this thread and want to say thanks to everyone for making me realise that I'm not weird, strange or in need of psychologial assessment just because i get a huge amount of pleasure (was going to add guilty to that but hey...I don't need to anymore) from opening my storecupboards and seeing them full and healthy looking.
I'm still not brave enough to be the full real me in work so I have the work persona,( I have a quite a demanding job and need to at least fool people into believing I have a firm grip on proceedings), and the real me who doesn't do make-up, suits and heels. I'm getting braver all the time though so watch this space lol.

In the middle of management meetings I catch myself daydreaming about bulk buying or how to grow my veg without it losing the will to live after the first few weeks.

Looking forward to many happy times spent here :j

katieclampet

I wear a little bit of makeup, eye shadow, mascara and a quick bit of pale pink lipstick, otherwise I look very pale and washed out. I did have my makeup "DONE" a few years ago at a posh shop (it was free). The girl was very pleasant as I explained I liked a very natural, understated look.

She proceeded to slather me with all sorts, including purple eye shadow! I am sure it would have looked great on a trendy 20 something, It made me look like a very sad old slapper! (and not in a good way) Me and DD had a good laugh all the way home.:rotfl:

I hate that mask makup look, not keen on it on other people and hate it on myself.

The weather is sunny but windy, so lots of washing out, part of my spring clean. Also pleased to report that herbs and salady things I planted in pots are doing well, still not ready to go outside though, too cold.

have a great day, katie

BessieBooBoo

pineapple wrote: »

Don't you think they all look 'overdone' and horrible though? It was brought home to me a lifetime ago when I returned from an E European country in the days when make up was too expensive for many over there. I got used to it and it was most scary returning to the UK - it seemed like everyone was wearing a mask! Over on another forum there are girls talking about having make up tattooed on. :eek:
Nowadays I'll wear a bit of blusher (else I look ill) and when I am pushing the boat out, a bit of lippy and eyeliner - and foundation about 4 x a year. I do have good skin for my age (she says). Not sure if it is down to genes or the fact that I don't smother my face in gunk everyday.
Anyhow my bulk vinegar arrived today (complete with 'free' gifts!). So cleaning is taken care of for the next 100 years or so . Yesterday it was the organic liquid castile soap - ridiculously expensive but long lasting -I find a penny size drop in the hand does for a shower - in place of potentially toxic shower gel. I add a touch of my fave essential oil to the container and it is heavenly.
Happy to share the supplier links though not sure if it is allowed :huh:

Hey Pineapple

Yes I do. Nothing against people making up their faces, btw, just, some tend to overdo it and end up looking a bit drag queenish at times... I have been known to put on the face if we are going out, even tinted moisturiser, so no offence to those who enjoy a bit of make up help.

Just thinking of the priorities, do you really need to use the expensive weeks wages worth of moisturiser, when you can't afford your own place with your OH? I think the young woman hasn't got her head in the right place, is all. Mind you, she probably thinks I am too old and decrepit to bother, just papering over the cracks!

Funny how we change our ideas over time about whats really important... Must have been young and silly myself once; I am sure I did do the teetering heels and hobbling walking to clubs. Discos in my day.... Showing my age!

More like flats and fallen arches nowadays :rotfl:

BBB

the_cake

Oh I do so love this thread! As others have said, it feels like home. I too hate shopping for posh clothes; when OH and I had to go to Italy a few years ago for my cousin's wedding (the only trip abroad in 10 long and difficult years of financial battling) we went round all the charity shops in the local towns, choosing the more up-market ones. There were three different parties to go to, so we needed lots of decent clothes, which we found. Even found a designer get-up for me (£6.50 if I remember right). We giggled a lot, tried on loads of stuff and ended up with some excellent outfits for a total outlay of about £30. Turned out we were some of the better dressed guests (to our amazement)! Haven't done "proper" shopping for about 10 years now, and would find it quite hard to do. Love the cs's and the serendipity of the quest.
Anyhow, the sun is out, I heard the cuckoo this morning, Jeeves (cat) nearly fell out of the first floor window trying to catch a bird flying past (not a cuckoo) and I wish all my virtual friends a very happy May. xx the cake xx