Flying solo

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

missrlr wrote: »

Hum, perhaps a good thing you don't have to cope with cooking too? Hope you enjoy tomorrow.

Missrlr, you were right - the Divos agreed with you, and had decided I wasn't capable/well enough to cook a meal for fourteen people (several hungry gate-crashers turned up).
It was all rather overwhelming, tbh, especially as the focus was changed by the extra guests who weren't PC's friends.

Daft Dogs had a good time though, and were impeccably behaved - they had a bit of added interest with the other canine visitor; a puppy who'd been rescued after being dumped by the bins when only a few days old. His eyes have just opened, but he still needs bottle feeds every couple of hours so his new [slightly reluctant] owner has to take him everywhere.
She was rather nonplussed to hear that her charge is twice the size Daft Dogs were at the same age, and the shape of his head reminded us fellow dog-owners more of a mastiff than any other breed (think she was hoping he'd turn into some kind of terrier!).

missrlr wrote: »

Have a good rest and hope FD and CD have now accepted the lack of chicken, although i suspect those two will go hunting for chicken!

Worry not; on our way to the old house, FD took a very quick look then scooted past the neighbour's loose chickens. CD watched them for a minute while standing stock still, then ran past me up the path as soon as I called her.
They have learned that chasing chickens [and cats] only leads to trouble. Interestingly, they can tell the difference between chickens and ducks - have to be careful if we come across the latter because I know that CD considers ducks fair game, like rabbits, rats and mice..

Had a result re the plucked, chopped raw chicken Daft Dogs get for their lunch: While visiting the organic butcher to buy ingredients for our meal, I asked how much he charges for wings. As I buy in bulk, amazingly he said I could have them for 50cts per kilo less than I've been paying for bog-standard supermarket family packs!
..A quick calculation suggests that this reduces the dog-food bill to about 80cts a day (for both).
(Right now, CD is very clearly telling me to leave the budget alone, and just give her twice as much chicken instead! :rotfl:).

The total shopping bill was as horrendous as I'd feared, but doesn't look so bad when considering that the vittles will last a good month (including treats and reserves for unexpected guests).
Other financial news; the CC people have indeed levied a £72 charge for paying off the balance. Oh well (curses ). Martin does warn us to shift 0% deals before they expire, so it's my own fault.
..Guess I've bought a pebble on the beach at Necker island. :cool:


It has been a somewhat pensive weekend, as might be imagined.

missrlr

Oh well Robin, never mind we live and continue to learn. Hope the impact on the finances will lessen over time - as long as you forgive yourself too.
Good news on the dog chow front - had a similar break through with Doglet food, T3sc0 white fish £1.75 for 9 pieces!!!

debtfreewannabe321

Just catching up with all the goings ons with doggies and yourself dogs do make me laugh lol. Great bargains with the butcher by the way! Our little one loves to eat crumbs, food from the kids plates and un-ripe strawberries, he even tried a bee the other day. All in the name of ignoring his dried food (organic and very expensive) ho hum, I think I should just give up with wasting my money on that and find something else!

Glad you didn't end up doing the buying & cooking for your special dinner, that would have been a lot of hassle.

I'm loving the sun over here, take it it is hotter over there though and perhaps a tad more uncomfortable in all that heat! Hope it breaks soon for you xx

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

Apologies to those who read my last post before I chopped out the worst bit [in the middle of the night]; didn't realise how depressed I was feeling.

Yesterday afternoon the gardening lady came for the first time and together we did about four hours work, achieving much more than twice what I could have managed alone.
I'd got out the strimmer just after dawn [while it was still cool] and chopped an area to show her what was required, then she did a fantastic job on a steep slope I had been wary of tackling (in case dodgy balance caused a fall). Meanwhile I got on with jobs on flatter parts of the garden; can now see a definite improvement, and Gardener is coming back next week to tackle the next steep section.

missrlr wrote:

Good news on the dog chow front - had a similar break through with Doglet food, T3sc0 white fish £1.75 for 9 pieces!!!

That's a very good price, Missrlr - as long as it wasn't River Cobbler! Hope Doglet enjoys his fish paella.

debtfreewannabe321 wrote:

Our little one loves to eat crumbs, food from the kids plates and un-ripe strawberries, he even tried a bee the other day. All in the name of ignoring his dried food (organic and very expensive) ho hum, I think I should just give up with wasting my money on that and find something else!

Hmm yes, think I'd try an alternative food as well - you could always use up the last of the expensive kibble by mixing it into a new diet as Little One gets used to the change?
Strawberries are one fruit Daft Dogs don't bother with (although CD is still eating the soil in the pots - in desperation I showed her the sack of potting-mix, but it obviously tastes different after it's been put round the strawberries - so am still topping up the pots every few days :cool:).

Many years ago we had a cat called Smurf [don't ask!]; he was a bit mixed up and loved to share anything we were eating. But strawberries defeated him. He'd pinch one, take a bite, spit it out in disgust then - watching all the kids wolfing 'em down - would decide he must have chosen a 'bad' one, so he'd pinch another and repeat the process until the bowl was finished. He didn't learn.
Smurf was a rescue-cat. He'd been living wild on a quay where fishing-boats landed their catch, but got injured somehow, so a lady took him to the vet and then home. He came to us after her landlord objected to his tenant keeping a cat.
But Smurf never forgot his early diet of fish. He was a menace every time someone started cooking it - climbing up the chef's legs, launching himself off high furniture at their head - claws fully extended.. Plainly, he considered that all fish belonged to him.
One day I wanted to defrost some sardines in a hurry, so hung the bag on the washing line (in the sunshine plus out of reach, I thought). A few minutes later one of the children called me to come and look - Smurf was tightrope walking; inching his way along the top of the line towards the bag of fish.. He fell off, landed on his feet then leaped back up the tree where the line was tied, and tried again. It took Smurf three attempts to wobble his way five metres along the line until he was close enough to take a flying leap at the bag, by which time Child and I had decided we would have pizza for lunch - Smurf had earned his fish!

debtfreewannabe321 wrote:

I'm loving the sun over here, take it it is hotter over there though and perhaps a tad more uncomfortable in all that heat!

Glad [and relieved] to hear the Big Yellow Ball is sending you some rays too.
Please try to hang onto it - feel like we're being fried here although it's ok inside; with the shutters closed and ceiling fan spinning, the temperature is 27'C. Outside in the shade a hot wind has pushed it to 33'C - but in blazing sunshine the garden is baking at 45'C! :cool2:
..It will ease off in a couple of hours, but hardly surprising the tomato plants are wilting and need watering every evening.
At least Little Banana is enjoying the extra water provided by my need to have two cold showers a day; can practically see it growing!

grannyx2

Morning Robin

I love that Smurf story, proves that anything is achievable if you want it enough and set your mind to it

Granny x

lindens

All this talk of gardening has put me to shame so Tuesday evening I did what I said I would, and cleared up all the pots lying around/full of weeds/half dead things. I threw away the dead, found some stuff still alive and repotted/transplanted into garden. I planted the seeds i bought that were still in the timeframe and put the rest away for early next year and am going to print off a gardening calender and put it on the fridge, I will put on there when to plant what so i dont forget.

I went to poundland and I bought a lovely herb set - 3 white ceramic pots, seeds (basil,chive and parsley),compost and chalk. The reason for the chalk is there is a square of blackboard paint on the front of each pot so you can write on there what you have planted. Only good for indoors obviously but I thought that was an idea for one of your pots Piq.

*Robin*

Hello Diary and fellow MSEers, :hello:

grannyx2 wrote:

I love that Smurf story, proves that anything is achievable if you want it enough and set your mind to it

Hello Granny, hope all is well with the newest addition to your family?
Yes, I suppose you're right - mind you, Smurf only really had two ambitions:
1. To eat all the fish he could get his paws on.
2. To have a comfy, warm place to sleep.
..He was a great character, but definitely a little odd.

Hello Lindens, well done on getting your garden tidied up, and I agree that using blackboard paint on her pots might be another good line for Piq. In fact, I'd go further and paint the whole pot with blackboard paint and sell it with a small pack of chalks, some seeds and compost - as a child's DIY planting/decorating project.


Not much news from the Nest, except that my income has dropped significantly.
So it's back to scrimping for us, and I'll have to think very carefully about whether or not to be generous, both with family requests and good causes. :think:

Still feeling very fragile emotionally - 'nuff said about that.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Sorry you are feeling fragile but it's perfectly understandable. Hugs Xx

missrlr

Glad Gardener worked out.
Like the pot idea
Struggling with keeping my temper due to some completely scurrilous lies about me it has been deemed appropriate to pass on to me rather than (as I would do) raise an eye brow And ask for evidence please (with a smile) so short one sorry

Sun_Addict

Hi robin - I agree with Lucky - you have every right to feel fragile. Bad news about the drop in income - is this permanent? Big hugs from me too.