'supporting each other through really tough times'

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Mrs LW the beef stew from our slow cooker tonight was made from beef skirt that I got TS from the same shop as you. I am very impressed with it. I was a bit dubious about its texture when I was cutting it up but it cooked beautifully. I did ours with celery, green peppers, carrots, baby onions, potatoes and some sweet potatoes that were wrinkling in the bottom of the fridge, threw in some beef stock, whole grain mustard and tomato puree. As you said it smells wondercrump :rotfl:. Had dumplings with it tonight, will make a couple of pies for the freezer and will portion the rest up as frozen meals.

missrlr

Oh beef casseroles smells, mouth is watering at the thought.
Did garlic chicken and ALL the veg from the fridge, had 7 of our 5 a day in it LOL
DH reports more change and possible upheaval a work, still trying to get the pre Christmas issue sorted chasing up on that one as means we are £250 worse off a month and with these debts that is not good news!
Came home early on boss instructions today as feeling utter grot with sinusitis and fluctuating temperature, sore throat etc. spent day snoozing on sofa with a dog hot water bottle and fleecy throw no heating but nice and toasty all the same. Hope this goes as need to have wits about me next week.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

On my own it does sound like anxiety which your GP should be able to help you with. There are lots of self help ideas avaliable in the internet.

I regularly post on the supporting each other through the tough times thread and have had no end of support on there. Not everyone on there has financial problems and several of then have had or are having issues with anxiety. It is a great place to go for support as the title says. I was apprehensive about posting to start with but it was well worth taking the plunge.

Last weekend I emptied and repacked my chest freezer. I bought a white board and listed everything on it and put it on the wall above the freezer. Now every time I put something in or take something out of it I update the white board and I know exactly what is in there. It really helps with the meal planning.

Good luck

Mrs VP

carefullycautious

I can understand that feeling I have had it many times. I give myself a good talking to or take myself off for a walk and enjoy simple pleasures.

When I think back to my childhood in the 60s we did not have anything like the amount of food and consumerism we have today. Also no central heating etc and it has not done me any harm.

So in some ways it helps to look back and say actually I don't need a lot to live on or eat really. This puts things in perspective when I get these worries about the future which will be an austere retirement by the looks of things.

I think sometimes feeling vulnerable is scary especially if you are looking after children on your own.

So don't worry about the price of grapes can't ever remember having them as a child our fruit consumption consisted of apples picked from local trees.

Pooky

GQ - I add BNS to other "roastable" veggies (ie, carrot, onion, parsnips, celery, leek, tomato, peppers etc) , roast off a big tray or two (to fill the oven) and then add to a few litres of stock (normally home made chicken but a cube will do) and blitz into a gorgeous soup.

BNS with parsnip, leek and carrot is a personal fave but I'll add anything that needs using.

It's nice roasted on its own too, we often have it with a roast dinner or "posh sausages". (posh sausages were my mums version of a roast when they were hard up)

fuddle

Lol at wave and pay. I'm not allowed one of them, can't say I'm upset mind you. They'll be an app for it soon enough... Pay with yer phone dear! Getting auld and set in my ways.

Lyn you're going to be so cross at me I have hardly a thing in stock (cupboard downsizing mixed with Christmas pay being stretched) as we've used up so much! Pur lease hope that there's no snow until DH is paid on Tuesday.

Does anyone know what a government gateway is? It sounds official. I need one to apply for jobs but I'm also confused as there's a universal job search too. I don't know which Is the official government one. Anyone know? I sticking to searching for nursery positions within a 10 mile radius. I want to work wih the littlest so going to try for what I want for a change not just make do. Only one but its too far but I'm encourage as there was a few on before Christmas. Ill check daily when I work out how to access it properly.

DH was able to bring us back from the school run tonight so that was a relief. He's been out again looking for cars. He's seen one that is a gem but needs a new clutch. He's going to talk to one of his fishing mates who runs a garage, a mechanic, to see what the cost would entail in the world of favours. I suspect we'll be leaving that one though.

[Deleted User]

Never, I don't do cross with anyone, least of all you!!!! I just think you're doing such a smashing job of managing despite what life has thrown at you that it's more admiration than anything else little one, you're a good'un Cheers Lyn xxx.

Uniscots97

Well OH is in a complete mood and has ruined my good mood about my interview. Picked him up from work and he says congratulations then says 'I thought that job would rear its head again, after all it means driving about doesnt it'. I said 'No, it based somewhere its a consultancy', he's been in a mood ever since. I tried to tell him about my day (after he asked) and he kept cutting me off calling his work !!!!! (thats the polite version) because they were mucking him about by putting him on a night shift. Told him he's a temp he should be happy they didn't just tell him not to come back as work's short on the day shift. But no he's moaned non-stop. We got home and he decided he wanted a takeaway, even though I'd sorted dinner (and he knew that and commented it sounded nice)! I let him, simply because I wanted peace and quiet. They (his work) asked him to go in tomorrow (after he asked earlier in the week for another shift), and he's decided he's not going in. I know fine well come tomorrow when its too late to go in he's going to be moaning he should have gone in (he did it on monday if you remember or read my earlier posts), as he'll be so short on wages etc. Grrrr.

He's now asleep on the sofa and snoring (and it's getting louder by the second) and i'm not waking him up. Fed up him having a dig about certain jobs. I'm not going to apologise for having the qualifications I do and he can't use bringing 2 kids up on his own as an excuse as I know so many folk that did it and have got qualifications/built businesses etc. He does this every time he's in a mood and I'm not working he has a little dig. Sorry for moaning but I needed to vent and would normally phone my Mum and vent but can't get peace to phone her and say what I've said above (SS floating about, and he's acting very strange) and realised she's not in till much later.

My attempt at marmalade was more like soup it barely set. Not looking forward to OH being back on night shift as it'll affect me working from home during the day and my tarot is my only means of income at the moment. I'd love to tell him to get a grip and stop being so selfish but when he's like this he never listens.

[Deleted User]

HUGS Unixgirl, lots and lots of hugs, Love Lyn xxx.

katieowl_2

Evening peeps.

I went shopping with DD today, she's feeling morose and needed cheering up. We went to a nearby small town that has a supercheap veg. market on Friday morning, and then trawled the charity shops. Oh what a high life we lead!!!

Mind you I was out with her last night too.(her BF works evenings so she sits all alone with the dog otherwise) My neighbour/friend had her DD visiting and the girls are similar ages, so we all went out, had a couple of drinks, and an Indian, my friends treat. We ended up at the local live mike club, and my DD was persuaded to get up and do a few numbers. My friend was driving, and my DD is not drinking of course, but the other DD and I both had a little too much red wine. Makes for a lovely evening, but not such a good morning after.

Anyway...I took DD home and helped her write a letter saying she wasn't going to be available to be called for as and when work from the cafe...so she's not 'quit' because you need a contract to do that, but has basically told them if they can't guarantee her work she's no longer able to be available for them. She's going to sign on next week. If she can't give a number of hours she works she says she can't sign on as having less than 16...she's worked it out, and says she's better off doing this.

I've just sat and penned my I can't work for you anymore letter too...all same things apply to me about the cut hours, but I told them I was going to concentrate on building my own businesses for the benefit of my family (veiled dig that DD with be working with me!) DD's going to leave hers in cafe tomorrow after what will be her last shift....along with her uniform, apron and some stuff they gave to to look over with a view to being the manager, and I'll take mine in when I go to collect her paycheck on Tuesday. HA! Put that in yer pipe and smoke it as my granny used to say!

Some light at the end of the tunnel the supermarket that DD's BF works for is going to send him for supervisor training, and if he passes he may get the supervisors job that's going, and even if the other guy gets it....he'll get more hours. Thank God.

Kate