'supporting each other through really tough times'

mardatha

Funnily enough I did think of a haybox - but if I seriously suggested it the RV would hit the roof. Maybe wait till prices rise a tad higher then try it lol

Cheapskate

MRSL, I do know what you mean - experience (bad or good) makes us stronger and able to take what's chucked at us, and also to share and care. In our family we've all sorts, too - alcohol killed my dad, cigarettes did away with a few more, severe clinical depression caused 3 to do away with themselves, plus a few more horror stories - if we dwelt too long we'd go ga-ga, but it makes us who we are, prepares us for anything else to come, and helps us to be a shoulder to cry on for others.

SQ, KATIE and NARGLE, thanks for those quotes, very uplifting!

A xo

boultdj

[Big Hugs] to all that need/want one, and healing vib's being sent to the poorlies.

Loving the verse's.

monnagran

Oh, my dear friends. FAMILIES! What to do about them. I'm with all of you who say that you would never have survived without your friends. I was fortunate enough to be born into a loving and supportive family, but I left home at 18 to go off to college and never returned home to live. Being independent, (or stubborn, depending on your point of view) I would never have dreamed of asking my family for help, advice or anything else and I would have sunk without trace many times without my wonderful friends.

I also have Desiderata pinned up above my desk, but what I always say to myself if things are getting on top of me is,

"I wish I was a glow worm,
A glow worm's never glum.
'Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines from your bum."

It never fails to cheer me up.

x

fuddle

memorised already monnagran.
Thank you for sharing and supporting, thank you everyone. I don't see it as making me stronger although perhaps the me now is completely different to the me of 5 years ago so I understand that life experience does make you stronger... Right now, with this situation, I'm angry and actually physically tired. I don't see how she's making me stronger, I see it as she's making my otherwise canny little life tainted with something dark. With her growing up was horrible, I've moved on to better relationships but she keeps on dragging me down. I guess I let her bring me down I suppose.

Physically tired is what I am! Tea, bath, bed and book. Happy days

meg72

fuddle wrote: »

Yip cheaps, everything hunky dory

I know you're right and agree about the limited diet, or limit meal reportoire (sp?) I know grandma had 7 days of meals only, kept stock rotation rotating and only needed limited ingredients.

I watched the horse meat docu last night and saw the flippant attitude on Iceland boss. I've a real battle between sourcing locally, fresh produce, boycotting community business crushing supermarkets etc, real strong principles that I always back down on because of cost.

Here in lies a challenge to see if I can buy little and often, fresh local ingredients, produce good quality meals and lunch box snacks without buying into ready made, ready flavoured, ready portioned etc.

Just as well I have the luxury of time then eh? Working mums how
do you do it!?

I think Grandma`s 7 day plan takes some beating really. Roast dinner on Sunday, cold meat and cocannon on Monday, rest of meat minced for cottage pie on Tuesday, whatever was cheap afterthat.Our Grandmothers had no freezers or even fridges but put food on the table an raised fit healthy kids.

mcculloch29

I'm of the same cloth as Monnagran, also left home at 18. Although I have never asked for help, my brother did buy me my first PC in 2000, when he received a large amount of compensation. My sister also paid for me to stay in a posh hotel when my niece married, but I have since paid her back. I could afford it at the time and it made me happy to give her something when she needed it.

I like to be seen as the person who helps friends.

Touch wood, I have never ever borrowed a penny, outside the mortgage, old fashioned HP many years ago, (HP? That's hire purchase; paying by instalments, possibly not a phrase heard by Toughies under 45 ) and credit cards.

I loaned a friend a smart blouse and jacket for a job interview today. The blouse is a Country Casuals, passed on by my sis over 10 years ago.

The jacket is an Ex Catalogue shop special, RRP of £50, bought by me for a fiver.

I had to smile with the jacket. I was a bit worried it wouldn't fit my friend as she has gained weight. She held it up and exclaimed it was MUCH too big. I just stopped myself from saying something...

Another friend was present and suggested she tried it on.
It was a perfect fit.
Clearly she sees herself as a MUCH slimmer person, nothing like a healthy bit of self-delusion, is there?!

A happy moment earlier when I found on a bookshelf some candles my late friend had given me, I wanted to light one for her later on. I was really worried they had been decluttered. I have other candles, but these were from her.
I have been remembering some good times we shared today, lovely to look back.

GreyQueen

(((((((((everybody especially all the poorlies)))))))))))))

Fuddle, we have alcoholism in our extended family and it's caused chaos. Alcohol dependancy is very very commonplace and it would be hard (IMO) to find someone whose life is completely untouched by it. My bio maternal gran was a alkie and a thoroughly bad sort, and a mother of three; she killed one child, abandoned one and Mum was taken off her as a young girl for her own protection.

I've seen the blight of the drink on the other side of the family, leading to marital breakdown, injuring strangers in drunk-driving incidents, mental health issues and serious neglect of children. Plus people I know socially and people in my neighbourhood are problem drinkers.

My GP asked me about my alcohol use as part of a health screen and when I told him how little he described me as a virtual teetotaler. No one's getting rich off my boozing.

SuperGran was talking to me yestereve about one of our neighbours who is on the rocks (food bank level) and she'd given them some bits and bobs from her food stores, and I hustled some bits out of my storecupboard. Told SG not to tell him it's from me as I don't want him to feel embarrassed as we're only on nodding terms. It's a sad story but hopefully he will start to turn the corner.........

Right, going to rustle up some grub. Take care, everyone, and be gentle with yourselves. We're all fragile in our different ways, and strong in others, and can prop each other up as we lurch along through life. GQ xx

westcoastscot

Mar you can cook baked potatoes wrapped in foil in the ash pan below your stove - I just wrap them and leave them there all day, and they're perfect by teatime.
We also have a cast iron toastie maker and slightly larger cooker that we use sitting on the coals.
WCS

Byatt

GreyQueen wrote: »

(((((((((everybody especially all the poorlies)))))))))))))

Fuddle, we have alcoholism in our extended family and it's caused chaos. Alcohol dependancy is very very commonplace and it would be hard (IMO) to find someone whose life is completely untouched by it. My bio maternal gran was a alkie and a thoroughly bad sort, and a mother of three; she killed one child, abandoned one and Mum was taken off her as a young girl for her own protection.

I've seen the blight of the drink on the other side of the family, leading to marital breakdown, injuring strangers in drunk-driving incidents, mental health issues and serious neglect of children. Plus people I know socially and people in my neighbourhood are problem drinkers.

My GP asked me about my alcohol use as part of a health screen and when I told him how little he described me as a virtual teetotaler. No one's getting rich off my boozing.

SuperGran was talking to me yestereve about one of our neighbours who is on the rocks (food bank level) and she'd given them some bits and bobs from her food stores, and I hustled some bits out of my storecupboard. Told SG not to tell him it's from me as I don't want him to feel embarrassed as we're only on nodding terms. It's a sad story but hopefully he will start to turn the corner.........

Right, going to rustle up some grub. Take care, everyone, and be gentle with yourselves. We're all fragile in our different ways, and strong in others, and can prop each other up as we lurch along through life. GQ xx

The "bolded" sentence resonates with me, there's times I feel like a small child, just wanting a hug and a "there, there, shall I kiss it better..." and many other times where I have to just get on with it, and of course do, but I don't have the resources I once had, resilience, good physical health, so I do lurch along, a bit like a car doing those bunny hops.

Currently in a lot of pain with the worry as to what it is, and the inevitable tests I know I am going to have, but despite that today went along for an interview for a voluntary post, (teaching reading) which turned out to be like an interview for a "proper" job, which if I had known would have scared the life out of me. As it is I answered all the questions and also asked a fair view. Ramping up my experience/personality goes against the grain, having been brought up to be modest and silent. But I prattled on about being passionate about the job (I am) and even mentioned my degree which I rarely do.

I got a 2.1 in my degree, bordering on a first, but I did 2 modules I loathed and had no passion for at all, so had a couple of lower marks. It hasn't helped job wise, but that's partly my age, partly the area I live in and mostly from which I cannot move because of my DD, and partly a terror of interviews! If I had just me to consider I would have moved to other parts of the country but my DD cannot cope without me, she needs to know I am near and available, I am her place of anchor.

So, I do what I can with the cloth I hold, the starting of my little business, volunteering, being more social.

Most of the family I know drink alcohol at a serious level. Extended family, well one relative decided to threaten me with violence while abroad on holiday together...she had decided to take out on me her frustrations wih her life, and fuelled by her non stop drinking things got a bit hairy. We never recovered the relationship.

WCS, just saw your post about the potatoes, fab! I boil my kettle but haven't ventured further yet.