The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

mcculloch29

I'm going to try the roasting cabbage with brown sugar, that's a really novel twist.
I roast most of my Sunday roast veg [STRIKE] as I am too idle to steam them[/STRIKE] to maximise the oven use.

DS wanted to make his own tea of steamed veggies for a super-healthy meal so no experiments with Jack today. I rarely buy ready meals but got two chilled ones last week from A!di as I had D. Mir. coupons, so one of those for me I think.

Edit: Now eaten, and it has to be one of the nicest ones I've had. Shepherd's pie, and you could actually taste that the minced meat was lamb. More meat than gravy, which has to be a first.

kidcat

Happy Birthday Mr PIC glad you managed a pub treat

Possession - you have my gravest sympathies the idea of sleepover parties starting again makes me break out in a cold sweat

SQ - I am fine thank you for thinking of me. Its just so busy with it being DS10 birthday today, we have had four visits to opticians in the last three days - two of which have been today. He gets so wound up by his birthday coming that he can't cope and we get these sort of events in repetition, one year it was the walk in centre so the opticians is an improvement I suppose

He enjoyed his day immensely but was confused to get his presents this morning as he had it in his mind that we wouldn't give him presents until his party. After alot of working out it turns out that DD8 got her presents on the day of her party (which was her actual birthday) and he somehow had put it together that the presents came on party day

Visited a potential high school for him (its only just over a year away eeeek) and was not impressed, think we are going to have to do alot more investigations.

DS15 is getting very worked up and excited by kitten number one arrival on Sunday, trying to keep him under control before we end up with days of incidents from him as well.

Cabbage - I have always hated, but am beginning to enjoy it simply steamed.

My hire car went back today and my big car is causing no end of bother, gears are very tight (mechanic away for two weeks) and its hurting me to get it into gear. Going to ask our MOT station whether they can adjust it tomorrow as I don't think I can cope for two weeks like this.

paidinchickens

Morning lovelies

This was on my FB when I turned it on and it made me think of you lot xx

PiC x

[Deleted User]

There is a very good post on the FRUGAL QUEEN website today that is very relevant to the Tougher aspects of life in 2014, well worth a read if you have the inclination.

It's a cotton wool day here this morning, fog milky white and so thick I can't see beyond the bungalows across the road. It's cold too as it's so damp so I've put on extra layers and am going to try to keep active and get warm that way. What a contrast to being too warm yesterday afternoon eh? I'm going to try to live out of the freezer for a few weeks to use up some of last years harvest that we still have plenty of, before I have to start freezing this years!!! Lots of tomato based things coming up then and desserts that are blackberry and raspberry based, maybe I'll make a Summer Pudding, certainly I'll make a big batch of Pasta Sauce and add different veg in to ring the changes then reduce some of it down to make a Pizza Topping, should clear quite a lot of the backlog, Lyn xxx.

D&DD

I'd whip up some colcannon Mar just fry off a bit of onion and garlic in butter,add the shredded cabbage and mix with mashed up potatoes. I usually shape it into little patties at this stage then freeze some and just fry off as needed.


Off out the garden again in a mo I have some signs of life in my seed trays *yay* finally!!

kidcat

Thick fog here as well Mrs LW, second day in a row. I hate fog and find it really depressing.

Am hoping for a more peaceful day with DS10 today, and hoping school get a better day too, last few days they have had real problems with him, and its been mentioned that next year he may be better not attending on his birthday.
Have two cats that are poorly with upset tum and DS15 as well, the cats are my fault as I picked up gravy cat food in Mr T and didn't realise, DD19 then fed them the food and its really doesn't agree with them.
DS15 has obviously picked up a bug so have kept him in his room.

I have a dilemma today, the neighbours cat who has taken up residence hasn't been home in days as far as I can tell, in fact a few nights ago we assumed she had gone home but found her outside crying in the early hours. This morning I finally traced her home (it wasn't where I had thought) when a young boy was calling for her.
She is clearly being missed but also clearly has chosen not to go back for some reason, and I know I must go speak to them, but have no idea what to say? Ideally I would like to re-unite them, but I also know that cats choose their residence so she may not be willing to go back. Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated.

savingqueen

Morning toughies,


we had fog this morning too which is clearing now - some silly drivers had no lights on at all let alone fog lights grrrr.

glad you are ok kidcat, hope day goes well. Happy birthday to DS and belated wishes to DD.

left your purse at home PIC , my grandma ALWAYS left hers at home ha ha. Glad you had fun. DH and I have tiny "pocket money" to spend as we wish and the rest is the family/household budget which DH leaves in my safe hands.

my gym is £16 a month, no peak hours. Lots of extra classes like aerobics and pilates for an extra £5 a month. Would love to do pilates for back and other health reasons but it doesn't fit in with DH's hours at the mo. Still I have a little programme of good back exercises now after yesterday's session at the gym and might buy one of those stability balls as well as back exercises seem best on those.

Off to counselling now, really don't feel like it as usual but will go - guess its the fear of the unknown, not knowing quite where the session will take me.

back after for a restorative cuppa and then shopping and dinner prep

take care everyone
sq

Mrs_Chip

Morning All!

Thick fog here here again - just heard it described as 'Fishguard Gumbo' on the Ken Bruce show, obviously another resident of this fair town is not impressed! A few miles up the road, the sun will be out , with shirt-sleeve temperatures (as it was yesterday), but here is decidedly chilly!

As for bunsen burners, well gas torches are similar, and it is my great joy to have a legit reason to play with them now! The magic of melting metal never wanes. Even better is that where I take my class (school metalworkshop) has a huge gas forge, which is like something from Hades, but immense fun to play with!

Kidcat - I would speak to them - explain you really are not luring their kitty away, and would rather it goes home. You might pick up the reason why the cat is not happy there and be able to suggest some things they could do to make it happier. But in the long run the cst will decide, and if it doe come your way at least they will know, and the little boy could visit it at your house (I know you have enough on your plate, so do hesitate to suggest that!). I hate to think of it lost and crying!

Tea break over, back to work for me now.... !!!!

Possession

Not quite the start I expected to Friday this morning. Extra children delivered for me to take to school. They are playing upstairs, and tell me DD is stuck in the bathroom. 20 minutes later I still haven't been able to open the door, I can't take it off, the hinges are on the other side. I had to call the fire brigade who were there in a couple of minutes, bless them, and they couldn't sort the lock either so had to kick the door down. DD a bit shaken but mostly fine, and not even late for school. I now have to sort a new bathroom door before her sleepover party tonight, so today just became a tiny bit more stressful!

D&DD

Sorry to hear that Possession have B&Q got any deals on ATM?