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

cornishchick

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Evening All

anyone else ever had shrews in the house?

Not as such, but when I was a teenager I found one in my furry winter boots, with my foot, they have very sharp teeth. We think the cat brought it in to play and it hid in my boot. I had to hop outside with the shrew darling from my foot and my mum laughing her head off. :rotfl:

Pooky

Mrs C - I only get dead ones. They are seriously cute though.

I've given in and lit the fire, it's lovely and cosy!

DD2 has a "must attend" meeting at school tonight about her exams, we attended the same meeting last year so why we have to go again is beyond me. DD1 has volunteered to go as "parental influence" , yay! It means I can get DH into bed on time and not have to venture out in the rain.

Tonights culinary masterpiece involved 2 chicken breasts between the 4 of us, it's amazing how far you can stretch meat with a few veg and some chick peas.

floss2

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

FLOSS we grow borlotti beans on the allottment purposely for drying and until we had the dehydrator, when they were as dry on the plant as they were going to get we picked them off still in the pod and put them in a heap on the biggest tin tray we posessed and stood that in the utility room where the boiler is and it runs very warm so they dry nicely. When we were pretty sure they were dry enough we popped them out of the pods and stood the podded beans on the tray, on top of the boiler for a week to make sure they were really, really dry for storage. You can do the last bit on a baking tray in a cool oven for an afternoon, that finishes them off nicely too!...

Thanks Mrs LW, but we don't have a utility room and our boiler is a wall-combi in the bathroom!

Do you dry beans in your dehydrator now? Am trying to decide if its worth buying one...

[Deleted User]

FLOSS once they're out of the pods we just give them a day in the dehydrator to finish them off and make sure they are dry enough to store properly. What I have done this year is dry the masses of runners in there, they go really crispy and are keeping very well so saving valuable freezer space for other things. I think the biggest successes have been drying the cherry tomatoes some of which I've put into oil for antipasti and the raspberries and blackberries which have actually dried crisp and light like the ones in the posh granola cereals I can't afford to buy, so I can make my own version. I'm a real dehydrator convert, I love it, Cheers Lyn xxx.

stiltwalker

Pooky wrote: »

Tonights culinary masterpiece involved 2 chicken breasts between the 4 of us, it's amazing how far you can stretch meat with a few veg and some chick peas.

Ahh the wonders of chick peas - you've got to love them!

I did a lovely cheap tea tonight based on the Indian street food that DD and I had for our lunch when we went to the music festival, Disability Rocks, in the summer. It was sweet buns (bought on my trip to the Asian supermarket today but easy enough to make) with channa dahl with paneer (£1 at the mo in Mr T) served with salad and mint yoghurt. My gannets hoovered it up so will be definitely making it again.

Did a big online shop for tomorrow as well (before DH has to hand his discount card back on Tuesday!) So stocked up on things like tea, coffee, deodorants, pulls ups, wipes, indigestion tablets, dishwasher stuff etc so will have a good store in just in case there are any hold ups with carers allowance, income support etc while we get ourselves organised.

Take care all - hugs where needed - X

hauxwell

We often get trapped shrews in the house Mrs Chip as one of my cats likes to bring them in alive. I either pull everything out and attempt to catch. (They seem easier than mice and often stay still as they are scared) Or my cat remembers and gets them before me.

In my last house the cat brought in a shrew and managed to shove it half dead through a gap in the floor boards. After poor shrew expired we had a horrid smell until oh pulled up half the floor to find the body.

Mrs_Chip

Thanks Hauxwell, I think there are too many places under the units that it can get to, so I will try the trap. It's a shame really - I think it is keeping the woodlouse population under control!

hauxwell

Do you have a cat you could let have a trot around?
They are so very cute but I get sick of the sight of them with my shrew obsessed kitty. Tis better than when she was wee though as she used to 'catch' worms and bring them in for me as presents...

Nargleblast

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

It's ham, egg (must be dippy) and chips in the Chip houshold - with nice white bread and butter and a cup of tea:T:T:T:T (can you tell I am on a fast day?:D.



I don't know what gets into men sometimes, they jst can't help treating us females like a subordinate species - but heaven forfend if we do the same! The number of times I have bitten my lip and let a cutting or harsh remark pass, but should my tone be even only slightly not quite right and it is coal hauling time!

We rowed badly last week because I had the temerity to pick up some cloths OH had put into a box of stuff we were taking to the van (in his usual way, filling the box, all in a heap) to fold them and put them in neatly. He has done this for weeks, and I didn't ever moan (we have lots to get in the box, so it needs packing properly), but he saw me pick them up and said 'I've just put those in there' in a very snotty way. So I sad 'Yes I know, I am folding them up'. So then we get the 'I can never do anything right for you, you are such a control-freak' line - well, that was it, I was not going to let that pass. It turns out he thought I picked up the cloths 'in a funny way':mad::mad::mad:. He did have the grace to apologise later, but he still does not understand how unreasonable it is to read things into other peoples actions that just are not there. His other trick is to immediately assume I am resposible for moving stuff, losing keys, whatever - until I am able to point out exactly WHO did do it.:rotfl:

Who are you and what are you doing with my husband?
:rotfl::rotfl:
:D:D

Mrs_Chip

Nargleblast wrote: »

Who are you and what are you doing with my husband?
:rotfl::rotfl:
:D:D

Oh, is he yours? Please feel free to have him back :rotfl:. I'll stick some stamps on his bum and get him in the post tout suite!