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

Mrs_Chip

tattycath wrote: »

How long does astonish keep? I have just found a tub in the shed-no idea how old it is though.

Forever! Honestly, just dampen it if it is dry.

tattycath

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Forever! Honestly, just dampen it if it is dry.

Ooh. Thanks Mrs Chip. I will start using it then.

Jazee

tattycath wrote: »

Ooh. Thanks Mrs Chip. I will start using it then.

And its only 85p in home bargains. Lasts ages.

stiltwalker

Evening all, and happy new thread! I love the way a new thread brings out the lurkers to introduce themselves and we get to make new friends. X

Back home from out holibobs now, had a fantastic time and we are all tired but better for the break. The kids had such a fantastic time, charming people left right and centre as it their talent. They both made great strides in the swimming department, with DD floating around on her own and DS making some definite swimming like sploshes! He also (drum roll and get the banners out.....) stood on his own in the pool where the water was chest height on him for 3 whole seconds, with no support other than the water! I wasn't sure whether to clap or cry, the other people in he pool must have though I was a loon! Got home and booked again for next year, the only down side was the lodge - it had a few steps to get in and was a long way from the unloading area and with the amount of extra gubbins we have to cart around it was a bit of hard work we could have done without. Have decided to bite the bullet and admit we need to book accessible accommodation but don't need adapted so had a walk round yesterday to find a suitable area and then decide we had to book quick to make sure that we could get the one we need.

Gram flour (was that you SDG?) - is the perfect flour for onion bhajis and pakora. Just add the spices that suit you, I use ground coriander and cumin, dried chilli flakes, tumeric and black onion seeds. Add enough cold water to mix to a dropping consistency then add the finely sliced onion and drop spoonfuls into oil and deep fry. Make the batter a tiny bit thicker for pakora so you get a good thick coating.

Take care and hugs to all who need or want one - X

Possession

Thanks Mrs C, they sound perfect and I have *ahem* a few tins of kidney beans which need using up.

shegar

Possession wrote: »

Pooky, for goodness sake why did you not remind me of the couscous mountain when I had everyone here for DD's First Communion last weekend! I could have shifted some. Mind you, I can guarantee you DH's grandparents would have never seen it before and would not be impressed.
The cake - what a joker, I bet sometimes you dread what you're going to find in the morning.
Sheila, I'll cook for you if you'll come and clean my house, I hate cleaning!
<Waves to Northern Lassy>

Definately definately.....:D, my grandmother was an excellent cook, even if the cupboards were empty she could still conjure up something.........

I use to watch her clean her open fireplace out and wash the hearth after she had done,it must have took an hour at least........

She always cleaned her front doorstep with red cardinal polish every week....... Had to be washed and rinsed first.......

Washed every monday, cleaned windows once a week with vinegar and paper.....I use to love the smell of the bedrooms , dusty, yet clean , lino , and pure cotton white crisp bedlinen, cold and fresh, with plenty fresh air........Bed time for me ...Sheila

7_week_wonder

Ooh Mrs Chip - How did you get on with the kidney bean and carrot burgers? I've been thinking of giving them a go - but was worried they would disintegrate when I tried to fry them.

I would make a new thread resolution to try and post a bit more often: but I know I'll post a few times, then the thread will gallop on and it will be all I can do to read and stay up to date!

I'm feeling very Make do and Mend this evening. OH was shifting stuff round the bedroom muttering about he was sure he had another pair of gardening shorts somewhere. I found an old pair of his trousers where the knee had gone through: five minutes and a pair of pinking shears later and he now has new gardening shorts: and they actually look not too bad.

All the talk about the Insurance Companies that used to come round weekly reminds me of a conversation I had with the call centre at the Prudential. My dad died a couple of years back - aged 92. When we went through his papers we found a "Penny a week" life insurance policy which his mother had taken out just after he was born and was marked as "Fully Paid Up". So we phoned the company to see what the story was. I explained I'd found this policy for my father who had died aged 92: the poor woman on the other end was determined to stick to her script. When was the policy taken out? March 1919. Who took the policy out? The deceased's mother. Is she still alive? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

Oops - far too much wittering. Have a good weekend everyone.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Posession thanks for the link for the cheap seeds, have stocked up ready for next year for the garden and the lottie.

Mrs_Chip

They are fine 7WW, but quite soft to flip. But you could add a bit more flour (or gram flour;)) to make them a bit firmer. I didn't mind if they broke, they taste the same . They were lovely in a wrap with salad and hot mango chutney (Aldi - is delsih), I would actually freeze them and reheat in a microwave to use in a wrap they were so good! I did add some chopped red chilli though, coz we like our stuff spicy!

EstherH

7ww: Did they pay out?