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

EstherH

I'm not suppose to be back on here lol. FUDDLE: glad you got an apology.
KEZ try not to be too anxious. I have spent lots of days like that for everything to be absolutely fine. Having said that I know that it is hard to turn the worry off, it hits my stomach even if I am consciously thinking of something else. Right off to do some more work. Esther x

PRINCESSX87

Afternoon all.

Kezlou, Hopefully your foot gets better quickly! Ouchy! & FUDDLE, Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery!! Hugs to everyone that needs them..

Brother & SIL had their first night in their own home last night! Very happy bunnies today when I spoke to them, Their due here shortly because they have another midwife appointment now, Which we’re all hoping is going to be good news and the baby is planning to stay put for her last remaining 3+5 weeks.

Got a long old email I need to write to Mr A today as I’m very disappointed about a purchase I brought.

Just as I was writing this, Brother & SIL arrived and the baby has pushed down further, They have to go for another growth scan - Which will hopefully show again that baby is fine, Just being a naughty little diva before she’s born!!!

Possession

Kez is there anyone you can ask to bring him home or check he gets in the taxi? Worth asking school if they recommend a taxi company too.
Fuddle I'm glad you got an apology from her. Sadly, perhaps she has all too much experience of people skiving off, and that's why she made the assumption. I can imagine how expensive Paleo is, and although I wasn't doing that, I've had to give in and buy a lot less fresh veg than I was doing. It helps that I've found a lot I can forage for the rabbits, but even so we need to eat more carbs for financial reason than we were doing. And TBH, if we weren't eating carbs DS (11) would be eating us out of house and home, he can eat a ridiculous amount now.

Really pleased, I got a big rug locally very cheap on ebay, and got rug grip using some of the vouchers I won, and its looks fabulous. The rabbits are already binkying on it (when they run around madly super fast), and they couldn't do that on the wooden floor as they slip.

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

I was in A&E with DD. Hope you're ok, not nice places but I have to say I was mightily impressed with the care we received. A&E staff rock

I found a butter dish, plain white, in M0rrisons for £3.

Again, over my weekly budget and quite worried how we can sustain buying all this meat, veg, fruit, nuts, seeds and eggs. It's so annoying that a diet that I'm so eager to provide for all my family is something of a concern when processed/additive fuelled/ready made 'junk' would save me £20 per week. Lots of learning of how to cook with the cheaper cuts of meat, multiple uses for the cheaper veg and the like needed.

Also got a snotty email from my childminding tutor for not attending the session last night, by gosh, she got a very snotty one back and I hope she's feeling very ashamed of herself. Life gets in the way of even the most 'important' things sometimes. People need to think before they insinuate.

Afternoon All,
I've cut your post down Fuddle, without changing its meaning, just to stick to points I was referring to.

Know where you are coming from on food budgeting and what you choose to try and give your family a healthy diet. We can't all do this...waiting for/hoping the food we want/need will be yellow stickered but I do that all the time with salad, yesterday I picked up two bags of mixed leaves(spinach, rocket and lettuce)and one of watercress for 26p. But it has to be used asap.

Spent £1.80 on tomatoes:eek:but was happy that they had eight in a packet instead of six (the rest were baby tomatoes)and were in the value range.

The other day I sprang for cherries as a treat(costly)yesterday they had some on offer(not reduced)and for the same amount I paid I could have had an extra 350g:mad:or purchased the same amount and saved another £1.

I purchased my first packeted of stoned prunes last night(the prices and weights)vary so much. In the end using the supermarket brand I got 500g for £1.90 and yet the same amount if purchased by a well known brand would have cost me another £1.50 and even in the budget SM range they were 40p more expensive.

I avoided spring onions the other day and decided to chop/slice ordinary onions instead. I ration how much I have of the foods you mention so I can just about make them last and keep costs down. And yes I top up with vitamins occasionally. And stretch meat and fish over a few meals...

I think most of us are doing this.

Real life getting in the way again:(Hope your daughter is better today. I'm not going to play down the heart murmer but I know it was mentioned on here before and others have said it is more common than realised and can be outgrown and should be checked and kept an eye on...fingers crossed it is not going to be a problem and sorts itself out...and Dr's are v. clever...in a roundabout way lets hope it means she is able to eat a little better which will also ease some of your concerns.

As for the letter from your instructor, they should think/ask first before criticising...you weren't expecting that to happen, just as Kezlou did not expect her accident. Well done A&E staff...

Perhaps I'll get a butter dish next time I pass Morrisons/Sainsbury's, think I can just about manage that. TBH if I can make the clothes last that I have, the bedding, kitchen gadgets, my cutlery and crockery there isn't much left to buy in the future now. And my money will be spent on rent, utility bills and food.

I live for the day and try not to dwell on the past and do not look too far into the future, no more than a few weeks ahead.

[Deleted User]

Aftrnoon all, FUDDLE all I can think with smellie Alfie is that he is digesting the home made food fully and the dried food not fully which would produce more intestinal gasses and fragrance from the nether quarters!!! Possibly there was more fish oil in the dried food and it was causing a little intestinal hurry and coming through to fast, you'll never know but I think are glad it's gone, yes?

I don't know what the answer is with keeping Paleo and sticking to a sensible budget, I tried and just cannot afford the prices so I'm afraid we're eating normally now and I'm trying to pop in a vegetarian meal every other day using home grown veg rather than shop bought. I am horrified at the way prices are rising all round when I shop. even using value products the amount I am having to pay is ridiculous, MrT this morning was horrendous with even thier cheapest minced beef at £3.75 for 500g, not affordable so I went to Ic*land instead and for £10 got 4 x chicken breasts, a pack of honey roast ham, 2 x mince and onion pies and a big 880g pack of Mature Cheddar and that will be our protien for the week for all our main and supper meals. I am on the verge of stopping using the big SMs and using smaller shops and topping up at the 99p shops for everything else, that is still viable at present, though I don't know what will happen if the 99p shops have to put up prices too???

Off to walk my boy before the rain comes, catch you later, Cheers Lyn xxx.

mardatha

MrsL, i said exactly the same this morning. Was in Asda and Sainsbugs and decided that enough is enough. Next week it's Aldi and Costco.

tattycath

Just been to @ldi for a top up shop-only spent just over £12.

fuddle

Iceland is just a shop I don't go in. I have 2 around me so next time I am there I will call in for a butchers (pun. terrible. yes)

Turkey mince/steaks/sausages shocked me today. I went in thinking they would be cheaper and definitely not so.

Having wracked my brains I can only come to the conclusion that we have to have a small helping of rice/pasta/white potato to accompany and fulfil because a plate of mostly protein and growing carbs isn't sustainable cost wise. It's not the end of the world eh? We all want to eat how we want to eat (whether it eat out/takeaways/expensive ingredients) but we can't in austere times and I have to get my head around that, even if it is galling as I feel It is how I SHOULD be eating and not at all a luxury choice etc

Oh yes Lyn. Thrilled that particular doggy problem has gone!

I don't have any luck where knocked down items are concerned. It has to be when I shop but even so, I shop grocery once per week and things have to last so I look for the furthest away BBE dates. It's about different lifestyles/routines I guess.

Made meatballs. Pork mince, garlic, dired mixed herbs and a bit salt and pepper. Hoping the DD's will eat them all up Also mixed garlic and parsley into butter to spread on a pitta for their garlic bread. Just a bechemel to mix up for over their spahetti now. DH and I are trying kippers - 99p for a pack. We're having salad with a beetroot vinegarette (bought as I don't know how to make my own yet but I shall suss it out ) I'm going to boil up some potatoes too, mix 'em in chives and butter. Nowt wrong with that diet eh? So what there's potatoes and not a big hunk of meat

[Deleted User]

Absolutely fine to have potatoes, man cannot live by meat alone!!! I know that's not the proper quote but there's good intentions and aspirations and financial reality in all our lives these days. I don't seem to be finding YS items nearly as often these days in the bigger SMs but often find them in our little village Co-Op, although even there prices particularly for meat have gone sky high lately and I'm not prepared to part with £3.45 for two chicken breasts with a sauce and breadcrumbs YS price when I can buy 4 uncooked plain ones for £3 in Ic*land. It pays to shop around I think and have a battery of decent tasty veggie recipes in your arsenal.

If you want a nice basic vinaigrette recipe all you need is

3 tablespoons of oil, it can be olive, sunflower, walnut, almond anything except vegetable oil (although you can use that if it's all you've got)
1 and 1/2 - 2 tablespoons vinegar, again this can be anything from brown malt to posh balsamic, any vinegar will do.
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of mustard, any type you like
a good grinding of black pepper

Get a lidded jar and plonk everything in it. Screw on the lid and give it a really good shake.It's wonderful if you need to work of some agression!, then take off the lid and do a taste test and add anything extra you like, I sometimes need to add a little more sugar.
Then you have vinaigrette - extras can be herbs, some crushed garlic, some chopped olives all make a nice change. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

fuddle

Hey I've got all that in. Well I have malt vinegar but I'll give it a go. Strangely enough I've used vinegar (hope malt is ok!) on my towels this afternoon. I put it in the conditioner part of the washing machine drawer. Hope they don't smell.

Anyone else see conditioner as an extra expense? I don't use it but towels could do with something.