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

kidcat

Evening toughies, a flying visit tonight for me as I am exhausted, we did a variety of things today in a beautiful country village that was crammed with tourists, mainly american. DS9 was photographed by many as he went about his usual tricks - apparently he is just darhling!!!

DS15 had a meltdown over a coney scarf - he wanted it and I said no as we werent buying real fur, he really doesnt get principles at all

Tomorrow is a visit to a farm until 2.30 and then drop OH and littlies back to caravan whilst I take the older two to Harry Potter - slightly worried about the whole thing, leaving them behind and driving so far away, but there was no other real option.

Weddings - my wedding cost less than £1000, we had 200 people, filled the church, had friends all do things like drive cars, make cakes, cater for us etc and just had the wedding late enough to have one reception in the evening which saved the arguments from people who get offended if they only get an evening invite as the kids said earlier that was 10 years ago, if I did it now it would probably turn a profit:rotfl::rotfl:

tattycath

I've just joined the second purse challenge!

monnagran

Phew.

I've had no internet for a couple of days so have just got it working again and am exhausted with trying to catch up.
Vinegar instead of fabric conditioner. I never use anything else. It's cheaper, and helps to preserve the WM.
Weddings - mine was in 1965 and I hired my complete outfit, dress, veil, head dress, even shoes. All the church stuff was free as my OH was the church organist. His friend played the organ and we had a group of friends who played old English musical instruments who played before the service. We were both bellringers so all our friends turned up and we had beautiful bells.
3 little girl bridesmaids with dresses made by one of the Mums. Afterwards we had a cream tea in a friends gorgeous garden. It was the hottest day of the year. I made my own 'going away outfit', even the pill-box hat. No idea what it all cost but it wasn't very much and it all looked very grand. It was the loveliest day but unfortunately it was all downhill from there.

Have just gone down the garden to inspect my runner beans. From refusing to have anything to do with their poles, last night several of them not only attached themselves to the poles but had climbed halfway up them. Some didn't fancy their own poles but wandered around till they found one they liked and climbed up that one, much to the annoyance of the owner of that pole who then had to cast around for a spare pole. The ground looks as though the beans have been playing cat's cradle. Still, one or two are flowering.

My brain parted company with my body some time ago so I'll leave you all till tomorrow and put myself to bed.

x

mardatha

I have a second purse, but it hides in my knicker drawer and I use it to stash odd tenners and fivers left over after I've got my food in.

ArthriticOldThing

Good morning all. My hands are much better this morning so I will have to be careful about what I do. As you say Shergar its resting them that helps. And Tramadol of course.
Thanks Elona. I have looked on Freecycle but there nothing in our local area. Am going to visit local firm and ask if they can maybe discover the problem and fix it.
Have been reading about the low carbs diet. Its something I have to try and do because of my diabetes but as has been said it can be very expensive - too much so for me now. I just try to monitor my intake.
I'm glad you got your son home from school without further stress Kezlou, and hope the ankle is improving.
About ironing. I Hate it. My late husband did all ours as he enjoyed it - said it gave him time to think.:) Now I have to do it I try to only buy things that don't need to be ironed.;)
I hope everyone had a better sleep last night and that today is a good day for us all.

ArthriticOldThing

Forgot to say that am going to look up this second purse thing. Sounds like something that would be beneficial for me.
Does anyone know if I can freeze hm rice pudding? I made it in the slow cooker and was over generous to say the least.:eek::eek:

GreyQueen

VJsmum wrote: »

I don't mind a crunchy towel.

I like rough towels, soft ones give me the creeps somehow, I consider it free exfoliation.

Monnagran, my beans do that also. Beggars. On Saturday I tied some recalcitrant ones to the canes, concerned that their flooping around would bring the growing tips towards the ground and in reach of the dastardly slugs and snails. Gawds knows what they've made of that (beans, not slugs, I don't give a gnat's f a r t for the slugs' opinions).

About to go to work and bliddy glad to, there has been an alarm somewhere nearby warbling for 2+ hours and I swear if I had to be at home today I'd be going even madder than I usually am.

It's grey and muggy and nearly dark. Summer, eh? Have a lovely day, peeps, catch up with you this evening. GQ xx

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies, I don't do the second purse thing but I do , if I've got housekeeping left at the end of the week buy in 'Futures' i.e supplies that we use on a regular basis so I only run one big store in the storeroom and know I can dip into it for ingredients without having to buy from the shop. I don't always rush out to replace what I've taken, I find that in the fullness of time stocks of everything build up to what is normal for us. I do think in this cash strapped age it certainly pays to shop around if you want a specific brand though, I was looking for washing liquid and conditioner for the washing machine yesterday, in Mr.T the small size I wanted was over £5 and the large one £7.99 which seemed OK but I was sure I could do better. I looked in the 99p shop and P*undland and it was not in either, so I went to W*lkos and in there it was, same size, same product for £3 so I saved £2 which I then invested in some more tinned ham from M&S. I find that I always have an eye to a bargain these days and even though I make a list to shop with, I have in my head anything that is going to need replacing in the next week or so and if I see a good price I buy in early rather than miss out. My best bargain yesterday a 24 pack of cadburys Jaffa Cakes usually silly money, for 99p, so that will be our treats for the next couple of weeks, what's not to like? Cheers Lyn xxx.

VJsmum

I don't do the second purse thing either but I do stash all the loose change from my purse into a tin - anything under 50p goes in there. At intervals that will get banked in the "holiday fund" - last year I think I banked about £100, also my Aldee £5 off vouchers or Mr M £10 off will go into the holiday fund.

My beans are finally climbing their poles and I've loads of strawberries. My radishes are huge (ooh err missus ) and the beetroot is growing, the broad beans and tomatoes are starting to flower. The only thing not doing well is the raspberries.

I am working at home today and will split the time between really working and getting the house back into some kind of order. They owe me about 80 hours anyway this year so I don't feel too guilty about not putting in a full day.

fuddle

Good morning. I don't shop in cash. I use our bank account but know roughly what it is I should be putting in my trolley to get to the cost I have budgeted for that week.

Happy to report that we have finally accrued £60 in nectar points (DH's work car petrol. He has to use B.P so... ) so at the weekend youngest DD can get her chest of drawers to store her clothes. Shes using boxes at the moment as hers broke in the move. That's another 'emergency' perchase that family think we should use the savings for. Why? Wait another 6 months and we can get 'em for free!

I have bought eldest DD uniforms this morning (youngest is getting hand-me-downs from eldest because there's not a thing wrong with them, just too small )

I now just need tights and shoes for both for September.

Sad thing is the zipper isn't working on eldest's winter coat that still fits. I need to have a fiddle. I hope it doesn't mean a new one, still looks new!

Pleased you're working to avoid that din GQ. That too would drive me crackers. It's muggy and grey here too.

Monnagran sometimes you sound right peeved off when you post but I cannat help a chuckle! Bad me

I haven't had jaffa cakes for years Lyn, oh nice. Enjoy! Those high cal healthy snack websites you helped me with are brilliant. She couldn't sleep last night so stole the opportunity to get toasted tea-cake and butter down her. She devoured it.

Bread making today, and a stock take of cupboards. I want to clear a space for SHTF tinned items that can be eaten cold or just reheated, excluded form stock lists and just forever 'there'.