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

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE is there a dressmaker/alteration/repair business anywhere in your area? If so, it wouldn't cost too much to have the zip in the winter coat replaced, certainly not as much as buying a new one and if this one is 'as new' it would be a sensible choice? I'm really glad the 'snack' sites were useful, any little thing makes a difference I guess pet?

FPK in the past we've been plagued with cats using the veg and flower borders as loos. We found some very strongly mentholyish smelling gel sprinkles at the garden centre which worked well but needed renewing in 6 weeks or so, they were very effective. The other thing that I've not used but have heard people say work very well is dried Lion Dung which apparently is very offensive to cats, I'm sure it is available online but don't know how much it would cost, hope that is useful, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Pooky

Possession wrote: »

Anyone who goes to a Cineworld cinema, the Sweet Sunday promo just got more enticing as Mr T has now priced the big 315g packs at £1.50 - you only need 2 of these to get a ticket, so all those sweets and a cinema ticket for £3. You can redeem 2 tickets per email address and go on a Sunday.

Thanks for that - I shall pick some up tomorrow - DH gets free tickets anyway so if I can get some for DDs and I it will make a nice afternoon out!

bunbun2

pooky glad to hear your little kitten is improving

Ds2 started year 7 last year so I had all his uniform to buy:eek: he is bigger than ds1 so couldn't use his. he used his brother's old uniforms all through primary school. ds1 has had his blazer for 3 years and he won't need a new one in September. I will replace it during the year if needs be

I used to buy mr T basic school shirts but they don't do them any more:mad:

[Deleted User]

If anyone has a 'Pets at Home' store near them that they use, it might be worth taking up thier offer to have a VIP Pets card to use. You get money off vouchers based on the amount you spend in store which is useful but the initial offer included a 10% off on anything you buy and we've just used it to buy Docky's dry kibble for the next 6 months and his snackage the same, 6 months worth of kitten and cat food for Pushkin kitten along with litter for his tray and a huge bale of sawdust and bale of hay for Olaf the guinea piggy and got the discount on the whole lot, saving quite a chunk of cash, worth doing I think!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

Mrs_Chip

Afternoon All

Wet here overnight, but that's good as we are going to have a heatwave and the potatoes needed a good long drink.

For anyone who thinks a low carb diet would help them for other than weight loss - don't forget most LC diet plans are very strict and it is possible to eat LC much more cheaply by cutting out the major processed carbs from your diet - bread, pastry, pasta,bisucuits, cake, sweets,and fruit juices. Eat plenty of veg, salad, meat, fish, eggs, lots of pulses and lentils and a reasonable amount of fruit (try to avoid high sugar fruit like grapes in quantity). Eat your carbs as unprocessed as possible. Does not mean you cannot have bread, but just limit it to perhaps one slice a day. Really it's just back to basics.

Now need to read back as pooped in to post this!

FairyPrincessk

Lyn, if I told my OH I wanted something as exotic as essence of lion poo for our garden I'd never hear the end of it! Still, if the menthol-ey things don't work then I may have to investigate further, but on the QT.:rotfl:

Bunbun, I normally use this recipe (I have the book, as it is like a down to earth index of OS cooking for the US) It is US measurements, but the recipe is lovely, my mum uses this recipe for cheesecake as well--note it is a baked cheesecake, rather than the fluffier sort that seem more prevalent in the UK.

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,186,155178-240194,00.html

So pleased to hear the fluffy kitten is on the mend!

Thanks for the tip on the cinema tickets--we've all but stopped going to the Cinema these days, it is just too expensive, but it would be a nice treat.

Popperwell

I avoid the cinema too but don't watch many on TV either. But a town hall in a neighbouring town show all the latest like Skyfall, Lincoln etc...and unlike the major cinemas they only charge £4. So perhaps something similar is available locally?

fuddle

I'm hard boiling eggs. 3 have sunk to the bottom, one is floating. Does that mean anything?

Thanks

FairyPrincessk

Pops, we can get it down to about that price with student discounts, but OH is, as of a week or two ago, no longer a student. I've looked around and there don't seem to be any low price cinemas accessible on public transport. To be honest, even at £4 apiece it gets pricey.:o

Fuddle, if they sunk immediately upon putting in water (as in raw) that is normal for fresh eggs. Generally if they float it means they've gone off. If only one end floats it means they're going soon, but will be fine if you eat them quickly. HTH.

Possession

Bunbun there is a lemon cheesecake recipe on the Nigella website using cream cheese but I've never tried it.
Pooky, glad fluffy cat has perked up. The buns are fine now, in fact one in particular is rather too fine and demanding! She's either licking me to death or trying to dig me, it's difficult to work.
I shall be getting some of those sweets and the children can have those instead of the aldi popcorn we usually take. I'm sure there will be something on over the summer we'd like to see, although at the moment only Percy Jackson is calling to us.
If you have an Apple store near you and a child over 8, see if they have any places available for the free workshops they do over the summer hols. They are for a few hours over 3 days.
http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/learn/youth/