Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

I like the English version of Wallander - I think Ken does 'vulnerable but brusque' very well. I also liked the Swedish series of Wallander with one of the actors (I think he has subsequently passed away), but we taped a Swedish version with a different actor, I don't know if he was the replacement, or the first if you see what I mean. Ugh, it was dreadful, the character of Wallander was really obnoxious - but it didn't help the crimes were more graphic too. I ended up deleting the episodes we'd taped. There was not a shred of joy in watching the TV.

We also have Arne Dahl (sp?) taped too - anyone got opinions on that?

DP has watched 'The Girl with....' trilogy of films and reckons I wouldn't like them - too graphic/violent?

Right, I am gonna snag that last NSD today! I need it to reach my target!

Dinner this evening will be a HM Chinese 'style' buffet, in honour of the new year of the horse and we can-neigh afford a take-away

I am finalising my February meal plan and the reasoning behind it. I re-hashed it because EH has actually really got me thinking and I'm gonna go extreme for 28 days If my teeth fall out, would y'all take me off to the dentist??? However, I've incorporated some 'fun' into it, so don't think it's gonna be sack cloth and ashes - so not me

Right, better get up and at 'em.

Thank you for popping by, reading and commenting. I remain grateful and appreciative

See y'all later.

Greying

mizmir

I think the first series of Hinterland was on ages ago - I missed it completely. This is a new series - has just shown on BBC Wales.
Forgot about Arne Dahl - a bit different as it focuses on a team - but we really loved it.

Agree about the second Swedish Wallander - really didn't like him! Must admit am not a fan of Kenneth Brannagh's version either. For me it has to be Krister Henriksson!

Karmacat

"can-neigh" :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Caught you!

Igamogam

mizmir wrote: »

I think the first series of Hinterland was on ages ago - I missed it completely. This is a new series - has just shown on BBC Wales.

Hinterland was first broadcast in Welsh on S4C in autumn as Y Gwyll. This is the first bilingual series. We loved it but then we did spend most of the time saying 'Oh look that's such a place or so and so use to live close by there':rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

mizmir wrote: »

For me it has to be Krister Henriksson!

mizmir - that's him! I think I wrote of an early demise, but he's apparently v much alive It was (apparently) Rolf Lassgard whom I didn't take too. Sure he's a great chap, kind to kittens and spiders, but just wasn't 'Wallander' for me, far to dark and damaged......

Karmacat wrote: »

"can-neigh" :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Caught you!

Ay up Karma - Bravo :T This stuff is scripted I tell you, scripted! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Igamogam - that's the best bit of telly - shouting, 'been there', 'seen that', or 'had our butties by that rock' etc etc

I can legitimately claim a NSD today, so I just made it 20/20 :T
And whilst I've nothing to scrape over into the emergency fund this month, I'm sure that NSD's are the key for me. January seems to of been a long month. I don't know why. I didn't spend any of the budgets before the month started, despite early payment in December temptations. Still, we made it. I'd like to say intact, but a bit of my (already damaged and repaired to the point of being beyond repair) tooth seems to of disintegrated tonight, whilst munching on me mushrooms. Oh dear, what did I say about teeth falling out in February?? :rotfl:

The new meal planner, revised budget and shopping list has been finalised, but I am currently over budget by about £5, so some wiggling will need to take place

We have just watched episode 3 of Borgen. Must look up how much Danish Kroner there are to the £. She was riding round on a second hand bike that cost 600 kroner, which they made out to be a bargain, but they were thrilled to receive a donation of 1.5 million kroner to party funds. Mmmm.

Dinner this evening will make you laugh - you're going to say '70's throwback' Greying And I have to say, I heartily agree with you I had some YS'd mushrooms (47p), added an onion and some garlic/ginger and a sachet of wasabi plum sauce (Bloo dragun brand, 29p from HB). I boiled up some rice, cooked up some EDV stir fry veg (half the pack) and combined them (mistake and hence the 70's reference ). Plated it up and sprinkled sesame seeds on top. Voila and that's the Trigger for a Happy New Year



Please feel free to have a good guwwaff, the only redeeming feature was that it was quite filling and cost less than £1 per plate

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

for the brain-cell stretching nature of budgeting! - makes you THINK though!

for the opportunity to learn - particularly from resilient, resourceful and inspirational folk

for the tiny random act of kindness that directly yielded a thoughtful 'gift' - 'coz it means that maybe there is such a thing as karma.....(and best of all, money was not involved in any way, shape or form :T)

Thank you so very much for dropping in, reading and commenting. I greatly appreciate it.

See y'all later.

Greying

beanielou

Have a happy weekend

kissjenn

Hi Greying.

The Danish exchange rate had me thinking to. It's about 11p to a Kroner. Bit like the Franc used to be so I just divide everything by 10 cos I'm lazy like that, so £60 for the bike give or take.

I never cease to be impressed with your budgeting and menu skills...quite phenomenal.

KJ x

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

Ay up kissjen - I was going to ask why you were up and about so late, but I have just read the 'why' on your thread. I hope as I type you are out and about with the husky, getting plenty of 'fresh' air and are feeling better.

Yes, I looked up the exchange rate too, and whilst I thought £60 was ok for the bike, I can't see why they were getting so excited about £165k donation. I wouldn't have my policies bought for such a pittance! And I'm not sure I would lunch with someone that 'took the liberty of ordering' for me either.......

Well, we've achieved a lot and not much today IYSWIM. We've hit all the supermarkets and got most of the food shopping for February. £30 spent Top ups of fresh stuff and milk etc will also be needed. We dropped into the bathroom showroom and gravitated towards all the expensive stuff Had to console ourselves with the fact that this house just ain't worth that many 000's :rotfl:

We toddled up the high street as we needed some paperwork rubberstamping, plus DP managed to break his glasses last night, so we went to the opticians. A rustle around 'Bert upstairs' drawer of 'that'll come in useful one day' failed to find the relevant 'bit' and their computers were down, so we'll have to return to see how much it may cost. We had fun trying on 'shades' whilst they looked :cool: And at least they probably can be repaired rather than having to purchase new.

Back for a spot of lunch, (cheese sarnies) and now the rugger is on, so that's chores done for the day

I wanted to record my plans for February here. January was OK, but we went slightly over the food budget - to the tune of about £5 therefore no money was available to 'scrape' over to the emergency fund. I want to do better in February - for which I am going to have to go 'hardcore' However, we did 'bank' the £40 social budget for January to the holiday fund as we bought no alcohol. And yes, I know I bought beer on Thursday, but that was using February's budget, so £40 saved by going 'dryish' (we had a beer each that was left over from Christmas). Both DP and I agree dry months are easy for us to achieve, as we're not big drinkers, and we like the financial benefit - a lot!

NSD's - I'm going for 20 again. Gonna be tough, but it works.

Charitable donation - you will know that for the last 4/5 months, I have used £3 of the food budget to buy UHT milk for our local foodbank. I have been happy to do this and I don't see the need going away any time soon. However, for February I want to do something different and support a different charity.

My normal food budget is £80 a month. That has to last 30 or 31 days. As February is 28 days, I have taken £7.75 out of my budget and set it aside. In addition, I have taken the £3.30 that I normally spend on milk for the FB and added it to the £7.75. I have £11.

I have written a cheque for £11 that I will send off to Cancer Research UK. In RL I am someone who always looks to do the 'practical'. I can do nothing practical for the person that has inspired me so much, so the next best thing I can do is send off this cheque.

Five 'firsts' in Feb - I'm following in Essex Hebridean's footsteps and making new recipes this month. I'm going to do FIVE. Please support me and remind me that this is a good idea when DP is still waiting for dinner at midnight.........:rotfl:

February Freshers Fun - my eye was casually roving along my cookbook shelf (much depleted) and it came to rest on my veggie student cookbook. I remembered the concoctions that we came up with to eat at Uni, plus that I learnt how to make lasagne from instructions from a fellow student - still follow the method today - thanks J. So for the week 15th - 21st February, DP and I are going to eat a student menu, totally from this cookbook wonder whether the budget will stretch to some cans of Red Stripe :rotfl:Hopefully, this will allow us to keep our miniscule budget in check for the month, whilst not starving ourselves, making our teeth drop out or......

Bank £10 to the emergency fund - I want to be able to have £10 left at the end of the month to put in the emergency fund.

Does this stack up? Out of a £69 budget (£11 charity donation taken out) I have spent £30, so have £39 remaining. £10 of which has to go to pay for food to bought from 'stores' eg pasta, rice, porridge oats. So £29 remaining, of which I want to have £10 remaining at the end of the month.

I AM CLEARLY BONKERS!!! :rotfl::rotfl:

Care to pop by to cheer me along and to see how I do???

Enough wiffle for now. I'll be back either later (if the rugger is boring) or tomorrow with details of.... Day One......

Thanks as ever for dropping in, reading and commenting. You know how much I appreciate it.

See y'all later.

Greying

muddywhitechicken

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Care to join me for the ride?

No thanks Greying!!!

Best of luck though - if anyone can do it, you can :T

MWCx

Greying_Pilgrim

muddywhitechicken wrote: »

No thanks Greying!!!

Best of luck though - if anyone can do it, you can :T

MWCx

MWC - Thank you for pointing that out - I didn't intend to issue a challenge to anyone else :o, I've just re-read how it comes across!! This was not what I meant I've reworded it now, so that it is not a challenge, but anyone is welcome to chip in with support as they may deem appropriate :)

I was thinking of you as I 'woke' the computer up. The picture on my screensaver was on a pic of a clutch of eggs I bought from a campsite in East Sussex a few years ago. The colours are amazing - blue, olive, pink, dark brown, white....... lovely

Greying