Living on next to nought - is that the key?

wishus

Good morning everyone. We're through the darkest night and it's nearly Christmas!

Hey GP, sorry to hear things are going less swimmingly than you'd like. You stay an inspiration to me.

Me and my OH are looking forward to Christmas and we are feeling blessed. We're about to sign ourselves up to a big mountain of debt, but it can't be helped, we need to buy our friend out of the house. At least we can do this now because we've improved our lot so much. And everyone here has been a part of that!

Onwards and upwards, folks.
:rudolf::rudolf::rudolf:

Upsidedown_Bear

Miss Smilie of the day.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Can't even begin to comprehend the tragedy that is unfolding in Glasgow. Such a tragic thing to happen, no way you could forsee nor protect against it. Flinging a few thoughts skywards in sympathy with the families who have lost loved ones.



And now onto other things.

I have spent money today. Got some YS'd bargains in mrM - tomatoes and mushrooms. Got some coriander and yoghurt too. I really must get back into making my own yoghurt - no excuses!

My cousin wins this year's award for 'news included in a Christmas Card that you were least expecting'.......' I won't elaborate, but it's good news..... although totally unexpected....... :rotfl:

Mrm was busy, but folk were well behaved and considerate on the whole. I didn't see any absolutely heaving trolleys, but hopefully everyone got what they wanted and needed. It did strike me today that, at Greying Towers, we have so far removed ourselves from the 'commercial' element of Chrimbo, that I would struggle if I were ever in a position to have to entertain 'in between 12 and 18 for the festivities.......' I really don't know how folk do it - even those that are happy to do so

Dinner this evening was Afghan Carrot Hotpot a recipe that Dear Muddywhitechicken directed us to I have made this before as it is a keeper of a recipe. The baby carrots were from 1celand - 89p for a 900g bag. And I threw in the last of the split peas I had (another bag in store, but couldn't be bothered to dig it out) so I upped the pulse content with the addition of one tin of chickpeas (H0me bargins 3 for £1). Topped off with a dollop of natural yoghurt and some chopped coriander and served with a portion of boiled basmati - yumsky

DP is talking about having an early night tonight, I think I may well join him. I don't know if it is the wind, but I feel p00ped

Upsidedown Bear - I can't be the only one that thought - Blue Peter Advent candle holder - can I ??????

wishus wrote: »

Me and my OH are looking forward to Christmas and we are feeling blessed. We're about to sign ourselves up to a big mountain of debt, but it can't be helped, we need to buy our friend out of the house. At least we can do this now because we've improved our lot so much. And everyone here has been a part of that!

wishus - I think that that is BRILLIANT! Clearly, no-one wants to be plunged into debt, but it sounds like you are taking measured and well-thought out steps to secure an asset for yourself and your OH. WELL DONE :T There's mucho hard work behind your statement I know - keeping to budgets and getting on a financial even-keel is absolutely no cake-walk.

Early pay days are starting to come around. I still wonder how useful it is at this time of year. I realise there will be plenty of families for which the early payment will be a god-send, and will, indeed 'fund' the festivities. But I, for one, hate the loooonnnggg time that you then have to wait for the January pay-day to come around. Ah well, the answer is to not touch the pay packet until the end of the month - as usual, then hopefully everything will s-t-r-e-t-c-h as needed

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

for a DP to hug

for a tasty, frugal yet filling recipe that made us dinner+

for unexpected, yet pleasant surprises... - family, tsk! <rollseyessmilie>

Ta for popping in, reading and commenting. I remain greatly appreciative.

See y'all later.

Greying

greenbee

I'm with you on the yogurt thing GP. Maybe a new year's resolution? I find the problem is that my culture dies when I'm away for work, and this year I've been travelling a lot.

Greying_Pilgrim

greenbee wrote: »

I'm with you on the yogurt thing GP. Maybe a new year's resolution? I find the problem is that my culture dies when I'm away for work, and this year I've been travelling a lot.

See now greenbee - I haven't even got a genuine excuse like that - I'm just LAZY! :rotfl: When I got into making yoghurt before, I always had plenty of culture in the freezer - just kept forgetting to take it out to de-frost in plenty of time to make yoghurt - no mean feat in my north-facing kitchen But yes, I resolve to make much more yoghurt in 2015 than I made in 2014 - how 'bout that?

Ta for popping in - lovely, as always, to *see* ya

Greying

Greying_Pilgrim

I've just realised - I forgot a pic of us tea! :doh:DOH!



Afghan carrot hot-pot

Greying

muddywhitechicken

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

I've just realised - I forgot a pic of us tea! :doh:DOH!



Afghan carrot hot-pot

Greying

Yum, I really must put this on the meal plan for January although I probably said this last time you made it too :rotfl:

Yogurt-making is another thing I want to try in 2015 (after soft cheese and sourdough bread)

MWCx

rtandon27

mmmm GP your dinner looks lush!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Seems strange that it is Tuesday, but I have no need to buy the TV mag, as we're on the 'double' edition

muddywhitechicken wrote: »

Yum, I really must put this on the meal plan for January although I probably said this last time you made it too :rotfl:

Yogurt-making is another thing I want to try in 2015 (after soft cheese and sourdough bread)

MWCx

MWC I have your Zuppa de Zio Antonio on the menu for the 27th or 28th (forget which momentarily) but I'm currently having difficulty tracking down the ditalini pasta. According to mYsoopermarket, it is stocked in A$da, but a search of our local one, and a HUGE one in the city at the weekend, has thus far been fruitless. It used to be so easy to get hold of - mrT had it regularly. My last hope is a small delicatessan locally. I'm considering waiting to go in there until after Christmas though, as they are inundated with *locals* making their once a year pilgrimage to buy up the cheese counter for their Christmas cheeseboard...... Mind, with the upswing in custom in mrAl and mrL this year, maybe it won't be so hectic.........

I have had a bash at sourdough (with a starter bought from King Arthur flour in the states), but found keeping the starter going onerous. If there was a recipe, which, like yoghurt culture, you could freeze the starter, and it would still work, then I'm sure I'd make more. I've moved over to slow-rise dough - making the dough, then letting it rise in the fridge overnight. This makes superb tasting bread, consistently, so it works for me We'll make a MSE yoghurt lake between us at this rate

rtandon - THANK YOU - you are so kind and supportive

Today is 'Thrift Tuesday' as far as dinner is concerned, so soup is on the menu again If all goes to plan, it'll be a new to me soup, although I know that I have had a hold of the recipe for absolutely aeons.

Have a great day, whatever you are up to today.

Thanks so much for popping in, reading and encouraging me. I greatly appreciate it

See y'all later.

Greying

supersaver1000

Good morning GP.

Hmm. I think it will be super soup for us this evening too. I'm thinking of mushroom but it will be whatever veg is either in the salad drawer (carrots?) with potatoes or maybe I will treat us to a leek or two. Just thinking also that I have plenty of chickpeas.

Feel like I am holding my breath for starting new job soon/finishing old one today. Very sad to leave my colleagues but excited for this new stage in my life. (And nervous of course). This will be a very different Christmas to last years.

Although we aren't at home for Christmas Day I really need to think about Boxing Day fare, although we will only be nibbling after all that Turkey but nice to have some cold stuff and pickles for lunch.

Have a lovely Christmas GP and friends and thank you for your support this year, I couldn't have made it here without you. Xx