Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Hopefuljoy

Good morning Greying, Satchmo1, Starnac, Beanielou, MWC, Lility, INOD and everyone else on the best MSE thread in the world!! Happy Christmas EVE!!!!

I am totally inspired by news of interesting cheese boards, the Caerphilly and Goats cheese seem especially tempting and I may stagger off my sick bed later to go and hunt for some.

Greying, I am in awe of your handmade bunting. If you were sewing more I would definitely buy one of each...... in fact I am not so secretly hoping you will sew more so I can! They are beautiful and totally capture the merriment and joy of Christmas. Far nicer than the ones I bought from Laura Bashly years ago and never put up. Ones made by you would have pride of place!

See you all later when I've had another rest. I've got the lurg still!

maddiemay

Wonderful bunting dear Greying, another one who would be buying if for sale, a lady at my craft group had made some in offcuts from her quilting projects, in the most lovely Christmassy fabrics, sadly sewing is a gift that passed me by.

Love all the cheese discussion, not a sweet or chocolate eater, but admit guilty pleasures are cheese triangles, mini cheddar biscuits and smoked cheese in orange plastic:o

I hope that Greying, DP and all lovely followers have a joyful and uneventful Christmas, from one lurgy sufferer to all those who have it/are incubating it, I hope that you are soon well and full of Christmas bounce:j Too many lovely peeps to mention by name, but cuddles to Pirin and all furry ones and gentle hugs to all those who have been coping with difficult relationships, recovery from surgery, problems at work etc.
MM
xxxxxx

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

in_need_of_direction wrote: »

When I grow up I'm gonna cook photo worthy meals and make nice things

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: INOD - you do always make me chuckle - and now I have a complex, that I am, in fact, all growed up, coz I is undertaking *sensible* activities whilst wearing flat shoes I'm still a veritable recycled teenager in me 'ead!

starnac - how I wish that it was Llwydaidd!!! (and yes, I had to goggle, to see what it meant ) However, I think the 50/50 stage has well and truly been breached, and we're at the point of no return. I may well have to change my username, but, as in everything, timing is all... Greyer? Grey?? or Greyest??? What do I pick? :rotfl:

UpsidedownBear - I'm in 'Little Women' with today's smilie thank you for all your smilies. I hope you may continue into 2015?

Hopefuljoy and maddiemay - you are both very kind and at least you've given me 12 months notice! Alas, what I term *artisanal*, you'd find was actually a cover for *wiggly* stitching maddiemay I hope you have your *bounce* back and are feeling better? There is nowt wrong with orange tubed smoked cheese - we had it on our cheese board last year - from mrS no less!

DP and I have just been out to get a Christmas gift for him, from an elderly relative. He is made up with it, and it will get great use, I can tell We were walking back and DP was nattering away, and I made him stop, as literally, the hedge beside us was *alive* with long-tailed t1ts. Because we stopped, they carried on, and at one point, had DP held out his arm he was within *touching* distance of two of them (I know that they would of flown, but you know what I mean). We've both never been so close to a gaggle of them before - lovely little birds and *chatting* to each other the whole time.

Things went down hill when we got home - as, stone cold sober I managed to drop an open bottle of beer :eek: Luckily it didn't break, luckily it was in the kitchen, and luckily, it was only a small bottle. But the kitchen does now smell like a down at heel nightclub :rotfl: All cleared up now though

I'm going to sign out for the night now. I'm not sure when I'll be back in, we've adventurising planned for tomorrow.

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone, who passes through this thread a VERY Merry Christmas and a safe and peaceful New Year. You have made such a difference this year, and I hope that you know (by now) how very much I value your support.

See y'all later.

Greying

Upsidedown_Bear

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

UpsidedownBear - I'm in 'Little Women' with today's smilie thank you for all your smilies. I hope you may continue into 2015?

Smilie and I are away from Boxing Day for a few days but other than that we will be here into 2015 :j

Wishing you and Mr Greying a wonderful Christmas and a very happy, frugal and foodie 2015.

mothernerd

I too love the tree on your bunting. I can sew but can't use the machine atm so had to burn the midnight oil earlier in the week, sewing together an embroidered Christmas stocking - 4 layers of material (2 satin linings) + folded over petersham ribbon for the binding and worrying all the time about fraying bits and subsequent holes. However the finished product was very well received and the little boy's grandmother brought me a lovely bunch of flowers.

Today I had help from a friend to bring back the remaining items from the old house - spent four hours the day before I went in hospital collecting stray items from high shelves, empty coat hangers etc and the wiping each room as it was emptied. DS3 was supposed to ferry the left over items and cleaning materials I had put in the vestibule back here whilst I was in hospital but his gf came to stay and everything else went out of his head.

I knew the car ride and collection would take things out of me (still have to pace myself and am doing lots of sleeping), so spent some time chopping veg. Have a large container of cabbage/carrot/celery/leek (chunky but a bit finer than would usually do it as intend to eat it raw with a little dressing, then will make turkey broth when I am in the mood. Also did a finer coleslaw mix (in a large clear re-used plastic bag (mixed by turning and shaking - saved washing up).

Then decided to make a large vegetable lasagne using biggest roasting tin as had a head of broccoli turning slightly yellow and 1 and 1/2 large pots of plain yoghurt in the fridge dated mid and end November respectively (and 4 eggs left in a carton taking up most of a shelf). Thought if I made the SW version of cheese sauce (yoghurt/beaten egg/herbs/spoon of grain mustard/cheese) it would use the yoghurt and cooking would kill any possible bugs. (Wiped the dried rim of the 1/2 used one). Also intend that as I use up festive goodies I will fill the freezer space with stuff to get me through the next couple of months.

Asked my helper to put it in the oven before she left (nearly fills the shelf and I can only manage things that I can lift with one hand). DS2 is going to call in tomorrow so I thought he could get it out and then I can divide into (8/10/12) portions. Thought if I left it on the shelf (pulled part way out) I could cut out a corner, using a fish slice, to eat now.

I lost control of it (couldn't move nearer) and it slid from the shelf to the oven door and then onto the floor (still right way up). I could get my piece because I had already cut that out (just scooped with the slice) but any attempt to lift an end to get it back onto the oven door risked sending the contents over side.

It's very good but so far haven't thought of any way to get the pan up from the floor (thinking lifting slightly and pushing something under - either a large bag with straps or small incremental wedges to either side, but can't think of anything that would do the job). So it may have to wait until DS2 comes round.

There was a small yoghurt accident earlier but very little yoghurt was lost and I just threw a rag at the bit on the floor (after wiping the bit off my crutch and my skirt) and will rub it with the end of the crutch later (worked in the bathroom).

Resting now and am going to watch the Cary Grant film (much better than the re-make) and eat a satsuma and maybe the last of this batch of berry jellies.

Looking forward to more kitchen adventures next year.

supersaver1000

Seasons greetings greying and friends :santa2:

Busymumofthreeplusdog

Dear Greying and friends. We've decided that tomorrow needs to be a wifi free day(apart from FaceTime with sis & folks). I would like to wish all you inspirational folk a wonderful, peaceful Christmas!

Busy....

little_sweetie

Oh mothernerd how frustrating for you How I wish I lived next door cos a quick phone call would have had me round to get your dish out in a jiffy. Hope you are OK and that your day will go well today.

Greying I just wanted to wish you, DP and all the lovely people on here a very happy Christmas and a fabby frugal New Year. Thank you for keeping this wonderful, inspirational thread going. Unusually for me I have £30 left in the food budget to last until next Monday...30 whole pounds! AND we have loads of food in store. It's all down to this thread

Off to DD shortly with a boot full of gifts and goodies. Have a brilliant day everyone.

PS made potato and leek soup the other day and it was lovely. Why have I never done it before ?? :xmastree:

mothernerd

It's fine. It's only temporary - many people have to live with these problems and limitations all the time. Just a bit cross that I can't find a solution - or can't see which bits I could use to implement a plan. I did get to eat the piece I had cut out and it's not worth wasting the rest by trying and ending up with it on the floor (not in the tin). When I tried to get it back on the oven door, it all moved down the dish - have a wave in my lasagne now. Well it will still taste good and not messing with it leaves most of the kitchen useable - the yoghurt could have been dangerous if it hadn't been right up against the worktop. Good job my skirt caught it - would have been a much bigger mess if it had all reached the floor. There's always a bright side if you look for it.

rtandon27

:xmastree:Happy Christmas GP & DP and to all chums who 'haunt' the thread!:xmastree:

GP your crafting is well impressive - so very pretty:snow_laug - you have soooo many talents - I too want to be you when I am all growed up!;)

GP - your adventures with DP & the cheese have struck a chord...

...My dear OH - a bit of a humbug by nature :xmassmile declared in Wa][tr0se yesterday - "I'm Christmased out - can we please have some proper eating cheese - like cheddar - instead of this fancy strange tasting stuff?"...
...GP darling I laughed until I cried right there in the middle of the store! The special cheese went back onto the shelf and two blocks of everyday cheddar went into the cart...
The best part is when our lovely regular check-out [STRIKE]boy[/STRIKE] young man asked, before scanning them, if I'd not found any of the mark-down cheese as the two blocks were 'full' price!:snow_grin
(I've obviously developed a reputation for having an affinity for the red-stickers!)