Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Effyb4

I loved playing on the climbing frame we had at home. I spent hours hanging upside down from it. It had crazy paving underneath it, mind you I never fell.

I remember having the good idea of rollerskating backwards down a sloped driveway and bashing my head on one of the pillars at the side of the drive. That caused a black eye and lots of concern from teachers at school.

I also have a scar just below my knee, where a pony walked me into a barbed wire fence.

grunnie

I also don't remember even being taken to the doctors. All accidents scrapes cuts etc were always dealt with by the local chemist who regularly used to bandage us up. If we came out in spots he would tell our mums whether it was chickenpox measles etc and how to treat them. Calomine lotion for spots. Gentian violet painted with a brush on our tonsils when we had sore throats.And I survived - kids nowadays don't have the same amount of fun. Having said that I wouldn't let my grandchildren play down the beach as I used to do. :eek:

GreyQueen

Productive afternoon. Have got a catch put on the re-strung faux pearls (50p!) so the too-small triple strander is now one long loopy strand. To go with my loopy self. I shall wear them to the office next week.

The second door handle is de-paintified and I'm just leaving it a little while before re-attaching as I think I may have got some water inside it. I have been annoyed by those handles several times daily for several years, why-o-why did I just not get on with it?

Have de-shooted spuds, scrubbed floors, visited a pal's shop and another pal's shop (my Magic Greengrocer) and have lots of lovely things to cook up into soups etc.

I have bought a lovely scenic calendar at the chazzer, one which started life at £7.99 and has come to me for 50p. So I shall now be organised *wanders off to laugh herself silly at the prospect*

jinny

So enjoying all the 'accident'memories it was my brother who was always falling off walls, into ponds and breaking things. Nearly drowned once when he fell in a deep muddy puddle on a building site where we shouldnt have been. A man working on a roof saw it and waded in after him. His wellies are still in there covered by a road now. We both got kept in for a week I felt that was totally unfair.
I only got gravel rash and scraped knees. I did get 'nettled' once thats falling head first into a big nettle bush from our bicycle. I had to be swabbed head to foot in calmine lotion:o
we had to share a bike it had a boys crossbar.

Another thing some harrased mothers in our street that had loads of kids would let us girls take the babies in their prams for walks out of sight and for hours:eek:
that just wouldnt happen now.
they used to leave the prams and babies outside of the shops as well!

jinny

Thanks for the darning tut GQ much appreciated.
I have some slipper socks that are really toasty but have a hole in them. My grannie darned the socks she knitted for the men in the family. My Dad couldnt wear nylon soc

I have darned a tweed jacket so know the idea. I took some theads from inside the hem. Looked invisible
Right got the place to myself for the evening so off to binge watch
Wolf Hall on catch up. I saw the first one and loved it.
I got a box of malteasers to open as well .....well......just to see if they are ok!
Have a great Evening everyone.

silvasava

Been out today with DGD marathon shop for her Birthday tomorrow so just catching up. Enjoying the tales of all the scrapes we got into.
Vhalla - I'm an only too but my uncle acted as big brother 'cos my aunt was too much of a squinny! He used to take me scrumping 'cos I was another Blondie & we would get let off if I smiled sweetly - mind you it was me that got shoved up the trees! I too have permanent reminders of a childhood with no 'elf & safety' around. I was in a gym display at school & had to do a run up and handstand off the vaulting box - except it hadn't been assembled properly and the top slid off as I landed on it and dumped me face down on the playground smashing out my new front tooth & splitting my lip. I stayed at school until it was time to go home - Mum thought I'd been in a car accident as by then my face had ballooned ! I never went to the doctors or hospital just the dentist next day & ended up with a false front tooth at 9! Can you imagine anything like that today?
I have been appalled at the prices for tat when out shopping with DGD - I had to keep restraining myself from saying 'How Much - I could make it for less than half that price!!' Must be getting old haha

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Well my friend (who was so kind to me when I broke my leg last summer - having me to stay for 6 solid weeks - when I could do nothing!!) has gone back home. She has never been short of money and marvels how I manage to live at all! But, as she had been so kind to me I wanted to treat her to a good week. I have been saving in a pot since Christmas and had £100 to spend!!

The pre arrival food shopping came to £48 for the week (rather than my usual £10) but there is quite a bit left so that will last me till the end of Feb (other than T-bags; milk and fresh veg).

Of my £100 I still have £17.67 left! £10 is going straight back into savings and the rest might last me till end Feb - I have seen others of you do it and, inspired by you folks I am going to try it!!

The £100 paid for: trip to Camden in London - lunch out - crepes out - mulled wine - coffee - a crazy new dress - a new necklace; a meal out at a very posh pub in ye Cotswold edge village - where houses cost in their half-a-million-for-a-cottage type prices; a night out at another pub!! Shopping in Costcos (she had never been and I bought a couple of bits but was quite restrained!) PHEW - its been a whirlwind - also included are long walks in the woods - hours of chatting and making/swapping Slimming World recipes!

I think I got value for money!
Meanwhile on here life has moved on A LOT!
Elaine - really sorry to hear about your woof - it sounds like she had the most wonderful life, thanks to you. I miss my old girl too. Cheerfulness - oh dear cold/flu things can be such a drag - hope you get better soon! My favourite cures are: red wine as hot as you can drink a small tumbler full with cinnamon and clove put in while wine heats and honey; HM lemon and honey (hot); large tot of Italian Brandy - all guaranteed to make you sleep - which helps you heal. Anyone else got cures?
All your stories of childhood are fab - I too climbed trees (and fell out); remember being cuddled up to Mum to listen to 'Listen with Mother' and being cuddled up reading stories. Not just sat in front of an electronic baby-minder!

Must go to bed now - am very tired after all that shopping - so exhausting! LOL couldnt do it everyday :rotfl:

nursemaggie

Morning all. Hope you are much better today Cheerfulness.

I once caught a brand new skirt on a nail on a fence we all climbed. Yes a great big rip. Right up until about a year before my mum died I thought I had got away with that because my friends mum sewed it up.

Mum said "White cotton on a blue and yellow flowered skirt, with inch long stitches."

Of course I had not noticed but she did not say anything in case I told my friends mum she could not sew. It was amazing to hear about it all those years later. I can still remember that skirt.

Sounds like you had a good week with your friend Lynplatinum.

vhalla1478

Morning All,

And welcome back Lynplatinum; pleased you had a lovely time with your friend - but it is exhausting isn't it? And well done you on your spending; you seem to have done a lot with your money. It is difficult to compute how it has lasted because, as you say, some items carry over.

I'm going to a fundraising coffee morning today - hope I can volunteer my time rather than have to put my hand in my pocket!

Recipes later; have to get dressed up again!

Viv xx

good_advice

Morning all make do, mend and minimiisers :hello:
Just having a :coffee:and a few biscuits that are the last of the Christmas treats.The box of biscuits had been on top of the wardrobe for a wile.

I did something diffrent for dinner last night.
Fooled him indoors :j. He declared a few days ago "I don't like soup!"
Well! I am on "One little change" trial with Orchard so we now have plenty of soup.
I cooked pasta in a sauce of Tesco Mulligatwny soup and a little extra water. Soup 45p
Served it with sausages and fried onions.
x6 pork sausages £1.99 = part of a pack of x3 meats for £10.

The pasta in Mulligatawny soup was thick and filling.
Him indoors said it was diffrent and tasty. You can make this again!:rotfl:

One more week left of February. The evenings are getting lighter. Drawing all curtains around 5/6pm.

Recycled crafting :A= sewing cotton bags for old plastic shopping bags.The long, hang down sausage shaped bags that open both ends.
Use to be = a white petticoat (from my wardrobe clear out) and a strippy sheet from CH.

I take my own big bags for the grocery shop but seem to collect plastic bags from other shops. Very make do as bin liners:p

Ps - spell check says come back later? oh well!