Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

good_advice

Welcome Camelot.

This morning I took our golden lab for a walk. She met her doggy friends in the local field. Had a swim in the river.
I took a bag of old clothes to the textile bin in the recycle centre on the way.

This afternoon, I had one of our kitchen bottom double cupboards all out and on the dining room table.
Part of our spring declutter.
Tossed a little, added a little to the car boot pile and put the rest back neatly, after wiping down the shelves.
I put x3 plastic boxes in the cupboard to container small things.

Washing on the line this afternoon, Now all dry and put away.

Dinner done and washed up. Cottage pie.
Steamed the veg that wanted using up.
We even partly decluttered a chocolate Easter egg.

Have a nice evening everyone.

cheerfulness4

good_advice wrote: »

We even partly decluttered a chocolate Easter egg.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: You're a martyr to work aren't you?

Not only do you get the washing done AND away, cook AND do the washing up immediately but you even manage to work in the veg that need using into you menu. Superwoman!

vhalla1478

Evening Everyone,

Tv looks rubbish to me tonight although there's a programme on BBC4 quite late about 1950s rock stars - the originals as it were that I might stay up and watch; especially as one of them is visiting me tomorrow. I'm not a name dropper so shan't say who, but we've been friends forever and he's still performing and singing as well as ever even in his mid seventies.

Here's an easy and tasty recipe - even I like the tomatoes in this one. Jamie Oliver's - one of his earliest published recipes.

Tray Baked Salmon with Olives, Green Beans, Anchovies and Tomatoes - don't be put off by the anchovies if you're not too sure about them, they sort of melt and give a smoky flavour to the tomatoes. Serves 4

200 grams green beans, tailed and blanched until tender in salted, boiling water, 20 small cherry tomatoes, 1-2 good handfuls of black olives, 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper, 4 x 225 grams salmon fillet steaks, 2 lemons, handful fresh basil leaves, 12 anchovy fillets.

Put the blanched beans in a bowl with the cherry tomatoes and stoned olives. Toss in the olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper.

Give the salmon fillets a quick wash under the tap and pat dry with kitchen roll. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fillets on both sides, then season both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Pre-heat the oven and a roasting tray at the highest temperature. Put the salmon fillets at one end of the tray. toss the basil into the beans, olives and tomatoes and place this mixture at the other end of the tray. Lay the anchovy fillets over the green beans. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, then remove and serve with lemon quarters. Tasty and tastier still with home made mayonnaise.

It's the sort of recipe I love because you're not faffing around cooking vegetables separately so can concentrate on enjoying your guests' company.

Welcome Camelot, nice to have you along for the ride.

Enjoy your evening, Everyone. Ooh forgot to say, my daughter-in-law has sold one of my dresses for £50 on eBay - I'm really chuffed my clothing fund is growing nicely - although I might spend some of it on my DB in Venice if/when we get there.

Viv xx

good_advice

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: You're a martyr to work aren't you?

Not only do you get the washing done AND away, cook AND do the washing up immediately but you even manage to work in the veg that need using into your menu. Superwoman!

Wow! Thanks, Cheerfulness
I have been called quite a few nice things this week.

The last few springs I have tried to have a whole house declutter. Not megger. Just things we no longer want or need.
Soon to be empty nesters with x2 adult DD gone. x1 left.
Things that were kept and now some can be passed on. Donated or tossed.
All comes under minimizing in this thread.

Veg nearly gone! a small dish in the fridge to finish tomorrow.
That washing is a daily choir. On the line most days it is not raining or snowing. All through winter.

cheerfulness4

We have a line of washing a day here, too. I used to blame it all on DS1 but he's been gone a few years now and still its a line a day.


Spends today:


DAY 11

Money Spent Today - £2.33 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £31.62 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £1.38 - Float left- £6.40/£15
Jan non-foods left- £0.74/£15

From Aldi today we bought 1 x 750g 'readybrek' @ £1.49, 1x Natural yogurt @ 45p and 1x tin premium tomatoes @ 39p. (DH got the dearer ones!)


I really enjoyed that Celery Soup, Viv. Very easy to make and super economical. Didn't hurt that I had that 19p duo of celery and means that I can make it all again next week.
I'm delighted I've got another soup under my belt.

[Deleted User]

Good Morning all,bright and sunny at the moment although not that warm.I have some ironing to knock out this morning then this afternoon I am off to W8rose to use up my £6.00 voucher off a £30.00 shop.I have a small list of essentials to buy plus a few other odds and ends.It will be the second time I have gone to the shops this month for food shopping and I am really pleased that I have 'made do' and 'minimised' my shopping.Also 'made' a few more things from my store cupboard as well.:):):)
DD arrived yesterday afternoon just as I was doing the insides of my indows and she helped to put the nets back up as they came straight in off the line very slighlty damp and dried on the rail.So spring cleaning has started a chez JackieO towers :)The upstairs bedrooms get done first then I work my way downstairs.
DD also brought me two lovely bunches of daffodils for the conservatory ,such a brilliant flower and it cheers everything up.
Right time to get the kettle & iron on I think
Have a great day what ever you are doing.I did my dinner menus yesterday and only have 10 dinner meals to sort out for the rest of the month as I am out and about quite a bit
Cheers chums
JackieO

kittym

Morning all

It's a lovely sunny day up north today, however that's meant to change later so washing is outside in the hope it dries.

Made DD a crochet cat bookmark yesterday after we went into the big W's bookshop and saw that they were selling them for £3.99 upwards.

Made a big dish of broccoli and cauliflower cheese yesterday, some went into the freezer and leftovers are being used up today with some chicken for tea.

Well done on the de cluttering of the Easter egg, we managed some of that here as well.

Hester I would cry if I'd ran up a £4K debt for Christmas :eek::eek:
Just think what you could do with that amount of money. I'm sure you still had a great time and I bet the brownies went down a storm.

Have a great day peeps. xx

vhalla1478

Morning All,

Just a quick 'hello' before my visitor arrives for brunch. The wind here is absolutely terrific even though the sun is shining, so I'm doubtful if I'll be doing any gardening in this gale this afternoon; not to worry, apparently things are improving next week.

Cheerfulness - so pleased you enjoyed the soup; it's a great standby recipe, especially when money is tight.

Hester, I always thought that when one visited people that is exactly what you were doing, not judging their house decor. It says far more about the lady in question than you. In fact, what it does say about you, is that you are hospitable and welcome people into your home - nothing negative at all. I must confess I do find it interesting to look how people have decorated their homes; I often admire them even if it isn't something I would want, but they do spark off ideas.

I had to smile about Easter egg decluttering - I never find that a problem - I can do it all on my own.

Have a good day, All.

Viv xx

gothgirl2121

ArthriticOldThing wrote: »

I'm a lurker not a poster on this thread but just saw your post and had to comment kittym.
I volunteer in a charity shop (the cheapest one in our small town as we are an 'independent' local charity) and am often astonisheguarantee poster of people who do try to talk our prices down.
But that doesn't aggravate me as much as those people who actually steal from us!!:mad::mad::mad:

We get people coming in trying to steal clothes, (buy wearing them under their OWN clothes), taking dvds to trade in up the road, haggling too, foreigners trying to SELL us things, drunks swearing at staff and our wooden hangers being nicked.Also,You can usually guarantee either a fight in the high street outside, or somone passing out/keeling over and being taken away in an ambulance, during Saturday especially.

Hard_Up_Hester

Well I'm going to be the leftover queen today, I have a fridge full of food that includes mashed potato, cooked chicken, sliced ham & prepared salad. I also have cream, 3 doz eggs & 2k of assorted cheese, I don't think I'll need to buy food for the rest of the week. The brownies proved very popular yesterday as did the rest of the food.
I shall make an extra meal an later, ready for tomorrow, I probably won't be able to see well tomorrow as I will have drops in my eyes at the hospital.
Hester