Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

janb5

Vulpix - if you arrive early I wont be chucking you out or asking you to wait until the `correct ` time!


I will add you to the list - pm me for my address and telephone numbers.


So glad you are joining us!

Prinzessilein

Evening all!


Just to add my two hap'orth to the ongoing stories here...


Teachers have my greatest respect...not least because that was what I used to do! In the days when I worked I was qualified as a secondary teacher - Maths and SEN officially but ended up teaching in a variety of places and teaching almost every subject....even those I am not officially qualified in....fine when the subject was German (have coached it to Uni level) as I am pretty fluent in the language and certainly know how to pass the exams!....worst was teaching Geography and being told all I needed to do was keep one page ahead of the class in the text book - believe me that is not an easy task and is NOT fair on pupils!...funniest was teaching a Driving Theory course - I can't drive and have a bus-pass these days as I am medically unfit to drive - BUT I was able to teach others preparing for their Theory Test...Most of my teaching was spent in a variety of Training Providers - teaching school refusers and the young unemployed - very rewarding but exhausting (and dangerous at times!) - I worked stupid hours too - some days leaving the house at six in the morning and not getting back until gone ten at night....even if there was a miracle and I was able to work again, I don't know that I would return to teaching.


And how did I get 'here'?...Make-Do-Mend-And-Minimise was a way of life when I was young. Money was never plentiful, Birthdad was not overly generous to Mum with housekeeping (never enough money for her, but he always found enough on a Saturday for a 'wee bet' on the horses or dogs and to do his pools coupon each week.....Disability meant the even with my academic qualifications I ended up on unemployment and disability benefits...so I have had to make every penny do the work of two.....I sometimes think that even if I somehow won a million or married someone super-rich, I would still be baking my own bread, knitting my own woollies, making my own cards......it's all deeply-ingrained and I am too old to change!

meritaten

My goodness - so many of us have 'taught' in one capacity or another!
those who have taught school 'excluded' or school 'refusers' really resonate with me, as I Student Supported both (plus my own son was a school 'refuser' (at least that was what the LEA said before I found him a school that at least TRIED with him).
The school excluded and refusers were a doddle compared to the guy I 1to1 with who had short term memory loss from a brain injury - and was doing City and Guilds in Computing! now that was a challenge! and so was his tutor who was one of the 'muddling through til retirement' brigade.
believe me - you really appreciate the 'good' tutors and teachers after trying to work with one of those.

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Today I went out and (almost) shopped like a 'normal' person :eek:

Why? What was wrong with me? Have I finally fallen right off the MM&M planet??

No, not quite folks On Wednesday evening my writer's circle that I have only recently joined is coming round for our 6 weekly meeting - and I thought that I d get my turn out of the way. Their houses so far have been much bigger and posher than mine - one is a surgeon; one is a university lecturer; one is a retired accounts manager for Santand!r etc etc. At these evenings there has always been wine, beer, tea, real coffee and classy snacks like olives, Kettle crisps, little bisc from M&S etc. So Im on a budget - as we all know! So I bought 4 bottles of wine (red and white - really dry and medium dry) for under £5 each and 2 extra real ales for 90p each - all from L!dil. Then coffee and nibbly little savoury bisc and snooty lookin bisc from the £ shop! Will also bake some chocolate shortbread and maybe (time permitting) some bread sticks or foccachia! So all in all about £24. I dont mind as they have been very kind and generous to me. But to me £24 is a lot. So will 'pay' for it by dropping down to £5 for food stuff over the next 6 weeks as I also spent about £5 more in L!dil on things that were on offer - that I will eat - so I bought 2 of them.
Therefore there will be no need to shop (I get a veg box once a fortnight and can get milk from local shop as cheaply) as I bought offer things like 15 eggs; double pack of bacon rashers; double lots of loo roll; double lots of oatcakes; biscuits (Mc V digestives 89p - extra size pack!). Also bought one of their living salads - someone on here (I think) said that they would keep theirs going for ages - even suggesting most of the summer - could they tell me how, please?

MrsLurcherwalker - I loved your very positive post!! :beer:
Vulpix - I think coaches from Nottingham are quite good to Milton Keynes - I could pick you up from our local coachway and then give you a lift further on? (Or train station but Im not sure how well they work with Nottingham & trains cost a fortune!) If that would help?
JanB - count me in please - I will try to work out how to PM you tomorrow!! :j

Where is our Cheerfulness today? I hope shes OK?? Cant do without her inspiration!!! :A My tomato plants need her input! Also I wonder if she thinks my 'repayment plan' above is workable!! I am just going to emulate Jackie O and not go near shops LOL

So, we have all come from tough place to be here, now lets lighten the mood - can we all find a story in our lives about how we have been given massive help; small help; everyday help; had kindness returned? I cant be the only one????
More tomorrow! Nite!

Lynplatinum

That is, apart from all the massive help and support we get on here! Of course

vhalla1478

Good Morning, folks,

Just a quickie to say 'hello'. I'm on the school run this morning, so can't hang around as I also have to get my crown fitted - tooth, that is, not gold, alas! I don't want to scare you all at the 'Meet'. Maybe Cheerfulness is exhausted after having her grandchildren round, Lynn? And just remembered her husband was off work for a few days, so that might be the explanation.

If I can just put my oar in, Lynn, of course you can do it on £5 a week; if I can, anyone can. As long as you've loo rolls and fresh fruit and veg as well as basic dry goods, you'll be fine.

I've loads to tell everyone and need (yet more) advice on garden. Will catch up this evening and post recipe.

Have a lovely day, All. 31 days to Meet!

Viv xx

VJsmum

What lovely stories - Mrs LW you are indeed a very wise woman

Also owning up to being a teacher - i teach in a University. For many years I was half time, but now do 4 days. It's a great job to have with children as it is so flexible. Unless actually teaching, the powers that be are happy for us to work at home so that meant i rarely missed an assembly, sports day etc and could work around children being poorly. Whilst it meant that there have been many late nights or weekends working, I have the freedom to choose.

Many of the stories here are similar to my mums. Whilst my dad wasn't a drinker, there wasnt much money to go round and we did go without. They did find money for cigarettes though (I loved my mum dearly but do struggle to get my head round the continued smoking when we had so very little. Still she paid the price for it ) But she taught me how to "MMM" especially given that she wasn't a natural "housewife".

I don't really understand why people want so much - the handbags and the shoes and clothes, P*nd0ra bracelets. I hold my hand up to the holidays though - i do really love me 'olidis!

Would love to have been able to join you in your meet, but i am overseas with work.

[Deleted User]

Morning chums ,well a pretty good day so far weather looking good and I saw the chair chap from the local shop yesterday and his repair man is coming at 11.00.,no idea how much it will cost,but its got to be cheaper than a new recliner chair .

Book club was great yesterday and one of the ladies came in with some bits she was clearing from her house as she is having an extension put on so I came home with a pile of books and four big jigsaws.The jigsaws I will pass on to a housebound friend and the books also (one having read them of course):)

I have to phone EDF later today as I am £265 in credit towards my coming year's bills and they have said that my D/D just won't increase!!! now that I don't mind ,but I fail to see when they have a large chunk of my cash why they should hang onto it 'just in case ' for the next year .Its like going into Sainsburys and paying them £265 to cover any possible increases in food prices for the coming year !!! I think not :):) words will be spoken after my coffee booster shortly :)

Quiz night tonight so I don't need to cook for myself,lunch will be a salad with some cold cooked cumberland sausage that needs using up.

Its suprising how not going near a shop frees you up for other things.I'd far rather read,knit,bake or even just go for a walk in the sunshine than ferret around shops ,especially as with the sunny weather, the trees are looking splendid. I love the blossoms that are out at the moment. I know they make a mess when they fall off but the pinks and whites are just gorgeous aren't they.
DGS Jack is doing his science GCSE this morning so a Victoria sponge cake will be on its way to his house this afternoon (helps with the brainpower he claims :):))
Have a good and frugal day chums
JackieO xxx

janb5

Hi Lynplatinum- so glad you are coming * updates list*. If you want to PM me just click on my user name on left i.e. Janb5 and you will see it says "send private message" and then you are all set.

I bet your guests will love your evening and we all want your recipe for chocolate shortbread please! No pressure!

VJsmum

JackieO wrote: »

DGS Jack is doing his science GCSE this morning so a Victoria sponge cake will be on its way to his house this afternoon (helps with the brainpower he claims :):))
Have a good and frugal day chums
JackieO xxx

First day of GCSEs here too - Biology for DS this afternoon. he is a little tense, whatever he claims. Not being a natural academic, it is going to be a tough time for him. But he has worked as hard as he is able and i hope it pays off for him. It is more a case of "will he pass" than "will he get A's". I too have cake ready for later

Fed him fish last night - good for the brain. Does it count if it's covered in breadcrumbs? :rotfl: