Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

[Deleted User]

Carolbee I hope you enjoyed the film as much as I did. You're right Westgate-on-Sea is my favourite spot on the Kent coast.
In the summer wandering along the beach is my favourite pastime with my DGS and then I have a coffee with a book in the large cafe there and watch the boys 'crabbing' with their Mum.Its a real suntrap that cafe.

Made a nice sweet potato curry with the huge potato that my neighbour gave me as she was going away, enough for two portions for the freezer and one for me last night.

Making do with what I have indoors at the moment I got some food shopping yesterday but only bought the essentials of stuff I had run out of. My freezer seems to be a bottomless pit at the moment

Started on a charity blanket to use up some odd balls of wool. No mending to do at the moment thank goodness
have a good day chums whatever you are doing
JackieO xxx

silvasava

Really enjoyed The Lady in the Van Jackie. Thought Maggie was brilliant - how she conveys emotion without saying a word - stunning..
Just some essential shopping to do later today - a bit of sewing, mending & small alterations. Bought a ball of lemon wool to complete the baby shawl.
Not much minimising unless you count food!!
Having a busy week, so far I've only been at home on Tuesday night! Yoga tonight & DS1 has invited us to a local pub that's had a refurbish tomorrow. I hope they've been sympathetic as its a 16th century building with open fires. One of my overseas cousins calls it the Harry Potter pub!
Saturday night we're running a quiz at the club so a late night - and breathe!

camelot1001

I saw The Lady In The Van on Tuesday (2 for 1 tickets and there were 8 of us), I thought it was brilliant, Maggie Smith was amazing as usual.
Mended a door knob for DD, hope it lasts this time - didn't read the instructions on the glue properly last time!
Given a free lunch at school today so will keep my salad for tomorrow.

So glad I've nothing on tonight, I'm done in! Just had a long hot shower and going to veg for the evening.

vhalla1478

Evening Folks,

No, I hadn't really disappeared again but was offline for 36 hours or so; my DS has bought me a mobile WiFi as an early Christmas present, which makes everything so much simpler now that I don't have hundreds of wires sprouting out of my smart TV. Incidentally, I must admit that I got a great deal of work done when I was offline, especially sorting out the garden - vegetable patch, leaf clearing, plant sorting, pruning etc. It does give you pause for thought.

Many thanks for everyone's welcome back - I'm very touched, and, in reparation for being away, here is the first of the recipes I have been poison tasting. These are absolutely yummy and so I'm going to make a few batches as Christmas gifts for some of my friends, combining them with home made pickles and some seriously good cheese. They are so tasty that I do urge you to try them - if you like cheese, that is!

Cheese and Mustard Sables

175g butter, softened, 175g strong Cheddar, grated, a medium egg, tbsp. freshly chopped chives, tsp English mustard powder, 300g plain flour.

Beat the butter with electric beaters or a wooden spoon to soften it further, then beat in the cheese to combine. then beat in the egg, chives and mustard powder.

Using a fork, blend in the flour, with a pinch of salt, to the cheese mixture. Bring the dough together with your fingers, then turn out onto a work surface and knead gently until smooth.

Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each one into a cylinder shape about 4cm in diameter. Wrap in baking parchment and chill until firm.

Heat the oven to 170 degrees/gas mark 3. Slice the dough into discs about 5mm thick. Arrange spaced apart on 2-3 large baking sheets and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Fingers crossed, my DB might have some work at the end of next week; I just hope the weather isn't too bad as the helicopters won't fly.

Speak tomorrow, Everyone. Have a lovely evening.

Viv xx

nursemaggie

I'll keep my fingers crossed the weather improves Viv.

No news about the flat yet. Not knowing where we will be next month is causing problems now can't book hospital transport for my next hospital appointment.

meritaten

Cant you just book using current address nursemaggie? then, if address changes just ring them to advise where to pick you up?

meritaten

now what did I come on here for??????oh yes! am nearly finished doing 'Bing' (Cbeebies character my baby granddaughter adores). its taken far longer than I thought - nearly four days now! I must thank those that pointed me towards Jean Greenhowes Knitted toys booklets. I bought her 'Dolls, Teddys and humpty dumpties', and used the basic 'doll' to adapt - its working out really well - with a bit of trial and error (and a hell of a lot of 'unpicking' and re-doing' and swearing).
I have been knitting for a long time - about 50 years, but am by no means an expert - the doll pattern has given me the basics and I am pleased so far! I must get it finished tomorrow as its the babies birthday on Saturday. I just need to knit a pair of 'dungarees' for which there is no pattern but, I can just lengthen a pair of trousers and add a sort of bib top! The ears were a right 'bu99er' though! they took all of today to work out. will post a pic tomorrow (at least I hope I can as I just bought a new all in one printer and the instructions are a complete mystery to me!

MrsCD

Just had to delurk to tell you something that happened today.
We have been sorting stuff out and have stacks of rolls of half used wrapping paper. I wondered how to store them tidily and so I asked in Debenhams if I could have one of the cardboard boxes that they display Christmas wrapping paper in. They were more than happy for me to recycle one for them.

nursemaggie

Just as easy to call them and book then. If I book for this address and we have moved they will complain or knowing Arriva still send my transport here.

Very surprised at that Mrs D D We have never been able to get cardboard boxes since shops started recycling them. They automatically flatten them and put them for recycle. You must have caught them at just the right time.

Lynplatinum

Evening All

Am still up from Thursday!! Have been out to a CAMRA meeting and had such a good laugh I am still buzzing! :beer:

Nurse Maggie - I was wondering what had happened re your flat. Bless you - that is disgraceful that you dont know what is happening! They dont think about how one has to organise our lives! Do hope it is sorted out soon! Is there anyone you can nag or would that be counter-productive??

Viv - another recipe nicked!!! :rotfl:

Well went shopping today (Thursday) for the first time in 11 days! Spent £ 15 - but also bought vodka and strawberries to make strawberry vodka as a present for posh outlaws - might also make and take those cheese sables Viv - it might be a silly question but how long do they last in a tin??? Am also going to do my truffles which I know last for about a week in a home made paper box. Maybe shortbread??? Exotic lime shortbread dipped in plain choc???

Sorry - no MM&M today - except for taking my own lunch today!

I am rambling - bed calls soon - nite all!