The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

I'd like to start popping in again. My coffee and tea quirks are decidedly a bit North American, but I'll happily pass a jug of lavender lemonade down the fence in the summer.

Although I've still to hand it in, the 'tome' is written and parceled up, ready for Monday. I haven't really told anyone yet, although I'll send my nearest and dearest my acknowledgements page on Monday. Just enjoying a weekend knowing it is ready to hand in.

I've some distinctly old style plans for the coming weeks. They'll have to be flexible until I know my examination date, but I'm planning a frugal food challenge in April. I don't quite know what the challenge is, but would like to save as much as possible from the shopping budget to put towards holiday spends this summer. OH has said he is on board but also stipulated that he 'isn't eating soup every night.' I'll see what I can do :D As a part of that I'm going to try to get a sour dough starter going this afternoon. I've never tried sour dough before as I didn't bake regularly enough, but I've always wanted to. Yesterday I cut up a couple of old cardigans. They've been in my fabrics and scraps boxes for several years now as they were both cashmere but got too many holes for mending. I couldn't bear to throw them out, but also couldn't work out what to do with them. One had gotten a bit too snug and the other was gleaned from a CS for a pound but never fit quite right. I've patchworked-up a little rug, I'll back it with something today. Haven't decided if I will quilt it or just tie it. It will cover another bit of the hideous burnt orange carpet in the bedroom, and I suspect that Maggie the cat may claim it for morning naps when the sun hits that bit of floor.

It is also time for me to get back out into the soil postage stamp and see what I can do with it this year. I'm far from from ever feeding us and there isn't much I can do in such a small space, but I seem to do a bit more each year and hopefully by the time we're into our own place and have a proper garden that I am allowed to parcel out as I see fit I'll be up to the challenge. This year I've challenged myself to preserve something via bottling. It probably won't be anything I grow since I think fruit is easier, but all the skills eventually join up if you just keep adding to them.

maryb

Actually, I find that Mother's Day is lovely and quiet if you need to go shopping for anything - everyone has gone to their mum's for lunch. Yesterday now ... you could not find a parking space in town for love nor money

ivyleaf

Happy "Ma's Day" as my DD2 calls it, to all the mums on here

DD1 called round yesterday with a card and gift as she needed to come into the town centre anyway and there are more buses on a Saturday. DD2 sent a text and will call in later with her husband and the grandchildren - they've gone to her MIL's for lunch.

I'm not really expecting DS to remember, as he's been so busy the past few weeks that I'm not at all sure he even knows which way up he is

S_Wales_Saver

Maryb was that why town was so swamped yesterday? I had put it down to everyone shopping early before the Welsh match.:D

Grey queen all things techie were having a woo-woo moment yesterday. My computer is now behaving beautifully and Google drive is extremely wizzy. And DD1 isn't even here yet. :rotfl::

Mother's Day is quiet here so far. Got 3DDs,2 DGDs and DGS on the way, OH has gone to see DS and I'm sitting in peace.

CRANKY40

I had a catwoman mug off the house elf as I chipped mine just after Christmas and it was my favourite. We went to buy it at half term because we knew he'd be off his feet for a while after his op and to our delight it was half price in the sale and it wasn't expensive to start with. Very MSE. I can't have flowers. Our eldest cat thinks that they are evil and must be destroyed and the youngest one can climb anywhere to do the oldest one's bidding so it's not worth the fight to try and keep them safe. I do have one house plant left from the many we had when we first acquired a kitten. It's an air plant and it lives in the glass cabinet because they had a fiddle with that too.

I've made a chocolate cake this morning, with rainbow butter cream and chocolate fudge outing. We'll have some of that later after dinner, yum!

GreyQueen

We're slightly off-date with our Mothering Sunday celebobs as I was over at Mum's a few weeks ago and left her a card and a gift to open on the day, and they'll be here this coming weekend (in which case she might well have a surprise pressie of the floral nature waiting for her ). They went to Nan's to celebrate the day with her, as is their habit.

You really get ripped off by doing the stuff on the same day. One lass I know, for her first Valentine's Day as a wife, refused to allow hubby to give her overpriced red roses and asked for (and got) her fave yellow tulips instead. And I knew of a family where ma, pa and adult son were all cabbies. They were so busy over Xmas and New Year that they worked thru, all took some time off in early Feb and had their own Xmas then. With all the stuff which they'd bought very heavily-discounted after the rest of us had been boring and done it at the proper date on the calendar. I was impressed with their resourcefulness.

I have gardened up a storm and am pleased to say that the all parts of the allotment to be planted, are ready to be planted. Also gave some leeks away to a passing colleague and harvested some for myself. Did a dump run with an IKEA bagful of nasty old roots like the horsetails and deposited the defunct lightbulb from yesterday in the special defunct lightbulb section of the tip. And then recycled the new one's packaging.

I blame that Kondo lot; time was that would have lurked around the flat for a couple of months before I dealt with it..........:rotfl:

manchestermargo

Afternoon everyone! Had a lovely Skype chat with my daughter who is in Canada and a message of my son who is in Australia, so feeling very happy! It doesn't take much to make us mums happy does it.


MM

nursemaggie

Wasn't aware light bulbs had to go anywhere special. I put the last one in the dustbin.

What they expect you to do when you don't have transport, the tip is miles away and public transport goes no where near I don't know.

nursemaggie

Would have been nice if DD could Skype but judging by last night and their attempts at getting on line every five minutes until midnight their time last night I doubt if they could get through. Spoke to her Tuesday anyway and DGS was very chatty.

nuatha

GreyQueen wrote: »

You really get ripped off by doing the stuff on the same day. One lass I know, for her first Valentine's Day as a wife, refused to allow hubby to give her overpriced red roses and asked for (and got) her fave yellow tulips instead.

Sensible hubby.

And I knew of a family where ma, pa and adult son were all cabbies. They were so busy over Xmas and New Year that they worked thru, all took some time off in early Feb and had their own Xmas then. With all the stuff which they'd bought very heavily-discounted after the rest of us had been boring and done it at the proper date on the calendar. I was impressed with their resourcefulness.

When I worked in retail, our staff "Christmas" do was in January. No one would be in the mood as the silly season got closer - this way we could relax knowing it was over for another year.
We don't do Valentines - its my birthday and Herself's is two days later, so we generally celebrate on the 15th, we can get a table at our favourite restaurant and not pay inflated prices.

I blame that Kondo lot; time was that would have lurked around the flat for a couple of months before I dealt with it..........:rotfl:

Its catching, even I'm reorganising and de-cluttering