Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

tighteningthebelt

A glorious new washing line post from an old small sailboat mast, found on the 'tip' at the sailing club. (Rotary that came with the house was beyond repair, so went off for metal recycling) So two happinesses, usual washing line happiness and mmm happiness combined, life is good!

Dizzy_Imp

Morning MMMers - DH decided to go to work early to finish off some bits and bobs, so I've been awake since 5am. His idea creeping about is to crash into all the furniture...he'd make a rubbish burglar...

Yesterday was a bit of a washout as I had to wait in for deliveries and make several long and complicated phone calls, which resulted in some impressive discounts for things needed for our farmhouse restoration. Rather pleased with myself:D

We did have a game of Jedi v Sith with light-up lightsabers though and watched the Minions movie for about the hundredth time (groan) so small people weren't too bad.

I cooked a YS brisket joint in the slow cooker all day with herbs and mushroom and everyone polished it off with no left-overs. DH said he prefers slow cooked meat to roasted, so I think I'll be switching to this method, minimising £ on my electricity :T

Didn't mend anything, as miraculously nothing got broken yesterday!

[Deleted User]

Re the iron I'd have been tempted to rewire with some new flex before buying a new one I have done this before when the flex has become frayed, and actually bought extra length to eliminate the need for an extention lead:)

You can buy 'fabric-covered flex' from most electrical shops by the metre, and if you take the iron in, if your not feeling brave enough to DIY and smile sweetly and use your womanly wiles a 'big strong chap" will usually oblige for you

No point having womanly wiles if you can't put them to good use :):),amazing what chaps will do to help a lady in distress. :)

misstara

Thanks for the tip JackieO. I didn't even know you could do such a thing, however, at least I now know what to do if it happens again.

chickadee

Re: repairing electrical items, we used to have a shop in a nearby village which did electrical repairs. They fixed my almost-new DAB radio which I managed to break when I knocked it off a shelf. There was no external damage but the jolt must have damaged the contacts inside. It cost about £10 to get it fixed, probably just a bit of soldering. Back in the day when they were much more expensive than now, a replacement would have been very dear.

Sadly, the shop closed down, probably because people don't get things fixed now. I think it is really sad that we now manufacture goods that can't be opened up for repair and have built-in obsolescence. To my mind that's completely wrong.

I saw on TV, or maybe on the internet, that a group of people had set up a fixing workshop where people could come and get items fixed. The fixers were enthusiastic nerdy electronics types and they managed to fix loads of things that would otherwise have gone to landfill. Hair straighteners, kettles, sandwich toasters, all sorts of things. I thought it was a great idea.

I'm loving the idea of up-cycling furniture. I'll have to have a go at it. Not too keen on the chintzy shabby-chic look personally but I'd like to have a go.

silvasava

Chickadee - do have a go at the upcycling. I'm not in to shabby chic either but there are so many other ways to renovate items to suit your taste. Plenty of Info on the net and some of the glossy magazines are good for ideas too.

Lynplatinum

Evening all

Didn't realise that I hadn't posted since Sunday - where on earth has the time gone!! Monday had to go to Newquay and meet a chap who was giving me an estimate for new guttering and facias for the rental property - but still managed to do my hour's walkies
Tuesday I invited my ex over so he could see my new place - have suggested that we meet up for lunch somewhere once a month - my boys want me to keep an eye on him and by being pro-active, letting him have nosey at the house and making the -once-a-month arrangement it sets boundries so he has no daft expectations. I feel sorry for him a bit - now he is off the drink (he is 20 years older than me ) he is just a rather dithery uncertain old man with a soft heart who is fond of dogs and children. So I can put up with him for a few hours a month.
Wednesday my friend Trina came over and I cooked for her. Such a joy she loves my food and its nice to be appreciated. She is a great 'plain English' cook - whereas I do Indian, Chinese, American South, Thai, Spanish and Italian. Why?? well, I love me grub and at one time or another I have had neighbours or friends of these nationalities! Great to be able to spoil her as she has doen so much for me.
Make do: - well all the food I made for her (apart from an orange and some yogurt) was already in - e.g. the chicken was from the thighs I cooked two weeks ago which I stripped and froze!)
Mend:nowt (unless a little light weeding and trimming of the herbs that I have transported down would count? i.e. making the garden better??)
Minimise: my dear friend Trina took a giant bag of shredding with her to mix in with her compost to lighten it!! :rotfl:

Welcome Dizzy Imp - looks like you have really got into the spirit of MM&M :j
Jackie O you must be sooooo excited about your hols!!! Have great fun - I am sure that you will!

Tomorrow I ve got two folks coming round to quote for a new garage door as the one I ve inherited is old and v stiff and has a strange catch on me which I am sure one day I will not manage to open!! Wonder how much that is going to cost me??? :eek:

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
It's been a lovely day here so I've been making the most of sitting out while I can. It's also a break from the Olympics, OH will watch all day but I need a break occasionally.
I have had OH photo and make a poster to advertise our outside storage and have put it in local shop. We can't have them outside at the next place so 2nd bedroom is now storage.
Also I have packed away clothes not needed now until after move ( had a slight panic cos realised how time is flying by and once we are back off hol will only have 3 days until we move)
Pensions decisions and processing all now in place which is reassuring.

Anyway my make do is leftover corned beef with hash browns and baked beans for this evenings meal, with ice cream for afters.
Mending and minimising not needed today apart from that bit of packing I did.
We have a lovely little visitor at the moment. We are pup sitting my nieces dog for a couple of weeks. He was a rescue and it's also expensive to kennel pets so the family share him when they need to go away. It's quite a nice option cos we get to have a pet part time and he doesn't get stressed cos he knows us.
Anyway better get on
Have a lovely evening everyone
Cuddles

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

How lovely cuddlymarm to have puppy to borrow - doggies are just so lovely!

I think I may have told you folks about the lady i met at Hayle Fun Day (at the dog show part of it) last Sunday who told me about the Carnel Green Steam fair - well I found it and her and her fab woof (Murphy - the name really suits him!). It was £4 to get in which I intially thought was a bit steep but all of it is run by volunteers and all the profits go to the Cornish Air Ambulance and the local Hospice and Children's Hospice so I was happy to dontate the monies. Had a great day there - again watching a dog show - but there was so much to see and do - vintage cars - vintage tractors - vintage motorbikes - Shire horses (and a Clydsdale) craft stalls - car boot - hog roast (yep I did indulge as it was £4.50 and it has formed my main meal of the day - used this week's Happy Stash for this). Had a brilliant time for about 7 hours!
But took my own water which was a good idea. I think I need to develop some kinda snack I can take to these kind of things which is freezable so I can just 'grab and go' Any suggestions folks?? :A

Came home and made myself some scones to have with YS clotted cream from last night - where I did my shopping in C!op - usually more expensive but have decided to go for Whole Earth peanut butter because a) it has no palm oil in it (save the orange utangs folks) and b) because it has no sugar in it - it will be good for the teeth and the diet . however it cost £2.79 :eek:

Bought a new hippy skirt (last one had fallen apart after 20 years faithful service) and pot for my plants to sit in. So that was £4.50.

Over all this means I have only a few coins left in my purse and its only Saturday!!! Gotta last til Friday!! Plans are:
1) tomorrow food will be HM chilladas in HM flatbreads (this will help to use up salad and hummus I have in.
2) A HM sweet potato curry. (this will help use up some yogurt I have in.
Both of these will require no purchases and may make more food than one meal (especially the flat breads!) So hopefully food for 3 - 4 days here. Might need some milk but that will be all.

Last week's Tilly Tidies came in at £1.19 (that is both Happy Stash and Food and Cleaning monies) :j Working on the Macawber Principle that is OK!!
Nite all

tighteningthebelt

Lyn
I freeze sandwiches when I'm working full time, make a weeks worth, and freeze individually. Grab and go, defrosted, but still cool by lunch time. Not very imaginative, but functional!