Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

haras_nednats

Prinzessilein wrote: »

haras nednats:...so jealous...I LOVE Austria. I have spent many happy holidays there! (I lived in Germany for some years)...whereabouts will you be?

I'll be in Vienna, such a wonderful place to live! If you ever pay a visit, let me know and we can have Kaffee und Kuchen together haha :beer:

Pooky

I must admit that I've swapped all our sheets for Lidl stretchy brushed cotton/terry feel. They are so stretchy and fit really well. We have a kingsized, 14" deep mattress with a 3" foam topper on so we need deep fitting sheets anyway. These stretch ones are very generous but don't ride around so stay put. They wash well too.

nursemaggie

I second that on the lidl sheets. Mine are very stretchy T-shirt material. We used to have double ones when I had a double bed but now my room is too small for a double bed. I find them much more comfortable than polyester cotton.

117pauline

Chinese Chicken Recipe

Saute onions, lazy garlic, mushrooms and chicken in small amount of oil until cooked

Add chicken stock, about 200mls, slurp of Worcester sauce and bring to boil

Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with small amount of water. Add to pan with 1 tbsp each of soy sauce and oyster sauce - to taste. Stir, bring to boil for a couple of minutes

This makes enough for the two of us. When I am feeling healthy, I braise the onions, mushroom and chicken in the the stock.

Sorry I don't measure things in the kitchen which always means it tastes slightly different

I like the idea someone mentioned of choosing a "takeaway" from recipes so I think we will adopt it.

Lindlou

Thanks Pauline, I will be giving this ago -I love chinese chicken. :beer:

Lynplatinum

Hiya folks!!

How I have missed me chats and me mates on here!

Prinzzess - good luck with your move - loved the loo roll story!!

117 Pauline - thanks for the Chinese Chicken recipe - that's gone straight into my folder!

Hello all new folk/eventual posters and welcome to one of the most useful and friendly places on the planet! :j

Am back from the wilds of Northampton (stayed with my son, his lady and my gorgeous GD for a few days after the Beer Festival). Lawks knows how but I managed to loose 1 and 3/4 lbs in weight!! could it be that a diet of toasted cheese sandwiches (provided by a street vendor - stuffed with pulled pork or chilli with a special 4 cheese mix and liberally basted with butter while cooking Yummmmmm - goes into dream mode) + lots of real ale is a weight reducing diet????? :rotfl:
Nah more likely ran it off helping DS1 + GF to start packing as they are moving soon!

Also did a shift in the Real Junk Food project's cafe that my DS helps out at on his 'day off' from his own cafe!!! they were giving away loads of fallen apples and bags of baking potatoes and cheese. We also had a fabulous lunch. Because I had worked there for about three hours they refused to take a donation from me (you pay either as you feel or give as much as you want/can - no one is turned away or rebuked if they can only put a few pence in the pot) and insisted that I should take more stuff - explained that I was going home so could not take too much. So kind and generous people - it was a pleasure to help prep again in a kitchen - I had forgotten how much I enjoyed such work.

The amount of food they are given is a) brilliant for very little goes to landfill but b) a disgrace that all this food is wasted where there isn't a Real Junk Food Project and where some retailers will not participate in it!! Info at web site of same name (don't know if I'm allowed to put the link)

anyhoo - first shop at the L!dil was £13 which included a bottle of wine - my friend is coming to lunch on Wed ergo the wine!!

This was for fresh stuff like salad and some carrots to make soup. Tomorrow (still building up storecupboard from moving I will buy: bicarbonate of soda (for herby soda bread to go with soup for lunch with friend); milk; cream. From stores and donations the food will be: carrot, lentil and cumin soup with herby soda bread + crackers and cheese for lunch; then baked ham with wedges and salad followed by apple crumble and cream for tea! Mostly from stores or freebees

Am also eating from stores or freebees on the £13 L!dil shop until Friday! (£9 if you minus the wine!) So that's make do!!!

Mend - garage door has been done and payed for - so although that's not me actually doing the work - it is most certainly me paying for it!!!! Other mend - washing line where screw had come outa the wood bit! Plus pair of socks darned!

Minimise - well hopefully more of me gone - spent 4 hours today walking round St Ives (including climbing the hill!!) as went there for the Bank and investigated the leisure centre re swimming (to further loose weight - flippin expensive is the answer!!) Saw a seal swimming in the harbour which was wonderful!!!

Wow - must shut up now and go to bed - its just that Ive had such a brilliant time and wanted to share it with you all!!!
Frugaling onward folks!

misstara

Sounds like a fab time away Lyn

Thanks for the recipe Pauline - will definitely be trying it

Did some minimising of paperwork over the weekend and have shredded all the bank stuff. There's a pile of paperwork which I now need to organise in a file.

Need to start minimising me, I've put on half a stone in the last month or so Went to the gym after work and trying to eat a bit healthier.

mardatha

This thread seems the idea place to ask for help with a duvet cover that has proved a total waste of money
I got it online I think from Dunelm, I love the colours and design, but when it came I was using the summer ones, and just put it in the airing cupboard. So when I came to put it on the bed, none of the damn poppers on the opening work. I think one out of the whole edge will fasten. So if I want to put it on the bed I have to fasten it with safety pins and it's a faff and looks messy. Any ideas on how to fix it? (I haven't got a sewing machine). I hate sewing but I can do it if I have to

silvasava

Mardatha - you could hand sew some press studs between the poppers. It would be neat and tidy but a bit of a faff to do. What a blinking nuisance though.

mardatha

Not sure if I could get a needle through it SS, the fabric is quite thick - partly why I bought it for a winter duvet cover lol. I was thinking of buying tape and sewing that on, but even that does not appeal at all.I'd have to be having a really good day to attempt it ..!