Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

Siebrie

MrsCD wrote: »

Just a reminder, as I'm sure it's been mentioned before, to squash your toilet rolls, especially if you have littlies, then they can't just be pulled out like those puppies do in the adverts!

However, if you have a daughter (4y) like mine, she will throw it in the bin, and declare: 'that one is broken, mummy!' :rotfl:

mrs-moneypenny

MrsCD wrote: »

Just a reminder, as I'm sure it's been mentioned before, to squash your toilet rolls, especially if you have littlies, then they can't just be pulled out like those puppies do in the adverts!

Thank you, I'll be doing that in the school toilets today, we have a few who think they a related to the Andrew puppy.

Mended a beanbag so can take that to school with me when I go to work.

Siebrie

Some of you may remember that DH changed position at work and now has a company car with a fuel card, and that we sold one of our two cars. I've just done the math! Until July 2015 we spent €586/month (GBP451) on two cars, from August 2015 we spent €200/month (GBP 154) on one car. Hurray!

ArthriticOldThing

Silvasava: I'm afraid I'm not able to give much technical info about gloves - OT just advised they help inflammatory arthritis as they reduce the inflammation when worn for an hour or two - reducing inflammation also reduces the pain.
And that they need to be very close fitting - mine are a size smaller than I normally take in gloves. They contain a mixture of Nylon and Lycra which makes them stretchy but firm - and come in various (flesh coloured) sizes.
I think some people refer to them as compression gloves - but am not certain of that.
Sorry can't be of any more help - I'd post a pic if I could.
Have a word with OH's OT or get GP to refer him to one! I know only too well that when hands are bad life is just that much harder to get on with. Hope you manage to get some help for him.

MrsCD

Siebre, your daughter sounds just like our oldest one was at that age! Well done on those car savings. :T

FairyPrincessk

Just a quick pop in as I have successfully 'mended' the washing machine today! It was refusing to register the door as locked and start a cycle and after a number of attempts at various things and the help of her Ladyship Google I've managed to sort it by pressing various buttons in various combinations. That is a call out fee saved.

CathA

camelot1001 wrote: »

I've finished the baby knitting, well all but the pom-poms that I'm not sure how to do (how do I get to 53 and not know how to do them?!).

To make pom-poms get 2 bits of cardboard (cereal packet type is good). Depending how big you want them, for example, draw round the bottom of a glass and cut them out, so now you have 2 circles. In the middle of each circle, draw round a 10p/2p piece or something bigger if needed and cut them out. You now have 2 bits of card that look like a party ring biscuit, or the top section of a jammy dodger.

Thread some wool on a needle and tie the end so you have a double thickness thread. Put the needle thru the hole in the center of both cardboard rings, put it through the tied end and then pull it tight on the cardboard, so it looks like the 'ring biscuit' has a 'hand' if it was a clock face. Keep passing the needle through the center (front to back or back to front, either way) and wrapping the wool round as you go. Keep going until the hole in the centre is full; tip- don't have massively long threads to wind round, takes ages, shorter bits work better. Every time you start a new thread do as above with the knotted end.
When the centre is full, CAREFULLY start to cut the wool to make the pom-pom. You have to cut on the outside of the 'jammy dodger' edge, as if you are trying to separate the two halves of the biscuit. As you get closer to the cardboard, gently ease away the cardboard rings but don't take them off. When you have cut all the way around, it should look from above like a half fluffy pom-pom, then the cardboard then just straight wool threads, then cardboard then the other half of fluffy pom-pom. Tie some thread very tightly on the straight wool bits in the middle leaving a long end. Ease off the cardboard and voila!
Took me longer to explain than to make one!!

plumduff55

Hi everyone, lots of M,M & M going on here again.

MINIMISING - For dinner yesterday I used the last of the tomato sauce and mixed it with pasta and smoked sausage. Dinner tonight was made from tins that were all best before June - August 2015. But as they smelt, looked and tasted ok I mixed together the tinned potatoes, baked beans and corned and added them to fried onion and pepper. Tasted lovely. I shall have the rest of the beans on toast for lunch tomorrow and the leftover corned beef has been frozen. I've still to decide what to do with the rest of the potatoes.

I've minimised petrol consumption again by walking. There is a lovely country park about a 15 minute walk from my house but I always drove to it as there is a very steep hill just before the entrance. I walk in the park 3 times a week and a fortnight ago I began walking there instead of driving. At first I stopped twice to get my breath back but now I can reach the top without stopping and am really pleased with myself. Mind you, I used to push my twins up that hill 35 years ago, I wish I had that energy now .

MENDING - Not really mending but I sewed a boxed cushion cover for my mum yesterday.

MAKING DO - Instead of buying spray on oil for cooking, I fill a screw top Tupperware beaker with oil and dip a pastry brush in it when I want to grease a pan. It's also easier when adding a tablespoon of oil to the bread maker etc.

On the negative side my purse has been minimised by £35 as I was at the dentist for a filling. Very painful in more ways than one :eek:

Siebrie

Making do / minimising: dh was lost for dinner ideas tonight, so I made an emergency meal. I have discovered that it is my favourite way of cooking We had cooked rice in the fridge, which we put in the microwave; we had a double chicken breast in the freezer that we defrosted, cut up, and fried; and we had an Indonesian concentrated sauce package in the pantry with a bbd of December 2014. Nose and tongue suggested it was still fine, so I made the sauce and it was delish! Added a salad from some lettuce leaves, a poece of leftover green paprika, end of cucumber, and small tomato.

HOWMUCH

Had to replace the gate valve between the indirect water tank in the loft and the central heating system. I'd got no hot water and very little water in the upstairs radiators. I used a carrot to push in the down pipe and then just drained the small pipe. Replaced the said valve total cost £4.75 removed the carrot and hey presto hot water. Bled the radiators and they became hot too. Thanks to the instructions over the phone from my 85 year old Dad.
Then had to go and collect a poorly DGS from nursery at 2.30pm bless him he's made up with cold. He had a sleep after I'd given him some paracetamol. This stopped be doing anything else.
Oh and this morning I did a bit of batch cooking for DD cottage pie 4 portions so 2 meals and lasagna 4 portion so again 2 meals.
Have a good evening all.