The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Cheery_Daff

Aw Greying, so sorry about the gift situation. How on earth does that type of thing come about? Did they believe they were giving you a special heirloom?? Would the mould come off relatively easily? I hope they didn't mean to insult (and I hope you'll be able to laugh about it in years to come). Please don't let it marr your memories of this Christmas xxx

Thought of you this afternoon - we popped round for a cuppa with a friend who spent Christmas alone and on the way back popped into @sda and I thought you might not approve of shopping on Boxing Day :eek: But Mr Cheery ate all the sprouts yesterday and he does so love them so we wanted to grab some more

We ended up with a basket full of yellow sticker bargains :money: sprouts were reduced to 5p - but they were a bit ob the manky side and would have required a lot of preparation to make them edible so we splashed out on the 20p ones. But for 10p an item we got fresh noodles, prepared carrot and swede, a bag of caserole veg, a sweetheart cabbage, and something else in a similar vein that I have already forgotten... oh, and some melon :j Most jolly. And a loaf. So much reduced stuff left too, they were open for another couple of hours so I hope it all goes...

Xx

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

How on earth does that type of thing come about? Did they believe they were giving you a special heirloom?? Would the mould come off relatively easily? I hope they didn't mean to insult

I don't think they necessarily thought they were giving a 'special/valuable' heirloom, I think they came across it in the loft/garage/shed and thought 'that'll do'...... I don't think they intended to insult; they didn't think. Unfortunately, the mould is inaccessible for a thorough clean, but accessible for little hands....... The 'gift' can be disposed of. BG is too wee to know what is what. But it saddens me that this person hasn't given the matter any thought. They have a lifestyle which, on the surface would appear to be...... mmmm, richer? more affluent? than that of the residents of Greying Towers. But money doesn't buy common sense. Neither do high debt levels - should that be the case...... But I would never have done that to their child. i would never have been so thoughtless and uncaring. I would rather they gave nothing than had done this. And they are the sort of person that twists things, so I will be seen as the bad guy if I challenge them about it. i will be seen as ungrateful and 'grasping'. This is a no-win, sh1te situation.

Friends have been very thoughtful this Christmas, and have made the old addage of; you can chose your friends, but not your family ring true....... For that I remain truly grateful

Love, it's just me that trys to avoid the shops on Boxing Day, I'm not judging anyone else's choice - I realise that I am missing out on YS bargains, but normally I CBA'd, and today, I definitely CBA'd Good haul though - and well done you for seeing that even 5p is a waste if the produce is already at the soup stage!

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

I should of clarified, 'heirloom' came about because the item was originally made for that child of the family by another member of the family.

Right, we've not achieved an awful lot today. Except for huffing and moping :( But, I'm pleased to have stuck to the meal plan and used things bought 'for Christmas' and used up leftovers. Lunch was 'bubble & squeak' using the very last of the sprout and carrot curry, some l/o mash out of the freezer and a small onion. It was served with the last of the mrT own make 'meat-style' veggie burgers, that have changed recipe and now are not as nice as they used to be and the last tin of mrL baked beans. Then tea was l/o bolognese out of the freezer, served with dirty tattie baked potatoes, frozen brocolli and steamed carrots. Totally tasty, yum and cost pennies :j:beer:

Today, believe it or not, I am grateful for these 3 things;

food in our bellies

thoughtful friends

for what we have - it's enough.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Aw lass, have a hug ((((())))))) sounds like you've really been affected by your relative's thoughtlessness xxxxx

I'm with you on CBA to shop, especially today however Mr Cheery is both persuasive and a bargain lover, and I would follow him to the ends of the earth of course so a short detour into a small shop didn't seem too much to ask

As for choosing your friends but not your family - quite... most of my family are lovely thankfully but I have yet to receive either card or phone call from one of my parents this Christmas...

Hey ho. Friends do indeed make up for it all hope tomorrow is more peaceful for you. Get that toy in the bin and think no more of it if you can xx

rtandon27

:snow_grin:snow_laug:snow_grin:snow_laug:snow_grin:snow_laug

Happy Snow Day!

Hope little BG is as excited as some of us (not saying who) were this morning to find the world covered in a blanket of the white stuff!!!

Sending hugs your way!

Families can be so very trying!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Thank you for your 'chin up' greetings dear friends. Mucho appreciated. I know it sounds silly to get het up about a toy - but as ever, it's the 'back' story behind all this that is causing the hurt.

Anyhoo. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!

I am - and I would be saying this regardless - now glad that Christmas is over. I don't hate it, hate is a very, very strong word, much over-used. It is just that it has dawned on me that I actually like advent, much more than Christmas Day itself. And I like Christmas Eve most of all So, we can shape 'our' Christmas to perhaps make more of the run up to christmas in the future - doing, giving, participating, listening etc etc

I was up the high street bright and early. Luckily the chazzer was open and a collection of gifts given to DH and I were handed over, as were some 'excess' toys (think lots of the same sort of toy) that were given to BG back in the summer. I kept the ones that were different and handed over the too similar ones. They happened to be at least 2nd hand, but are all in super condition, so I hope they raise some cash for charity and bring a smile to someone else's face.

The building society was open too, so I deposited the money gifted to BG by thoughtful relatives, and swept over the remainder of the CHB for this month. I will need to sweep it back when more clothes etc are needed for BG, but in the meantime, it can be earning a penny or two of interest.

I'm getting focused not just on UFM - January, but thinking very much about 2018. We've got to move. Got to. So everything that we do needs to be with that focus in mind. Hence why I have no problem streamlining our 'stuff' - which doesn't mean depriving anyone, it just means that we streamline to needed stuff, used stuff and favourite stuff. I've never been into shoes nor handbags, but if I was, why give myself the headache of needing to move 47 bags and 100 pairs of shoes - or even find a rental property big enough to house it all, when actually, 3 bags and 4 pairs of shoes would suffice in my daily life? I'm never going to be a minimalist, but stuff has been multiplying behind our backs!

I did grab a bargain in h3r0n. They had boxes of breaded cod filets, (Y0ungz brand), 240g (total) rrp £2, h3r0n were selling for £1 a box. That is good enough for our cardboard box fish and oven chips nights, as we usually have coley, or whatever else they bread up and sell as 'omega 3 fish filets'.........

I've got to have a bit of a tidy up, as someone is popping around today. And places to sit are needed!

So £2 spend today, but we've got all we need, so I best stop trying to think of more :money: to witter on about, and GO TIDY UP!!!!! :rotfl:

Greying X (lover of housework.......... not....... )

Greying_Pilgrim

rtandon27 wrote: »

:snow_grin:snow_laug:snow_grin:snow_laug:snow_grin:snow_laug

Happy Snow Day!

Hope little BG is as excited as some of us (not saying who) were this morning to find the world covered in a blanket of the white stuff!!!

Sending hugs your way!

Families can be so very trying!

Ain't gort none lovely dang, have blown my location in the south of France now.............. :rotfl:

So very trying, dear friend

Greying X

mcculloch29

Sympathies, Greying, re the mouldy gift.

DS was the original Second Hand Ross, (Ross was one possible name for him, before he was born). However, the gimlet-eyed ladies at the thrift shop, the source of our bargains, would never let tat pass through their hands for more than microseconds, before it hit File 13. Most of DS's Christmas toys for the first two years were s/h Fisher-Price, I remember a Stack and Rock, an activity centre in the cot, plus a Little Snoopy pull-along dog, along with a Chatterphone.

I quite like dragging Christmas out, but I am a Christmas-o-holic.

Ta for the fish tip. I still have Xsell's cod in my freezer from Her0n, I was going to investigate Her0n for post-Crimbo bargains, but we did get snow, just enough to make footpaths lethal. I have the trike to make journeys safely, but zero or sub zero temperatures aren't my idea of fun. All can wait. I have powdered milk, and coffee whitener, yeast and flour, and so the standards of milk and bread are sort-of covered.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

mcculloch - the toy has indeed been assigned to file 13 And we're putting toys and clothes, that BG has outgrown to one side for the next chazzer bag. I did manage a smile to myself as I pulled the one soft toy out of the washing machine, to put it on the airer, knowing that whoever buys it will be getting a nice clean toy that has plenty of potential left to be loved.......

Tea last night was a mish mash, but none the worse for that we had the remainder of the spicy root veg casserole, and the remainder of the lentil dalcha with basmati rice. Filling, tasty and cheap And I didn't need to buy anything to put it together

I'm not sure what is for tea tonight - it's the one gap on my planner. However, it'll be leftover/stores heavy and will need to be quick, as we're going to be tight on time this evening.

I must check financials today and may start moving money around to ensure bills are covered. The CC bill has yet to come in for this month, but there are only a couple of items on it, and it won't be :eek: It will be paid off in full.

There is much tidying & sorting to do. Some things have just got moved from a to b to make way for Christmas/visitors/real life, to happen. So in addition to filling the chazzer bag, I must attempt to find homes for stuff, or get a bigger file 13......... :rotfl:

It was nice to receive visitors yesterday. I enjoyed chatting to adults with different recent experiences for a little while I also had a lovely "chat" with a chum via a communications app last night, we had a laugh and collective grumble, so all good They had been working Christmas Day, but will be having their version of Christmas when their family can all be back together under one roof. It really is what you make it, as a celebration.

We have never made a big deal of NY celebrations, so there is nothing special to prepare for over the weekend, and no exta money to be spent, which I'm happy about - but for those of you that celebrate, I hope you have a fantastic, fun, safe time.

Right, can't think of owt else to witter on about, certainly not in a :money: way, so best vamoose. Ta for popping in. Appreciated.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

I'm having to remind myself what day it is Like many (I suspect) I'm all over the place!

Tea last night was mixed veg bake out of the freezer, baked tattie, and green beans. Nothing new bought; cheap, tasty, filling. Bis, bash, bosh.

Tonight, I'm planning pizza and wedges. I must remember to get the mozarella out of the freezer, and de-frost it a la INOD's technique

There was minimal spends yesterday; bread only. We're not really in need of anything today. But I will need to make pizza topping sauce from store ingredients. I'll check what the milk situation is like.

I checked that there was sufficient funds to start the money shuffling yesterday, so need to ensure it is 'shuffled' today.

I was quite pleased with the amount of stuff I got sorted/put away yesterday. Storage is still an issue. And the chazzer bag is already filling nicely. Perhaps I'm getting more ruthless? Although it has dawned on me that BG has more opportunity to play with toys in 'other' places than I thought they would - despite the toy library no longer functioning - so, they are not as needful of having their own 'library' of toys as I feared. They are also changing the way that they play with things, and getting added value in ways that i didn't anticipate. And, of course, being an MSE baby, things like; wooden spoons, cardboard boxes and metal mixing bowls, are still the top toys of the *season* :rotfl:

And at least the vast majority of toys that I am passing on are 'preloved', we didn't expend a small mortgage on acquiring them.

Right, snap prep is a-calling. Oh the glamour

Have a lovely day, one and all. Toodle pip for now.

Greying X