The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Hope all well with you, as it is with us here

Tea last night was mozzarella pizza with dirty tattie wedges. Not wholly successful, as the mozza ran everywhere and i didn't cook the pizza for long enough, so it was a bit on the doughy side However, what was wonderful, was sitting, as a family, eating tea beside the Christmas tree. BG was delighted, and it made a nice change. So that is a keeper of an activity And as BG gets older, it will get progressively easier to have other meals 'around the tree' as a treat in Advent

Once BG was cuddled up, in the land of nod, I took down the tree and our Christmas decorations. They have been up for 11 days longer than they normally would be :rotfl: But we've enjoyed them all the more for BG's engagement with them, so it's been great. They are now safely stowed away for christmas 2018..... who knows where that will be celebrated?

Tea this evening will be the cauli and chickpea curry that I made before Christmas that DH didn't eat due to feeling unwell. I have already got it out of the freezer to defrost. There is quite alot of it, so I shall made small portions of rice and dhal to go with.

I shall probably not be back on to the forum this side of 2018. Whilst we don't really celebrate NYE, I know that folks oft begin their DF journeys at this point, and when they start their diaries, they deserve all the love, support and advice of seasoned DFW'rs here. So it is imperative that the new voices are heard, and supported.

Can I take the opportunity now though, to thank each and every one of you for such support to me and this diary in 2017. You have been invaluable with your advice, opinions and hugs. In RL, I truly am blessed with being part of the Greying family, having DH at my side and BG in our lives. They are the loves of my life. Whilst I have the occasional whinge, I really am a blessed person, who has all that they need. It is up to me to marshall those resources responsibly. And that which I am grateful for, on a daily basis, always, always outweighs (heavily, heavily, heavily) that which I have to moan about. And this diary is a constant reminder of that fact.

My virutal friends, have been much like my RL friends for the value of their support and understanding. You've not always agreed with me, (wouldn't want you to, that's not why I value opinions freely given - when people take the time to read what I have written and respond to it), but you have very often made me stop and think. You've given me ideas of how to get around problems; you've made me see problems or issues from different perspectives, and I hope you've supported me in my own quest to remember that it isn't, always, all about me.

I'm hoping that we (as a family) can hit the ground running in 2018. That we can make progress and make movement. We will be a tail-shifting!

Stay safe, have fun and look after yourself and those you love. See y'all on the other side.

TTFN, Greying X

apple_muncher

Aw greying, reading your post, I feel like I've just had a big hug from you! Can't find the dodgy hug smilie, so you'll have to have brackets instead!((()))

May your 2018 be full of joy, love and tail-shifting aplenty x

mcculloch29

:grouphug: Dodgy hug, on behalf of apple muncher.
Seconded. Thank you Greying, and see you in 2018.

Cheery_Daff

Hugs from me too Greying, and I wish you and your little family all the joy you wish for yourselves (and a bit more too) in 2018. I hope your process of moving goes smoothly (from my limted experience I would say if you want to actually move in 2018n start as early as possible - our house was sold in early July and were still living in it, aarrgghh!) :rotfl:

Very much looking forward to hearing your tales (of money saving and gratitude and other things) in the coming year, and hearing about Baby Greying growing up

Xx

beanielou

Wishing you love, laughter, good health & financial stability in 2018 xx

maddiemay

Here's wishing family Greying a happy, healthy and fun packed 2018, oodles of positive thoughts for your moving plans too. xx

muddywhitechicken

Wishing you everything you wish for yourself in 2018 Greying
MWC xxx

PS I picked up this recipe card in WR this morning and thought it might be of interest to you

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

Thank you for all your kind wishes - Here's hoping for a brilliant 2018 for all of us

Well, UFM - January is up and running We've not spent a penny piece between us today! I'm allowing myself to be smug, despite the obvious fact that there were very few places open to help divest us of our cash, anyway........:rotfl:

I'm keeping my goals pretty much similar to those that I established for the UFM - July. I do think that our current levels of frugalish living, mean that we're not going to - in 31 days - 'save' life changing amounts of cash, because as much as anything, our household income isn't that extraordinary in the first place. I am aiming for much more of a 'mindset - reset' if that makes sense. Sharpening the focus, strengthening the resolve etc etc. I am certainly determined to eat down the stores this month. Prices for foodstuffs are definitely rising - I found myself looking at prices for rice on mesupermercado a couple of days ago - :eek: But my reasoning for eating stores is several fold; avoiding additional expenditure, maintaining stock rotation (no throwing away things waaaayyyyyyyyy past their use by dates), and to lessen the burden of 'stuff to shift' when we move.

My other goals are allied to health and fitness. No more shilly-shallying about shifting weight and trying to get my body back to 'something' like it was (shapewise) pre Baby Greying. January will see me do the 'free' exercises - much more walking on a daily basis. I can hopefully shift a pound or several, and then take stock from there as to the future direction regarding gym use or something.

I'll happily do the 'dry' January. We don't drink all that much, but have fallen into the habit of a glass of red with pizza, sometimes a beer with curry or a glass of white with fish & chips. If it's not bought/in the house, we don't miss it, and there is no way I'd bother walking around to the local crappy shop to buy their overpriced firewater. So that'll be an 'easy' win for January - and the money saved can go toward the boiler check.

We haven't got any social events planned - the two that might occur will be minimal spend ie a coffee, or entertaining at home, so that's no problem. There are no birthdays, trips or holidays to find funds for.

Decluttering will continue. And whilst i suppose in UFM _ January, I ought to be 'selling' this stuff, I have not had that much of a mindset-reset, and just cannot contemplate it. It's all itty bitty stuff anyhoo - good for the chazzer, but far too much faff to try to sell in dribs and drabs to different folk.

DH is on board with the DIY that needs to happen around the homestead, not all in one day, not all in one month, but if we list it, we can start to work through that list.

Although NT membership isn't up for a couple of months yet, I don't think that I will renew this year. We think that we will either be tied up with chores, or will want to do things 'other' than visiting NT properties. I'll play this one by ear, but that's the line of thinking currently.

I am going to tackle the 'office of doom' in January. If I can't clean, tidy and de-clutter it in 31 days, then shoot me. I'm serious. If I do it, and do it properly, it will help with storage, as we can move things around, and it will become more of a multi-functional space.

We got given a little bit of cash for Christmas presents, and a voucher that will be used to buy food and the money freed up from the groceries budget will be transferred over. DH is desparately in need of sturdy 'everyday' shoes or trainers for driving, visiting, ambling etc. Ideally, he could do with some walking boots, too, but that's really going to involve some ££'s and may be a step too far this month, but we'll see.

I purposely have avoided YS shopping, for no other reason than we have a reasonable amount of food in, and the queue around the section in mrW yesterday was considerable - I'm not going to fight over food, unless BG is starving - had there been less people, I would, of course have looked, but had no wish to join the melee that was there at the time. My only 'bargain' was some YS'd sweet potatoes in m&$, which were 45p for 2. I weighed them, and at 600g, were marginally cheaper than buying SP's from mrAl.

I need to draw up my meal plan for the rest of the week. Tea last night was toad in the hole and assorted veg. Tea this evening is going to be 'Hoppin John' as it is every NY day

Should you be doing Frugalwoods UFM - January, and choose not to have FB, there is a group on mr m0n3y must-dashe's website forum, of folks taking the challenge. It may prove worth a 'drop-in' if you're in need of a little support or just want to know what others are seeking to achieve. The forum is free and you don't have to be signed up to MMM to read the posts.

Right, I'm away to play 'shop' with my food stores, and get that meal plan written.

Ta for popping in and being so supportive. Life is so much richer with you in it.

Greying X

WannabeFree

Happy new year Greying and co.

X

Pippilongstocking

Happy new year me dear thanks for the links and I think I'll try and be a bit more uber-frugal this month and get in the swing of things.

Many many happy heartfelt loving days for you on this new day of the year.

XOXOXXO