The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim

beanielou wrote: »

Wow. Go BG with the idea of donating to the food bank.
Awesome. Just awesome:D.

Ha - I think mum's prompting got agreement, but BG is getting aware that we collect 'tins' for the FB, and they have handed over things to the FB 'man' (happens to have been a man at the door at the one FB), or to the lady on reception at the community hub. Again, I'm not sure of Bg's depth of understanding - they just kinda get the shopping/collection/bagging up/giving over. Much the same as if litter picking or beach cleaning was our 'thing' i guess.


Right, I'm wondering if I've done the right thing - i've put in a complaint with Resolver about card protection payments. i got nowhere with the bank when I went through the PPI process with them before. I assumed there would be a section for 'failed ppi claims' - which would take you straight to the Ombuds.


Have I just shot myself in the foot and scuppered my chances? Or if the bank don't resolve it this time - will it STILL go to the Ombuds? Is everyone going to look at cases AS LONG as they were in before the d/line, or did my case have to be with the Ombuds now? As far as i'm concerned a service was added to my account that I neither selected nor needed.



I need to look for an article on 'if you claimed for mis-sold ppi but didn't get anywhere' don't I?


EDIT: Just read the MSE article - and a complaint put in before 29/8 can still be esculated to Onmbuds - phew!


Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:


Kept my spents to a minimum today, but still had to end up snaffling the small change on the side destined for the penny jar, which included 6p 'roadkill' found when on holiday


Anyhoo, the good news is that I got BG's favourite pesto The bad news is that HB have stuck their tinned tommies up 3p to 28p a tin


As ever, last time I went in there they were out of stock - now they are back at a higher price..........


I forgot to mention that we took a fruit cake on holiday (nowt special about that I know), the recipe for which I found yonks ago on MSE. It's got various names - but I think it's known as the 'never fail' fruit cake or a tropical fruit cake as there is crushed pineapple in it (or do as I do, and whizz up some pineapple chunks in a blender ) The cake kept really well, and apart from the day that we had a treat of lunch out - and the HM cakes in the cafe were DELICIOUS, and we didn't need our humble 'brought from home' affair - kept us in a sweet treat, and 'fruit & fibre' for the duration of our stay. I think it may also qualify as a 'boiled fruit cake' too - as you mix/heat all the wet ingredients and then add in the dry. But I was pleased to be able to use up a small tin of pineapple (bought bargainaciously from £stretcher) to good effect.


NEVER FAIL FRUIT CAKE RECIPE - just in case anyone else wants to give it a go



BG is taking a nap. They are in a bit of a funny mood today. Not naughty really, more bordering on 'can't be bothered', so acting up a bit - refusing to walk, not listening and running off. That sort of thing. BG is no saint, but it's a little out of character for them - nothing more than that really.



The CC bill is in _pale_ I knew it would be a big 'un, and the expenditure is all accounted for and the money is within various budget headings, but it doesn't alter the fact it's a bit big - gulp.


I'm sticking with the courgette/tomato(tinned)/mozarella/pasta theme for tea - taking my inspiration from Leanne Brown's book From Scratch. It's only an 'idea' in her book - not a recipe as such, but it helps to 'use what you have' - my style of cooking Albeit I DID purchase the tinned tommies today with this dish in mind



Right, can't think of owt else MS to talk about, so best go and do summat else.


Ta for popping by.


Greying X

Busy_Mee1

Thanks for the fruit cake recipe GP. My Step-Mum makes a nice boiled fruit cake but does it by "eye" and I have never been able to replicate it. I will give this one a try.

My go-to, never fail fruit cake recipe is Auntie Helen's Sultana cake ( sorry can't do links but google will find it). It was a recipe from the first Bake -Off winner and is delicious x

Greying_Pilgrim

No problem Busy Mee - but bear in mind I substitute like mad - so I used all sultanas on this occasion (cherries are so expensive!), and I used ordinary granulated sugar, rather than brown - but did put in a quantity of molasses to give a rich brown colour to the cake. And I'm pretty sure I used marg, not butter - but have made with either, so it works quite well and is quite 'forgiving' of substitutes. And of course, my pineapples started out as chunks...........



mrT vouchers 'invested'. we shall have bread and milk until the end of the month. Saw a couple of familiar faces as i went around the store so it was nice to catch up. Plus BG got a satsuma for 'free' Prices seemed to either be :eek: or the same as mrL. Although I think the bread was a bit dearer I did get 2 packs of british celery (produce of Cambridge I think), as it was half price at 25p (offer not YS'd).


Curry plate for tea tonight. Then we've pizza and 'salads' tomorrow and lentil bolognese on Saturday. We should make it to the end of the month :j


Can't think of owt else :money: to mention, so i'm away for a cuppa coffee


TTFN.


Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:


Gosh, I feel about as 'with it' as a lethargic slug Can't pinpoint the cause. Change of weather? slight tickling of a bit of a cough? Nowt really, but just feel a teeny bit below par. Perhaps I just better get an early night and quit whingeing


Tea was the l/o chickpea curry from earlier in the month, and I made a batch of courgette dalcha, which used up the little bit of l/o tomato/courgette pasta sauce from last night and the last of the gifted courgettes. Served with basmati, there was a full plate, and a serving of dalcha to go in the freezer for another day.


BG had pesto pasta (sigh), but at least we've introduced them to accepting a 'new' shape! They will now eat fusilli :j Which is just as well, as I noticed today that mrT have joined mrS in charging £1.05 for a kg bag of macaroni They also had some cheese. Again, over the course of the day/week they are eating from most of the food groups - just wish they were more adventurous is all.


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;


getting sufficient for our needs

BG's imagination and inventiveness

a good walk and getting out and about


Ta for popping by. Appreciated.


Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:


Mmm, so just tried to do the 'money shuffle' and my bank has informed me their entire system has a fault........ so my money's not been transferred to be where it needs to be to meet bill payments Hope they get it fixed soonest........ Interesting isn't it, how technology is supposed to be our saviour and the way forward. And yet things come to a grinding halt the minute 'computer saysnow...........' Ho hum Don't want D/D's bouncing all over t'place



Should be a nsd today. No money to spend.


Washing machine is on. Life is back to normal


Pizza (HM frozen) for tea, with beetroot apple salad and a small tattie salad - using the 3 'big' tatties that were in the 'baby' Ayrshire potato bag got from mrL t'other day, and some rocket.


Can't think of owt else. So I'll vamoose.


Ta for popping in.


Greying X

beanielou

Technology is great but only when it works.
Hope that it is sorted really soon.

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

...Pizza (HM frozen) for tea...

It's Friday & all is well with the world!:D

We've been sticking to the store-cupboard challenge for most of our staycation - had a use it up omelette for breakfast & the last of the bread toasted! We too are using up the marg as I flatly refused to buy butter until next month's budget is in use Also, as it is staycation this week we've had two simple meals out with friends & a couple of coffees, but all budgeted for so not feeling ouchy!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:


rtandon - your staycation sounds just brill I sort of implemented the same 'roolz' for our trip away to another destination 'staycation' (as in we never flew nowhere ). And thankfully our one lunch out, and one 'takeaway' (if 13 steps back to the car counts..... :think:), represented good value for money - so we ended up sticking 'within set parameters' too



Bit of a subdued day today. Nowt really to report Still feel a bit below par, and I'm pretty sure it's due to being a 'woman of a certain age'. There is no other real reason 'making itself known', and whilst I feel a bit sub-par in a bodily sense, deep down, I know I'm alright, so I'm thinking it's all about da'ormones ho blessed hum.


But we didn't spend any money wot we don't have - so that's a NSD win


Tea was beetroot/apple salad, potato salad (traditional mayo & mint), and a bit of pesto macaroni & pizza (black olive) slices. The elbow macaroni was the last of the 'mArsha11s' brand that we got in Scotland. BG ate the most of it, but there were a couple of spoonfuls for ma & pa Utilised all stuff we had - except the beetroot that I bought with the voucher in mrT yesterday. mrT (british) beetroot is nicer than HB beetroot as there were no hard inedible pieces in the beets, but they weren't as sweet/tasty as the mrAl S6 offering I forgot to wash the rocket so we never had it :doh: Still, for 45p - and the rest from stores - I'd rate that as a 'winner, winner, Friday dinner'


BG had an apple for dessert. An apple from their Grandpa's tree. Am I the only one to get soppy and dewy-eyed by a little personage announcing, 'I loves Grandpa's apples.... '



Today I am grateful for;


Not spending what we don't have

the gift of garden produce

the luxury of having plans and storecupboards/a freezer


Ta for popping in.


Greying X

Elnora32

I know I'm alright, so I'm thinking it's all about da'ormones

[FONT=&quot] Yes they are a nuisance - sorry you’re not feeling 100%. I found cutting out caffeine and cutting down on sugar helped. Trouble is if it’s not the hormones getting you down it’s the lack of nice treats. You just can't win
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[FONT=&quot]

Am I the only one to get soppy and dewy-eyed by a little personage announcing, 'I loves Grandpa's apples.... '

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Such a lovely comment[/FONT]