The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

joeyjimbles

Today has been unintentional leftovers eating - I batch cooked a couple of kilos of mince with added veg and lentils at the weekend, so made kofte, meatballs, lasagne, mince with onions, chili, and bolognaise for the freezer and for weekend/start of week meals. Anyway there were a few bits that didn't get eaten or wouldn't fit in decent amounts in the freezer :- lasagne, some shepherds (actually cottage but I've never called it that) pie, some meatballs and flatbreads. It all got heated up with salad and some roasted vegetables and now I have no leftovers beyond lunch for DH tomorrow, and a full freezer of Ingredients. The boys loved it - will do a version of it next week with Chickens.
I was given some unwashed spinach today - normally I buy my spinach loose from the market and presume it is unwashed and just put it in the unheated utility room in its brown bag, but this is in plastic and marked as unwashed so does it need to go in the 'fridge?

Greying_Pilgrim

joeyjimbles - if my memory serves me correctly, the mrL spinach is 'unwashed' (if anyone has bought it in the PotW, can they confirm?), and that is put out for sale on the side, not refridgerated. But I think I would give it a go out of the plastic, and put it into paper in my unheated utility if I had one. i think you'll get it to last as long as it's going to.

EH - thanks love. I was quite chuffed with myself today, as I did actually make a difference in a small area - the dining room table now only has what I want to be on it, rather than receipts, empty envelopes, letter drafts etc etc. And certainly my changed mindset about getting rid of *stuff*, particularly related to BG - ie stuff that we don't need/want, or stuff that they've outgrown (already :eek:) or stuff that we have 2 or more of, is paying dividends too. In as much as I'm finding it easier to 'bag it up and get it out' and I mean out, not just into a 'holding' area for the next 3 years...... But there definitely aren't enough hours in the day, and I have been suffering from tiredness just lately - werritting again about summat that refuses to simply 'be sorted' (channelling my inner L1za TArbuck there :rotfl:) Ho hum.

The custard was lumpy, as I started making it whilst DH settled BG, but BG had other ideas about rolling over and going to sleep tonight......definitely too much 'boing' going on...... ho hum. Is it too early to go to bed yet?:rotfl: I think DH ate the custard - well, some of it. The crumble has definitely disappeared :rotfl:

Right, I've got to write a note to deliver with something tomorow - more *toot* outta the house :T (if you saw the size of the thing - you'd know that I was celebrating very small victories :rotfl:) So I had better vamoose. Then I think that I am away to my bed. Gonna sleep tonight, no excuses...................

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

Well, following a slow start at Greying Towers, we seem to have caught up a bit.

We went for a wander up the high street, principally for exercise, fresh air and to return library books, but ended up picking up a few bits and pieces, when I remembered we were all out of bananas. However, purchases were modest, needed and would have been bought at some point anyway, with the possible exception of 2 long sleeve tshirt tops for me from m&$. But I bought them whilst I saw them, whilst they had my size in too, and before they dispense with the long sleeves for wall-to-wall shortsleeves, hearalding the start of summer..............

Your friend Greying is possibly growing up at last, as I was asked again today whether Baby Greying was mine or a grandchild.......I smiled, and said, 'mine'............ Still think a better line of questioning is, 'And who's this little one then?' That way you usually get the relationship, their age and possibly their name - depending on how well you know the people.

Still, feeling ok about it, as I know this person, and I don't think I would swap my life for theirs............

And humans will always say the wrong thing. There is a conversation on Ed's thread about how many children people would like/plan to have in their family. You get comments if you don't want/can't have children (been there); asked when you're 'going to have a brother or sister for X' (not going there) and called names by complete strangers if you troop your brood of 17 into the supermarket............................can't win.........

Lunch was a the last potato that was baked last night, with some coleslaw. Jolly spiffy yum it was too.

Tea this evening will be Snert - dutch pea soup, which I've made before, and have actually remembered to put the split peas to soak on for - YAY! go me! :j

i've also decluttered a gift card :j

Next activity is to sort out the clothes that I have got from charity shops/been given for Baby Greying and put them into age appropriate groupings into storage boxes (old nappy boxes) so that they can be put away and brought out when required.

Oh, and I need to update my spending diary with today's spends, too.

Right, best beetle orf and do something. Baby Greying has fallen asleep on my arm - how long do you think I've got......... :rotfl:

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, about 2 minutes I reckon Greying :rotfl: :rotfl:

People will indeed often say the wrong thing (I'm sure I have at plenty of points! ) I'm getting quite bored of being asked if I'm planning to have children - it feels like it happens a lot more now than it used to, maybe as I'm getting older? Or maybe I'm just noticing it more now it becomes increasingly obvious (to me) that I won't. In the past few weeks I've been asked by taxi drivers, someone I know as a passing acquaintance on a course, friend of friend... it usually starts as do you have kids?' Which I don't mind as people are trying to establish common ground (and, in my experience, usually just want an opening to talk about their own kids...)

Anyway, I have now resolved to either immediately turn the conversation round to them - "no I don't, do you? Tell me about them" - or (if I'm feeling less charitable and they ask whether I'm planning to) I might say "That's quite a personal question and I'd rather not answer it" - that way they know theyve overstepped the mark...

But that might be a bit grumpy for me :eek:

Bet nobody will ask me for months now so I won't get chance to practice :rotfl:

But really, why are people so tactless?? It's just as easy to say 'and who's this?' As you say. My mum once got mistaken for her own sister's mother (there's 2 years between them - she wasn't impressed...). And someone once referred to my friend as my daughter - she's eight years OLDER than me! :eek: :eek: good grief.

Anyway, sorry, didn't mean to clutter your thread with my ranting (and I'm at work so really should be doing something else!)

Going to need some self control re tea tonight - nothing prepared and no time as Mr Cheery will need the kitchen! Might be porridge all round... :eek:

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Ooh, about 2 minutes I reckon Greying :rotfl: :rotfl:

Nope, 30 seconds! I was juuusssst laaaayyyying them doooowwwwwn to put their sleep bag around them....and....... *ping* awake.... ho hum :rotfl:

I had resorted to telling folk (what I thought was) the truth, ' No, we're unable to have children....' Usually killed the conversation stone dead, mind :rotfl: Or if I was really unlucky, I got the, 'well it is wonderful what medical science can achieve'.....

As you say, really quite personal stuff that not everyone is wanting to natter about

BG has been good and has watched me whilst i worked - most of the time picking up the toys they were chucking about... :rotfl: So I'm off to (legitimately) sprawl on the carpet. Nudge me if you hear snoring...... :rotfl:

Greying X

rtandon27

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Cheery & Graying - LOVE your retorts!

My reply is along the lines of 'if I'm not able to give them back to their owner, then I find it really hard to love them' - applies to both pets & kids :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: - which is why I'm happy to be godmother or aunty (or pet sitter);):D

EssexHebridean

Ahh don't get me started on this subject - it astonishes me how vile people are prepared to be to someone who is prepared to be honest and say simply that they don't want children. It's quite simply rude and intrusive to ask those sort of searching questions to someone who is not a close friend. I've been called selfish, told I'm "doing my mum out of being a grandmother" and asked whether I don't think that's really unfair of me... (reply was that I thought it would be an awful lot more unfair of me to bring a child into the world that wasn't wanted). I wrote a blog post on the subject a while ago, in fact. Never mind how hurtful the line of questioning is to someone who would love children, but can't have them... :mad:

greenbee

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

I had resorted to telling folk (what I thought was) the truth, ' No, we're unable to have children....' Usually killed the conversation stone dead, mind :rotfl: Or if I was really unlucky, I got the, 'well it is wonderful what medical science can achieve'.....

I now use this if people are being intrusive. And if they come back with the second response they get more detail than they had bargained on. Hopefully it will at least stop them from doing it to someone else. As EH says...

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Never mind how hurtful the line of questioning is to someone who would love children, but can't have them... :mad:

I feel that as I can (now) cope (mostly) with the conversations I should make sure people know how unacceptable it is so that someone who can't deal with it is spared the upset.

I also find it very odd that people who KNOW there is an issue seem unaware that it isn't helpful for them to talk constantly about their friends (who you don't know) who are pregnant/have just had a baby etc when there really is no reason for the subject to come up :cool:

rtandon27 wrote: »

My reply is along the lines of 'if I'm not able to give them back to their owner, then I find it really hard to love them' - applies to both pets & kids :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: - which is why I'm happy to be godmother or aunty (or pet sitter);):D

I use this one for people who are making polite and unintrusive inquiries. And also state that 48 hours is about my limit...

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Loving the chat about inappropriate comments.

I have a gal pal who decided along time since that children were not for her - part of the reason being the possibility that she could develop a medical condition, and/or pass that on to children. She had been adversely affected in her young life by a parent suffering the condition, and didn't want to put anyone else through the same set of circumstances. I don't find that selfish at all. But I know that she has taken flak for 'not wanting children'. Instead she has channeled her love, care and attention in different areas. Pets have benefitted, charities, friends and neighbours.........

And just as others have mentioned, there are days when I can say, bluntly, the equivalent of 'mind your own beeswax', and there are days when inappropriate comments hurt like h3ll. One thing that I am aware of, and shall definitely try to tackle head on is comments which, if you are ok are just 'odd', but I should imagine if you were suffering PND, could crush you. ie comments about a baby's size, or weight or that they have/don't have a dummy (another choice parents can't win with!) etc etc. And it seems everyone has an opinion if a baby is crying............

I've a coffee date with a mum chum today, which I'm looking forward to greatly. Hope we try out somewhere new. I'm not a serial coffeeshop habitee, but I wish I could find a really nice one in Greying Town.

Tea last night was Snert (if you follow the recipe, adapt the quantities - if feeds 8 - 10 :eek:) I pureed it, as I added a bit too much of the pea cooking liqour and it was a bit thin 'as was'. Pureed though, it was just about the right 'soup' consistency.

This evening it will be paneer biriyani (well, a version of), using some of the frozen stash of 69p paneer from h3ron f00ds, and fulfilling the Wednesday 'with rice' criteria I removed the paneer from the freezer last night and put it in the fridge - which was right organised of me! :rotfl:

Right, best go and do a bit more - we're all ship-shape and Bristol fashion, will leave hair brushing until the last mo, as it looks unkempt within 2 seconds anyway..... :rotfl:

Thanks for popping in and chatting. It's important that we know that we're not alone when we encounter these sorts of things, and that here is a 'soft place to land' with like-minded souls if we do........

Greying X

mothernerd

Lovely inspiring food as always Greying. Rest any chance you get. My ex would play with DS1 from after the 9pm feed until he wanted feeding again and I tried to get some sleep. From midnight at latest the night feeds started and if I wasn't going anywhere, I could get him to sleep in bed with me after the 6am feed. He didn't sleep during the day and did not like being put down - I had him strapped to my front in a pappoose thing so I could put the washing out. Just keep doing what you can, it does get easier (or possibly the problems change as they get older).