The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim

hex2 wrote: »

Greying, we have never had to declare the children's actual details, just ticked a box to say resident under 16s. I've moved companies most years .

Ah, thanks hex - I was minded of perhaps something like that, as I thought council tax was done along those lines? I'm not trying to hide anything, I'm just heartily sick of all this endless data collection.

Upsidedown_Bear wrote: »

Happy Valentine's Day lovely Greying and Pilgrimers :iloveyou:

Thanks love, and right backatcha Thank you for your support and cheerleading the other 364 days of the year too :T

X

Arrrgh, energy companies [insert exasperated smilie!]. My energy co. had read our gas meter, but estimated our electrickery. They were way off, so I (learning from past run-ins with them), put some money onto my account, and then tried to submit the meter reading. 'Computer sez....' - can't submit one without t'other. So i did the live chat. explained, bod sez, 'give us the reading' - so I do. wait, wait, wait, bod sez, 'just tinkering with your a/c'. Baby Greying now in fullmeltdown mode. Bod comes back, 'we need your gas reading'. Me; no way, i've a screaming babs on me lap, the gas box is outside, I just need to update the electric YOUR operative has read the gas. 'oh, won't keep you....' Keeps me. BG beyond consoling.... Me; is this going to take much longer? Bod, I've updated everything....... won't keep you...... Me; really? I just want to update the account, but frankly, my child comes first - are you finished?............. [operative typing..............] You are in credit by X, your electric meter reading is up to date and we will send you a new Bill.........

I signed off at this point.

I just want to make sure we don't get into arrears.

We are using the heating much more now we have BG - why are you told that they can't update the electric without the gas reading.... when they clearly can. Why do they need another reading off me when the meter reader was round last week?

Not impressed. And yes, you can swap companies, but are they really so different these days?

Right, more chores.

Greying X

EssexHebridean

The obvious fix on the readings/updating thing is to have your supplies with two different companies - and in my experience if you come even close to being a "light user" on either thing, which I'm guessing you may, then it can be cheaper to do that anyway. Of course also next time, make sure you use the phone, not the 'puter - screeching babbies can't be heard down a 'puter, can they...

Also a marketers nightmare - nothing valentinsey going on here as well. I've taken to responding with "No, we're not religious..." when people ask if we're going anything for "Valentines" Usually gets a blank expression at which point you can gently remind them that until the card companies and the Americans got hold of it, it was "Saint Valentines Day" . Tis amazing how many folk STILL look blank! we don't do Mothering Sunday either - partly for the same reason (on my side of the family) but also because as MrEH and I grew up both of our Mum's were quite adamant they they would rather have something little and lovely from us on a totally irrelevant day of the year, UNPROMPTED, than something on a set day because someone had told us we should... Kinda makes sense, I think!

Enjoy yer cheese on toast!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

*WARNING* - this post is likely to mess with rtandon's head

For tea last night we had black olive pizza with wilja wedges and balsamic dressed rocket salad. Followed by apple and raspberry crumble with ice cream Picture here;



I made the crumble with 3 of the huuugggeee russet apples I got for 99p for a bag of 6 in the market'all - they were produce of Kent :j The raspberries frozen (bought, not HG ), and the icecream wA11s.

We have light on the landing, and a new switch :j Who needs roses when your DH can do DIY?

Tea this evening will finally be the 'use' up stew I mentioned on Monday. I will use lentils tonight, as we haven't had them for a day or two ........:D

Thanks for popping by.

Greying X

Fortune_Smiles

Oooh - Kentish Russets are lush

Fortune x

rtandon27

Good mornin' GP!

I've gotta admit that at the moment I'm not sure what time zone I'm in let alone what day of the week it is!

Any messing with my head is completely forgiven!

Having just completed a 31 hour journey from parts unknown where we attended a most unconventional family wedding - the bride has bright blue hair - need I say more? ( mind the cousin in question is OH's family not mine! )

We've just had what I think is breakfast at the airport lounge courtesy of my well earned priority card and now bracing for the two hour journey home to our own bed!

Back to life...
Back to reality...
:D:D

little_sweetie

Just nipped in to say hi! We are in our caravan all snuggly and warm while the rain belts down on the roof. We have mugs of tea and a good book each (bought at the local CS) and we have cheese pasties and baked beans ready for our tea what more do we need?
GP re insurance: I don't ever remember having to give them our children's details although, obviously, it was quite a long time ago now. When stuff got broken (often!) I didn't bother claiming as there was always an excess charge which swallowed up the payout IYSWIM We only ever claimed for flood damage and a damaged front door when some kind soul tried to kick it down to burgle us... grrr... You have my sympathy regarding utility companies. They are a nightmare.
I'm trying to keep reading your posts whilst away because I love 'em although our tinternet can be rubbish here. Thank you for cheering me up on a daily basis

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Fortune - these are lovely, and such good value. Coming to the end I think now; the overpriced on somethings grocer has reverted to Polish apples, but you can get the same thing in HB, cheaper, so i was delighted when I saw these in the market'all. I like British Coxs' and russets

rtandon - it's funny you mention blue hair. I saw an advert for one of the 'famous' hair dye companies, and they were 'going large' on intense colours. I actually quite liked the gal who had long grey/silver hair, with blue tips on it. Something for Greying to consider, when 'Grey'? The only problem being, I can't be ar$ ed to grow me hair long, so the effect would be somewhat lost....... still, we've come a long way from the days of 'blue rinse'

Hope you are rested and over your jet-lag. 31 hours of travel is going some .......

little_sweetie - lovely to *see* you. Hope the weather stays clement for you during the month of February and your van stay. How's pizza production?

Tea last night was 'bottom of the fridge' stew with brown rice. No pics, i don't want to insult your intelligence. It was OK, noting special. I was a little heavy handed with the chopped chilli, so it was a little too hot, but there you go. I served it with a dollop of skyr - should have been natural yoghurt in hindsight

Talking about skyr, when i first started buying it..... 6? 8? weeks ago, it was 79p a pot in mrL. There is a thread over on the groceries board, highlighting rampant price rises in mrS. Skyr in mrL has gone up 10p since the last time we bought it (it has been oos more often than not). Yoghurt also has gone up 10p a pot (greek style 1L). I don't think the 'discounters' are quite as 'discount' as they were, anymore. And they (supermarkets) are all shrinking pack sizes..........

Tea tonight is buddha/salad bowl. I was going to do something around tofu, but that would entail buying the tofu...... not too sure. Feeling like I need to rein in a bit at the moment. I'll take a good look at stores again, and have a rethink.

oh, I forgot to say, I had to pass up cheese bargains the other day h3ron had blocks of 350g mature cheddar, by scottish brand McC1e11and, YS'd to 75p! I need a bigger freezer! :rotfl:

Oh, and talking of scottish brands, I forgot to mention a product h3ron had in over Christmas. Ha11s - scottish meat product manufacturer? had their version (frozen) of 'pigs in blankets' - only they were 'pigs in kilts' :T:rotfl: I was really tickled by that Very clever.

Baby Greying is currently using me as a climbing frame. I think I need to go, before this post is lost......

Ta for popping by appreciated.

Greying X

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

...oh, I forgot to say, I had to pass up cheese bargains the other day h3ron had blocks of 350g mature cheddar, by scottish brand McC1e11and, YS'd to 75p! I need a bigger freezer! :rotfl:...

:eek::eek::eek:
You passed on a cheese bargain! Forget pizza mid-week - that little blip can be forgiven, but passing up cheese?!? What is this world coming to?:D

GP - it is soooooooo nice to be back to 'normal' - travelling is all well and good but the comfort of one's own bed can't be beaten! We had poached eggs & ham with wraps for breakfast today - eggs & wraps from the stores and yellow stickered ham from the freezer. It felt like all was right with the world, just knowing what a bargain it was!

We've also cased out our fridge & freezer and made a rudimentary meal plan until some fresh food can be bought - so nice to know that shopping is not a necessity as our frugal lifestyle allows us to always have something edible to hand.

*Sighing* contentedly at the comfort of being HOME!

Greying_Pilgrim

rtandon27 wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek:
You passed on a cheese bargain! Forget pizza mid-week - that little blip can be forgiven, but passing up cheese?!? What is this world coming to?:D

I know, I know, but I've still got 9 bags of mature cheddar (grated) from my m&$ bargains. There would be no room for any other food groups in the freezer :rotfl:

It's good to have you back rtandon - and yes, sooooo satisfying when a really tasty meal costs 'buttons'

Greying X

maddiemay

Hi Greying and pilgrims, lovely sunny day here and even better news is that my crocus have now joined Pippi's snowdrops in raising their heads to the sun:j:j:j

A couple of observations, probably not of interest to anyone but me:(, but I see this morning that my local cooooo-op now have skimmed, semi and full cream LL milk, I think it was British, but couldn't see price as someone stood there, will check it out and buy some fresh yogurt for starter if the LL is not imported (I come from a farming family!)

OH for a while worked for a lovely producer of farmhouse cheddar and he assures me that his most beloved type of cheese is fine for weeks stored in the fridge, even a long time after date. Only once in many years have we opened a pack and found any mould (cut it off) examination found a tiny hole in the packing where the air had got in. We have the fridge from our old house as well as the built in one that came with the house and it is always packed to the gunnels with cheese and butter bought at the lowest possible price, slight panic this morning to note we only have 5 packs of L*rpack produced in Staffordshire:D or C**ntry Life butter spread left. I appreciate that the extra fridge space is a bonus and not available to all:)