Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

Winchelsea

Well done Jackie! Doesn't it feel good when you've managed without the job man (whether or not he's a bit odd!)?

I made do with getting just what was on my list when I went shopping.

No mending today. I was going to stitch up a hole in an ancient pair of unmentionables, but , when I looked, there's a whole row of little holes coming, meaning the whole waist elastic is trying to do a runner, so not worth my time and trouble!

Minimising - getting rid of an equally ancient pair of shoes. Been repaired a few times, and I've been wearing them for popping out into the garden etc, but they're literally falling apart now.

caronc

Another thread that is just what I need - may I join you?
Make do: turkey from the freezer and LO root mash for dinner
Mend: Me- daily increase by one of rehab physio exercise completed
Minimise: Recycling moved from the end of the kitchen counter to the recycling wheelie bin

Pyxis

Slowdown wrote: »

Pyxis-
Try cutting the bread into cubes, drizzle with olive oil, garlic maybe if you like it and a bit of dried rosemary and bake in the oven. They make lovely crispy croutons for soups and salads and can be stored in an airtight container.
Scrummy.

YorksLass wrote: »

Pyxis – Another suggestion for LO bread: tear into small pieces, dry out on baking tray in a cooling oven. Crush with rolling pin into crumbs and store in airtight jar. Use as coating crumbs (for fish fingers, chicken goujons etc) or as a crunchy topping (on cottage pie, fish pie etc).

I tried those suggestions!

The crouton things didn't make it as far as a soup or salad because I snacked on them! :rotfl:

I'll use the crumbs tomorrow on top of a veg thing.

Thanks again!

As I've got more rye loaves in the freezer, your tips are bound to get used again!

misstara

Evening all

Me and OH sorted out the furniture in the flat over the weekend, everything is now where we want it and I can finally unpack! We've identified some bits which we no longer want and which will go to the CS or the dump. I've got a day off on Friday so will hire a car and get rid of the stuff then.

We made a menu plan based on what we had in and went shopping on Saturday. Used up some slices of roast goose yesterday for Sunday roast, today should have been a YS courgette, feta and spinach pie but I've had a really bad day with stomach issues so I just had toast for tea and OH had a bacon roll. Will have the pie tomorrow night instead with leftover roasties from Sunday. There's quite a few days with sausages as we seem to have heaps in the freezer.

OH sewed a button onto his shirt on Sunday, took him forever but at least it was one less bit of mending for me to do

villagelife

Managing to make do and minimize at the same time. MIL is getting a new hospital bed on Saturday and needs duvets and covers. I am donating her some.

Also minimised some onions and bacon for jacket potatoes topping. All needed to be eaten.

[Deleted User]

winchelsea I felt fantastic and smile everytime I go into the bathroom and see my handywork :) I know to ask a local odd job chap to come in and hour of his time is around £15.00 so no wonder I am smiling .Now my next project that I have to sort out in there is two tiles.At the bottom of the tiled wall I have an encloced pipe that has been boxed in as it runs to the radiator.The wooden boxing in was enclosed with tiling.two of the tiles (because probably of the warmth from the pipes have become loose and the grouting that keeps them stuck there seems to have dried out and crumbled .Now do I regrout or use glue to stick them back I was thinking if I use glue then it may be harder to access if needed ,but would grout hold it all back together or just dry out again Any ideas chums as its one of those small but irritating things I see when ever I go in there All thoughts gratefully received

JackieO (or should I say Jack-of-all-trades ) :):)

Prinzessilein

Afternoon all!

The weather is looking a bit brighter, if still very cold! I went out to the communal garden with Mum yesterday to have a look at her herb garden (where I also have a couple of plants)...the herbs look as if some of them have survived the winter...unfortunately one of the houses across the at has a cat who doesn't understand the concept of 'private property' and thinks our gardens are the local feline community public conveniences!!!!...Time to get out the cat spray!

Very pleased with a bit of a bargain at M&S. They had some packs of chicken fillets for £3 a pack, special offer of 2 for £5..plus I had 20% off on my Sparks card, so I got £6 worth of quality chicken for £4 ...and now have a chicken filled freezer!

Paperwork for PIPS has been completed and sent off - one hefty pile of paperwork minimised!

Who mentioned the dentist??????....I am trying hard to forget I have my annual check-up booked for the first week in March!

Athome1

Hello all .. Minimising today by going through a load of paperwork and taking out EVERYTHING not needed or relevant. I'm not a hoarder but had the mentality that paperwork needs to be kept 7yrs! Of course it doesn't (well some does but not the stuff I have) ..it is lovely clearing it out
No mending (did it at the weekend) and making do generally by not spending money I don't have!
Though I'm not cash rich, I am rich in other ways and that's what makes it all bearable and keeps me happy and contented - well most of the time;)
Best wishes to everyone x

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Been v busy here! therefore not posting! It was Gds 1st birthday on Sunday and we went to Paradise Park in Hayle - which was great as it is v kid orientated with most cages of birds and the pengiuns and otters havign windows or being at buggy hight so she could see in. She was really fascinated. My v kind neighbour went on FB and got us £2 off per adult!!!
What with prep for that and the following we just havent stopped!
Make do: so tonight its a real ping finish up food night: me and DS having LO meatloaf and DIL and the baby having LO lentil spag bol! (my son was vegan for a while so he often cooks stuff like this!)
Mend: some socks with holes and also my waistline as we have done loads of walking!
Minimise: Still getting stuff from my mum's loft cleared away - we did one tip run this week and one CS run with the car!

Mistra - glad that you didnt get impacted too much by carpet buying - well planned!!
iamsalt - life does get busy at times - great to hear from you tho!
Jackie O - a solution to your tile problem may well be to use silicone sealent (like you put round baths) to secure them - easily removable - expands with heat and cold - will not crumble. well done with other DIY!
Gotta dash again as I am off to Yoga now in an attempt to minimise me! :rotfl:
Nite all - frugal onward!!!

YorksLass

Well done to all those fixing things around the home (iamsalt – leak in shower, villagelife – dripping tap, JackieO – loo roll holder). You clever things. :cool:

Now do I regrout or use glue to stick them back
Originally posted by JackieO

Have they come off altogether or are they still hanging on, Jackie? If the latter, you’d be as well to remove them. Scrape the old grout off the tiles and wood first, then paint the wood with a diluted coat of PVA adhesive so the tile adhesive will stick to the wood properly, then grout. I suppose they may well come loose again in time (possibly heat from pipes, moist atmosphere in bathroom or both?), but I’d be wary of anything more permanent just in case you ever did need access. An ex-neighbour once stuck a large mirror on a wall with No Nails and when she moved house was faced with a choice of leaving it or pulling the plaster off the wall! :doh:

Still minimising and making do with food from freezer/stocks. Sat dinner – hm prawn curry & rice, Sun – beef stew, Yorks pud etc, Mon – hm spag bol, tonight – corned beef salad. This will use up the last bit of lettuce and I’ve got some LO boiled potatoes to make into potato salad. Yesterday I baked a dozen gingerbread squares and filled the oven space by adding a couple of small part-baked baguettes (to go with the spag bol) and half a dozen vol-au-vent cases. They will do for lunch tomorrow filled with something, maybe chopped mushrooms or eggs in some kind of sauce or mixed with cream cheese and mayo.

Had a grocery home delivery today of staples (flour, rice, pasta, tins of toms etc) and household items (toilet rolls, tissues, soap powder etc) plus some mince and chicken thighs to go in freezer. Cost £42.55, but this will easily last us the rest of the month and into March, so well within budget. I’m allowing £50 a week for me and DH and working on a 4-week cycle (to coincide with when we get our pensions). Of the £200 allowed for Jan 1-29 we spent £158.07. Jan 30 to date is looking good (£136.38 so far), so for the next cycle I might try cutting back to £40 a week and see how that goes.

Have also minimised some bedding (two threadbare holey db size sheets). Normally I would have cut down the middle and turned the sides in but tbh there wasn’t a great deal of “good” fabric left. Not wasted though, as I’ve managed to salvage enough to make four cot sheets for twin DGSs. Just need to sew the cut edges now.

Xmas sweater for DGD is nearly finished, need to do the neckband and then sew up. Am also knitting squares for a throw (easy TV knitting) so that’s minimising oddments of yarn.

The mild weather hasn’t extended up to this neck of the woods much; it’s been chilly, windy and wet and I can’t wait to get out to mend my little patio garden. Still, I can see the daffs and tulips in the pots are showing so hopefully spring is on its way.