Cooking for one

meg72

karcher wrote: »

I do, but more often than not, don't bother CFO.

Just me here, has been for years....hence why I don't bother cooking...toast is easier.

I like this thread and I see no place here for disputes...Either you are CFO or not, but CFO brings a multitude of issues to bear, generally misunderstood by households with more than one. There are plenty of threads for others/couples...why delve into and disrupt this one, if you aren't alone?

Everyone is welcome, but imo, judgement isn't and the thread is bound to venture to other topics...most threads do and it's unusual if they don't

I skim read the earlier posts as I am currently worried sick about potentially having no job...and being a oneski..there is no other income I can rely on...:(

I sometimes think people should experience, for a significant amount of time, the reality of things before they boldly state their opinion.

Got my coat and will say no more

G'night oneskis :A

ETA: I'm having baguette and cheese yet again tonight :cool:

Hugs love, sorry you are having such a hard time. I`ve been there and well remember the worry and stress at the time. and the horror I felt at having to go on the dole. The reality in fact was not so bad, my job was so low paid that I was actually no worse off on benefits and it gave me the breathing space to look and find a better paid one.

It might help you at the moment to look into what you would be entitled to if the worst should happen.

[Deleted User]

karcher :grouphug: I hope things look up soon

Two boiled eggs for breakfast and grapes

CBA ready hm soup for lunch, a bit of barley made all the difference. It`s full of veg and passata so its good

I haven`t got a clue for the rest of the day. I can`t see me cooking. Maybe cereal or toast with something and I have half a grapefruit and half a papaya in the fridge. I`ll have to find something to keep me busy this afternoon, I can see me picking

Anyone see pride and prejudice on film 4 last evening. It was fabulous. A few good films coming up for easter, will be recording for CBA/don`t see a soul all day, days. Even Esther Rantzen eats lots of crackers and cheese when she CBA. Wonder how many solo people eat crackers and cheese while watching a film

[Deleted User]

Just looked in my fridge. Got two small caulies and some purple sprouting. If I leave them in poly bags they will go off so I`ll wash and prep them then pop into two or three large containers with lids that draw out some air. Veg last much longer in these and I like having these veggies ready to use, makes me use them. I have some mozarella to use for a pizza and could do with a `use it up` stir fry at some stage. Thats my food pretty well sorted for the next few days

The_all_new_me_2

You should be entitled to redundancy which after 33 years should help soften the blow a bit. Good luck finding another job.

moneyistooshorttomention

PasturesNew wrote: »

OMG, I've made a HUGE and SERIOUS error .... I like it hot, so grabbed one of these
http://groceries.iceland.co.uk/iceland-takeaway-atomic-chicken-vindaloo-375g/p/56051

Shop labels that talk of hot are never hot.

OMG ... I can't eat it .... I'm dying ... I can't breathe....my tongue is hanging out and I'm deep breathing to try to get air on the inside of my mouth, I've drunk a litre of cold drinks and still the pain's there.

I've been hiccuping and sniffing ... and panting ...and the pain doesn't go away.

I'm going to have to bin it....

I only bought it because it was in the reduced section, half price ...looked a bargain. NEVER again.

Thank GOD I bought a pack of their choc ices too ....which I've only just remembered.... hope eating this sorts it out.

Whoops....

I think the word "atomic" is the clue in the label there. One of those foods that is meant for the sort of man who likes to prove how macho he is by the "heat" of the food he eats. Cue for group of men wolfing down "atomic" heat level food communally and breaking out in a sweat, whilst urging each other on - and downing pints of lager with it.

Nelski

Karcher lots more hugs coming your way... try to keep positive ...I know thats easy to say and not so easy to do but its the only way. I am self employed and regularly have dry periods and the money situation gets very close to the bone sometimes... on the days I feel sorry for myself nothing happens but if I take positive action it can make me feel better and sometimes yields results.

Have you revamped your CV? You have a good group of friends on here who I am sure will be able to offer support and help too.

Kittie crackers and cheese are my staple cba meal which means I eat them at least 4 times a week. I like a bit of branston on them too and occasionally I will do both savoury and some sweet ones with jam or golden syrup that gives me the illusion of having a meal:D I did watch pride and prejudice..its one of my most favourite films although I have to say I prefer the BBC series with Colin firth and the lake moment....mmmm:)

So need to stick the head in the freezer to find out todays culinary delight ...last nights lamb pittas were really disappointing as the pitta breads were frozen (of course what else in this house :cool:) and did not defrost well so ended up with very chewy unpleasant pittas. Must be lovely to be able use everything fresh. Suspect today will be a chilli or a curry we shall see

Have a lovely day everyone

greenbee

karcher wrote: »

I do, but more often than not, don't bother CFO.

Just me here, has been for years....hence why I don't bother cooking...toast is easier.

I like this thread and I see no place here for disputes...Either you are CFO or not, but CFO brings a multitude of issues to bear, generally misunderstood by households with more than one. There are plenty of threads for others/couples...why delve into and disrupt this one, if you aren't alone?

Everyone is welcome, but imo, judgement isn't and the thread is bound to venture to other topics...most threads do and it's unusual if they don't

I skim read the earlier posts as I am currently worried sick about potentially having no job...and being a oneski..there is no other income I can rely on...:(

caronc wrote: »

karcher - I can completely understand your worry as I said last week my job of 33 years is coming to end and yes an anxious time if you're a onesksi. I hope things work out ok:grouphug:

I think the 'no other income to rely on' is one of the hardest things about being on your own. Although there are many couples that still only have one income, there are two of them to solve the problem in the event of redundancy (and sometimes redundancy doesn't pay much... contracts are much less generous on this than they have been in the past) or other reasons for losing jobs (e.g. employers becoming insolvent).

I probably spend a higher percentage of my income than many of my friends and colleagues on savings/pension/mortgage OPs/sorting out the house as I know that I need the security of a low cost of living and cash to get me through a period of unemployment. And despite the evidence of my experience in previous rounds of redundancy, I am always convinced that the only job I can do is the one I currently have.

Many of us on here have been CFO for years. For others it is more recent whether due to relationship breakdown, kids leaving home or bereavement (I know the latter is the case for Kittie). Hopefully this experience can help those who are new to CFO in terms of the practicalities, and for those who have come to it more recently, in how to change habits. My mum, like Kittie, has recently been bereaved and she is finding it hard to adapt - more to the eating alone than cooking.

In the meantime, if anyone knows of a highly-paid job reading novels 8 hours a day, then I'd be prepared to consider a move... although I'd quite like a salary in excess of £100k for 3 days a week, as I need 2 days to do the gardening... I thought I'd put it out there, as you never know, someone here might have the right contacts

ETA - Nelski - I've never been brave enough to consider being self-employed. I'm too worried about security and knowing that I have paid holiday, pension contributions and health insurance. I hugely admire those who can do it.

Re. updating CVs - LinkedIn is also a good resource, but you do need to keep it updated and use it regularly. I find I get regular contacts from recruiters (not all of whom appear to have read or understood my profile), and the wider your network the more visibility you have. Employers and recruiters also look at it to supplement CV/application form information - we recruit a lot of people based on employee networks and LinkedIn data.

karcher

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

yep...and it is a different ballgame Kittie...:(

I've still not figured out (all these years of being single later:o:() of just how to react after "one of those days (or parts thereof)" when one comes back home and would like a nice hug and a "s*d the b*ggers" type comment about it/followed by jokey comments to lift the mood back up again" - hence resorting to the couple of glasses of wine when that happens.

What do other singles do when that happens? - ie other than resorting to a consolatory glass or two of wine whilst thinking "Blow 'em" about it?

Nelski wrote: »

Glass of wine works for me every time mtstm or a chat with mate on the internet or text. I guess us solos just become that much stronger without that person to lean on either that or we will all be in therapy before long

PasturesNew wrote: »

I just come in and feel all sad, then sit and think how much I hate the person, then cry ... then eat toast ...then google for how to make a voodoo doll.

:rotfl: @ PN ..I came home and cried yesterday

I do all of the above. I think single people do have to be stronger.

They have no one to help them deal with the major or even minor issues..you know those little things like spilling a cup of coffee over a just washed white rug...those things that are so minor in the grand scheme of things but are the straw that broke the camels back and send you into melt down mode.

The major things like dealing with illness down to lesser things like being unable to move the fridge on your own to clean the years of debris that is underneath..including that bit of cheese that currently stinks!

Just having someone there to mull things over would be nice sometimes...and a proper hug is always good when you are feeling down....but there is no one so you have to just get on with it on your own.

You do need an extra level of strength being alone...ain't no one else there who's going to help pick up the pieces, make those big decisions, make you a cup of tea, cook you your favourite meal or pour you that pint size glass of wine.


.

moneyistooshorttomention

I think we'd all form an orderly queue for your dreamjob there - I'd be in it for sure.

I agree that it's particularly important for singles to ensure their basic living costs are as low as possible (ie rent/mortgage as low as possible and work on house up square as far as possible, etc).

I look round me here in this area at the informal set-up that seems to apply for more traditional "male" type jobs and it appears to me that if there is the risk of financial hardship in a home with a couple in here the male half of the couple gets helped out by mates calling him in to help them out with building type work (with very variable results from the customer pov:cool: - she says feelingly:(:mad::cool:).

But for women needing to make some income/extra income - then I cant see an equivalent option. Maybe carer jobs? - if one has own car and is prepared to do that sort of job that is....

Hope things work out well for those with job problems. I've "been there/done that" and had spells of unemployment. So I know the worry of it re the finances and I remember just how angry I was when it happened to me (I'm told by a friend that I was "extremely angry" during the first spell of unemployment I had). Guess that was "Why me?:mad::mad::mad::mad: (to the power of 10)". I find it entirely understandable if anyone got angry at seeing someone doing a job you could do - and you would do it well, but the person who has actually got it is doing it badly. That was one of the things that used to "start me off" for steam coming out of my ears I do remember. I knew logically that some of the reason why the worse person had the job I could do was because they looked like they would be more "subservient" in their attitude than I would have been. "Yes sir/no sir/how can I best 'fit in' sir?" - but it didnt help....as its logical to give the best person the job....

Nelski

karcher wrote: »

:rotfl: @ PN ..I came home and cried yesterday

I do all of the above. I think single people do have to be stronger.

They have no one to help them deal with the major or even minor issues..you know those little things like spilling a cup of coffee over a just washed white rug...those things that are so minor in the grand scheme of things but are the straw that broke the camels back and send you into melt down mode.

The major things like dealing with illness down to lesser things like being unable to move the fridge on your own to clean the years of debris that is underneath..including that bit of cheese that currently stinks!

Just having someone there to mull things over would be nice sometimes...and a proper hug is always good when you are feeling down....but there is no one so you have to just get on with it on your own.

You do need an extra level of strength being alone...ain't no one else there who's going to help pick up the pieces, make those big decisions, make you a cup of tea, cook you your favourite meal or pour you that pint size glass of wine.


.

now you're making me cry

I can relate to everything you have written and heres a few of my own

In a close of 7 houses I am the only female who puts the bins out...yeah so what but wouldnt it be nice to have a bloke to do it

My patio needs jet washing ..its a first world problem I know but again I am the only female round here who will be doing that

2 years ago I had a hip replacement...learning to manage that without help at all was not fun. Then I hear about friends who men do so much for them when they have even minor stuff going on

One income problem is very real for me ..no pension no health care no redundancy

On the other hand I am determined to see the positives here

We have control of the remote
No need to have sport on if you dont want to
No silly rows about nothing
No moaning about what you have cooked
Starfish in the bed
100% of wardrobe space