Cooking for one

karcher

Thanks for all the support and hugs you wonderful lot :A

On the CFO front, PN has got me wanting something really spicy to eat tonight, but as I have lots of things I need to do today it needs to be easy to make...

...so rather than toast with cheese and a liberal shaking of Tabasco , I will go the extra mile and have the pizza from the freezer with extra mushrooms, tomatoes and a sliced fresh chilli on the top (also from the pack in the freezer, which I know is hot and spicy judging by the one I had a few weeks ago) :cool:

PasturesNew

What's happened in my cupboard was I had good/basic stocks of food I ate - and it fitted into the cupboard. Then I tried to expand the repertoire a bit more, add a bit more variety, which added a few more bits and bobs here and there... and I was 'gifted' a small collection of jars of sauce/similar from a sibling over 6 months ago that I've not used yet .... and it's added up.

I'm now at a point where I'd like to be able to choose what I eat, but I still have a wake of food behind me that needs to be used up.

I put down a piece of paper and the pen on the side so as I discover items that are low on stock I could jot them down .... potentially to buy. Then I realised that I can only replenish staples and not "food" as I've got a lot of food to eat still.

The shopping list has bread, cheese, pickle on it .... which doesn't make it worthwhile going out for really.... being out of bread and cheese is a bit of a nuisance though.

It'd be nice to shop for food, knowing that you're going home to eat it and that's the last time you'll see it - not buying things that you know will be mocking you for months to come because there's no way you could eat a whole box/bag in 1-2 meals..... but more like 5-10-20 meals.

That's why I like to buy ready meals - see it, buy it, take it home, eat it - and never ever have to be reminded that you bought it again, no lurking portions, no leftovers ..... just eat and you're done.

greenbee

Nelski wrote: »

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

I have two near neighbours who are both families. In one they have clear 'blue jobs' and 'pink jobs'. Thankfully the other is a bit more liberated - she's the only other woman round here who mows the lawn, jet washes the patio (I've just done mine too) and puts the bins out (although that is supposedly delegated to the kids) etc. Makes me feel less abnormal...

Mowing the lawn myself means it's done properly. I did struggle putting the new fence panels up on my own, and will need to get some professional help with the final one (unless I can find someone competent to lend me a hand).

The other thing is the time factor - doing it all yourself means a. the number of jobs is higher in relation to the available time and b. the jobs take longer (and are possibly more tedious) on your own.

But you're right - there are plenty of benefits You don't have to please anyone else with the way you live, working hours, what you cook and eat etc...

PasturesNew

My skills are zero and my desire even less. Anything I try will fail and has failed in the past, so it's usually best to leave things well alone as all I end up doing is to spend time/money making things worse.

I've not cleaned the patio - looked at it and thought "one day I'll splash some bleach in a bucket and get the broom on that and see what happens".

I have to cut the grass, I'm pretty rubbish at it, but it does get done 4-5x a year.

I've cleaned some windows - not all. I've stared at them a number of times and thought "Hmmmm maybe I should have a go at cleaning that" - but it usually rains and is OK, except there's building work about 20' away that's caused some dust to settle.... when they've finished though it'll rain so should be OK again

I did lift up a drain cover and scoop out dead leaves/twigs debris in year 1, but I couldn't get the 2nd one up. Then the tree was cut down and I've been watching the debris level drop thinking "another 2 years and that'll have all cleared through".

It does need decorating inside, but I think "I'll wait awhile, I've plans and can get a little man to do that when the plans come to fruition".

If it ain't broke, don't fix it; if it is broke, either live without it or pay for a little man.... if you can't afford/find a little man you'll have to live with it. I've actually no lightbulbs downstairs except 2 spots in the kitchen and the downstairs loo light Most things one can live without.

Achievements to date have included the genius idea I had of sawing up an old sofa to take to the tip when I found out the price of having it removed. £5 saw and an hour's work and it was in tiny pieces on the patio, then in the car and away

karcher

Nelski wrote: »

now you're making me cry



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

Sorry Nels

There's always positives to be found

moneyistooshorttomention

Oh yes....the "little man" who can indeed.

I had a "little man" back in home area that did "whatever" re my central heating system.

Cue for moving here and having to use A.N. Anonymous Firm to do my yearly boiler service to date. But - I've just found a "little man" plumber on his own and discovered he'll do other assorted little jobs of the plumbing variety for me as well if I pay him a bit extra. . So that's some "little man" type jobs sorted then...lob him some "notes" and job done. I've learnt a noticeable number of "regular customers" here (ie usually older ones) just expect to get "little jobs" done for nothing by these workmen. Cue for me being astonished by that and expecting to say "How much?" each time I ask for an "extra" - which seems to go down fine with them.

EDIT; and fully agree re the time factor when jobs get done - as in taking longer for singles. Eg my new kitchen going in and it was me that had to do all the research, me having to pay for it on my own, me having to be here supervising and offering drinks whilst it was being done. That's the thing to having anything done - you have to put your life on hold to do this supervising etc and cant say to Him Indoors "I supervised yesterday - so it's your turn today - whilst I go out and do something else".

Nelski

Never mind little man...we all need little men plural...a whole crew who can move in and do all our jobs as required Cost is a major decider for me as to whether its me or a little man that does it. I have a lawn mower who comes round every 2 weeks and is worth his weight in gold for the quality of mowing and the fact that in the summer he loses his shirt (very irresponsible) and the view is very nice:D I could do with a man who decorates to sort out my hall stairs and landing at the moment which are looking very scruffy with the spring arriving.

I also have a plumber .....but thats another story

Sometimes its just not worth doing it yourself and even smug marrieds need to bring in experts sometimes

So today I am cleaning ready for Easter and will get round to my windows at some point.

Popped my head in the freezer and emerged with Chicken casserole and some potato salad ..scone for pudding

[Deleted User]

oh now you have got right to the heart of it, food is just the surface. I almost cried too at the fridge comment and then I thought about me doing whatever I want. I make decisions all the time, if I am wrong then I am wrong and re the plumber, yes I have been waiting for a plumber to come here for four weeks. He is one I trust. How do you find a good workman? one who won`t try and rip you off when he learns that you are on your own. I know they are about

PasturesNew

Sometimes I over-eat, just to use things up. Like just now .... I only really wanted one small potato and 1/3rd of a tin of beans with my fishcakes - but one looks lonely so I cooked 3, then mashed them and served half of that. As for beans, 1/3rd is what I want, but I'll tip out 1/2 a can just so I don't get sick of the sight of perpetual open cans of beans in the fridge.

Lunch today was: 2 fishcakes (~40 grams each) , 1½ potatoes mashed, ½ a tin of beans.

This was eaten as I need to "break the back" of the 29p bag of spuds I bought last weekend and I couldn't be bothered to think any harder than fishcakes and beans to go with that

Of course, I've now got a portion of mash that needs using up and half a tin of s0ddin' beans again

Nelski

kittie wrote: »

oh now you have got right to the heart of it, food is just the surface. I almost cried too at the fridge comment and then I thought about me doing whatever I want. I make decisions all the time, if I am wrong then I am wrong and re the plumber, yes I have been waiting for a plumber to come here for four weeks. He is one I trust. How do you find a good workman? one who won`t try and rip you off when he learns that you are on your own. I know they are about

are you on facebook Kittie...our town has a facebook page where everyone asks and recommends people they have used. Works really well and the tradesmen want to do a good job then they get your recommendation. If you haven't got FB then I have used checkatrade in the past and got myself a very excellent tiler or I guess ultimately you could ask your neighbours...you never know they might offer to do it :cool: