Viking's Diary

savingholmes

Great bargain at MW.

Love the blackberry picking too. I need to get out and do some picking as I do enjoy them.

Viking_mfw

Re-done budget is scary reading. Belts suitably tightened, but not cut to the bone - yet. Still a little scope for reducing but not much. 

On a more cheerful note, the dog and I found a crab apple tree with ripe fruit on our walk last night so this morning we went bright and early and picked 2.5 kg. This will form the pectin base for chili jelly which our DS1 absolutely loves - very mild mind you. We have a small collection of chilis from various spares in the freezer waiting to go. 

Fresh from the budget, I walked to work, carrying my packed lunch - my etrike was at work during my hols because it's safer there. The cost of the bus for such a short journey is ridiculous, so Shank's pony it was. Hit my step count target by 9am  

And now, to work...

savingholmes

Well done on the crab apples and the walks.

Viking_mfw

Three days back, one day off for DS2 birthday. 

Did my first very small Olio collection as a Food Waste Hero last night. All picked up. 

Nothing much money saving except that I have kept a tight rein on personal spending since looking at the budget. Off to lidl later with my 5 off 40 to get some essentials.  We've started a freezer inventory and have been eating it down, taking out at least one thing a day. Turkey and ham pie for tea last night, with jam tarts from the leftover pastry cooked in the same oven. Jam was spooned out from around the mould that my husband would definitely have chucked! The pie was enormous so that's lunch as well. And probably for me tomorrow too...
 .

LadyWithAPlan

Those pies sounds delicious!
You have inspired me to try making some GF pastry - never tried before 

This cost of living has got us all girding up with our budgets - better indeed to prep now - but great you still have some room
I at really looking at sticking to my own treats pot and not overspending on wants as well as I’ve rejoined the monthly grocery challenge as that keeps me extra focused

Viking_mfw

@LadyWithAPlan My husband says you need a quarter of a teaspoon of xanthum gum for every 4 oz of gf flour, use an egg, but not more than one, make it slightly wetter than you think, and make sure you refrigerate it for the full 30 minutes. It also became a lot less patchwork after we got one of those square slidey under lifter things from Lakeland. He is the master of gf baking in this house! 

The children have just requested and eaten an out of date pot noodle between the pair of them for lunch. I despair! 

LadyWithAPlan

Viking_mfw said:

@LadyWithAPlan My husband says you need a quarter of a teaspoon of xanthum gum for every 4 oz of gf flour, use an egg, but not more than one, make it slightly wetter than you think, and make sure you refrigerate it for the full 30 minutes. It also became a lot less patchwork after we got one of those square slidey under lifter things from Lakeland. He is the master of gf baking in this house! 

The children have just requested and eaten an out of date pot noodle between the pair of them for lunch. I despair! 

Tx for the advice I will try this.
 I tried a GF brerad mix yesterday 0  was a pre mixed (seeded Doves bread mix YS) with xanthum etc in it  - It was delicious but definitely not fluffy or light. so any tips on GF bread would also be welcome.

Viking_mfw

Our official advice on gf bread is it needs so many complicated chemicals you can't do it well enough at home. Sorry. 

My secondary advice is that gf bread is too expensive to buy unless on ys. I mostly exist on oat cakes as a substitute. 

Viking_mfw

I have been looking at 1000 hours outdoors posts on fb and insta and trying to think of things to do with the kids outside that don't cost money. Found a nice cardboard and twig hedgehog craft activity so will do that in a couple of weekends time. We can go spend an hour or two in the woods twig hunting. 

Acquired a blue barrel water butt from round the corner that was put on the village fb group. I have been trying to think of ways to increase water storage from winter to summer so this was a useful number. We need to put guttering on the shed to feed it now. 

I planted some distressingly named 'raab' which is a sprouting broccoli-esque, and some spinach, hoping for some final crops from this disaster of a summer. However, we've had rain forecast for 3 days now and it's failed to show as yet. Was quite grumpy as I should have hung the washing out this morning and ignored the forecast... 

savingholmes

I hung my washing on hangers inside during recent rain. I also got one of those mini camping 20 peg type thing for smalls. £3.99 at HB if it helps