A Simpler Life 2018

System

juliettet wrote: »

A good shake of the bottle mixes it up better, as cream cleaner and BKF both separate in my experience.

LOL.....didn't even think of shaking it did I?

DawnW

CurlyTop wrote: »

I used to use jif I think it was, back in the 80s when I lived at home. When I moved out I stopped using it but 2 yes ago had a stain I couldn't remove and a colleague recommended Bar Keepers Friend - love it. Gentle, non scratching and good consistency. I get it from tkmaxx, John lewis or lakeland. It's 2.49 per bottle but lasts me ages. Cleans tiles and silver bin very well even tho the bin is years old.

I like BKF too, but noticed that a local pound-ish shop does something very similar - even the packaging is very like the real thing - but much cheaper. As you say, it lasts ages (both versions). I have a big white ceramic sink, and it gets it beautifully clean

Cottage_Economy

Afternoon all. Another week has passed and what a week it was.

My attempts at a simpler life were scuppered when my cat broke his shin bone in two places. One expensive operation later to plate and pin it, and he is now on cage rest for the next 8 weeks, with all the work that goes with trying to restrain a bewildered outdoor-loving cat.

Thank goodness for savings but it has rather mucked up my plans do bits and pieces around the house. I was going to take up the carpets in the bathroom and en-suite and replace with lino so they are easier to clean and more hygienic, but that will have to wait now. It's more important to get that fund back up so I'll be going on a money diet for the next few months.

Managed to offload two lots of rubbish and clutter to the tip and charity shops, and avoided looking round the charity shops to add to it.

Decluttered a load of books and DVDs to Ziffit for £29.

Starting doing a bit of Flylady, which has starting helping me organise my routines quite a bit.

Heating now fixed.

Efforts not to iron going very well. Cardigans hide so much.

Wednesday2000

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

My attempts at a simpler life were scuppered when my cat broke his shin bone in two places. One expensive operation later to plate and pin it, and he is now on cage rest for the next 8 weeks, with all the work that goes with trying to restrain a bewildered outdoor-loving cat.

Aw, poor thing.

Cottage_Economy

Wednesday2000 wrote: »

Aw, poor thing.

He is very sad. Once that collar goes on, he becomes listless and dejected. Once his wound has healed he will be a lot happier as he will be able to groom himself properly, but for the moment he must stay away from it.

Took a step back today and asked DH and MIL to get some shopping while they were out. They asked for a general list so I wrote things like chicken breasts, beef mince, fish fillets - the usual basics that you use for scratch cooking.

When they came back they had only bought portion sizes for two people. I debated reminding them before they went to buy enough for three people, but realised that I would be a) doing them a disservice as they probably knew that and b) doing their thinking for them if they didn't.

It was so tough to sit there and do that. I'm so used to doing everything.

MadamMim2013

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

My attempts at a simpler life were scuppered when my cat broke his shin bone in two places..

Oh noo.. Poor fella :eek::(
Sending huge healing strokes to him, he'll feel far better once the operation site begins to heal. I'm sure your boy will adjust to it all gradually & accept that it's for his own good (with a sulk or two for good measure)
Our once outdoorsy, scared of everyone tabby became a different kitty after a nasty accident resulted in his jaw being wired (& a neutering at the same time:eek:) In fact he's sat on my lap purring away waiting for some fuss! The cost was a shock, would have paid triple to save him though and the vet was wonderful, allowing monthly payments, yet after that incident I vowed to always have a small 'kitty' for the kitties in future as a just in case!

Cottage_Economy

MadamMim2013 wrote: »

The cost was a shock, would have paid triple to save him though and the vet was wonderful, allowing monthly payments, yet after that incident I vowed to always have a small 'kitty' for the kitties in future as a just in case!

Oh yes, the cost. I had money tucked away for a new boiler later this year, which will just have to wait a little longer.

RicardaRacoon

Morning everyone

Got up 1 1/2 hour ago. already did some household stuff and cooked some apple sauce for dinner and now sat down to pay bills and have a look at my finances.
I came ways under budget foodwise and only bought a few household essentials and spent some money on meals out, a present for a friends little one and a knitting pattern for myself. So it was a good month both in term of finances and not-bringing-chunk-into-the-house.
All I will have to get till the end of the month is some bread, but that is a matter of some pennies...

cottageeconomy, hope your cat will recover soon!

Speaking of pets and the vet, I had to help my sister take her cats to the vet yesterday. She has a 6 year old tomcat and since his two mates passed away in December he needed feline company, so she got two 9 month old kitties. The girls are still very shy and have spent the last three weeks under the couch. The tom behaved at the vet and even had a little wander around the room... The girls didn't liked it a bit... We now know that Charlie is a parkour expert (she basically ran along the walls when we tried to pack her up...) and Freddie a master climber, going up the curtains...

Went to the theatre with my parents yesterday, it is our little tradition that I give them the tickets for Christmas. We have an amazing drama group in our town and part of the fun is seeing who will play which roll this year. The other part of the fun is that you always seem to bump into the same people... There are people we literally only see this once a year and we usually meet half of my Mums knitting group there as well...

I actually thought about going to my knitting group today, but somehow I don't feel like it... So I will rather spend a day at home, knitting, reading and going for a long walk in the woods and maybe getting a few things done around the flat and cuddle with the catties (when I came home from the vet yesterday they both went into hiding as apparently they thought they were the next ones to go to the vet...)

Have a lovely Sunday everyone!

dolly84

Cottage Economy - hope your cat and bank balance are back on their feet soon.

Wednesday2000

We were trying to work out how to have the room once it is painted next week. I want to make sure that there aren't any cables on the floor as it makes it much harder to vacuum. I got some velcro tape to try and attach the cables and wires to the the underside of the desks/ the back of the shelves.

I'm about to go through all our paperwork to try and condense it all into fewer boxes. I'm then going to use the empty files as drawer dividers. I was thinking about this yesterday and think it will work.

Then I'm going to try and read another book this afternoon as it is quiet here as my husband is in bed as he is not feeling well.

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

He is very sad. Once that collar goes on, he becomes listless and dejected. Once his wound has healed he will be a lot happier as he will be able to groom himself properly, but for the moment he must stay away from it.

I know, it's hard when they don't understand why you are having to confine them. My dog had a leg operation and had to be crated for about 6 weeks. It was difficult as she is so energetic.