Travelling On

themadvix

We've just bought one of these and have to say, it's been amazing. We had a cheaper one before (Russell Hobbs?) which I managed to break. I've not used it for nuts yet, but will do shortly as carrot-top pesto will be on the menu soon. It's really, really good for making a garlic/ginger/chilli paste - done in a couple of seconds, way faster than I expected. It does the coriander seeds pretty well too. Agree about the plastic-free, low tech methods, but the amount of paste-type things/fine chopping we needed (and soup blending that doesn't now need to go into plastic food processor bowl hot), it was something we decided would be worth the investment. All bits apart from the motor and the lid of the mini processor go in the dishwasher too.

(Totally know what you mean about the reviews of these things though - so difficult to judge from people's differing ideas! And love the ones that just say it was delivered quickly or whatever... how is that helpful?!)

Karmacat

Thanks for that, madvix, very interesting - that's a much more powerful motor, nearly everything I was looking at was only 200 watts.  Never thought of looking at Argos   I've bookmarked that into my "shopping" file; I've just seen one of the reviews mentioning chopping walnuts, which is useful, and another talking about using it for tougher ingredients. Excellent!  

More good news: it's raining!  I won't have to get my watering can out!

Yet more possibly good news: took my courage in both hands and phoned Three - I loathe all my providers for everything, of course, and Three more than most because not only do I have to change the sim sometimes, but they've out and out lied as well, in the past.  But the concern about changing the sim keeps me with them if at all possible.  Martin has a deal thats only pennies, literally, more than what I'm paying now, counting discounts, ie £6.25.  I was paying £6.13, I'll now be paying £9 ... minutes are now unlimited, they were 600 before, texts unlimited as they were previously, and 8 times the data (ie I had 1GB, now I have 8GB).  Good enough - the stress of doing anything more is horrendous for me, I'm accepting this.  Plus it's part of the "tech" thing on my to-do list, so that's good!

Yet more definitely good news: I was able to book my 2nd jab, finally, for next week.  82 days after the first, 77 - 84 days is recommended, the later the better, so I'm very happy.

themadvix

Glad to help Karma. And some good news there - especially about the jab. They won't do them before 10 weeks, that much I know. Unless I get a call to use some spare up (the vaccination centre have a list of volunteers and when they're due), my second one will be next Wednesday.... which reminds me to see if shifts for the centre have opened up for next week yet!

rtandon27

Karmacat said:

...Does anybody have any thoughts on this?   Thanks peeps!

Hi KC - we use either a mortar & pestle for small quantities or a rolling pin and two pieces of brown paper for larger quantities - RT xx

badmemory

I find using the flat side of a wooden meat tenderiser for smashing stuff quite satisfying!   My rolling pin is over 40 years old & glass so I am wary of using that as I'm not sure how unbreakable it is.  It is a cleaner method than using my (even older) coffee grinder too.

Karmacat

themadvix said:

Glad to help Karma. And some good news there - especially about the jab. They won't do them before 10 weeks, that much I know. Unless I get a call to use some spare up (the vaccination centre have a list of volunteers and when they're due), my second one will be next Wednesday.... which reminds me to see if shifts for the centre have opened up for next week yet!

That works all round then  

rtandon27 said:

Karmacat said:

...Does anybody have any thoughts on this?   Thanks peeps!

Hi KC - we use either a mortar & pestle for small quantities or a rolling pin and two pieces of brown paper for larger quantities - RT xx

Ah!  I do have the aforesaid granite mortar and pestle - the recipe I used, which I'm happy with, would be 8oz in one day, to be done fortnightly, I think.  I'm also feeling a great attraction to a rolling pin and a piece of greaseproof paper *happy jumpy smiley*

badmemory said:

I find using the flat side of a wooden meat tenderiser for smashing stuff quite satisfying!   My rolling pin is over 40 years old & glass so I am wary of using that as I'm not sure how unbreakable it is.  It is a cleaner method than using my (even older) coffee grinder too.

Thanks badmemory.  There's a nice clear view of the flat side of the tenderiser on Amazon, so I get what you mean - how do you cover things up so that the pieces don't fly everywhere?  I have a very light aluminium lid to a frying pan which I could use, though the paper RT mentions really does it for speed and convenience.  Maybe I'd smash the nuts once a month and put half in the freezer?  Interesting you mention coffee grinders, I looked at those - good to know that the manual method is cleaner, thanks for that.

Suffolk_lass

I use a coffee grinder now. I used to have the attachments for my stick blender but it all went wrong when I tried to clean it and I ended up with bits of plastic in a recipe so now I use that for soup, a Sains cheapie for making soap and the coffee grinder (I have had for maybe 40 years) - just pulse or you end up with dust. I also use it to turn granulated sugar into caster sugar or icing sugar on ccasions

Karmacat

I'm doing a bit of work on the broadband/phone connection, just seeing what I'm actually being charged for.  I'm being charged £35 for fibre broadband, though I don't have it yet (!!!) plus £14 for unlimited phone calls - but the phone call I made to my brother that last 90 minutes, they've charged me just over £5 for that.  My current bill is £49.14, which horrifies me.  I'm going to Do Something.

Karmacat

Hhhheeeeellllllp!

I'm totally lost on how to renegotiate my broadband. 

I've just downloaded the latest bill, and studied it.  They're charging me £30 for my broadband, £14 for my unlimited calls add-on, and £5 for the long phone call I made.  

On the "recontract" deals on the talktalk website, that £30 is £22 instead, which would help.  Actually, is it instead?  Or as well as?  It can't be as well as, surely? 

I'm still considering doing away with the add-on of calls - it's just not necessary any more.  

And I'm feeling **extremely** grumpy because I'm having to negotiate on a matter I don't really understand, and there's no phone number on offer where I can talk it through and ask them what the dickens it means ... I'm a bit lost.  

The £30 would go down to £22, surely?  
I could do without the £14 a month add on.
So my bill would be the £22, plus whatever calls it was impossible to make on my mobile?  Am I dreaming, or is that likely?

themadvix

That sounds right to me Karma - £22 broadband and line rental and extra for any extra calls. About what we pay.