Struggling along as best I can

nannygladys

Skint-yet-Again - I'm definitely over thinking things at the moment!! But I'm feeling much more ok about things at the moment, I'm not going to starve and have a secure home so really I shouldn't be complaining   

nannygladys

WinterWarrior - the canopy (as I call it) is the tiled bit of roof over the bay window and front door (older house) and will definitely cost more than my goal, I think that's more like a deposit  it has let water through in times past, which has been mended, but there is a small gap somewhere where a draught comes through at the top of the window, so as the window area needs plastering from the water original damage - the whole lot may as well be replaced as its rotting. I do have some savings but not enough to cover it all, I will have to look at my insurances to see if any if it is covered!! You never know and I hadn't thought about that on!! Thanks for the tip 

'Not my cat' is here at the moment, I don't feed him anymore so he will go home he's looking sooo old poor thing, but when pup was here I bought some of his food and was surprised how much it was (dd did pay me!). But we can't skint on the kids food  

nannygladys

It's been a quiet day here today, I was going to the lottie but the forecast was rain and I wanted to do some clearing, anyway it didn't rain but I fell asleep in the armchair for an hour, I seem to be sleeping everywhere at the moment!!

I've been on the phone to see if I can redo my internet, well reduce the price anyway, there I was in line and bang on 7pm when I was at the front of the queue it went dead guess they all finished work on time! Have to try again tomorrow if they work tomorrow. 

I've also cancelled my window cleaner today, it was quite sad as I gave known him for a fair amount of years but he was very nice about it and I really dislike dirty windows, ah well I can do the downstairs one myself but it won't be so often 

Had LO' s for dinner and tea so now I'm wondering what I can do with the one courgette I have in. It'll probably be the rice dish I usually do and then that's Sunday's dinner cooked as well. I'm still trying to empty the freezer and I'm slowly getting there but I've stared freezing raspberries now so it'll soon fill up again. I think I will defrost it over the weekend before anything else goes in and I can do an inventory of what I have at the same time.

That's enough gabbing from me for now, take care
Nannyg

nannygladys

Not much has been happening, which in some ways is a good thing as it means I'm on an even keel with everything 
Today I picked dgd up as she is coming with me tomorrow as I do grandma duties for for her cousins, so she gets to see them for a short while (and pup of course)
We went to the lottie and she picked more raspberries whilst I did some watering and then we went to a couple of shops for a look round. I've put lunch up and got everything 'ready' for tomorrow and that's about it.
I tried a 'Jack M' paella for tea with a couple of substitutions which was very nice and I've lined up a couple more recipes to try that are new to me to try.
Whilst I was at the lottie I picked my first round courgette, I usually grow long ones but I saw these and thought I would grow them as well. I'm not sure how big they should be when you pick them so I've guessed!! Dd is having this one as well as some raspberries so I hope it's ok  . 
I had to fiddle the last of my budget to put more petrol in the car today, at first I put £10 in but it wasn't many litres so put another £5 in, I get paid on Wednesday so it only has to last until then. I managed to get it at 185p whilst I was out, the one nearest to me was 190 something  
Anyway, last drink and bed I think as it's an early start tomorrow, well it is for me!! Take care and keep well.
Nannyg

nannygladys

Pay day today, so just refined my budget for the following four weeks, I hope I have allowed enough for everything which includes £100 going to the house fund. If I have to find some more from somewhere it will be from there as there isn't any room elsewhere for taking any money from, as its all allocated, so wish me luck that I can achieve it. There are two birthdays this month one my sil and one is my dgd, so sil unfortunately will only be getting a card (already bought) and my dgd's is coming out of the dgc fund for birthdays/Christmas so is allowed for, thank goodness for sinking funds.
Right off to the lottie in the car as I have some wood and plants to go down, I will definitively have to start taking the bus if I have no carrying, the bus doesn't go near to the lottie so there's quite a walk when I get off and also from home to the bus stop as well, mind you that's all down hill but on the way back its a long walk all uphill. (It's a very hilly area where I live and when it snows you can't get your car up them unless you have a 4x4 or something with very big tyres on, mind you the views are lovely! )
I'm also taking my little camping stove down there, dd borrowed it a couple of years ago, so I got it back yesterday whilst at her house as she doesn't need it anymore, so I'll just sort a cup, milk and a few tea bags out, pack the car and go for a peaceful couple of hours titivating around, watering, picking a few bits and having a cuppa, well as long as the rain keep a off and then I'll be sat in the shed surveying my kingdom   
Nannyg

nannygladys

The  last couple of days have passed in a blur - I've not been well, not going too far from the bathroom type. I think it's the second time this year so something is definitely disagreeing with me. Anyway feeling much better today but not eating much just drinking plenty, so I haven't been out anywhere.

I went to the lottie the other day before it started and watered the polytunnel and picked the last of the strawberries, some raspberries and red currants and made a couple of pots of jam when I got home, the first of many as I didn't make any last year. I'll have to venture down tomorrow as I haven't watered since and don't want to lose my tomatoes etc it's not been done since before I was poorly so I'm hoping they are all OK, mind you it hasn't been too hot .... the camping stove worked really well down there and it was nice to make a fresh cup of tea whilst I was there instead of taking my flask, but I will have to ration the gaz if I want to use it In the winter.

I sorted the fridge out this afternoon, as I haven't been eating the last few days there were a few bits that had gone off and it really pained me to have to put it in the food waste but I don't want to test my insides again!!

Something I hadn't thought of and has been mentioned on the boards is the security on allotments, it was said that with increased prices and lack of money, people may break in to take the produce, that had never occurred to me but I can understand their thinking, on ours we have had a couple of break ins in the last half a dozen years but it's been equipment that's been taken (thankfully not mine) and someone's shed was being slept in!! But I'm not sure how I would feel about food being taken, if someone was to ask me then I would give them what I could, but thieving is a different matter, but if they were unable to feed their family I'm not so sure, I couldn't see someone going hungry ... thinking out loud here.

Well I'm off to make a drink, I've been drinking quite a lot of boiled water the last couple of days but I've started back on the coffee now so I must be better 
Nannyg

Baileys_Babe

nannygladys said:

 the camping stove worked really well down there and it was nice to make a fresh cup of tea whilst I was there instead of taking my flask, but I will have to ration the gaz if I want to use it In the winter.

To save on gas use at the allotment you could  take hot water in the flask and bring it back to the boil on the.stove.

nannygladys

Baileys_Babe - I hadn't thought of that, what a brilliant idea and one I will do as it's getting increasingly difficult to find the camping Gaz. Thanks.

nannygladys

Hope everyone is well and ok. Right back home and had my tea after a day of grandma sitting.

2/7 went to the lottie and did the feeding and watering and made a hoop/wood frame for the cabbages that are waiting to be planted. Filled the car up with petrol, well put £60 in anyway, it was £1.85 a litre from asd@ which seems to be the cheapest locally, but it didn't fill it right up.

3/7 yesterday didn't go out anywhere but spent the morning giving the downstairs a really good clean and doing 2x loads of laundry, and the afternoon reading gardening books and blogs!!

Today has been grandma sitting day so been a play day with dgs really. I haven't been shopping for a few days well last week before I was poorly (Thursday) and I'm gradually using up some odd bits and pieces, I would really like to defrost my freezer before I have to freeze veggies from the allotment, so I'm slowly eating up stuff from there!  It's amazing what you find but no ice cream or cakes though 
That's about it really, going to watch Ben Fogle in a bit so better do the washing up from tea!!!!
Nannyg

nannygladys

I've not been out of the house today, I had a bit of a lie in this morning, I don't seem to sleep very well at all the night before I have to get up really early for my sitting stint so I usually have a catchup lie in on the Wednesday. I'm afraid of over sleeping as I don't live that near to dd.

So today, I made a loaf of bread (well from a packet mix), some brownies (also a packet mix) both were found when I had my sort out. And a pot of jam (and cup full) from fruit in the garden and some in the fridge from the lottie. So at least I have been doing something. 

It's been colder today and we've had some rain here as well so didn't feel an urgent need to go to the lottie to water, so I've been going through my seeds to see what else I can plant, not that I've much if any, room left. I'm going to try and grow some bits in the tunnel over winter to see what happens and if some bits grow its an added bonus. I tried a few years ago and it went quite well, so I'm hoping to replicate it! Whatever it will be will be green though  you always have to have something green on your dinner plate!!

I've just been watching some frugal utube channels and I'm not sure if I'm frugal or just plain poor now  neither seem to apply and yet both seem to apply so I must be a bit of both  anyway on that note I'll go and have a quick browse around the boards on here and a gander of the recipes.
Nannyg