Struggling along as best I can

nannygladys

So today being Tuesday I've been grandson sitting for the majority of the day until we go to school to pick my dgd up . It's been lovely weather here very sunny after the mists had lifted, so I took dgs for a walk into the local town and into hbs to buy some washing up liquid, I had the Xmas Fairy one and it smells lovely I also bought some mince pies which we had with a drink after I picked dgd up from school and also sat in the park with a drink and some crisps that I bought out with us, so what with that and lots of pup cuddles who could want for more? Quite a lot of us at the moment I reckon but hey ho, it will definitely do for now!!
It's pay day tomorrow so my new budgeting starts, the money left in my purse is going towards Xmas food as I have middle dd and family staying, I already have a few bits which I have put away separately from everything else and will keep adding to it. It's the heating that bothers me the most about them staying but I'm sure we will all still be here afterwards😀 
Watched Martin on TV tonight, I haven't really had the TV on for months but thought I would to get any advice, anyway after a rotten nights sleep (I never sleep very well on a Monday as I'm afraid of getting up late and not getting to do my grandma duties on time, even though I set two alarms!!!!?) So I'm off to bed now so I can finish the few pages of my book as I might as well be warm in bed🙂
Nannyg 

nannygladys

So today I received my pension and allocated it all to something. I am having £15 weekly for food etc and I've taken the extra money from my petrol allowance as I'm not using the car so much now, so hopefully it pans out ok. The extra g&e money and the winter allowance is going into my annual bill fund whilst I'm managing it, but it will still be there when I need it. I've come to the conclusion I've got to be more sensible on the meal planning front, I really dislike organising a meal plan but it's just got to done and it's pull bgk up and sort it once and for all - fighting talk!! So I'm starting out by doing an easy two week menu. I'll still be mainly eating out of the freezer as I have a veggie sausage mountain in there, so obviously sausage casserole, sausage Sunday dinner, Shepard's pie, Crockpot bean stew all feature on it along with lighter things like omelette (I seem to have a lot of eggs at the moment as well), breakfasts if I have one will be porridge or toast and lunches will mainly be soup, as I must eat up some of the courgettes and tomatoes I have (and still getting from the Lottie), I bought some live yogurt to make my own so I can have that over fruit or something for afters if I want one, so that's my plan, simple food with not a lot of prep 🙂
On the heating front I'm putting the gch on once a week for about an hour to make sure it's working ok and to warm the house through and I'll increase this when it turns really cold. 
I'll continue washing on fine days and hanging it outside then airing it indoors, it's easier when theirs only one of you, I'd forgotten how much washing a family had until I was doing my eldest washing for her!!! It's no wonder she uses the tumble dryer. I do have a tumble dryer but I'm storing tins and drink in it at the moment 🤣
I've just read through this post and it's not the meal plan that's the problem, it's sticking to the b..... Thing 😃

Right I'm off to bed now, the car is having its service and mot tomorrow, thank goodness for sinking funds.
Nannyg 

nannygladys

Took the car in for a service and mot this morning, it passed its MOT but they didn't do the service, I thought they were quick as I'd gone to see a friend and only had time for a short chat and coffee! Anyway it's booked in for next friday, so I'll see him again 😃 it was down for a service but the message didn't get to the garage.
No money spent on groceries and when I got home I made three portions of Shepard's pie, so one portion for tea (just cooking some veggies to go with it) one for tomorrow and I'll freeze the other for next week. I also cooked a load of apples so they will do for some desserts with custard, ice-cream or yoghurt. Right that's my veggies done, the timer has just gone off, see you all tomorrow.
Nannyg 

WinterWarrior

Your plans always look so good. I’m really bad at meal planning 😕
apples would be good with sponge and custard or under a quick crumble too 😋

nannygladys

Winterwarrior - Im good at making plans but not so good at following them 😃

nannygladys

I forgot to mention that I bought a stamp yesterday, last of the big spenders🙂
I noticed this morning that I had used more g&e than I normally do yesterday, which was down to the microwave and halogen, mainly the latter I reckon so today as I wanted to make some bread (haven't made my own in an absolute age,) I thought I would make other bits at the same time, so I've ended up with a meatless pie, Apple pie, fruit cake and jam tarts as well as my bread, it took me all afternoon but I'm pleased with the results. The pies have been divided and frozen, the fruit cake halved and one bit frozen and the jam tarts and bread are still on the worktop waiting to be tasted 🙂 so I'm quite pleased with my endeavours!!
Oh and my usage of g&e quite a bit lower than yesterday and my shep pie was reheated at the same time. So filling the oven wasn't as scary as I thought it would be on the g&e!!
I even managed to nearly dry a load of washing, so that's been put on an airer and hopefully I can put it away when I get up tomorrow.
I'm looking after 'not my cat'  from first thing tomorrow for a week, his name is Billy so I will have some company if I don't mind his clawing and bad breath😃. So that's it for today, hope everyone has a good weekend.
Nannyg 

foxgloves

Really good batch cooking there, @nannygladys, & making full use of your oven while it was on..I've been trying to do a bit more of that too. I have 2 baskets of wrapped apples in the pantry for storing & another 2 buckets of windfalls waiting for use. Pears still coming too. Surprised to get a good crop because of the drought, to be honest.
F

nannygladys

foxgloves - this year I have been concentrating on veggies at the Lottie and I still have a few bits to put in the poly, next year it's going to be the fruit side, my eldest DD wants to help more so hopefully we will grow even more to feed me and two DDS families, that's the plan anyway. We're going to have a meeting over coffee and cake to decide what to grow etc, so quite excited by it. Also thinking of buying a dehydrator as freezer space doesn't seem to be happening and I can't fit another one in!

nannygladys

Yesterday was a wash out everywhere and I stayed in all day. The 'not my cat' has been sick a few times so he's been sleeping quite a bit, but last night he went out in all that heavy rain and wouldn't come back in and then disappeared altogether. I left the outside light on for hours and was awake or dozing downstairs until 4am fretting but then I went to bed. This morning he didn't come in straight away like he normally does, but about 10am he finally shows up!!!!!! Anyway he's been asleep most of the day so not sure if he will go out tonight.

Took eldest dgd in town to ask for a refund for her from WHS and then home, all their road/pavements have been dug up on one side of their street - what a mess!!! Still these things have to be done, something to do with the internet.

No money has been spent and I'm sticking to my meal plan, so that's really good for me🙂 grandma duties tomorrow and it's half term, not that it makes any difference for me as dgs isn't at school yet and my dgd (his sister) is away at her dad's

Nannyg 

nannygladys

Not very frugal but sat in Costa with a coffee waiting for my car, they've had it all morning and it's only gone in for a service, anyway they reckon it will be another 30mins, the wrong filter had been delivered so rather than walk all the way back home (a couple of miles) I've succumbed to a coffee.