Simple living in the country - back to basics

Cheery_Daff

So, a list for tomorrow.

* get bedroom loft hatch down and paint
* get mattress upstairs, propped up, and dehumidifier on
* get bed frame back downstairs and outside to sand 
* start sorting out clothes to get rid of
* trip to the tip?
* vet maybe coming in afternoon
* batch cook 2 more things - maybe lasagna, and something with broad beans?
* arrange video call with sister
* ring LPG people to check their 'your gas is increasing by 8ppl' letter doesn't apply after we signed our new fixed contract...

That'll probably do i think.

Sleep well, I'll try not to post every 5 minutes tomorrow but it does keep me going! 😂

Bluegreen143

Thanks for the mention of the Homesteading Family! I watched a couple last night and loved them. I think in another life I could have been a homesteader with a brood of kids 🤣 so I really enjoy watching that kind of thing.

Cheery_Daff

Ha, glad you enjoyed it! I watched their pantry tour last night and was very envious of all the freeze dried and canned stuff. SO exciting to be able to do that. In reality I barely preserve very much using the methods we do have 😂😂

So, today. Bit more made on the Happy Wheel this morning - up to £37 for March now. 

Mr Cheery and I lugged the bed frame back down the stairs (much easier now we know how it fits - turns out our stairs aren't symmetrical and the diagonal one way is much bigger than the other 🙄). Also lugged the bed base and mattress upstairs, and now have the dehumidifier on. Jury's out on whether the mattress can be saved - personally I think a double will be too small after years on a king size, and also think this particular double will be too squashy for Mr Cheery's back, but he's keen to keep the four poster so we'll see. Going to air it all, then sleep on the mattress/frame on the floor, and if that works, we'll strip and paint the frame - no point doing that if we're not keeping it.

Just working up to the next job, which I think will be getting a couple of things in the oven to batch cook, and then doing some clothes sorting.

Should be enough time for a tip trip once the vet has been (if she comes - waiting for confirmation at lunchtime)

Right, cooking!

Baileys_Babe

Thanks for mentioning the Homesteading Family, I have enjoyed watching some of their videos. I have a fantasy of living a life more akin to theirs but as I currently only manage to grow rhubarb and raspberries I think it will remain a fantasy. I can enjoy my dream by watching the videos they have generously shared.

I know we would have struggled going down to a double from a king size. I think you are wise to hold off on the restorations until you find out if it is viable. 

themadvix

I'm inclined to agree with you about the bed size - Mr MV is constantly complaining that our standard double isn't big enough and we've never had the benefit of a king size (and neither of us is large) - going back to a smaller bed would be very difficult I would think!

Weirdly, the Homesteading Family were recommended to me on Instagram yesterday evening - apparently because I follow Charles Dowding.... I can't think that it was because of a cookie on my phone or anything as you'd not linked to them (and I'd not yet looked them up) - they must be very suitable watching for me! Their pantry sounds amazing!

Cheery_Daff

It's a fantastic pantry! I watched one of their videos this morning where they were talking about where to start, if you don't have a homestesd etc but want to be more self sufficient/resilient/self reliant etc - top of the list was a big heavy saucepan 😁 then storage jars that you can store food in. Dehydrator was on the list somewhere - maybe this is the year I finally get to grips with mine and use it to its full potential?? And let's not forget just storing stuff in the freezer! 

I think the point they were making was about not having to go out immediately and buy all the gadgets - even of they might come in very useful down the line.

Anyway, I have been batch cooking again 😁 Boiled up an entire bag of pasta, and then in one pan fried up onion, mushroom, cabbage, garlic, and cannellini beans, and then mixed that with a bit of stock and some pasta, and then in the other pan boiled up a load of red lentils and a box of passatta and some of the reduced basil we got for 20p the other day.

Tiny bit of grated cheese on top of them, plus I spread one packet of 45p mozzarella between them all too.

Mr Cheery and I both had some of the cannellini bean one for dinner, and there are another 3 portions for the freezer, along with 8 portions of the tomato and lentil one.

I've frozen most of them in individual portions so I can take them for work lunches. 

Now wondering what else I make for the freezer while I'm off 😁 Definitely something I can pair with all that quinoa and brown rice!

Must remember I've got brown rice in the fridge too - I'll make fried rice for tea tonight I think, got about 827 eggs that need using up 😂

EssexHebridean

I'm most impressed with your fab flat bags of frozen stuff! I do something similar using the plastic boxes we get when we get a chinese takeaway as they all stack beautifully in the freezer - and fit nicely into the drawers too so make the most of the available space. 

Have you seen any of "The Simpler Life" - not sure which channel it's on - channel 4 possibly? I watched the first couple of episodes last night and found myself completely fascinated by the "people watching" aspect of the volunteers learning to fit in to the Amish lifestyle - or indeed discovering that it REALLY wasn't for them! 

Cheery_Daff

No I haven't, will investigate! 

We don't have a steady influx of takeaway containers any more sadly 😂 We had LOADS and used them all storing little things when we moved - it was great as they've all mostly gone into the garage and are still there, all nicely labelled for when we need just the right type of screw or doorknob 😂

Vet is coming, will be here in half an hour. I'm trying to wade through some of the dire clothes mountain 😱 Can't bring myself to chuck a lot of it as it's not THAT small and I'm hoping i can fit back in it soon... Might have to start with the really small stuff from years ago that'll need me to lose about 4 stone and work from there... 🙄

beanielou

I still have clothes 3/4 sizes smaller.
Will never fit in them again in this lifetime.

themadvix

Have just watched the intro video from the homesteading family - what a lovely couple, I’m hooked!