It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

CKhalvashi

Rosa_Damascena said:

YorksLass said:

Yesterday I walked up to the local Co-op to get some bits and bobs to put us on over the weekend/Mon BH and got a couple of ys items while I was there.  I walked a different way as I had a letter to pop in the post box and discovered we have a Little Free Library outside one of the houses.  Not sure if anyone else has come across them - I think it's a community initiative - but it's basically like an oversized bird box with a door, attached to a pole or fence where you can donate and borrow books, free of charge.  

We have 4 x official Little Free Library boxes locally and quite a few more DIY ones. When I looked into buying one, it costs a couple of hundred pounds that I don't have. I'd much rather given that amount to charity!

Our local train station has a 'bring and share' area for books. As far as I'm aware it works well.

I'm in Poland at the moment, came down last Thursday as I needed to get some equipment to a Ukrainian client. I've seen a few shelves with books in a shopping centre today, but central in the passageway and close to the entrance, with space to sit and read. That would be 'lost retail space' in the UK sadly.

This is on top of a very nice central library who were very nice when I asked if I could borrow their WiFi (anyone asking can have the code, member or not). This is provided by the city, so I'm not sure if it is a nationwide policy.

I won't be revealing exactly where I am for obvious privacy reasons, especially as I'm about 5 minutes walk now from the main library.

JIL

I had no idea what a liberty bodice was, so I googled it and to my surprise it was made in a factory in market Harborough a town I visit once a month at least. It also turns out that a big old building that's now the council office was the old Symingtons factory and theres a museum dedicated to the old factory. 
So today, we went for a look round the museum. Spent a good 45 mins learning all about the history.

Its amazing what doors this site opens. 

YorksLass

Rosa_Damascena - Wow, I didn't realise they cost that much!  It seems a lot when a diy jobbie would serve the same purpose.

I really miss jumble sales, I suppose they've been replaced by car boot sales and charity shops.  Years ago a lot of my and my children's clothes came from them, as did any fabric item that could be re-sewn into a new outfit.  Also hand knitted items that I'd unravel, wash, re-wind and knit into jumpers, cardigans, hats, scarves and so on.

Mealwise, I feel I'm turning back the clock sometimes - padding out meals with extra veg, Yorkshire puddings, dumplings, stuffing etc so we don't need to have as much meat or fish.  I usually batch cook the Yorkshires and stuffing when the oven is on for something else to fill up the space and then freeze but prefer dumplings served as soon as cooked.  I'd forgotten about having cornflakes with warm milk, it's also nice on Weetabix (other brands are available  ). 

basketcase

YorksLass said:

  I'd forgotten about having cornflakes with warm milk, it's also nice on Weetabix (other brands are available  ). 

Not really keen on either of those, but we used to get warm milk on Shredded Wheat - unfortunately I've developed a sensitivity to wheat and couldn't eat them.

Anyone know of a gluten/wheat free alternative?

Whitefiver

basketcase said:

YorksLass said:

  I'd forgotten about having cornflakes with warm milk, it's also nice on Weetabix (other brands are available  ). 

Not really keen on either of those, but we used to get warm milk on Shredded Wheat - unfortunately I've developed a sensitivity to wheat and couldn't eat them.

Anyone know of a gluten/wheat free alternative?

Oatibix, parhaps?

basketcase

Whitefiver said:

basketcase said:

YorksLass said:

  I'd forgotten about having cornflakes with warm milk, it's also nice on Weetabix (other brands are available  ). 

Not really keen on either of those, but we used to get warm milk on Shredded Wheat - unfortunately I've developed a sensitivity to wheat and couldn't eat them.

Anyone know of a gluten/wheat free alternative?

Oatibix, parhaps?

I do eat Oatibix (NOT with hot milk) but haven't seen a suitable alternative to Shredded Wheat - ie a GF Brillo pad!

sammyjammy

basketcase said:

YorksLass said:

  I'd forgotten about having cornflakes with warm milk, it's also nice on Weetabix (other brands are available  ). 

Not really keen on either of those, but we used to get warm milk on Shredded Wheat - unfortunately I've developed a sensitivity to wheat and couldn't eat them.

Anyone know of a gluten/wheat free alternative?

Thats tough, I used to love shredded wheat with hot milk but also have NCGI, have you had a coeliac test?  If not its worth getting your GP to run one, its really quite common for people to develop coeliac disease in later life so worth checking.

Doom_and_Gloom

basketcase said:

YorksLass said:

  I'd forgotten about having cornflakes with warm milk, it's also nice on Weetabix (other brands are available  ). 

Not really keen on either of those, but we used to get warm milk on Shredded Wheat - unfortunately I've developed a sensitivity to wheat and couldn't eat them.

Anyone know of a gluten/wheat free alternative?

Nutri-brex is a gluten free version that is very good in my opinion but very expensive even when offer as it rarely gets as low as £2.50 now for 24 biscuits.
I found that you can substitute those and gf self raise flour in a vegan wheat biscuit cake for a really amazing treat. OH loves bananas added in also to make it into a banana cake version of it; the only way my OH eats bananas.

Rosa_Damascena

ladyholly said:

Car boot sales are often the best place for tools. They may need cleaning up but are usually fairly cheap.

This is true, but locally it is because trades are regularly robbed and its a means of divesting in a hurry. Dunton boot sale is notorious for it, in fact people know where to go to retrieve their own property.

Floss

Rosa_Damascena said:

ladyholly said:

Car boot sales are often the best place for tools. They may need cleaning up but are usually fairly cheap.

This is true, but locally it is because trades are regularly robbed and its a means of divesting in a hurry. Dunton boot sale is notorious for it, in fact people know where to go to retrieve their own property.

That can be said of anywhere, not just local to you.