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

Gers

If you can find a local stockist then I'd replace Walkers shortbread with the far superior (IMO) Chrystals shortbread.

https://www.chrystalsshortbread.co.uk

YorksLass

@Longwalker - Thanks, fingers crossed your review went well too.  It's a weight off the mind when everything goes well.

@linz - A Scottish themed hamper - that's a lovely gift idea.

Nothing much of importance happening here - it's the same old, same old - dull/wet/chilly although that dratted wind has dropped.  There's washing to do but it doesn't look as if it will be hung out so it will have to be done bit by bit and be draped around the house.    I have a tumble dryer but only use it for towels and bedding in wet weather, never for clothes.

More bits and pieces have been rescued from the freezer (soup, crumpets, pate, fish fingers, black pudding) and today I've made two sultana tea loves, one of which will go in the freezer - no wonder it takes ages to make room!    I stuck a couple of jacket spuds in the oven too to fill up the space and we'll have those tomorrow with some of the pork mince I did yesterday.

This morning the postie brought the cardigan clips I'd ordered and they're just what I wanted.  Tomorrow it will be Sainsburys turn, a small order that didn't meet the minimum to use my delivery pass but I got round that by adding on a few bits for Xmas and used some Nectar points to pay for those - the budget remains in control!  Also expected tomorrow is a delivery of some bedding (a duvet cover set and two mattress protectors) but I don't know what time.  I hope it's not early doors - I'm not a morning person!     

Toonie

We've decided to invest in a dehumidifier as we've been noticing upstairs feels damp (as does the conservatory). It arrived today and after leaving it to settle for a while, we've just plugged it in. Hopefully it will will help with the damp spots upstairs and with the washing. It's also got a HEPA air filter which will be useful come Spring as I get hayfever.

Otherwise, I'm a bit under the weather so it's been lots of hot drinks and snuggling under a blanket for me. Me and DP seem to take turns being unwell, he wasn't too great last week. We've got a small shop arriving tomorrow with essentials which will hopefully see us through rest of the week into next week.

Longwalker

YorksLass said:

@Longwalker - Thanks, fingers crossed your review went well too.  It's a weight off the mind when everything goes well.

Much better then I though tbh

Ive never been compliant with my BP medication, and I was diagnosed way back in my 20s with a few emergency admissions. Fat or thin, smoker or not, I was on meds. Anyways, I haven't taken them since January and with my readings yesterday - she agreed , as long as Im monitoring, I can stay off them  - Yayyyyyy

Seriously made my day. I wasnt so bad with compliance when I had just one to take, then that was taken off the market and I was put on three at different times of the day, not a mission was I remembering to take them 

And the weight off has helped. As well as the exercise. I have been a lot lighter but still hypertensive, but now Im exercising as well as chucking the hated veg onto me so something has clicked for sure

Well the announcement that inflation had fallen sharply took me by surprise as I know without doing the maths that my shopping hasn't decreased as much lol. Im also not feeling much love with fuel decreases as a new job means Im using twice as much diesel as  this time last year. But tbh its worth it, Im a lot happier where I am now. 

Actually I did find a HUGE drop in prices - COAL. Last winter we were being charged £16 for 20kg, got it for £8 last week - yayyy, we have warmth again.  We dont burn much, but we cant afford to use the oil constantly so a few bits on the stove for the evening makes a huge difference, warms the bedrooms as well as the living room, really takes the chill out 

Can no longer pretend Christmas isnt happening, we start Christmas dinners in work on Monday

srn

Longwalker said:

Well the announcement that inflation had fallen sharply took me by surprise as I know without doing the maths that my shopping hasn't decreased as much lol. Im also not feeling much love with fuel decreases as a new job means Im using twice as much diesel as  this time last year. But tbh its worth it, Im a lot happier where I am now.

The inflation rate decreasing does not mean that prices are dropping, just that they are not rising quite as much.

London_1

Evening chums ,well my decorator has been brilliant and one more day and it will all be done .Yesterday and today in the morning (I'm a bit more sprightly in the mornings ) I have been Christmas shopping .

Sainsburys has been good for clothes, as my grandsons like the tee shirts ,jumpers and socks and boxers I keep them supplied with at Christmas and its 25% off all cloths so in the past two days I've saved almost £50.00 and I've got almost everything now.

Only the last few bits for youngest DGD and my youngest DDs birthday present to buy . I have five family birthdays before Christmas as well so its a bit of a pricy time. The Works have some good offers in and I got two toy games for my GGDs and they were £7 each but three for £12. so I had two to take home, and The Works I gifted the third one to as they have a collection point for any spare games etc that are given to the Sally Army to distribute to children who may not get a toy.. So I got them for £6.00 each and the Sally Army get a free toy win-win I think .

 I treated myself to a late breakfast early lunch in the Cafe in Sainsburys as my decorator is painting my kitchen, and I wasn't going to disturb him and I had the 'lite bite breakfast which was excellent, a slice of wholemeal seedy bread toast ,an eggs sausage, some baked beans and a hash brown washed down with a large mug of tea for just over a fiver. All freshly cooked and brought to my table for me I must say the service was excellent and the food really nice.A bit of a treat for me after my shopping marathon.

So tomorrow I shall start wrapping them and labelling them so its all done and dusted before the end of the month and I won't need to trail around the shops with all the crowds.I feel pretty pleased as I'm not a lover of shopping at all, I am now concentrating on knitting some Barbie outfits for my GGDs.It makes a nice change after knitting this huge unicorn blankets that took two months each to knit.I can knit an outfit easily in a day.  so they will go in with the other things I have bought for them. 

I did treat myself to some of the delicious LU cinnamon biscuits from Sainsburys and have put them away to have over the holidays.

I think to be honest the prices are not so much dropping but slowing down a bit.  Sainsburrys had a special off of half priced legs of lamb so I got a decent sized one for £13.00 for DD to put in her freezer. The boys will all be home at the end of the month as its my son-in-laws birthday so the leg of lamb will do us all nicely for Sunday lunch as there will be at least 7 of us instead of three  


Right time for a cuppa I think.

Keep warm chums, its been a very wet and windy day in Kent and not that warm at the moment 

JackieO xx

Longwalker

srn said:

Longwalker said:

Well the announcement that inflation had fallen sharply took me by surprise as I know without doing the maths that my shopping hasn't decreased as much lol. Im also not feeling much love with fuel decreases as a new job means Im using twice as much diesel as  this time last year. But tbh its worth it, Im a lot happier where I am now.

The inflation rate decreasing does not mean that prices are dropping, just that they are not rising quite as much.

I knew that, it was a general off the cuff remark, a moan about pricing. Its not the financial forum

London_1

No shopping for me to buy today thank goodness, after my grandson has visited this morning I shall be doing a marathon Christmas present wrap today. I like to get everything wrapped and in my spare room ready .

Then I may do the cards I only give to close family, and send to overseas family I used to have quite a list to send but time, and sadly age has whittled it down quite a bit.

Every year it gets a little  less  ,but what I used to spend gets donated to the Sally Army as I think they do such a great job ,especially at Christmas for the people who maybe aren't lucky enough to have much family.

I've noticed how much less folk seem to be buying in the supermarkets as well. I was at one during the week on Thursday and talking to one of the assistants and she said she noticed how the smaller trolleys run out quicker than the larger ones, and said the shoppers are certainly not buying as they used to do, especially in the food departments. 
Hardly surprising really as the costs seem to be getting higher by the week. my eldest DD who never as a rule thinks about prices even said to me "Have you seen the price of a box of biscuits in M&S ! for her to notice was quite funny as I too thought £12.00 for biscuits was on the steep side.The Sainsburys clothes discount is good though and I've stocked up for four of my grandsons for bits for Christmas I went into M&S as one of the boys wanted a blue shirt for Christmas I bought it, but golly it was I thought quite a price at £35.00 and its only an ordinary one which he can wear when he's at work teaching . 

But it seems everything is getting more and more expensive today where will it end ,if at all. I think the CS must be doing well as the Hempstead Valley shopping centre which in the 40 odd years I've used it never ever had a CS and now it has two there. Mind you they do have some lovely stuff in there .I wonder if Lakeside or Bluewater will go the same way 
Right I'd better get the bacon on as DGS Jack is due to pop in for a natter and to se my newly painted kitchen I'm really pleased with it and the local decorator chap did a great job, its a nice sunny yellow and white and brightened it up no end.it had been magnolia for about 12 years so was desperately in need of brightening up

Onwards and upwards chums Its a rather rainy day here in north Kent so I'm glad I'm not going anywhere

JackieO xx

Toonie

So, the feeling under the weather turned out to be bacterial tonsillitis! My GP has given me penicillin for 10 days and told me I can eat all the ice lollies I want! He also said if I don't want to eat much, that's fine, but try to have some oatmeal/weetabix, soups, and herbal teas with honey to help soothe the throat and give me some calories. So, I opened the own brand wheat biscuits I've got in my cupboard and I've had those and lots of tea for the last few days. My throat is a little less swollen today and DP is making sausage and mash for tea, I'll see how I go but I may just have mash and gravy.

London_1

When earlier in the year I wasn't eating a great deal because of stomach problems I found soups of various flavours good, and would have a yogurt or a soft pudding like rice or semolina went down quite well as my pudding .

it kept me going when I had very little appetite at all.  Mind you I did lose about three stone since last Christmas which was useful, as it was weight I really didn't need.

My appetite has got slightly better now but I still don't eat as much as I perhaps used to, but even three small meals a day is good .
If you have mash and gravy then fine its still fuel, and once your better you will be eating more .I would stew some eating apples in a bit of honey to get them really soft, and maybe some of those with a little custard means you are having some fruit and milk combined so it will keep you going for a few days

 I hope you soon recover I had bacterial tonsillitis a few years ago and it really was miserable as your throat feels like broken glass so I know how painful it is .
take care and soon the penicillin will help kill the bacteria hopefully and you will soon be fighting fit again 

JackieO xx