Dusty's Frugal Fortnights Return!

dustydigger

@annieb64 - I did read a couple  years ago.But didnt know there were free KU books. Thanks for the heads up!

Katiehound

hello Dusty

have enjoyed reading through your thread- but not about your health issues- you take care.

You mention presents for children and I remember what one of my friends did. When the children were small (now young /older teenagers) the family would club together to buy one large item such as climbing frame, giant Jenga etc which the siblings could share and then later a larger item per older child item such as a guitar, set of drums. You get the picture. The adults settled for token gifts certainly not more than £5, any source allowed such as carboot/ charity shop. One year her son-in-l said his gift was to cost no more than £1!!!: that was a challenge but she  came up with a few gardening items, he was very impressed.

Book about  Canada.
Have you come across A Place called Winter by Patrick Gale? Much of it is based in Saskatchewan where the 'Grand trunk Pacific Railway' has stations  listed from A to Z repeatedly hence Winter.
The character, Harry Cane, was a real person- writer's Gt Gf- so starts from fact and then becomes fiction. Fascinating book (but not especially cheerful in places!)

dustydigger

Hi Katie! thanks for dropping in. I am really enjoying this series of challenges about Canada,every month I have learned a lot about Canada,and have read some interesting books about canada's history.They had it tough in the old days coping with the winters and the hard work of fishing,and the like. Patrick Gales' book sounds interesting but maybe a bit a tough read. I am a wimp these days in my reading,enough problems in real life to tackle heavy stuff. But I will keep it in mind for the rest of the challenge. Not sure whether we covered Sasatchewan as a part of another region,I'll have a look.

Thanks for pointing it out

dustydigger

@katiehound. about Xmas,we are all going to rethink our usual plans.I do however have £500 of my £800 Xmas budget already saved, £100 a month . Not sure what will happen in June! I have my old fixed rate energy price till August,we'll see what delightful figures dear old Scottish Power come up with then. Cant wait - not !

Katiehound

The Patrick Gale book is an interesting read- some sad bits. It's about the settlement of Canada in early 1900s when folk (men really) were able to buy a piece of land but had to fence it. My understanding is that if they farmed it and kept it for 3 years they could register the claim & it became their property. The railway connected all these outlying 'towns'.  What I suspect we would call 'one horse towns!'

I remember meeting someone who told me her grandma lived in/ had lived in Canada- she went out to live there when there were boardwalks & mud which was quite a culture shock from industrial UK which had pavements & factories. Again I think this might have been early 1900s.

weenancyinAmerica

In the US, you could homestead 160 acres and claim it as your own. Didn't require that you fence it, thank goodness. But you had to build a house and live there for five years. This was out on the prairie and most of the house were of sod (like in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie). A lot of people didn't last the five years, because it was hard living. But my ancestors did.

dustydigger

Had a lovely lunch at The Poachers,a popular pub just near Durham City. DD1 and her partner,GD1 and her husband and the twins and Mr Dusty of course.. They have all had covid in the last 3 months,so fingers crossed I am clear.Had a nice meal,but the portions were HUGE. I ploughed my way through quite happily but there were three spoonfuls I just couldnt force down.Plus the carrots. Hate the way carrots are almost raw IMO.

I was given a glass of whiskey,didnt feel I could turn it down as my daughter's partner was paying for the whole thing. Oh well,I did manage 52 days in a row,back on the waggon tomorrow. Wont get a gold star on  Giving Up,Cutting Down thread. But I set a monthly target of 25 AFD ,so not to worry.

We were back by 2 pm,Mr D went off to bed and I sat down to watch some budgeting videos on You Tube - and promptly fell asleep for over an hour. My stomach is still distended,ate far too much,buts its once in a blue moon. Personally if someone else wasnt paying,I would never go to retaurants. I would rather save the cash - or buy books of course........

FINALLY they are using the marquee across the road. There were music rehearsals in the morning and at 2pm they started playing. This band appears about this time every year.As ever,they are likely to be playing till 11pm.

Someone parked in front of our house earlier,possibly went to the tent? Never saw. Then a little while ago a man knocked on the door saying is that your car,I just ran into it! He wrote a note and tucked it into the windscreen.Next time I looked the car was gone,never saw the owner's reaction.

dustydigger

weenancyinAmerica said:

In the US, you could homestead 160 acres and claim it as your own. Didn't require that you fence it, thank goodness. But you had to build a house and live there for five years. This was out on the prairie and most of the house were of sod (like in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie). A lot of people didn't last the five years, because it was hard living. But my ancestors did.

Good for them,Nancy! I enjoyed reading Willa Cather's My Antonia last year about some of the things pioneers had to endure. Last year I also read Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah Plain and Tall series. One of them was about a drought on the prairies which was an eyeopener,though mitigated a little as a children's book.

dustydigger

+health.Its Monday,new week,still not got my head about new diet regime. .,probably just use my old Eat Well,plate my daughter got me back in 2017 when I was losing weight back then. Its divided into 1/4 carbs, 1/4 protein,half vegetables.I think thats more extreme than the other version,which shows 1/3  for each category,but its just a guide really.Brain is whirling,cant settle to do menus etc.

Waiting for the hospital to call about my apptmt.Trust me to need it when we had 2 days public holidays,and a weekend when clinics are closed.This is only day 2 of actual working days.If I dont hear by tomorrow my nurse says to phone hospital.

Any other pollen sufferers? My eyes are dry and itchy today,nose running,sneezing like mad.. Its only supposed to be medium level today,very high later in week,but it feels really strong

dustydigger

Just completed my 3rd book of the month. Woke up at 3.30 and couldnt go back to sleep so I continued reading one of favourite comfort reads,my fave Nora Roberts romance, Born in Ice.

For decades Nora Roberts has been the go to author for people who love tales of romance,friendship and family. I think this was my 5th read of this book.Love the Irish settings,and the lovely relationship that developes between Brianna and Grayson.

I'm on a roll,thats 2 out of 3 of my Quebec challenge done .

Next up Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache tale,The Rule Against Murder