Dusty's Frugal Fortnights Return!

dustydigger · 17 September 2022 at 12:48PM

For the christening I am hesitating between two jackets I have. One is a black blazer style,soft silky velvet sort of material.The other is a white edge to edge jacket,with a large appliqued flower on the left side. I only wore it a couple of times,once for a family celebration of my birthday,January2018,then seeing my son getting his teaching degree ,at Sunderland that same summer. Then my health failed,then we had covid,so I havent dressed up since! I need a vivid blouse underneath for the white jacket,a lighter colour for the black coat.

I also need new trousers. I dont wear skirts,as my lower legs are made unsightly by big areas of dark brown skin on the lower shins,pigmentation caused by the diabetes.

I forgot I had good comfortable shoes from when I went to the USA in 2018 for step granddaughters' graduation dos. Only one inch heels,never been able to wear higher heels because they did in my knees.But I wont need to search for shoes.I hate shopping

Just written out birthday card for GD1,she's 32. No impossible,I'm hardly much older than that myself

Katiehound · 17 September 2022 at 12:58PM

Wonder if Bonmarche have anything that would suit you. If you spend £30 there's no delivery charge.
Their sizes are not always accurate so worth reading the reviews
However they might be worth a look.

I really like 100% cotton but they seem to favour 100% polyester so I don't shop there as much as in the past!

Of course, I don't know how suitable they would be for a 32 year old (or similar) !!!!!

dustydigger · 17 September 2022 at 3:27PM

Katiehound said:

I really like 100% cotton but they seem to favour 100% polyester so I don't shop there as much as in the past!

Of course, I don't know how suitable they would be for a 32 year old (or similar) !!!!!

I was so annoyed that they closed down the Bonmarche branch in Sunderland recently. Now the nearest branch is miles away.

I dont usually get tops there,but I have always been happy with the sizing of their trousers,and they vary the leg length which is good.I am not keen on buying clothes online,getting the size right is difficult.

''32 or similar'' with 5 exclamation marks....

I am having a blast from the past,watching the old series,Primeval with Doug Henshall. Was thinking about it after watching the final episode of the final series of ''Shetland'' and found it on Prime. Been sitting here for 2 episodes,best part of 2 hoursand suddenly realized I was freezing! Checked and its a measly 8 degrees. Better sort through all the rubble in my bedroom to locate a cardigan. I am already back in woolly socks. Trying to keep the heating off as much as possible,but 8C is so not enjoyable. My Mrs Scrooge persona is battling with my Dusty persona who likes being warm!

We've had a spectacular run of warm weather for months,but today definitely feels like brisk autumn day

dustydigger · 17 September 2022 at 3:35PM

I hated writing ''Primeval''. I assume they spelled it that way for theramerican markets, I still want to see the old traditional ''Primaeval' spelling,which is probably dying out now

dustydigger · 18 September 2022 at 10:07AM

Another fortnight done. Time is whizzing by! It'll be Xmas before we know it.

+Its been an expensive fortnight. Four birthdays.. Raised my Scottis Power direct debit by £44,much less than what I expect to be paying under the new price fix,but the £66 or £67 monthly govt help should help a lot,plus my big credit balance. Still,its not nice when I look back a year ago when I was paying £91.

+Asd@ delivery on Tuesday,I am well under £60 this time. I have stopped stocking up on things,simply because I dont have any room for another can,bottle or packet. Between stock ups and ramming items from my china cabinet in every spare space my house feels as if its about to explode.From now on it will be one out and replace it with one.

+DS1 is extremely busy working at least another week in Scotland,then we have the christening,so its going to be mid October at the earliest before he can do the kitchen. Have to smile when he said he could do both rooms in two days,and I had to dump everything out. That stuff still cluttering up the yard..,and the bedrooms,and the cupboards.....sigh.......

+ finished all four books in my Alphabet and Board Game challenges. Still have about 4 books on my TBR,but they are longer,more serious or difficult reads. I am continually being diverted to light fluff,mindless fun,totally lightweight but fun stuff when I am down in the dumps. Too much of my heavier stuff is small print,old books going brown with age,not too good for my wonky eyes.

Next month book groups on You Tube and my reading groups are doing Spooky October,in honour of Halloween. Eerie ,ghostly,dark horror is the order of the day. I am very wimpy where horror is concerned,cant read gory stuff,so I stick to haunted houses,Lovecraftian horror,ghost stories. I am sorting out my reading list already. Every year I read Roger Zelazny's A Night in the Lonesome October.I will also read Jirel of Joiry,Jirel a warrior princess,has adventures meeting demons,and other evil creatures. Sort of like a Red Sonya,but more intelligent and fleshed out.Or Xena,but less silly, Very well written.

I am curious to read a famous (to old SF nerds) old short story by Theodore Sturgeon called ''It'' (40 years before Stephen King pinched the title for his own work.)

I will read one tough serial killer book by Faye Kellerman.And if I can get up the courage I want to read Clive Barker's Hellbound Heart. Its a novella which forms the basis of the film Hellraiser,so whether I will get through it or not I dont know!

Last year I read Barker's Weaveworld,which his fans class as just fantasy,not real horror.and that frightened the hell out of me!

Of course I will still have my children's classic to read,and the three books for the Boardgame monthly challenge,so if I have any time left I will read short weird fiction stories as and when I can fit them in. Depends on the state of the eyes.

Well that is my screed for today,Mr D is coming down now,the next 3 hours will be keeping him company watching Match of the Day and EFL show,and making dinner. Forgot to defrost the lamb last night,so wont be having that for dinner. I think I will make a homemade chicken pie. Quick defrost of chicken breast in the microwave,quick cook on the hob,and make pastry. Will defrost the meat and do it in slow cooker for tomorrow

Blackandgold_2 · 18 September 2022 at 12:26PM

You are so good at feeding Mr Digger, Dusty. (Is that an Oxford comma Therese Mc?!)

We are having some duck today, but bought pre cooked so only needs a short while in the oven and bought using a money off voucher. I once tried to pan fry duck breasts and made a real mess of the hob so never again!

dustydigger · 18 September 2022 at 1:53PM

Blackandgold_2 said:

We are having some duck today, but bought pre cooked so only needs a short while in the oven and bought using a money off voucher. I once tried to pan fry duck breasts and made a real mess of the hob so never again!

I am so not keen on game birds,they never seem to get as tender as

i would like. I did grouse the other day. Mr D didnt say anything,and he got three meals from the gift from a friend,but I would never think of buying it off my own bat.

Just had our chicken pie,not too bad. Loads of onions and nice maris piper potatoes in the pie with the chicken,but couldnt be bothered with carrots etc,back was hurting from all the standing.

Floss · 18 September 2022 at 2:18PM

Blackandgold_2 said:

... I once tried to pan fry duck breasts and made a real mess of the hob so never again!

I sear them in a hot pan & pop them in the oven 😉

dustydigger · 19 September 2022 at 7:56PM

What a day. Sitting here with swollen eyes. I kept my cool all week,but this afternoon while the Queen's coffin was sinking down to the crypt,and Charles was obviously struggling to fight off tears,and at one point shut his eyes,that was it for me,on came the waterworks!

On the other hand,there was a joyful moment when the gentleman who brings me all the eggs,and tomatoes,and lamb and grouse asked our permission to marry DD1.

. I struck a bargain that that was OK if he continued with the foodstuffs! lol.

He is such a kind,generous loving person,we are happy to welcome him to the family.No wedding day this year,we all think its a real annus horribilis,so possible a small quiet ceremony early spring. She is 52,he is 61,so hopefully they know what they are doing!

DS1 is going off with friends to Munich for the beer fest,preceded by hiking in the Bavarian mountains. Most free wekends he goes off hiking up Ben Nevis,or the Lake District,or in Snowdonia. He adores mountains,so will enjoy some new hills to conquer.

More birthdays in the week or so ahead. Two in the US,a granddaughter here,,my DD1 and Mr Dusty,all in the next 8 or 9 days.

So its all go here.

Off to the kitchen(!) soon to fry meat.I am mainly just heating up leftover spuds and veg from dinner,but frying the meat and onions fresh. Then I think it will be early to bed.Not much physical work today but a lot of emotional stuff,I am really exhausted.

Had to put the heating on tonight for a while. My nose was actually dripping!Supposed to be 12 degrees,but felt colder than that to me