Dusty's Frugal Fortnights Return!

pollyanna_26

You must have the patience of Job Dusty the constant stress of the pools situation and MrD blaming you for mistakes even phoning your son to complain and check is above my tolerance level.

As MrD does go shopping and sometimes travels back to Africa to see his family couldn't he take over dealing with the bins? It isn't safe for you to try to sruggle down the step with your bad leg..

The constant interferance because tou are on the computer is bizarre as though your attention must always be on him when at  times you're trying to sort out important things.

I'm glad you've cut out the Pepsi Max my childern did but I never used fizzy drinks myself. As a child someone would come round selling lemonade, Cream Soda etc in glass bottles and we'd sometimes have some of that on Sayurdays . A while later my mum and I were walking home after visiting one of my aunties and there was a little wooden hut on the brow of the bridge . Wehad a look and the woman told us she made botanically brewed soft drinks and grew herbs for both health and other uses.She made lovely soaps and cleaning products. Mum was dubious but bought me a drink of Dandelion and Burdock  in a little glass bottle better than anything I 'd ever tasted and I lived to tell the tale

After that I looked for drinks like that .I was fed up with all the cans I used to have to wash for the recycling bin. Coke and others and they weren't very healthy.

I discovered Fentimans Botanically Brewed drinks which had it seemed been around for years in both small and large  glass bottles. They used to be difficult to find in shops but my little Coop sell all the different flavours in the glass bottles my favourites are rose lemonade or dandelion and burdock or sometimes Ginger Beer.

I'm wondering if after the council said you would have pay for a replacement bin you had a chance to mention  you were disabled and on a limited income .

Different councils have different policies here they wont repair a bin or provide a free replacement,We have to move our bins out to the front of the drive and put them near the edge of the pavement for the bin men who;d leave empty bins on the pavement.

They amended that a few years ago for elderly infirm or disabled the binmen would collect the bins onsite and they would take them to the lorry and bring them back instesd of leaving them on the pavement.

Could be worth you trying the council again.

I hope the family turn up and you get to enjoy theircompany.

pollyx

pollyanna_26

beanie Nicola does have a good head on her shoulders. I'm not aware if she knows of the difficulties people are having finding a suiable site for their jabs. My friend in Borders has been longing for Indy for years and it's looking more likely now the UK govt are tearing each other apart.

I hope the email to your GP brings a suitable solution.ASAP.

pollyx

pollyanna_26

dustydigger said:

@pollyanna_26

oh boy ,those vanity projects.When government cuts started out the city council used libraries as a soft target,closing down 7 of the 12 libraries,more than decimating bookbuying funds. But in the central library the council thought it was a great idea to do a mural on the children's library wall. A mere £50,000. Pretty bland,mediocre affair. Only six months later they closed down the whole purposebuilt library,stored away 95% of the books,and stuffed the library in a small spare room at the museum!.Its half the size of my branch library. They got rid of the computer room,which had at least 20 computers,always in use with waiting queues Now there are two! I often think of that poorly executed mural there in an empty building.What a waste of £50,000!

There were 6 libraries in this area 2 of them massive the smallest was a little one nearby where I used to take my children to change their books and choose the next ones. ir was a small wooden building painted white just a few minutes walk from primary school.

The big central library and an almost as big  one in a nearby village  brought computers in lots of them but could still function as a lending library. That didn't bother me many people couldn't afford tech at home some were having to job search or respond to the DWP.The books began to to disappear then a big legal practise took over the building along with estate agents and others

The other big library went the same way until there were none.

Their was a campaign  to establish a community library in an abandoned former stationmasters house old and neglected by the railway station  the railway company agreed if the character of the house was retained and many of us agreed  to that as it was a beautiful house typical of the time it was built and the village was full of shops and some house from the same period apart from plumbing . electric s and the roof it was a diy project.

One day dd 1 and I called in to see if help was needed and were horrified to see a former lib dem MP very domineering and utterly hopeless but had somehow managed to hang on to his seat for years he'd finally lost his seat  but decided he was self appointed project manager always shouting at volunteers and ordering everyne about and suggesting things that wouldn't reflect the character of the building.

It's just a few minutes walk from where dd is living a sort of library but he prefers people to buy books rather than borrow them . Also supposed to be a help and advice centre but that fizled out.

The first time we walked past it we noticed the front door was what looked like a cheap copy  of the Carolina doors  popular in the 60s and 70s not at all the door of a Stationmaster and his Family.

My first husban and his family worked on the railway through generations like those before him my husband had fired those steam engines that must have passed all the traditional railway buidings then driven them until they were no more just for hire to those who fancied a trip as thay'd been sold to a private company.

I remember as a child days trips to the area I now live in on steam trains and passing all those railway buildings . Heading through Lancashire on a different line I pass beautiful looked after railway buildings including stationmasters houses and the big pots of seasonal flowers I remember are still on the platform and outside the buidings

Apart from denying books to those who couldn't buy them the closing of lending libraries stopped many of all ages learning the joy of a book. I could afford to buy my children books when paperbacks came out but many couldn't

Worse of all many lovely people who'd become friends over the years found themselves out of a job they'd studied hard for

pollyx

dustydigger

Sunday morning,a bit nippy at 10C with no heating on..

Yesterday afternoon I first had DD2,her daughter,and DS1s daughter. The girls are only 10 months apart in age,and seem to be joined at the hip. Where one is,the other is sure to follow. Later I saw DS2 his partner,and GD6. They werent here long as they were taking the littl'un to see Mr Bubbleman,someone making huge bubbles. But when they left the sky was looking very threatening,and later it rained,so I dont know if they saw much of the show.

Just realized its the last day of this frugal fortnight,I feel as if it was only about 5 days long! Glad to see £50 left in the HBB box,out of the £75 put in back on Monday 3rd. Apart from top up bread and fruit,all we bought was a lamb joint,though that was a whopping £12.and those curries and artificial sweetener and pastry, which were a Her*n spend of around £8. I was happy to be able to stay under my groceries ceiling of £120 for the fortnight,though it was only about 30p below. Considering how prices have soared this year,I am quite pleased  with those figures.No birthday gifts this month,no buying clothes for christenings,so its been a good fortnight,although the way the dates of bills changed fortnights,so I had high bills,my bank buffer was well up to coping. As long as that is so,I am happy

Glad to see the £66 from the govt finally went in my account.Still probably a month to go for the other £234.We all thought the energy bills were going to be bad,but they are now dwarfed by potential mortgage interest rises. Only bit of silver lining in view is that is now the folks who wouldnt notice £100 extra on their energy bills,its onlyone less posh bottle of wine,or a resteraunt meal a month are going to feel the pinch when their million pound mortgages go up by £5000 a month!

Potatoes are on,making chicken pie and carrots.  Will end for now,making dinner,then sitting around with Mr Dusty,but if he goes for a nap after dinner,I hope to get back on here. Ciao

pollyanna_26

Pleased you saw family and well done on the money still in the HBB box at the end of this fortnight.

Lamb is expesive though stewing lamb better priced. None of us were fond of poultry and at Christmas my butcher would bone out a leg of lamb always lower than his normal price and add the bones telling me to put them in the roasting tin as they were the base of a very good gravy and they were. Without the bone the lamb was easy to slice.

Sometimes we'd have lamb mince, or leg steaks and sometimes beef stew as well as lamb casseroles with parsley dumplings still my favouite and freezes well in portions minus the dumplings . Pasta with homemade sauces was often on the meniu or Jacket potatoes. I used to scoop out the fillings mash them and mix with grated cheese  and a pinch of dry mustard mixed in then put them under the grill to brown the top . They were very popular served with grilled tomatoes  spring or white cabbage and tiny peas; Hot weather would be big mixed salads sometimes  with little new potatoes.

I used to make pastry for large mince or steak and kidney pies. I lked lambs liver casseroled and served with buttery  mash and veg though my son hated it.

Our meals were varied always roast on Sunday  Porridge for breakfast in winter,Cakes and others were homemade. Sometimes I miss those days with everyone around the farmhouse table Sometimes my son would say you know I can;t stand tomatoes mum. He;d had a short break after leaving school waiting to be accepted on a YTS scheme to one day be able to drive the  trains  his dad had. His best friend was also hoping to join a different course.

Many of their friends were already working with money in their pockets but I grew sick of the pair of them moaning as I was trying to get on with things.I suggested they looked for tempoary jobs but they said others waiting for the training courses had snapped them all up.I suggested  they got on their bikes and called at the farms and smallholding a few miles up the road to ask if they needed tempory staff.

Some weren't big but some huge ones grew for the supermarkets and were always looking  for seasonal staff. They came back happy they'd both been accepted by the biggest and could start work the following day.

Following  day they came back very down in the  mouth they were on tomato picking the tiny ones like Tumblers. They were paid by weight and had to pick loads to earn anything. A few weeks later they announced they'd handed in their  notice. The YTS letters arrived.

Ever after and he's in his early 50s now still driving the trains if there was a sign of a tomato on his plate son wouls ay you know I have a phobia and don;t like tomatoes. It never stoppped him squirting Tomato Ketchup over his meals or eating Heinz tomato soup. When I started growing the tiny tumblers along with the usual ones he was outraged.

I sometimes wonder if a the dad of 3 with a train driver son ever eats tomatoes or if he's stuck to processed ones.

Hope MrD went for nap and you have some time to get online Dusty.

pollyx

dustydigger

Lovely memories. I personally have never been able to eat tinned tomatoes,dont like the taste or that strange blood red odd consistency. Quite different with fresh toms. A family friend regularly brings me bags of REAL tomatoes,and I love them. I will eat them like an apple. Cant stand the supermarket tomatoes. No taste at all,hard,with skins seemingly made of plastic!

I have never been able to drink cofee. I think its because back in the 50s and 60s the only coffee ordinary people had was Camp coffee,liquid in a bottle. Yuck!!!! .Even the smell of coffee is horrible to me.

Never got back on line after dinner,needed to rest. Flaked out for over an hour around 2 pm,and woke up freezing. Had to put on the radiators,and I took a long time to warm up,and sat as near the radiators as  possible,and then watched you tube..Never got up the gumption to sit at the computer as I could feel my back being a little dodgy for sitting there. And the computer is 10 feet away from the radiator.

Oh well,see you all tomorrow. New fortnight,new budget,new Monday morning household chores list which I rarely even half do.

off to do Mr Dusty's supper.

dustydigger

Whew,its been a busy,confused sort of day

+.Its budget day for me,Mr Dusty went to town and collected our pension credit. No surprises for once But he meant to buy rump steak,and a farmhouse loaf and just didnt do any shopping at all,it went out of his head completely    So I am making ,which will be 3 meals. I have a packet of diced beef in the freezer,am now defrosting it,and will make some sort of  casserole for supper tomorrow. Better late than never.

+I watched Jeremy Hunt totally trashing everything Truss had done,ripping away everything she believed in in the hope the markets will respond favorably. Unfortunately he also tampered with the energy guarantee,no longer available for 2 years,only 6 months before a ''review'',after which there will be targeting. Ouch. I waited till 3.30 expecting a much more detailed explanatian from Hunt to parliament,but we sat waiting almost an hour before he turned up gave basically the same info,except for talking about the setting up of some economic ''experts'' to advise him on policies.Tory policies obviously Oh dear........I'm sure the markets must be happy,but heaven help the rest of us.

+I had been waiting almost a week for a call from ABL,A Better Life,whom my surgery put me in touch with as a group who can advise on strategies for weight loss. After half an hour I declined their imput. There are weekly groups but the only one in our area is in Wingate. I would need a bus to Peterlee,8 miles away,a long wait and another bus ride. Total travel time one and a half hours. There is also a zoom version,but I am not technological expert at all,and dont want to show my face to a lot of strangers.I was expecting some sort of approach more tailored to me as an individual,perhaps some personal phone calls,or emails with info,but there is only these zoom talks,or a journey to somewhere way off the beaten track as far as I am concerned.So I turned it down,will go it alone.May look at some phone app which may have some usueful stuff.

+ I think my B12 jab is taking effect,I am not too bad today,I will try to rev myself up to start doing at least a little exercise. I know from experience exercise is an vital part of getting my metabolism to at least stir itself a little bit,to counter the metformin too,so I am going to start a 10 week plan of my own,and by baby steps build up exercise and better food choices.We'll see........

+Oh about my jab last week,I have a really huge bruise where she gave me the needle,a big multicoloured bruiseas big as a 5p coin,it looks really ugly. Good job its weather for long sleeves!

+last week I got the NHS app and last Tuesday set up to order my repeat subscriptions on the app instead of phoning my chemist. Have waited a bit nervously but finally the script  arrived this afternoon.

dustydigger

,Hmm,a bit late,but at least I am on the correct day!

---------------------

Dusty's Frugal Fortnight #12  Budget for  17th October to 30th October

Part is online,part cash

online income: £79  pension ,£250 added to bank from our Pension Credit.making £329 in total in bank

Then £73 cash to HBB (Home Budget Box) 

Total income  for fortnight.-£402.

All bills paid online as follows(rounded up)

Charity DD - £3

Kindle Unlimited - £8

Life insurance - £20

Asd@ food deliveries (estimate)  - £130

total online bills - £161 To bank buffer - £199

----------------------

Thats a big sum going to the buffer,but my outgoings for budget #13 will be the one with lots of bills at the beginning of the month,plus charities,coming out,plus of course a whopping £238 for Scottish Power. Ouch. That will certainly whittle down any large balance!it should go down to around £100 then

dustydigger

Oh boy,the political turmoil is very wearing. I sorted out my energy payments,though its too high ,and I have £734 credit,which is supposed to wait for the yearly review to be dealt with,but I know they are extending the tariff review an extra year,supposedly to make it a fair period to estimate a fair price. Nasty shock yesterday when Hunt ripped up the two year promise,now its only 6 months. Oh joy,then the cap will rise gigantically to well over £4000. And less people will get help. So April will be a terrible time for so many people. Heartbreaking. Even January will be bad,since they are adjusting the price cap every 3 months now,and know. Have to say I felt sorry for Liz Truss yesterday,she was so humiliated in Parliament. She came trotting behind Hunt,and had to listen to all her plans ripped to shreds. And then she left hurriedly.I certainly disliked the way Penny Mordaunt was acting as if she was already PM,looking arrogant and aggressive. We must be the laughing stock of the world,and our economy is ruined.

dreaming

Dusty - you can "hide" your face on Zoom so you don't have to be on public display. Last year I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic and took part in an online course to help learn some new eating habits (Living Well, Taking Control). It did help and I managed to lose a stone and a half, so it was helpful to me. Unfortunately just as it finished I was diagnosed with myasthenia and an eye problem and some of the old habits (carbs!!) have crept back in. I now have a date for my eye op. but have now also been told I have uterine cancer so am looking at a hysterectomy in a few weeks so the 2 hospitals involved are trying to co-ordinate things. Luckily the cancer is grade 1 and the doctor said is slow growing but I am obviously feeling very nervous but also very grateful for the NHS and hope we soon get a government (of whatever persuasion) who will start to fund it adequately.
I'm afraid I can't feel sorry for Truss, only for our poor old country.