2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

Good morning All

Lots to tell you but no time right now.  I'm literally dropping into the Village Hall on my way to work, to drop of some excess courgettes.  (I swear the damn things went from non-existent to marrow-sized while we were away.)  What do you do with excess cougettes?  I've grated them for cake and as an addition to minced beef dishes.

Quick update on one of the important things:  I got my biopsy results on Wednesday, delivered to me via an NHS website.  Fortunately, nothing sinister was found - no cancer or anything nasty - but I do have signs of chronic gastritis.  Had a CT Scan of thorax and abdomen, Wednesday back a week, but won't get those results until the end of next week.  After that, I'll chase my GP for a treatment plan.

Oh... And I bought another handbag...

- Pip


ETA:  How is everyone?

Cherryfudge

So pleased your results came back without any majorly scary things, but I'm sorry to hear about the gastritis. That must be what they call 'uncomfortable' and the rest of us think of as painful.  

Did you enjoy your time away? And what's the handbag like?

I'm not too bad thanks. Been off work a long time with stress and just had a useful Occupational Health meeting which means they won't be demanding I return in the immediate future. If you're going to be off for a while, do it in the summer: it's been so nice having lots of time to garden and a fair amount of sunshine! November, however, might be a different matter so it's good that things will have moved on one way or another by then.

I'm crocheting again. Just a lacy shawl to use up a snazzy oddment of yarn but at the moment I'm doing lots of variations on the border because I can't make the pattern match the photo. I could just do a different edging, of course. Might come to that.

I've just made a carrot cake so I can't justify using any of your lovely courgettes on another sugary item - but would you mind if I take one to add to dinner? Thank you - I remember pre-war, frying them in butter and that was delicious. There's always marrow and ginger jam, too: I'm sure jam doesn't know the difference between marrow and courgette.

MrsCD

Pleased your results came back as they did, Pip, except for the gastritis. 😣 but I can't wait to hear about your holiday!

I've had my annual MOT today...so far, so good. Blood results in a week or so.

Our daughter drove us up to the East Fortune Air Museum on Wednesday. It's a long time since we were there, and I found some of the planes looking quite sad and a bit neglected, although I enjoyed the Vulcan, Comet and Concord. A highlight was the Lego history models. Lots of things from general history, e.g. Roman baths, the industrial revolution etc. I found it really interesting and there were groups of children with worksheets to fill in.
   We came down through Bamburgh with its imposing castle to Seahouses, where we had fish and/or chips for tea. Beautiful!! And home by 6pm!

As far as sorting Dad's things...only one more refund due then I can close the bank accounts. Still working through 'stuff', but the big cardboard boxes have gone, and daughters have taken some tablecloths and teasets. I took some mugs to the coffee morning, and they were snapped up straight away. Slowly, slowly....getting there!

Gem-gem

Good evening everyone. 

Pip, pleased your results came back without anything too nasty. I have been living with mild gastritis for years. I took a stomach acid suppressant for years then weened myself off them, Most of the time I can control it with diet however, if I get stressed or want to have an alcoholic drink or milky product then I have to take one. The dr are happy for me to self medicate 'as and when' needed. 

Mrs CD, pleased to hear that your results are okay so far.  I've recently had all the female medical checks. All has come back clear. 

Both my husband and I had a sigmoid colonoscopy this week. We both had a polyp removed. I need to have another one to check the rest of my colon. DH has already had a full colon check but couldn't have it removed as they told him to only stop his blood thinners for one day not three. 

Cherry fudge, I'm crocheting again too. I am still working on my poncho ( coupons b CT punted last year). I am also making my BIL Christmas present - hot water bottle cover. Recently I have finished three dinosaurs, a stegosaurus, a brontosaurus and a diplodocus. 

At the beginning of the year I said that I will not buy any wool till at least July. T0ft has 17% off at the moment, so I will be using my husbands coupons to purchase some wool to make another poncho. I also want to get some wool to make a lap blanket to use in the Anderson shelter. 

No new clothes spend for me. Need to look in the charity shops for some new shorts for DH. He needs to next size down. 

MrsCD

@Gem-gem,  at least the Drs are getting you sorted, but not a nice thing to have done.😣 
Our coffee morning ladies have finished another 12 twiddle muffs to go with the 7 we made before our holidays. We'll have a break from making them for a while to get on with our own projects, but I've said we can make more if they ask. They're going to the stroke ward to help with dementia patients.

Laura_Elsewhere

I drank far more than most in my teens and twenties and ended up with the bluntly-named "chronic alcoholic gastritis" which was actually very helpful because every time I drank more than three pints of cider, it, er, bounced, so to speak...! 
There are benefits to gastritis, in certain circumstances! Built-in natural Antabuse...  

That's all many years ago now - it took til my mid-thirties to get on top of it properly but now I have gastritis only if I skip meals and grab high-sugar snacks and soft drinks... which I reckon is fair enough, my poor innards are within their rights to complain if I'm treating them like that!  
But the chronic gastritis was miserable - @PipneyJane and @Gem-gem, I hope yours settles well and soon! 

Mr E has developed lymphoedema, mainly in one leg but a little in the other - a well-documented late side-effect of thew 7 weeks of pelvic radiotherapy some 18 months back... the specialist clinic is in a local hospice (excellent way to make us EVEN more thankful than we already are) and have been very helpful. We've shrunk his right thigh by 3cm already in just a fortnight of me massaging his leg for 10-15 minutes every morning and every evening... he spotted the difference when there was very little swelling, so we're hopeful we can really turn it back. It may be that it creeps back every so often but I reckon we can get his legs to approximately-normal levels and then just keep an eye open and chase it back whenever it reappears  

CapricornLass

Sorry to hear so many of you have ailments - hope everything gets sorted/better soon!

MrsCD

Sorry to hear of MrE's problem, @Laura_Elsewhere
At least there's something you can do to help.
You reminded me of why my dad didn't drink.... When he was in the army doing his National Service, some of the lads went out for a drink or two. My dad had one pint of beer and it didn't stay down! That was it! No more! 

Cherryfudge

I'm sorry to hear of people's various health issues. I hope all are feeling better soon and symptoms subside.

And now a brief update on coupons-not-spent! A friend took me to a car boot sale in her area over the weekend and we both found treasure. Mine was a smart blouse, an as-new chenille jumper with a scarf to match, a contrasting scarf that also works well with it, and two tee shirts. My remaining coupons live to fight another day and I'm delighted with what I have.

I also bought a book on making soft-bodied dolls which might lead to using some fabric scraps at some point.

It does occur to me that second hand clothing was probably a lot harder to come by during the war.

Laura_Elsewhere

Oh splendid, @Cherryfudge - that's a good haul!

I have done a Very Rare Thing - I've just bought myself a new dress! Last time I did that was.... er.... umm....  


It's a White Stuff dress, 100% cotton, with two pockets (!), and was £75 but John Lewis had one left, in my size, reduced to £33, with free delivery to a shop that is one of those collection-points, just a mile's walk away. 

I'm quite pleased...

My 21 coupons are now down to 14 coupons... 

Here it is in the pic from the M&S page where it's 46 quid...