Small steps lead to big changes...

jwil

beanielou said:

Great news on the sales.

Thank you

ladyholly said:

Great sales for the kids and dh. Another one here who loathes cooking. Mr LH is so fussy we end up having the same things that I know he will eat.

Thank you   Yes, same here.

EssexHebridean said:

I confess I buy peanut butter by the kilo…my favourite maker is “Proper Nutty” from Yorkshire, and I buy their “paint tins” of it! 😂😂😂 (I came back from the Good Food Show with what I hope is a year’s supply for a bargain price!) 

I’m sure Hugh Furry-Wotsit did a book a few years ago with recipes with very few ingredients - It might have been called 3 Good Things? While some of it is probably a bit “posh” for everyday meals, he does do some great down to earth family food too, so could be worth seeing if the library have it for a browse? Is there anything you can do quickly, easily and cheaply to make the kitchen more user friendly too perhaps? There is nothing like an easy to use kitchen to make you enjoy cooking more! 

Thank you, I'll have a look for the book.

I don't think there's anything I can do to the kitchen in the short term to make it more user friendly other than having another attempt at decluttering, which I plan to do.  It needs ripping out and redesigning as it's from the 1960s.  I have a plan for that which involves bricking up the back door!  But that will be dependent on finances and won't be a cheap job as we'll need to remove the big cupboard which held the old heating system.  We've turned that into a cupboard, but it's not very practical.  The wall cupboards are very narrow, and the worktop is narrow, with not a lot of useable space.  I do keep thinking about just ripping the whole lot out, getting a builder in to knock out the cupboard, and then just fill it with salvaged furniture until we can get it done properly, but I'm sure even just that would be an expensive job.

savingholmes said:

Hi Jwil

Perhaps try casserole mix pre cut veg and pre marinated food. I did that this week with sausage casserole and a separate piri piri chicken with the veg, no water, just sweetcorn tin and tinned tomatoes and sweet chilli sauce and Cajun spice worked a treat. Virtually no effort 

That is a good option - thank you!  I have to get out of my MSE head telling me it's cheaper to not buy pre-prepared ingredients.  It's not cheaper if I waste them!

WinterWarrior said:

I don’t really enjoy cooking either! There are only 2 of us, so I end up making things he will eat instead of things I would fancy. Then I’ll have a ready meal if it’s something I really want as it’s not worth the effort of making for one. 

I can only carry over 11 hours. No one has checked my hours for over 16 years, but I stick to the rules regardless 😁

I'm glad it's not just me with the fussy household!  Our system automatically knocks off the hours if you don't use them   Well done for sticking to the rules though 😇

jwil

Happy Friday everyone!  We've woken up to a blocked sink 😡🤢.  I've put a couple of kettles of boiling water down, and thankfully had some drain unblocker.  I've just heard that  'slurp' to tell me the water is draining away.  I'm usually fastidious of putting fat into a cup to solidify before putting it in the food waste, so presumably the cold has caused any dregs to build up.  

3 parcels packed and posted

I've been catching up on surveys, and received some cash back this morning from my bank account, so I've PADded that.  I might try and tackle clothing today.  Have a look through mine and little miss's, see if there's anything to go, and I can then drop it off at school this afternoon to get rid of it. (They raise money from it).

Have a good day everyone

jwil

Today's PAD - £5 (cashback)

Jan - £127

WinterWarrior

Glad you fixed the sink. With us it’s normally the shower drain as I seem to shed enough hair for a full grown yeti and I can’t always fish it out in time 😬

jwil

WinterWarrior said:

Glad you fixed the sink. With us it’s normally the shower drain as I seem to shed enough hair for a full grown yeti and I can’t always fish it out in time 😬

Oh yes, with me and little miss with long hair I feel your pain.  I probably ought to glug the remainder down the bath for good luck  

jwil

Today's PAD - £2

Jan - £129

savingholmes

Fantastic PADs for January 

jwil

I did sort most of the kids clothing yesterday, why is it always such a big job when I do it a couple of times a year??  I took one bag with me yesterday, but have another to go next week as I decided to wash it all before I dropped it off.

I didn't start my clothes so will try and finish this weekend.

DH definitely seems to have the declutter bug, and has told me he's planning on sorting a load this weekend, yay!  He's also decided to get rid of a chair that we inherited.  It's not particularly comfortable, and has just been shuffled around to be used as a dumping ground in various places.  So that's great news and another thing gone from the small bedroom ahead of it being decorated.

We've had a pretty good month for sales, so hopefully a few more before the end of the month, and long may it last!

beanielou

All sounding great 

jwil

beanielou said:

All sounding great 

Thank you   It's nice to see progress.