From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

badmemory

I'm not a fan of crumble but batter pudding is a winner.

EssexHebridean

Oh heck, I am SO craving crumble now! 

It must be said GP, your food photography really is rather lovely!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon MSE'rs

Well thank you all for your kind comments.  Although EH I can take no credit for the photography really, the phone has a food setting on it.  It's not brilliant. but it's certainly better than my DSLR, but not a patch on my old cheap 'n cheerful c00lpix that used to be brill for food and macro pics.  

We did indeed go adventuring today 😁  It chopped and changed over several ideas between last night and this morning - mostly due to DH being pouty about taking the bikes anywhere, which rather stumped one of LG's preferred locations - which was the furthest away, and needed a 'hook' to make it worthwhile to go.  However, we ended up settling for a 'tried and trusted', and after packing a picnic and every type of clothing, for every type of weather we set off.  I reckon the ley lines must have been guiding us to MSE central..........  As I know that several MSE'rs do live in that neck of t'woods......  We were close to our destination, so dove into the local MrL. Fab decision, as there were 7 - yes, count 'em, seven - £1.50 boxes on the side.  At least 5 of them represented good value for money, and there were 2 of those 5, that caught my eye.  I plumped for the one with a head of brocolli, 3 bananas, 2 apples, a load of carrots, 2 oranges, 2 beetroot, 2 heads of lettuce, 2 salad tomatoes and a handful of cherry tomatoes, an onion, 2 lemons (actually rotten and chucked), an avocado (possibly too ripe - jury is currently out), a nectarine (currently rock hard, may ripen).  I was happy with my box, and it was so nice to be able to purchase one again!

Then we set out for our final destination, and whilst we were weighing up parking (there is free, cheap and very expensive), I asked DH to just keep on driving instead of turning around, as whilst we were familiar with this town, we hadn't been (together/as a family) to the next town along.  So we did.  And we found free parking, just on the outskirts, and decided to explore this new town.  We had an entertaining time, and although we didn't explore all the back streets (we'll have that for another time), we did have a good time - and LG said on several occasions how much they were enjoying themselves (despite DH still being grumpy 🙄).  I have to say, he's a fool unto himself, as I can see that LG is still quite taken with relatively simple pleasures, and they were really quite well behaved, and I don't think they asked for anything...... maybe an ice-cream at one point, but they didn't ask for anything else.  It can't be much fun, stuck with your mum & dad, who look old enough to be your grandparents - I took a selfie of us all, and my, I've aged...... 😕 So who knows how many times more we can have days like these.  DH should be champing at the bit to be with his family.  

So other than my MrL box, and a small box of 'breakfast' biscuits from MrL for 'elevenses' our trip just cost us fuel for the car.  And to hear LG laughing and getting engaged by things was absolutely priceless.  Plus, we now know a bit more about another part of an area that isn't too far away for day/short stay visits, so we can explore further/take our bikes.

Tea is going to be the YS'd quiche I got from HB the other week - I've defrosted it in the fridge o/night, tatties and broccoli and possibly some steamed carrots.  Pud will be l/o crumble and yoghurt.  

We've had a wonderful day - full of memory making.  I'm grateful that all the stars aligned to make it happen.

Ta for popping in and cheering Fam. Greying on - appreciated 😁

Greying X

rtandon27

Lovely Edition of the Greying Family Chronicles XXX

kayannie

What a lovely day out! I love discovering a new place to explore & LG is obviously enjoying himself! Congratulations on the MrL box! I'm hoping to get one tomorrow as it was last Thursday when I got a good one, but it doesn't always follow. 
Picked more blackberries this afternoon but got home too late to turn them into a pudd for tonight so they're in the fridge until tomorrow. 
KA

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks kayannie - it was great to go somewhere new to LG.  I don't know if DH had been there before, last time I went was when I was in primary school with a Sunday school day trip.  Funnily enough, there were some youth/community groups gathered there yesterday - the one group had phenomenal catering arrangements - it was all going on like clockwork 😁👍  I was itching to see what had been prepared - looked delicious, and such an improvement on a curly cheese sanger 😁

I hope you are successful in MrL today!

Shopping day for me.  so we'll probably get that out the way first, then the weather will dictate what we do for the rest of the day.  I don't think we will be going 'out' out today.  I suspect DH has one last day trip in him before he grumbles that chores need fixing......

I don't think - other than spending on shopping - any particularly MSE activities will be happening today.  If the weather turns - as forecast - I may make soup for lunch, using the stalk of the broccoli head from yesterday - it really was a stunner. The head alone would have been £1.50 had it been 'perfect' - even if it wasn't organic.  As it was I think it was suffering a few 'sun spots' - but they didn't affect the taste.

Right, I hear movement upstairs, better go and get the kettle on.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

***Update*** - the incredibly squishy (honestly, it felt liquidy) avocado yielded breakfast for me this morning.  When cut open, the flesh was soft, and there were a couple of black spots on the outside (bruising?), which i scooped around - the stone fell out, but I would reckon that 90% (at least) of the flesh was useable.  So go me having smashed avocado on toast on me hollibonts! 👍

I am so pleased, only 2 lemons and a satsuma got ditched from my MrL box, which isn't too bad (would prefer zero waste, but as a percentage, that's acceptable).  And as the avocado was hidden at the bottom, and i didn't see it initially, it was a bit of a Brucey-bonus tbh 😁

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Back from an epic shopping trip....... soooo much money spent 😬  

On food I spent £61.15 across MrL, HB and MrS.  Plus I spent £16.99 on a bulk bag of rice (so from bulk purchases, not grocery budget), and I spent £1.99 in non-food (shampoo).

The shopping does look distorted, as I spotted MrL have some beer on special that DH and I both like, plus I bought some wine too, so a third of the cost was alcohol 😕I bought some reasonable potatoes - they were Marfona variety, produce of Cornwall.

DH did marvel at the cost of blackberries in MrL - £1.79 for a small punnet.  I did purchase a punnet of the valoo strawberries, they were £1.09, and at least did smell of strawberries.  We've not had many strawberries  this year, they have kept their high price - even after wimbleydon - and the valoo ones just haven't had any scent.

I didn't notice anything that had risen in price.  I don't think I got anything n*ctar priced in MrS, and the only YS'd thing I got in MrL was a bag of sweeties for LG, but there was so much faff over them going through full price, and then the till operative trying to refund/charge me the full price again, I began to wish I'd not bothered.  I might have been able to get the rice for slightly cheaper, but at least I know the quality of the MrL basmati, and the price was certainly less than anything in MrS.  

Greying X

kayannie

I was very lucky today - I got a box AND a free croissant from MrL! When I went in the store at 9.30 there were no boxes but by the time I'd loaded up the trolley & paid at the self service till, I spotted the boxes had been put out! As there was an assistant standing by the tills, I asked him to charge me for a box & then I'd choose one on the way past (there were plenty there so I knew there'd be at least one that was ok). Luckily he gave me a receipt because as I was making my way out, another assistant on a till screeched at me to stop! It's not the first time she's been stroppy, she's well known for the way she speaks to customers. I showed her my receipt & was allowed out! The only item inedible was a squashed bunch of basil & that's now on the compost heap so nothing wasted.

I popped into MrA after for a couple of things I couldn't get at MrL & found some wonky strawberries reduced to half price. Not gone over either!

KA

Greying_Pilgrim

Oh heavens kayannie - how horrid to get screeched at!  There is no need, no need at all. We have a similarly screechy employee at our local MrAl, they really seem to get something out of screeching at people, or having a personal conversation (loudly) with friends or colleagues, over your head whilst you are getting served.  Thank heavens for not having to shop much at MrL and self scanners........

Well, we're well on our way to millionaire-hood.  DH is digging in the garden (where else would he be whilst on holiday??) and he and LG dug up a Victorian penny 😁  Unfortunately, it is very worn, and I suspect at some point either a cart or train ran over it, as it is buckled.  But given that this area was supposed to have been some sort of quarry at one point, it shows that folk were wandering about.  And although the housing estate hasn't been here for all that long (< 50 years), I'm surprised it hasn't been found/removed before.  Or perhaps it has - perhaps folk thought nothing of a bashed penny and tossed it back.  But it is 150 years old.....

We didn't have soup for lunch.  The weather is grey and overcast, but still quite warm, so we had cheese salad sandwiches instead.  

DH has sorted out his car insurance.  To be fair he has started to be willing to compare and haggle.  The company wanted very nearly £100 more than last year, so he did the comparison, and got 2 quotes that were at least £60 less.  Rang up the original company and they said he could have it for £65 less than the renewal quote..........  🙄 Ever felt life involves more tangoes than an episode of Strictly........🙄

And the finds keep coming...... part of a clay pipe (tobacco), has just been unearthed..... is this evidence that our home is built on the local tip from Victorian times...... 🤔😬

Greying X