From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

rtandon27

It's been utterly torrential where we are GP! The sun came out at 5pm and is now setting, but the ground and air are still heavy with dampness.

The load from yesterday stayed inside today with the dehumidifier running and I've only just put it away.  Next load is in the machine and will hang inside overnight, if the promised sun materializes tomorrow then it will be outside on the airer for the day, if not then another round of the dehumidifier.  I am determined to make the most of my Thanksgiving week off and be completely caught up with laundry by the time I go back in a week's time! Putting away all the summer things and fishing out all the winter things is the goal.  Several throws and blankets may or may not need a wash before use, depending on whether or not they are musty from their time stored away!  For the moment am washing and storing various summer bits to store away as well as our usual year round bits, and weekly socks/smalls load.

This staying clean thing is never-ending! 🤣🤣🤣

Greying_Pilgrim

Oh Cheery you are so right.  I was lucky, lucky, lucky, for sure.  The washing got pretty much maximum exposure to the sun that we had/managed to peek over roof tops, it blew in the breeze (which was just strong enough) for a couple of hours, and purely by chance I decided to get it in when I thought the temperature was going to go colder, and it missed the rain shower that randomly showed up.

Tea has been scoffed I made 'Black bean Dhal' which is one of the..... only?  two? recipes that I have bothered to write out of Jack Monroe's "Tin Can Cook" book, which i borrowed from the library.  As it happened, I had all the ingredients in - the lentils were frozen from a bulk cook up, the black beans were tinned, and I had a splodge of coconut milk/cream left over from a previously opened tin that I froze for use in a recipe such as this.  I served with boiled basmati.  Clean plates all round.  Yoghurt and fruit for pud.

I showed DH the pics of our old house.  He wasn't impressed and pointed out all the things that we'd in fact done prior to the original sale 🤣  Mostly because he is still suffering the sore back from laying a patio that we never got to use 🤣

Today I am grateful that I got a load of washing dry, I put food on the table without breaking the bank and we've got to spend the afternoon in the company of DH/beloved papa.  Pretty spiffy day.

Greying X

beanielou

Hailstones here. A little thunder & lightning too.  Delightful. Not. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Cold here and overcast, but there's a breeze, so I've put DH's (incredibly dirty) works clothes on to wash, and will peg them out just now.

I've popped the de-humidifier for 1hr on to finish off the tops from yesterday (possibly overkill) as they are in the front room and it's clearing the windows too.

I'm going to cook up a vat of tommie sauce in the PC today and for tea tonight I am going to make a 'sort of' paprika chicken style stew using the sauce and qu0rn pieces.  I will serve with mash and green veg.

Lunch will probably be some sort of soup again - 'tis the weather for it.

I am definitely going to finish the second of DH's work hats today.  No excuse not to.

Right, I've made a pot of tea, re-arranged the anti-macassars, so I best get outta here. There are actually biscuits in the tin for once (go me! 🤣).

Greying X

kayannie

Would LG eat beetroot? I made our favourite beetroot & horseradish soup yesterday, perfect for this time of year as the horseradish gives it an extra 'kick' of heat but not overpowering.  It was a recipe from a NT magazine years ago which I adapted to make it simpler (eg beetroot already cooked).
KA

Greying_Pilgrim

Hey kayannie - as yet I've not managed to convert LG into a beetroot lover 😞They just don't like the colour and that is an end to it - although I am sure, sure, sure they used to eat beetroot when they were weaning/first on solids.  Vac pac beetroot is the best isn't it?  Although I don't mind if I get some beetroot eg in a MrL box, as I can cook them in the PC, which is really handy.  Actually, of the boxes in MrL the other day, the only one i was mildly tempted by had a bunch of beetroot in it (but I was put off by the green tatties, having just bought some all rounders and mini tatties in MrAl).

Gosh it's cold here.  I have the bedroom window open to disperse the condensation, but it's not conducive to knitting 🙁  But still, I'm making progress with DH's hat, so it's all good.

DH and LG have gone out for a cycle around.  A flask of hot chocolate and a biscuit each has accompanied them.

Right, back to my knitting.  Magic loop here we come 😁😁😁

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

I remember once taking a flask of hot chocolate and a biscuit on a long walk after hearing you mention it Greying, many years ago now, at least 7 or 8 years, possibly longer. I remembered you'd said about adding spice to make it extra special, and I put a pinch of cinnamon in it. I walked about 9 miles in total, to meet a friend in a cafe in an alpaca farm 😂 for some reason I've retained very vivid memories of that hot chocolate, associated with that walk, so thank you both for sparking the original situation, and the memory this morning 😊

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Lord Cheery - I too remember that 'conversation' around flavoured hot chocolates.  I recall I tried orange zest in my version - but it was way toooooooo 'bitty'.  Was picking zest outta me teeth for hours 🤣

Do you know, I think it was pre LG days, so a long time ago........ 😱

DH and LG sent me the pic of them having a snap stop.  I think they managed more than 100 yards before the hot choc was cracked open.......... 🤔🤣

Greying X

kayannie

I sent my GS & his friend off once with 'elevensies' when they were going somewhere. It transpired that they had 'ninesies'! 

We grow beetroot, but I use them for a salad, grated raw with carrot, olive oil & vinegar. I refuse to cook them, I don't have a PC & they take far to long to cook. I use the vac pacs when I make soup or beetroot chutney. 
KA

Greying_Pilgrim

Oh kayannie - for sure there was no incentive to cook beetroot before I got the PC.  Way too long, and not what you need in a cold kitchen on a cold day - extra steam 🙁

So I am beginning to think that in some ways our indoctrination teaching of LG in the ways of thrift is near completion, as on the cycle round, LG spotted that someone had put out a box of cooking apples F2GH, and persuaded their beloved papa to find room in the top box to bring them home 🥰  Naturally self-interest was at play here, as LG lurves apple cake and apple crumble - so...... 🤣  I will now do fish, chips and beans for tea as I can then justify having the oven on to cook a crumble.  The apples are 'supposed' to be bramleys, but I'm sure they will cook up fine.  Our first 'free, please take' of the season 😁

EDIT:  Sorry, I re-read the ^ and realised that it sounded as if DH & LG had taken all the apples on offer.  That wasn't the case.  They selected 4 medium size (which actually makes me think they aren't bramleys - plus the colour/shape), and there were apples left over for others.  We're trying to instill the concept of receiving, but also not hoarding/taking too much/interrupting "flow" with LG.

Lunch was pea soup, made with 2 tins of mushy peas and a tin of marrowfat peas.  LG is not a fan of peas, but they did eat up their bowl of soup, because I put some fake pr1ngles in a bowl, and said that LG was welcome to have some, as long as they ate their soup.  As it happens, they slurped it up without much bother 😉

I finished the second hat I was making for DH, for work.  I knew it wouldn't take that long if I just got on it.  I haven't anymore of the main colour, but I think when I next order some yarn I will get a ball, as it wouldn't harm to have one or two more.  DH wears them all the time, and they whilst they wash OK, they get left in the car or missed to go in the wash, so another 1 or 2 won't harm. 

Right, I am going to go and get the washing in before the temperature turns too much.  We didn't get a sustained breeze in the end, so I've no expectations for anything to be 'dry', but the fact it's been out at all is a bonus.  At least I'm marginally ahead with all 'uniform' washes.

Greying X