From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hiya Greying, you have a depth of soul & an abundance of kindness & generosity of spirit

Your posts are as wholesome as they were when I was clearing the mortgage. If ever anyone needs a focal point for understanding how to live a good life - you are it

Sorry for the family loss. It's always difficult & grief sweeps over us at will

Sending a big hug.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Thank you, Tilly, you are kind.  I was fortunate in that it was a family member from the slightly wider circle, but none-the-less, the passing was unexpected, and certainly attendance at the funeral would have at least provided support to other folk in the family who are struggling currently.  Unfortunately, timing wasn't on my side, and I still have to care for LG outside of school.

Interestingly I was 'vented to' (I hadn't done anything wrong, but was obviously a kindly 'nearest ear') yesterday by someone at the school gate who felt that they were being taken advantage of by their own child with the out-of-school care of grandchildren.  Apparently they felt caring for grandchildren if their parents are at work is one thing, caring for them if the parents are going out for jollies apparently isn't.  I can only listen on, as I try not to feel envious of other parents who have 'grandma & grandpa' to call on at the drop of a hat for school gate collection, or sleepovers, or holiday stays.  One clear disadvantage of being older parents yourself is that there are no older relatives to provide care, or they are too infirm to care safely.  

A towels wash and a few other bits has been completed and pegged out.  I have my shopping list and will set out just now.  The list isn't very long.

The school meals service has taken to doing 'themed' menus now and today they were doing a riff on halloween.  I have attempted to 'replicate' it for LG's butty box, using (hopefully) slightly more healthy options.  I don't know how it will play out, but at least I tried.  I have also included a (small) treat that LG hasn't seen, so I hope that makes them smile and feel loved.  I try to keep lunch healthy, as currently lunchboxes are not policed, and neither do I want them to be, but at least the treat is in keeping with the overall theme.  

I was going to organise going for lunch with LG tomorrow (PD day), but the cinema was mentioned as something to do in the hols, and I texted a mum chum and they could come with us tomorrow (LG had asked if a friend could come, they didn't mind who, just to go with friends to share the fun), so I've organised that instead - which is around lunchtime anyway, purely by chance.  We still have time to organise lunch, so hopefully that can happen at some point too.

I've not got a firm decision on what to do for tea yet - just in case I spot something YS'd in the shops.  

Right, better get a move on.  

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

teapot2

I'm sure LG will enjoy and be delighted by their unexpected lunch box treat.  Enjoy the cinema outing when it comes.  The October break has finished up here and they are back in school now, I hope you have decentish weather for the time off down sarf as that makes a difference for outings and general 'what to do with the days' x

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks teapot2 - we've got a little overnight stay booked (secret from LG) at the start of the week, so yes, definitely fingers crossed for decent weatherage 😁

Back from shopping.  

Just when I thought MrL couldn't give me anymore reasons to give up shopping with them.......  I now see that their yellow orange stickered items start out at only 20% off - not 30% as previously.  AND don't think that if you take something that has a 30% sticker on it, that will be your discount, oh no.  The tills are already programmed and you only receive a 20% discount........ 😕

I did only buy one reduced item - it was a box of biscuit mix.  Now, before you begin to shout at the screen, I wouldn't normally use boxed cake and biscuit mixes, but this is for LG  and DH to do a bit of cooking together, so sometimes it's just easier....... They are a flavour that LG likes, and although they aren't specifically halloween-centric, they "will do".  I have also picked up some icing writing pens in 2 colours as I have seen some buns with some decorations on that are super easy to replicate and LG and DH can have a go at those too.  Those will be more halloween themed (although at best the buns will either be vanilla or maybe marble cake).

In total I spent £32.41 which is a bit more than I intended, but I did get some treats for the cinema and now have the bits and pieces for baking.  

I did also buy some easy peelers and leeks in the PoTW - which I hadn't intended, but they were well priced, so....

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

No need to justify biscuit mix to us Greying! I'm sure GP will love your baking activity, and I hope they will enjoy the trip away too...

Interestingly, my sister was out of luck with grandparent care too, despite having her children starting age 24. Our dad is out of the picture, and mum still works full time even all these years later, so no after school pick ups for her either! (And little in the way of weekend care either) That certainly makes things harder than people who have grandparents who are more available.

Do show us a picture of your decorations if you can!

debtfreewannabe321

I used to use the boxed cake and biscuit mixes for the kids, they felt all independent doing it themselves then. I think they have their place in the kitchen when kids are involved. Hope LG enjoys them! 

badmemory

Living 200 miles away from grandparents does not help although to be fair my parents looked after DS for a fortnight when then H won a holiday for 2.  The little horror only went & got chickenpox!  So instead of being in school he was at home all day. 

in_need_of_direction

An email from the mr s magazine just hit my in box.  The website has various Halloween fancies to be made

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon MFW'rs

Well I started a post before, caught part of a computer key as I was typing and "whoosh" it disappeared into the ether 😢  It was b00ker prize worthy, too................... 😘

Anyhoo.  Long and short.  Hair cut - check.  Movie outing - Check.

Film was "Wi1d R0bot" and was very good.  Essentially a child's film (I think the book was children's fiction), but the theme was love and 'parenting' (in it's widest interpretation).  Smalls enjoyed it, their attendant mummas were trying very hard not to blub too loudly...................... 😢

Sweet treats were brought from home and one mumma bought in her own beverage too 👍

I bought some YS'd parsnips in M&$ today.  Not a huge discount, about 30% off I think.  I also bought some YS'd bread products in h3r0n - got 3 packets of 'thins' and soft pitas and wholemeal rolls for just under a quid.  Hate to think what it would have cost me proper price.  Having spent money in MrL on a yellow orange stickered box of biscuit mix yesterday, I found that h3r0n had them for 50p cheaper today - not YS'd...... 😡

Um, DH is on hols as from today.  He wants to do DIY, LG and I want him to "play" with us.  We'll have to try to weave in a bit of everything.  We will pop for a night and a couple of days away at the end of the weekend.  Room is a cheap PI, I haven't done any planning or prep yet tho.

Need to shift some money around for November's bills.  LG's club has released a whole load of trips and activities this week.  I love that they allow payment for (most) things in instalments, but unfortunately they pretty much all start on the same date, so a wodge of cash needs to be available to cover deposits .  However, it is one of those things, and the costs are at least spread out, so we're very lucky really.  It was just a bit of a shock, but the value of participation is actually worth far more than the financial outlay, and we can manage it in the short term to budget it in the long term.  We have had to say no to one event that is just a bit too expensive.  LG is OK about it though.

I'm making pizza this afternoon, but not too sure if we'll eat it for tea.  LG is full of cinema treats, we had a late lunch, and I for one could forego tea quite easily.  If we don't have the pizza tonight, it will be our PI tea over the weekend.

Right, best dash.  

Ta for popping by,

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Bad nights sleep - or a good night for wakefulness, depending on your viewpoint.  So unfortunately a slow start for me here.  I've only just put DH's workclothes on for the full wash (have to do a prewash on some bits), so that'll eat into drying time 😕 mea culpa.

DH and LG were watchin 'Bloo Peeter'.  Gosh, I now realise why when I was young my mother always used to dismiss the chance of making any of the recipes or things that they made on-screen as using too expensive ingredients, or using lots of components that we never had together at the same time.  It hasn't changed in that regard.  The presenter was making some cupcakes - I'm not too sure if they weren't based on refridgerator cake, so there may not have been any cooking involved, but they were somewhat slap-dash in their making, and - annoyingly - the ones that were brought out as "here's some I made earlier" were suspiciously better than anything the presenter had achieved. Also, I am pretty sure the presenter was using silicone cupcake cakes, which were more robust to withstand pressing biscuit mixture into.  DH couldn't see it, and said, "oh no, they are normal cases".

However, at least the programme hasn't lost it's eclectic mix of topics, and the lass from the stage show 'Wick3d' singing in the studio was just sensational.  The movie trailer for the film version was on at the cinema yesterday.

Trying to decide whether to skip my intention to go into Greying Town to do the money shuffle.  I have still got time before the DD's go out, and should probably get my posterior into gear and start prepping for our overnight stop.  I'm finding it really strange that I've had no "reminder" emails from Sir Lenny about our stay 🤔  And yet I have the email that said our room was quite clearly booked 🤔

There is a robin on top of the tree just across from the window, singing its little heart out.  The leaves (on that tree) are all acid yellow and light green and there is some red virginia creeper (?) nearby.  It's just autumn in a scene.  When we were going to the cinema yesterday i pointed out a line of trees to LG that were just the essence of  autumn in their colours - copper, gold, lime, russet..... I must have indoctrinated schooled LG well as they said, "most people wouldn't notice those trees, and it costs nothing to look" 🥰

Lunch is likely to be soup based.  We ended up having burgers and chips for tea last night - I have cut the pizza up for eating another time, and put it in the freezer - bums, that reminds me, I need foil.  Perhaps I ought to go into Greying Town after all...... Anyway, I used 3 of the baps out of the YS'd wholemeal baps 6-pack I got in h3r0n, for tea, so will use up the rest for lunch.  They were the 'W' branded ones - OK for 35p, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have paid £1.40 proper price......

Right, need to get a shift on.  Ta for being here.  Appreciated.

Greying X