From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

I'm 'school run free' this morning - DH has willingly accompanied LG to school 😁 

A wash has been pegged out.  Although I may have to dodge showers, at least there is a breeze forecast for today - I think tomorrow would be drier, but with no breeze - not a good combination for our washing line location.

Advent calendar has been 'opened' and the tomte chapter read.  

We did end up having burgers and chips for tea last night.  A popular choice with the fam. but not ideal - we've been 'veg dodging' a bit too much recently.  Pud was indeed HM biscuits and ice-cream.  I made mine into an 'icecream sandwich' - and was immediately emulated 🤣  As I was enjoying it, I was thinking how we wouldn't have done that at home when I was a kid.  I can't actually recall making biscuits (cakes and puddings were more likely).  Our icecream 'sandwiches' would have been the block icecream with 2 wafers as the 'bread'.  That seemed to be the 'adult' choice if an icecream was bought from a shop or (rarely) the van.  It was fun, we enjoyed the biscuits (actually, although they could be made from scratch, I didn't think they were too bad for a 'packet' mix - better to have made them with that, than not at all, I think), and LG got to see their efforts enjoyed by others.  

I have just been listening to the food prog on R4 - the subject was 'Nana's cooking'.  Lawks I feel old - I kept nodding my head, "yep, I would do that. yep, done that" 🤣  The lass from Norfolk was a very interesting listen, as not only had she 'lived/worked' the reality of modern family life, but she was fair in her presentation of it. There is not just one reason for food poverty/cooking skills poverty/health inequality.

Anyhoo, I am going to do some food shopping today.  We've run out of cheese, and I will be able to do a smart shop - as it might be a bit quieter.  Need to finish off my list.

Interesting that several things have occurred in the past couple of days that have made me feel less 'isolated' about my views on money/stuff as far as LG is concerned.  School has changed their minds about a requirement for this week which might have put pressure on parents/carers to provide 'all that things, in all the right order and at the right time - at the drop of a hat', and now someone has pushed back at club about fees for an event. We're not actually involved in that one, but it is still interesting to see that I am clearly not the only one having to apply prudence and logic to the family budget - and there is only so much pie to divvy up at any one time.

Gosh, time has flown since I started typing this.  You will have to make your own mind up if I have been pulled to 'find this', 'do we have?', 'can I take'..........🤣

Tea is currently up in the air, as I am not sure if I will have to take LG to activity, or whether 'beloved papa' will get chosen 🤔  I don't mind either way - and yes, for sure I am treasuring these moments that we are still wanted in LG's life - I know it doesn't last.  

Ta for being here.  Appreciated.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

So, shopping done.  I also added milk to the list as with DH at home, the 'cups o' tea' rate quadruples through the day, and the milk we have won't last until Thursday.  

WHO did i bump into in MrS, but the former work colleague who had given me the biscuit cutters that we used yesterday!  How bizarre!  But also how lovely to be able to tell them that not only was the gift being used, but that  LG (who they know about/have met) was getting to use them too! 😁

I spent £20.69 in MrS.  Seems high, but I did buy 2 blocks of cheese, so that bumped up the cost.  I don't know if the 'rowdy crowd' had been in, but there was a case of baked beans that had **clearly** been sat on (or perhaps dropped), and the contents of several tins were all over the shelf. Although I was getting some tins from the 'non-splattered' side, I was conscious of the slightly wiffy pong, and hoped no-one thought it was me........ 🤣  Then I don't know what was going on with the eggs, but it looked like someone had thrown the few remaining boxes back into a spare crate - they were all over the place.  I did manage to check whether the ones I was buying weren't damaged - but, you know how busy the egg aisle gets.

I was thinking about the radio show I mentioned ^  I had forgotten to say that the restauranteur who had named his place after his grandmother and had kitted out the dining room with touches that reminded him of her, mentioned her making a stir-fry using BNS peel.  Not the flesh, he quite clearly said that was kept for other dishes, but he remembers the stir fry having a wonderful taste which, as he said, was sometimes lacking in the other dishes that actually used the pumpkin flesh.  I wonder what the dish was?  Sounds like the ultimate model of thrift, using the peelings and the flesh.  He did also mention melon seeds, and how his grandmother would peel them to be eaten - and how thankfully, now, he could purchase processed melon seeds, as he couldn't retain a brigade big enough to peel melon seeds.  

Greying X

rtandon27

GP - I listened to that lovely 😍 radio show episode as well.  Lots of reminiscing about how my Gran used to do things - I loved the lady who had jars of fat and bits of gravy in her fridge!  I've been know to make OH use up rendered fat when making our Saturday bottom of the fridge omelette! Those eggy breakfasts are some of our favorite meals!

Greying_Pilgrim

Ha ha - yes, RT she knew her onions alright.  She was originally from Sheffield, wasn't she?  And went on to be a hotelier - she mentioned March - in Cambridgeshire??  Still wish I could find out what the BNS skin stir fry involved.  Although a quick goggle brought up numerous suggestions, with compost not amongst them - although I'm not too sure about BNS skin pot pourri 🤔

Well I made curry, dhal and rice for tea.  The curry was made up, but involved BNS, chickpeas, onions, garlic, ginger a tin of tomatoes, curry powder and coriander.  I got the BNS out of the freezer and sorted through it by hand as it defrosted.  I did find 2 and a half seeds in what was no more than half a bag of chopped BNS 🙁  Not good, but at least I could tell LG I had sorted it, and to the best of my knowledge there was no seeds in there.  There was a portion of curry and one of dhal left over for another day.  Felt good to be eating something in the vegetable realm!  I also made a batch of curry spice powder from whole seeds as I had run out.  Should last for a couple more curries and a dhal.  

DH took LG to activity, and expressed support and sympathy for me having to drive those country back lanes  each week - particularly in the dark months 🙁

LG has a school trip tomorrow.  I had better make sure they have everything on the list for that.  They have to take a pack up - which is not so different for LG, but I want to put a couple of nice things in the box, so need to get things out of the freezer.  I also need to make sure that all the stuff they've got to take is labelled.  

DH has done well with the painting.  At least i like the colour, so that's a bonus!  It's lighter than what was there previously, so immediately the place looks more cheerful.

Still can't get over the serendipity of bumping into my old work colleague. So nice to have a natter and catch up.

The washing got 1hr in front of the dehu and it's now on an airer in front of the radiator.  most of it is dry and will probably be dry by morning.  Again, for the time of year, I am very pleased to have got it to this point.  

i did buy a swede in MrS today.  Seems the harvester had been a bit gungho with slicing the top and bottom of the swede.  I don't think I have ever seen so much taken off the top of a swede with some of them.  I think MrS swedes have a guaranteed min. weight sticker on them - mine had fallen off, but the till assistant tapped in the relevant code and I got charged for a swede, so.....

Today it was nice that LG was disappointed that I was on pick-up duty, as they had expected their beloved papa to come.  But the flip side of that was that DH was working hard to finish off the section he was working on, and he did jump at the chance to accompany LG to school and to club - which he normally misses, so the day was a win.  

Greying X

Watty1

I thought of you and LG and simple pleasures yesterday. I had breakfast with a friend, her husband and daughter. Daughter was 4, it was her birthday.  We chatted a bit about her gifts and her day and general gossip.  The place was huge and empty and while mum and dad were talking to the staff about a party they wanted to arrange little one and I played hide and seek. There was a lot of giggling and shrieking and a few "be quiet" looks from dad but he found it to hard to say anything when the old lady friend is whole heartedly joining in the fun.   Afterwards she chattered about the fun. What mattered was not the toys or the breakfast out but the game of hide and seek. They left to buy a Christmas Tree and the birthday girl waved enthusiastically goodbye.

It struck me, as so often, that simple fun and time is so much more than the "show" of the gifts. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Too true Watty, too true!

Cold start with us, but at least I've been spared the school run again - last day of DH being on hols tho, so back to it tomoz.

LG survived the school trip and enjoyed it.  So that's one xmas activity down - a gazinty billion to go.

I have done a wash and pegged out.  The weather isn't brilliant for drying today, but it's forecast to be the best (no rain forecast, at least), for a couple of days, so making hay and all that.  LG needs some clothes that were used yesterday for the weekend, so I've got to keep up the momentum and give myself time/options to use the launderette if necessary.

Tea last night was lentil bolognese, pasta and steamed cauliflower.  The lentil bolognese was a hit, the cauli received less enthusiastically, but it was ALL eaten up, so no complaints.  I made a 'never fail' fruit cake yesterday too, so that has been divvied up and most put in the freezer so that a slab slice can be popped in a  lunchbox for various 'special' lunch days in the next couple of weeks.

I need to pop into Greying Town today.  Shift a little money to pay the CC bill and to look for a clothing item for LG that is "supposed" to be in stock in a shop in town.  I shall not be holding my breath, as I think computers make stock figures up most of the time.  

DH has done well with the painting - not the most interesting of jobs - and he is far too critical of his own work.  He filled cracks and dinks before painting, and even though he smoothed, smoothed and smoothed some more, the filler is still visible (moreso if you know where to look), and he's werriting about that now.  I wonder how many professional painters would have bothered with the filling in the first place for what were, in effect, hairline cracks........ I like the colour anyway.  It wasn't horrid before, but this shade is lighter and makes the space brighter - important on in a stairwell I think.

Watched the women's footy last night (the Eng v Sui match).  They seem to have taken a leaf out of the men's game.  It wasn't very engaging - just like the match against the USA.  Should have been watching Team Wales lasses instead!

Right. I best shift a tail feather.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

A reasonably successful morning.  

Money shuffled to cover the payment of the cc bill, and the bill summarily paid.  

I managed to get LG the item of clothing that I was after.  Actually - as is the bonus with being able to 'see things in reality, rather than on-line', I didn't end up with what I went in for - because, (if the sizing is OK), I actually found something far more suitable, that hadn't even 'jumped out at me' online.  So if the item fits, I shall be pleased as it is actually what I was after, rather than a compromise.  And credit where it's due, there was one of the (correct size) items on the hanger that I had initially seen online and would have bought, had I not found a better option.  

Whilst queuing to pay, I bumped into someone who I was in school with.  They are slightly younger than me, but they were telling me about their kids who are out of university now...... 😕 Ho hum,  I am such an auld mum 😕

I then popped into a couple of chazzers.  Slim pickings today, but I did pick up another item of clothing for LG.  Hopefully/probably too big at the moment, but possibly good for future wear.  I don't think the item had been used/worn, and I decided to take a punt for £2, because I know that I wouldn't be able to wander into a shop and get anything off the peg for less!  Gee, kids clothes are (like everything else), expensive.  

I'm pleased that we are getting a slightly stronger breeze than was forecast.  I don't think the washing will be dry - especially not the towels and a couple of heavier clothing items, but it was certainly worth the punt to peg out today.  

I bought a couple of food items in hB, so I must add my expenditure to my siggie.  I will dig out the receipt. 

Greying X 

badmemory

I know just what you mean about being an old mum.  When I moved back up here over 30 years ago I went into a local building society & met someone I was at school with almost a year younger than me.  She had two married daughters well in their 20s with a grandchild on the way & there was I with an 8 year old.  I remember thinking (very briefly) if that was me I would be free of all this getting school uniform ready & lunchboxes, but never mind another 10 to 15 years & I will get there.  Now in his early 40s & still at home.

teapot2

My mum was 40 when I was born and 43 when my sis appeared.  My dad was a couple of years older than mum.  I'd like to think we turned out ok and didn't miss out on anything though money was tight and would probably have been even tighter if parents had us earlier.  I think being surrounded by love and thoughtful parenting like LG is what matters so don't be doing yourself down lady x

Greying_Pilgrim

badmemory and teapot2 - thank you both for your input.  That's the thing, there are several lasses I went to school with who, are indeed, grandmothers now.  And there are several people in the same year/same school who never lived to see their own children grow up, never mind grandchildren arrive, so yes, it's extremely important to count our blessings - and try our best in the here and now.

The advent activity was to make lovely cups of hot chocolate to share with DH after school.  Not the cheapest activity, when the ingredients were totted up, but then there are sufficient leftovers to make at least 6 more hot chocolates, so per cup it is certainly cheaper than wandering into a cafe....... The ingredients cost the equivalent of 2 HC's from a coffee house chain (I think - ballpark).   Plus LG had the joy of helping to make (where they could safely) a nice treat for them and DH.  I'm not a huge fan of hot chocolate - I indulge every so often, but wasn't in the mood today - so I was offered a sip from each flavoured cup and that was sufficient for me 😁

Tomorrow's Advent activity will have to be swapped around as I haven't started finished writing Christmas cards yet, so they cannae be posted! 

The new clothing fits LG - although the chazzer shop find could do well to be put away for another 6 months or so - but that's good enough for £2.  I did a quick wash with the new item as LG will need it for the weekend.  It has had an hour in front of the dehu, and then hopefully overnight on the airer will make it sufficiently dry for Saturday.

Tea was veggie sausages, mash, carrots and green beans.  Nice change and everything was munched.  I also stuck a couple of microwaved tatties in the oven to crisp up for DH and I to have for tea tomorrow.  

Actually, I just looked up the starry-male deer franchise Hot Chocolate prices, and the ingredients for our HC bar cost less than 2 HC's would cost in-house - and we got more flavours to choose from, so I don't feel badly about it at all. Our version is costing about 88p per cup I think.   LG is enjoying the mixture of things so far, and hasn't really missed the chocolate for breakfast angle that we (unfortunately) started several years ago.  And they are still enjoying their actual HM advent calendar, so that's a win.

DH has done well with the decorating and is going back to (paid) work tomorrow for a rest...... 🤣

Today has been a good day.

Greying X