From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

beanielou

Yes. All the Edinburgh celebrations are off. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

I am not going to put a wash on today.  I had initially thought to do one load, as there was a breezy - rain free - morning forecast.  However, on waking, the gusts already seem quite strong (set to get stronger), and I figure that keeping the clothes pegged on the line may be an issue, so I'm sticking rather than gambling.  Yesterday's loads are pretty well dried/aired, so will need putting away.  At least there will be no laundry cluttering up the front room for the NY!

I am going shopping today.  We need a few fresh bits, and I've forgotten a key ingredient for something I make on NYD (doh!).  I'm going out earlyish, and then I can't see us going out again as the bad weather sets in.  DH has a slightly later start during twixmas (whoopee doo), and combined with less commuters/school traffic, can have a more leisurely start to the morning - which is great for LG and me, we get more time with him 😁🥰

One thing that is clear is that the cupboards are RAMMED with food.  I think for January, my challenge (and it shouldn't be a challenge, but I've let myself slip in recent years), is to 'eat up all the things', and clear the cupboards.  I also have a load of unused MrT vouchers, and whilst we don't really (food) shop there anymore, I think that February may well be a challenge to purchase the 'majority' of our food - using vouchers - to get another low spend month under my belt.  That's my thinking anyway.  

Tea will be some sort of pasta bake in the SC - not too sure if it will be plant balls or tortellini.  I know if I ask LG they will choose plant balls, but we have tortellini, and this is how the 'rammed' has come about...... 🤔

Right, can't think of anything else MSE at the minute, so best shift-a-tail-feather and get going.  

Ta for popping in.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Right, shopping done.

We went to MrS and did a smarty shop.  LG was quite helpful, and luckily didn't get over-enthusiastic with the zapper, so we didn't pay for anything that wasn't on our list 😁  We encountered THE most rude "customer", who was  actually not shopping, just time wasting, and didn't like that we were actually shopping where they were standing just gazing at stuff.  They literally barged LG out of the way to get to part of the cheese counter.  Picked up a pack, mauled it and then threw it down, and walked away!  We saw them elsewhere in the store, and they were actually with someone else (their spouse?), who was struggling to gather a few bits of shopping.  Unbelieveable - and just the sort of person that had LG treated them in the same incredibly rude manner, would have whanged on about the "youth of today".  I don't know if they were hard of hearing, or just took no notice, as I did tell them how rude I thought they were.  Any other person - if they were unable to wait a nano-second for us to move away, would have said something like, "excuse me, could I just get to......".  They should have been with their spouse, helping them, as they were clearly struggling.  

I spent £23.72.  So will start up my grocery budget for January just now.  As it was a smart shop, i paid by card, so after we returned and had put the shopping away, we popped to the local PO and put the cash into my bank account, so that the grocery budget is all square.

I totted up what we spent yesterday on groceries and added it to December's total.  I decided, as December had been a low-spend month on non-food household items, I would 'take' the haircuts money out of that budget, so we've come to the end of the month under budget on food and non-food - but only just.  But that's still a win.  

I will write this here though, there is NO reason why January cannot be a LOW SPEND month on groceries as we have ENOUGH, MORE THAN ENOUGH to feed us.  Get blessed creative Greying!!!

When we came back from shopping the wind had already blown the empty wheelie bin over.  So I have put the bins in the garage, as the wind is only set to get worse.  

Right I need to get on and clear away the last couple of Christmas bits that I missed.  Fold and put away the washing.  Tidy round.  Make lunch and then maybe get on with a bit of knitting if the weather gets worse.  I think I will plump for the plant balls, with pasta for tea.  We can have the tortellini another time - and I'm blessed that my family would like either choice.  

Right, best do a bit more.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Heaven's to Betsy - have we just had a nano-second of "free" entertainment. 

We were on a video call to DH, and I was aware of a kerfuffle out the back of the house, and noticed (how could you not), a BUZZARD sat on our back fence!  I squeaked (yes, Gentle Reader, I did 😳), to LG to look - and they saw the buzzard too.  Unfortunately, our movement, coupled with the ire of several local magpies, encouraged the buzzard to take off again.  The Buzzard had clearly irked the magpies as it had it's "lunch" in a talon.........  Not too sure what the "lunch" was - I'm guessing blackbird or maybe a magpie.........Although I am not sure a Buzzard would take on a magpie, would it?  It was definitely something 'feathered' anyway.

I cannot believe that I looked out of our own house window and saw a buzzard perched on our garden fence.  Absolutely amazing.  It was one of the darker brown buzzards - are they the common buzzard?  Same shade of brown as Paddington's Aunt Lucy.  

Gosh we've seen some birding sights this year.  Absolutely marvellous. I think the male sparrow hawk is probably the top-bird trumpingtons, but to actually have something the size of a buzzard land on the fence (in an urban area) is pretty spiffy too.  We have tawny owls around - and one Friday night in...... late September?  or early October, they were flying about - but of course, it was dark, and you couldn't see if they landed in nearby trees (likely), or on roofs or fences or whatever.  We could just hear them, calling to one another.

I'm so made up - that has absolutely made my day that has.

Greying X

teapot2

How exciting for you both GP, I don't know if you would have seen it, but I watched a programme a few days ago called 'Hamza - Strictly Birds of Prey' and I'm sure he said something along the lines of Buzzards being the most common bird of prey now and to be found in every county including urban areas.  Its on the eyepl@yer if you were interested an can access that?  Some fab photography and a variety of BofP included. x

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks teapot - LG had spotted that programme.  We used to watch a programme Hamza presented "before" he danced the night away 😁  We'll search it out, thank you.  We hear the buzzards regularly here, and I love watching them surf the thermals - but I don't know as i have seen a buzzard 'landed' around here before - not even in a tree or atop a telegraph pole.  We tend to spot them when we drive out to activity, but i can't say I've seen buzzards 'not airborne' here before.  That adds to the treat I think - plus LG got to see it as well.  Plus, even though its not nice - the buzzard was doing what birds of prey do - eating it's meal.  They don't need supermarkets.  Again, it's important that LG understands that's how the natural world operates.

Greying X

EssexHebridean

Completely agree with the necessity children learning how nature survives Greying - well done you for not shielding from things like that too. Lovely to have had such a good look at the buzzard too - they really are beautiful birds aren’t they! 

FrugalHedonist

@Greying_Pilgrim I also have far too much food in my stores and i will be doing an eat it up kind of 'challenge' 
Im sorry you had a bad experience in the supermarket. I really dislike the frantic way people barge you out the way or lean over you, even if you arent taking much time - so unnecessary
I love that you have seen a Buzzard though, we have a Heron we see from time to time and once a deer we really brightened my day 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good "1st January 2025" Morning MFW'rs

FrugalHedonist - it was a bad experience, and LG knew that the person was being extremely rude.  But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if something else was at play - perhaps some form of cognitive decline.  There was a clear vacantness about everything - and for sure it wasn't personal.  I've had a chat with LG about it, without excusing the resultant utter rudeness.  

Hopefully everyone is safe, and well this morning.  I was somewhat surprised, and yet not, that some fireworks were let off last night - at midnight and before.  We had very strong winds - which could have taken fireworks anywhere.  At least it looks like all the garden fences are intact - thank heavens.

I must get around to paying the credit card bill today - it's got overlooked.  I'm still in time, but the money is there to pay, so no excuse.

I want to make a curry today - for the freezer - using the rest of the 15p parsnips.  It's a PC recipe, so should be very quick to do.  I also would like to make another 'no fail' cake using some or all of the raisin/sultana/cranberry mix I bought from MrAl before Chrimbo.  Mind, that mix made rather interesting and delicious welsh cakes, so it may well be worth saving over some to make another batch of those.  The welshcakes freeze perfectly well.

It is currently raining, so no excuse not to get on with some inside chores.  I would like to get out for a breath of fresh air this afternoon - even if it is just a quick walk around the block.  

No-one has had breakfast yet.  DH and LG are watching 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' 🙄 I still fail to see how it can be deemed a children's film 🙄 We watched the 'new' Railway Children film last night....... Sometimes I'm glad we don't rush off to see any and ever film at the cinema.......

Right - CCBB has finished, and LG has suggested it gets deleted off the video recorder (Yay!).  Off to actually practice MSE stuff 😁

Greying X

Watty1

Oh The Railway Children.  I have not watched that (original version) in years. I'm going to add that to my watch list   Thank you.