From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

They don't half flit about Cheery - but they are the most wonderful tone of green - it's a wonder F&b haven't got a paint shade in 'Chiff Chaff'.  

Lovely to **see** you.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

badmemory

I am quite jealous as I only seem to see magpies and pigeons.  Although shortly after Xmas I did see a robin for several days.  I thought it would appear nervous but it seemed content enough & spent some time each day.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

2/3rds of Fam. Greying packed off to "school" - tests for both today 🙄  Sweet potato chocolate cake has been deployed as an aid to brain cell utilisation 😉

Meter readings submitted.  Thank heavens energy useage has come back down to the start of autumn style 'sipping', rather than winter 'guzzling', so I only had to proffer a slight 'top up' to put us back in credit on the account.  

I have a wash on.  Make use of the sunshine.  

I think I will do part of my grocery shop today.  I am running very low on milk for some reason, and it would be squeaky for it to last until tomorrow.  It will mean (I think) that anything else needed would probably be from MrL or MrAL and would not be fridge/frozen products, so could free up which store I go to, which may tie in with some other errands I need to run either tomorrow or Friday.  Will have a think on, regarding use of time/fuel.

Tea may depend on what I get in the supermarket.  I've a plan A, but no plan B, currently.

Can't think of anything else MSE, so will push orf and get the washing pegged out and get myself organised.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Back from MrS.  

£22.11 spent.  Did a smarty shop as it yielded additional points (mean prizes) today, and I've an eye on future grocery budgets.  It was actually reasonably quiet in the shop, so my cackhandedness in flailing about a zapper, whilst trying to locate a barcode on a tin/bag/packet or box was slightly less of an issue today 🤣

I did end up with a waste box.  There were 2.  One wasn't worth it - despite there being 2 avocados in it, whereas the one I got contained several of the things on my list, plus several others that were of use.  I do also need to look up how to cook chayote, as there was one of those in the box too.  I suspect it will curry........  I have tossed one lime (out of 3) that was beyond, and the kiwi fruit (far too squishy to offer to my friend), and I am pondering what to do with the okra.  Currently I have offered it to my friend, but we will see.  There was far less okra in this box than the other, but still more than I can probably use.  I suspect I don't like okra.  Tell me if I'm wrong, but I have a feeling the best way to cook it is in tempura batter and deep fat fried.  Not a style of cooking I have the set up to do, nor interest in if I'm totally honest.  

Everything else was what was on my list.  

I can make my 'thought' for tea (it will use up the aubergine from a previous box), but also there were some salad type potatoes in this box, and I was looking at a recipe this morning that required waxy tatties, so I shall revisit that.  

Yay, my chum has said they can use the okra.  Joy.

Off to update siggie and rehome some green veg.  

Greying X

greenbee

Maybe you should ask you friend to teach you to make something delicious with the okra?

Greying_Pilgrim

That's an option greenbee, but okra is a funny one, isn't it.  It is a...... can't think of the word, but it means 'mucus like' - mulagulous or something like that????  and you have to be careful with prep/cooking to get the best out of it.  A bit like squid perhaps? either quick and hot, or long and slow.    I'm not sure it's worth it - as DH and LG still possibly wouldn't like it anyway.  Far better to get a buzz out of sharing something I think 😁

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good evening MFW'rs

I tried to make tea from what I had, and make it tasty.  I started out making my veg soup base - onions, celery (the bashed outer stalks from today's box were perfect), garlic, carrots, today's green pepper, 2 broccoli stalks etc.  Cooked in the PC with a stock cube and water, and then blitzed to a 'thick soup' consistency.   I steamed the last of the frozen sweetcorn, and then pureed it and whisked it into the 'soup' to thicken it further.  I grated some cheddar and added it and a teaspoon of dijon mustard to the soup mix. I put dried parsley, thyme, cumin and black pepper in the mix.    I steamed the whole head of cauliflower (the second, smaller one from the box, cut into small florets) and cooked up some macaroni.  When done, I added these and the 4 french beans (yes, 4) that were in today's box sliced up to the soup base.   Meanwhile, I took the 4 (yes, 4) sprouts that were in today's box, and shredded them finely and steamed them.  This riff on mac 'n cheese 'n cauliflower was dished up with a (small) portion of the steamed sprouts on top.  Chipotle chilli flakes were sprinkled over the adult's portions.  

LG declared it delish and said they would have it again.  DH wasn't as taken with it - but that may have been due to 'noises off' 🫤It did all get eaten though, clean plates all round.  I thought it worked quite well - and tasted nice and savoury, without an overpowering 'clagginess' that sometimes can accompany cheese sauces.  

There is cooked pasta left and a tub of the soup base.  

The washing dried quite well on the line, and I've now put it on the airer.  No need for the dehu.  

Keep on keeping on, doing the small things.  We'll get there.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon MFW'rs

I've been combining chores this morning.  I don't think I combined them to within an inch of time/distance/fuel vapour use, but I 'got 'em done' and had an unexpected coffee and chat in the sunshine with a chum - so actually...... I think the way I did the errands worked out more beneficial than had I got my time and motion stopwatch and measuring stick out 😉The good thing is that I've got my arris into gear and got some stuff 'oot the hoose.  Which, is much needed..........

I did call into MrAl and MrL and only got what was on my list.  I wasn't needing any green boxes today, and as it happened, there weren't any anyway.  

I spent £15.32 in total.  Will add to siggie just now.  I have a couple of items to get from hB - I'll probably do that tomorrow, and shall aim to walk.  I'm conscious that the remaining grocery budget could just fritter away, so several items are only being bought because they will facilitate making meals from the veg box contents I have recently bought.

Club tonight.  No costs involved, but I will have to think about teas.  

Ta for popping in.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

I did pop to hB (and MrS as it happened, as hB didn't have a couple of things 🙄) I chose to pop there in the car in the end - not good for my steps, I know, but the weather isn't as good as forecast, and I needed the convenience of 'speed' today.  

I spent £9.33, which was more than I anticipated, BUT, I did get 3 YS'd loaves and a pack crumpets for £2, and I also bought sunflower oil and ice-cream (went to MrS in the end for that), which hadn't been on my original list.  I think I spent around £5 more than I intended (today), but didn't buy anything that we won't use/start before the end of the month.  Will update siggie just now.

3 washes are now out on the line (inc a whites wash).  If the raindrops hold off (🫰) there is sufficient breeze to make a dent in the dryness at least.

I managed to persuade DH to use one of the 'box' bananas last night to go with yoghurt - it didn't look attractive, but was perfectly fine inside, a couple of darker spots, but they don't really affect the edibleness, and I don't think he trimmed it to nothingness either 😱 Is he learning after all these years........... 😁

I'm thinking pizza and wedges for tea.  But we'll see how this arvo goes.  I'm planning on finally getting around to some batch cooking as I have the additional components to work with my veg waste goodies.  So orf to wield a ladle I go!

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

True to form, the soccer was so interesting last night, I fell asleep and missed the second half 🤣  Saw the only goal, so clearly didn't miss anything.

The remainder of the workwear wash is on.  There is a small drying window open today, but it's a gamble as to whether the clothes will dry before the rain comes.  Thankfully I'm mostly up to date so we're all set for Monday at least.

We had HM pizza last night, and there were 3 pieces left that went into the freezer for another day.  I did 'wedges' with - but I used the 3 red tatties that had been in last week's MrS box.  2 were medium size, one was big, but very round, so the wedges weren't really wedges.  However, there were enough 'wedges' for all of us, and as I'd cut them a bit thinner, they crisped up quite well.  Anyhoo, they worked out OK and it used up something else out of a box, so that's good.  I also used up a gaggle of random apples from this week's box to make a crumble, along with the 2 plums that were in the box.  The plums seemed reluctant to ripen, despite time in this week's sunshine, but cooking them was the right thing to do, as raw they had no taste, but cooked they did taste a little plummy, and the skin added nice colour (along with the apple skins), to the crumble.  Served with a ball of vanilla flavoured ice-cream.  There are a couple of portions of crumble left.

DH is at home today, but has organised to work next weekend 🙄 But it will help Fam Greying in the long-run and we should have time together as a fam over Easter, so swings and roundabouts.  

I need to do something about sorting out the freezer space - as (ironically), it's quite full and I need to prep some more food with my waste box veg, for another day.  Fingers crossed grocery spends until the end of the month will be minimal.  Milk and olive spread are currently on the list.  

Otherwise there should be no need for spending today that I can think of.  Not the most inspiring of diary entries, but one way of keeping on track with budgeting.

Ta for popping in.  Greying X