From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Morning MFW'rs

Mad isn't kayannie ☹️

I bought some apples and some tissues yesterday.  Siggie figgie already amended.  I need to return a pair of trainers today (too small), and buy a stamp to send an easter card to an aunt.

HM pizza and tattie chunks for tea last night.  There were 2 slices of pizza left, which have gone in the freezer.  We all had a fakey cornetto for pud.  

DH's workwear is in the wash.  Making use of this morning's sunshine.

Can't think of anything else MSE, so will push orf.

Greying X

rtandon27

@Greying_Pilgrim - on the odd occasion i accompany OH for a top-up shop, I'm amazed that he has the patience for MrL or Al's & the manner in which they throw your groceries at you!  The civilized staff at Waitflower are more his style and mine, where they leisurely chat and do the check-out while you pack your bags.  Personally I'm all for delivery as it allows me to keep a tight control on the budget.

Back across the pond, groceries are packed for you at the till usually in a choice of paper or plastic or reused cardboard boxes, usually by the younger employees.  OH is always amazed when they offer to carry it to the car for you!

We also have the option of full service petrol stations - but that's a different story for a different convo 🤣🤣🤣

Greying_Pilgrim

rt - I don't normally mind the rapid scanning, if I can more or less keep up.  But there are two members of staff at the local store who routinely just zip, zip, zip stuff through at a rate of knots and then literally 'push' the resultant pile of groceries down the conveyor belt.  I don't know if it still counts time or something if an item is still on a certain section of the till.  But it ain't half annoying when you've taken the trouble to select the unsquished bread or the 'not bruised' fruit etc.  

I've completed my chores.  Sent off the Easter card.  Bought a book of second class stamps, as I had none. £6.96 (non-food budget).  I exchanged the trainers for a larger size.  Bought some more apples as we're apt to scoff through them plus a box of dark choc Tunn0cks teacakes (luxury splurge) so £2.29 on food.  And stocked up on hayfever tabs £1.58 non-food budget.  

I spotted something on my walk into Greying Town that I'm not sure I've ever seen before;  Quince blossom.  I'm not sure if it varies according to variety, but this was white with a dark rose pink 'blush' on the tip, which appeared to fade as the flower unfurled.  The bees were going mad for the blossom - which is what made me look (it was in full sun), and I know that it is a quince tree, from having seen the fruit on it in the autumn.  Fancy getting to my advanced age and still spotting something new! 😁

Greying Town didn't seem very busy - well, I mean it was busy, but considering it was a Saturday, it wasn't heaving.  Although in a pedestrian zone, where cafe's, restaurants and pubs have set up outside seating, it seemed very busy.  

Cheese salad sandwiches for lunch, with a bag of crisps and a teacake - YUM!  Tea tonight will be a new to me SC recipe - Greek bakers Pot, as I have some feta left over from Thursday night's tea.  

Away to amend my siggie and then start the tea.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Weather has changed with us, although we don't appear to have had the rain that was slated - I'm pretty sure we've just had a heavy dew.

I was happy to get workwear and the last of the school uniform laundered yesterday.  Means we can start the week with everything ready for work, and uniform will all be ready to go for the start of the summer term.  I just need to get it folded away now.  

Tea - Greek Bakers's Pot (SC), last night was nice and I would make it again.  My only problem was that I started prep a bit later than I intended, and I left the tattie in too big chunks (I went by the picture of the dish, rather than the instructions in the recipe).  So they took a bit longer to cook.  However, I did like the bigger chunks of tattie (everything else was smaller), and would therefore either extend the cooking time (I was using cooked chickpeas, so aimed for 4 hrs) or make the dish in the PC in the future.  The only other amendment I made was to add tomato puree about half an hour before the end of cooking because the stock was a little too watery - for my preference.  I also added my black olives into the stew, rather than 'strewing' them over a la Nigel-a at the end.  It finished up the last of the feta.  

I forgot to mention that my PC has 'broken',  It's a common fault, and I can get a replacement part (YAY!), but I am also pretty sure i read that it doesn't impair the use of the PC, as it's just an additional safety feature.  There is a little domed lid on the main lid of the PC to deflect steam away from your hand, and it clamps on using a plastic clamp.  one of the 'legs' of the clamp had become brittle and split, so that when I took the lid off the other day, this little 'lid' fell in the casserole!  So it will stay on if upright, but not if you invert the main lid.  A replacement is about £17+ postage.  And apparently the new ones have metal clamps, which in the comments is mentioned favourably, so clearly other folk have had the same issue with the plastic 'ageing'.  At least I could fish out the lid on Thursday, and the little leg had only 'split' - it fell off after I had fished it out, so there were no foreign objects in us tea!  I did intially think I was going to have to ditch the whole casserole 😢

I don't think I will need to spend any money today.  Can't think of any more MSE news to add, so I shall go in search of a second cup of coffee.

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

peb

That confused me, PC I interpreted as Personal computer and I was concerned about the steam.....

Greying_Pilgrim

peb said:

That confused me, PC I interpreted as Personal computer and I was concerned about the steam.....

Ha ha - it'd be the steam coming out of my ears in frustration, if it was the lappy that had gone kaputski (again 🙄).  But absolutely take your point. 

What can I call the Pressure Cooker? PCooker sends out the wrong vibe.... PressCook - might infer a lot of singed Journos........  Maybe PrC?  

I also forgot to mention that yesterday, the hB drinks shelves (by the till) were awash with 'celebritee' wine.  The common theme was male, and with the first name initial 'G' - R@msay, Barl0w and N0rton.......  I didn't indulge.  Is hB last chance saloon for 'merch'?

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Weather is ok with us (rain had been forecast for most of the day - but has now changed).  I've pegged out a wash - DH's stuff, as there is a nice breeze along with intermittent sunshine, so I'm hopeful some drying will occur.  

I've started putting together my shopping list.  MrS optimistically expects me to spend more money this week in order to accrue triple points.  He can dream on - doesn't he know I'm on a budget!  I don't know whether I'm 'lucky' or a saddo, as this week's groceries needn't really be anymore than normal.  We're not entertaining, we're not being entertained, so won't need to take supplies anywhere.  I will get some veg, but that will be for 'normal' consumption.  

I didn't spend any money yesterday.  

Um, can't think of anything else to add.  

Greying X

peb

I'm expecting this week to be substantially less than normal with the veg offers!

I'm sulking as my carrot ls had gone off - possibly poor rotation - so I've paid full price today as I won't be shopping until Thursday.   I have them in salads and as a hot veg 

Greying_Pilgrim

I meant from the point of view that I wasn't going to have to be stumping up for a leg of lamb, or a Baron of beef, a turkey crown or a goose.  Even with the various offers that are on, it just seems to be so costly. 

I had some iffy carrots the other week peb - they came out of the plastic bag sopping.  I too use them in a variety of ways - grated in wraps, steamed as an accompaniment or lobbed into HM tommie sauce for a bit of added sweetness and fibre! 

Anjum Anand's lemony spinach hot pot and rice for tea.  Using up the second pot of 2 that I made incorporating an aubergine that was in a ........ MrS box?  Will serve it with basmati.  

Greying X

peb

Oh yes. But as carnivores I will be getting some lamb.