From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Mmmm, it's strange re-do I have never been able to get LG 'engaged' with the library.  We went there plenty when LG was small, (although obvs they were virtually the first to close and last to open when c'vid hit), and there are several librarians who know LG and remember them as a baby, but books wise, we rarely ever borrow anything - LG does have a card.  Whereas I loved libraries when I was little, I loved the school library van that came once or twice a year to change our class books, I loved the mobile library that visited the nearby hamlet (the smell of it!), and I loved the main library in the town, that for a while (seemed like an age), was based in a demountable building and I remember the safety barriers (to stop you nicking books!) that had a huge sign warning about coming near if you had a pacemaker.  My grandad had just been fitted with a pacemaker, so I wondered how dangerous it would be for him to visit the library.  

I don't dismiss re-reading, I've done it myself, but LG isn't straying from a set of books, that they have re-read and re-read, to the point I don't even think they are actually 'reading', more like turning pages, several at a time, to avoid something new.  Although having said that, they asked for something different this afternoon, dismissed a book that they had read the first in the series of, and have now got 'Eddie Albert' (Paul O'Grady) off the shelf again.  A re-read, but at least it's some time since the last read, and a different genre, so.......

I actually think children's fiction/young adult books are really good and there are new authors that are bringing out some cracking stories.  I actually prefer to read those books over adult fiction.  Although I am guilty of not reading so much (in book form) anymore.  But I have always lost myself in the Famous 5, Secret Seven, Malory Towers, and now it's books by M G Leonard, Matt Haig, Alex Bell etc etc.  I'm slowly collecting the Swallows & Amazons series - I would have loved to have a childhood where I could sail to an island 🥰

Greying X

Blackcats

GP - I lived v close to Wimbledon Common so I was always hopeful that I might spot a womble going about their recycling work.  I'm not sure how big they are in their native environment so I suppose if they were teeny tiny I might have missed them.  

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

We're officially into the second half of the summer hols today ☹️  I have to say, although LG isn't a terribly willing/enthusiastic diary keeper, I'm really glad that it's being done, in a fashion.  Looking back to what we've done - OK, not something spiffy "everyday" and we haven't (yet) stayed away from the homestead, but we've done quite a bit.  Easy to forget, even only after 3 weeks - in which LG was also ill for a time, which took out a few days of activities.

I'm hoping to use one of the newspaper vouchers today to go to a natty trusty place.  I've invited a chum along (their child is chums with LG although not in the same school), but have yet to hear back.  But we'll go whether they join us or not.  

I've been trying to look into using the other newspaper vouchers we have - hopefully with DH.  A couple of places I would like to take LG - I'm not sure they were with us for the one place, and the other I seem to recall they may have been a toddler....... 🤔 are 'close-ish', but if we aimed to do both of them together, a stop-over in a purple hotel (on LG's holiday wish list) could come into play.  The trouble being, the cheapest night is a Sunday, and to use that we would need to consider either the BH weekend (vouchers not eligible for use that weekend) or the last day of August, which we could only visit one place, and the Monday is 1st September and the offer ends.  Alternatively, we could drive to the venues in a day - entirely feasible - or pick some other places.  But, as MSE'rs will all recognise, much the same as insurance comparison sites, last minute hotel booking sites, pop band ticket release site watching, this research all takes time.  Meanwhile LG has "where are we going today mum?" on a loop..........  

Tea last night was inspired by a request from LG.  we had plant balls in tommie sauce with added mixed veg, served over rice.  YS'd strawberries and greek yoghurt was to follow.  I've no idea what to do for tea tonight, it will depend what time we're in from adventurising - hopefully not too late, as I think we're forecast another el scorchio today.  

Right, best go and pack some snap.  We've nothing too spiffy in the cupboards, our chums always have more exciting fare, but I can't be ar$ed to schlep to the shops - roadworks are resulting in utter chaos around our way and I'm willing to delay that pain until I need to do this week's shop.  

Today's MSEness is limited to the use of a voucher and packing a picnic.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Well, we've had a wonderful day.  It was just LG and I, but we got to the venue (car park was already filling), and decided to do all the bits that were 'out in the sun' first.

We toured the outbuildings, garden, and then went to the kids play area (which was excellent).  The temperature was really starting to rise at this point (the play area was thankfully shaded), so we walked around the farthest most reach of the garden and found a shaded spot to eat our lunch.  The seat was in amongst some...... nepeta? and there was a constant hum of bees - mostly carder bees I think, who hadn't got the time to get niggly with us, and just kept popping from flower to flower.  Thankfully there were no wasps in the vicinity, as there was virtually no breeze to deter them.  Lunch munched, we finished off the garden and went to look around the house - which thankfully is always cooler - although I must admit, today was the warmest it's ever seemed.  The natty trusty have done alot of work and there was far more 'open' today than I have ever seen.  We the went for an icecream.  As there was an option to have 'handmade' icecream (made in a factory, but as 'handmade' as you get at commercial enterprise level).  We had a 'single' scoop each (generous), which was £3.60, whether you had a tubful (me) or a cone (LG).  A double scoop was £4.50, which is comparable with other places, but frankly, what we had was delicious, and 'enough' - I'm not sure more would have added to our enjoyment.  It's good when that happens, and you needn't feel stingy, and can just concentrate on savouring the treat 😁

Tea was dirty rice, made with some frozen rice, HM tommie sauce, added chopped onion, celery and mixed peppers and a tin of borlotti beans.  I cooked up 4 veggie sausages and chopped them up and popped them in the mix.  There was Korean pepper paste in the tomato sauce and I sprinkled bagel seasoning over the top.  A slightly different version, which went down well with the troops.  Yoghurt and tinned peaches for pud.

Today I am grateful for the use of a car and having a speck of fuel to travel slightly further afield.  LG had a ball in the play area - and showed great development in their engagement with the play equipment.  Last time we went (which was some years ago), LG did at least go on some of the equipment, but with a helping hand from daddy.  Today they were a veritable mountain goat and just went off - whoosh!  🤣

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good evening MFW'rs

I did a quick shop for a few bits today.  I have amended my siggie figgie, but spent approx £11 on non-food and nearly £6 on food in HB.  I did get a couple of new cool bags, one slightly bigger to use when shopping - my old one is starting to fray at the seams (non-mendable), and a small one which was supposed to be a lunch carrier, but when I saw them in hB the other day, I deduced that they would probably carry 3 of our water bottles, so useful if we've taken cold water out on a hot day, and also keeps them together, rather than rattling about.  

We then packed up some snap and took off to pick up a chum and we went out to a EH place.  I drove, as we'd been chauffered last time when we used an NT voucher together.  We were literally the only people at the site - which in a way was a shame, as it really is a lovely place, and they seem to have a top-notch set of volunteers who maintain and interpret the site.  In fact, LG was identified by one volunteer as we walked in - we don't go there that often, and as LG isn't too norty, and isn't on any 'Wanted' posters that i know of, so it's down to the super-duper niceness of that particular volunteer, who really is in the right 'vocation' as they are super welcoming and knowledegable.

Once we'd finished lunch, we had a wander about - a couple of other people had arrived by then, and then we took off to find a much needed 'farmhouse' icecream.  We took our treats over to the green near the church, and enjoyed a 'leisurely lick' 😁

Tea was a tadge 'samey' as I was a bit pooped by the time we got in - I think it was the heat.  We had the rest of the lentil ragu that I made the other day.  LG (predictably) had it over pasta, DH and I had it over baked potato.  I finished off the bag of frozen broccoli and defrosted some green beans.  We had yoghurt and tinned peaches (rest of the can) for pud.  

Again we benefitted from a car to use and fuel in it to have a trip out today.  Our chums are good company, and operate on similar budget lines.  

I should have added, I did well to get hold of the cool bags today, as summer is officially over - hB were setting out the halloween stuff in 2 of the aisles in store today....... 🫤

Can't think of anything else MSE to add.  Ta for popping by.  Appreciated.

Greying X

rtandon27

Halloween? Doesn't that fall in the same category of wearing white after labour day? Taboo! Surely it's back to school time when we oggle new stationary even though last year's is perfectly serviceable!

Suffolksue

“Back to school “time seems to be before they break-up nowadays !

themadvix

Sounds like you’ve had another fabulous day there Greying! Am taking niece out with my school friends and their children tomorrow and I’m looking forward to the weather being nice enough for an ice cream as it wasn’t last week.

If I had my way the H word wouldn’t be mentioned until the beginning of October half term!

badmemory

Thanks for reminding me - I had better get DS's birthday card next time I go out or they will be nowhere to be seen.  When he was little it was all about the difficulty of finding a boy card there were so many born locally - basically 3 in 4 born were boys, when he started school 12 of the 18 in his class were boys.

Greying_Pilgrim

Ha ha - yes, the 'Back to skool' stationery/lunch cool bag/water bottle section in hB had definitely been truncated in favour of faux skeletons, pumpkin shaped buckets and other assorted 'paraphernalia'.  I'm afraid I'm a bit 🙄 about halloween.  I'm not into the horror genre, feel the 'candy' fascination has gone too far (even various american bloggers I used to read said the same), and have never been one for dressing up - so I'm afraid it doesn't interest me.  LG is meh about it (thankfully), and schools (in England) seem to have shifted October HT to cover the end of October, so at least the school/peer pressure is lifted slightly.  

The ice-cream yesterday was nice - but not quite as nice as Tuesday's offering, and was a smaller portion - but was slightly cheaper too, so swings and roundabouts.  I like to have 'farmhouse-style- icecream when possible (if it's good) as you can pick up a 'conventional' icecream anywhere, so I try to go for the treat aspect when out.  And it has seemed better the last couple of times as it has been so.blessed.hot.

Shopping day today.  And then I'm hopeful we can take out lunch out somewhere.  DH has pleaded for the big car back today ☹️so we won't be able to offer to take our chums (they might be busy anyway).  My idea today is the tiny miniscule town across the way that has an 'interesting' ruin atop a hillock, and a tiny wee museum that is normally closed the days we go, but should be open today.  It'll be volunteer-led, so could be marvellous, or not - but thus far; tiny, wee, enthusiastic volunteer-led museums have contributed to a grand day out for us this holiday.  

I didn't see the meteor shower.  I couldn't get to sleep for a long time (too hot), but I certainly wasn't awake when the street lights eventually go off here, so couldn't see anything anyway.  

Right so I best get going.  

Greying X