From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

ladybird  - the daft thing was that the courgette in the quiche was grated, and noticeable, but the veg tomato pasta sauce was chunky and the courgette was cubed, and obvious ...... go figure 🤣Funny how LG has eaten chocolate courgette cake - made with grated courgettes -  before now 😉... kids 🙄🤣

Cherryfudge - that's how we used to have them when I was little - although I think we could only stretch to ordinary granulated sugar.  I prefer to eat them like an orange now - but only if red/ruby, not really something to try with a white grapefruit - where's the lip-puckeringly sour-face smiley, when you need it? 😁

Sunshine_girl2 - that's great that your kids run with the competitive swimming and I agree with the instilling of organisation and 'discipline' (meant in the widest sense of the word, not getting shouted at by a parade ground sargeant-type), unfortunately LG doesn't have the confidence to be 'competitive'.  And they perceive club swimming to be competitive ☹️  I think martial arts can offer the same organisation/discipline, if the club is run well.  I'm pretty sure there are several clubs in Greying Town of varying disciplines, but I know that there have been issues with children attending 'for the wrong reasons'........worth investigation tho.

LG mentioned to DH that they didn't have such a good day at school yesterday 🙄They are in a very large class, and there are quite a few disruptive children ☹️ I don't know what, if anything, can be done about it.  The headteacher keeps on expanding the school, there are no official limits on class sizes, and we can't easily change schools, as most are over-subscribed.  And whilst the present management seems keen on a race to the bottom on standards, attainment and behaviour, ruining a formerly reasonable school in the process, I'm not sure where would be different?  We could be leaping out of the frying pan and into the fire?

We've already had the begging bowl around for the 'non-fiction book' that contains your child's work 🙄  The one last term was supposed to be 'unique' and an entry into the world of publishing for your child.  And now here we are again with another tome 🙄

I've pegged out yesterday's wash (gave it a quick refresh rinse), and it's filled the 3 lines 🫤  I'm now officially behind with my washing, and we've workwear and school wear to factor in once more 😬

Right, best shift-a-tail-feather.  Everything is done, but encouragement to actually get out of the door may be needed.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Right, I did a smidge more shopping, as I needed to get some more yoghurt, and didn't go to the right retail park for hB yesterday, so went today instead.  What a waste of time and petrol that was 🙄  Last week we went shopping early and wanted to go there as the store opened.  Naturally, a tiny, handwritten sign on the door said they'd be opening at 9.30am..... 🙄  then today I went in and the shop was half stocked shelves (seasonal toot, mostly), and half completely empty aisles 🙄 I did get a pot of yoghurt, but it was the fat free stuff, which we don't dislike, but it's thin and runny ☹️  The cashier reckoned they were changing the shop around and the warehouse.  One wonders if hB management couldn't arrange for this to have been done out of shop hours?  Still, never mind, my money stayed in my pocket - I can't buy what's not on the shelf, can I?

I also went to MrS.  I needed some new school tops for LG.  I had got some at the start of the hols, but they were a bigger size - but I grabbed them, rather than have nothing, but they had the size I was after today, so I picked  up a couple of packs.  I also spotted another insulated cup that I'd got a few weeks ago, as I find them useful - and they save lugging a massive flask about - and it had been on offer for £7.50.  I nearly got another from the 'new' MrS we visited last week, but put it back.  So I was going to buy one today - although there was no SEL.  When I got to the till, I asked the cashier if they'd price check it first.  Imagine my surprise when it rang up at £2.50!   I said to the cashier, I wished I'd got 2.  They asked if there was another on the shelf, and when I said yes, they offered to ring it through, and I could go and fetch it.  They allowed me to leave my shopping with them, whilst I nipped back and got the last one on the shelf 😁Whilst the cups no good for artic expeditions, they do keep drinks warm enough for use after a couple of hours, so are perfect for 'elevenses' if we've travelled out to a NT/EH type place. I've used them for the 'pictures' 😉and have used them for the 'lunch with a different view' outings with LG in the holidays.  I'm also thinking, as we go into autumn, they will be good for individual servings of hot chocolate, or flavoured coffee 🥰

I need to shuffle around my receipts to sort out food from non-food expenditure - I did buy a box of beer too, so that skewed the expenditure.  

DH and LG are probably going to go out for the day together tomorrow.  There's an event on that they like to follow (not my cup of tea), but DH and I discussed it (like proper grown-up parents do!) last night, and we agreed that going tomorrow would achieve the 'visit' LG is hankering after, without tying up any weekend that we might have used on a trip with us all together.  I don't mind LG and DH have their 'things' (in fact, I welcome it), but occasionally, LG gets a bit "we're going to do that, on that date", when there might be something else on, that might appeal to us all. The weather is forecast to be better tomorrow than Sunday, so we would still have a day to do 'something' together.  We have the heritage trip booked for next weekend, and fingers crossed that we get some 'nice enough' weather for the rest of September, meaning we could shoe-horn in another few trips - maybe along the EH vibe.  I have been toying with the idea of rejoining the NT, but boy, have membership costs increased since we last were members......

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, glad you've got your bargain cup Greying! Someone gave Mr C an insulated cup recently, and I loved it so much I bought my own (for considerably more than £2, I'm afraid) and it is FANTASTIC, I use it all the time 😃 The thing I most value is that the lid is VERY secure so I can throw it in a rucksack. Mostly I use it for the first cup of the day when heading to the office so it doesn't save me anything in that sense, but I've been taking it on days out and long car trips too so it's probably paid for itself now. I reckon you'll all make excellent use of yours! 😊

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery_Daff said:

Ooh, glad you've got your bargain cup Greying! Someone gave Mr C an insulated cup recently, and I loved it so much I bought my own (for considerably more than £2, I'm afraid) and it is FANTASTIC, I use it all the time 😃 The thing I most value is that the lid is VERY secure so I can throw it in a rucksack. Mostly I use it for the first cup of the day when heading to the office so it doesn't save me anything in that sense, but I've been taking it on days out and long car trips too so it's probably paid for itself now. I reckon you'll all make excellent use of yours! 😊

Ha ha - dearest Cheery - the first time I used our 'original' insulated cup (also from MrS, but not this better, more stable design), I got totally confused about the top closing, and which arrows had to match/be apart for carriage/use....... When we were getting settled in the church to listen to the lunchtime concert, I shifted my back pack, and wondered why there was a damp patch on the floor .... (I'm not that old 🫤).  Everything was sopping (luckily nothing was ruined), and I did wipe up the mess off the church floor, and washed the backpack at home, but now I'm very conscious of ensuring the cup top is closed...... as you're quite right, when closed properly the lid is secure 😁 

I think 'first drink' is where they come into their own - and it does net you a saving.  Plus I like that it is more portable than a flask.  Small flasks tend to come with small drinking cups, and larger flasks are heavy.  

BTW, I know you really might not be interested in re-joining, but I had an EH offer thru today, for 25% membership discount on rejoining.  I left some time ago, and they would still like me back.  Have you been offered the discount yet?

Greying X

newgirly

It’s a great buy GP I use mine out and about all the time, long drives, cinema and even up to bed with a nighttime tea  if I have an early night and don’t want to trek back down to the kitchen later 😆 

Greying_Pilgrim

newgirly - that's a good use of a thermo-mug to avoid getting out of a warm bed to get to a cold kitchen!  I shall note that one 😁

Tea is done.  I did sausage and veg pasta, which used up the last garlic cloves from the bulb I bought on holiday (there was another bulb in yesterday's MrL box), I used onion, garlic and celery and added some (frozen) chopped peppers.  I cooked up the last 5 remaining veggie sausages, and chopped them up.  I added some paprika and some of the basil from the plant in the holiday box. Then I washed and chopped up all the mixed cherry tomatoes that I got in the holiday MrL box, and added them to the sausage/veg mix.   I mixed in the pasta, with a bit of the pasta water and a bit more olive oil and stirred it all together.  It was served with some grated grana padano, and both DH and LG thought it was top-notch 😁  OK for mostly 'using up' stuff 😁

We need to keep to our budgets this month anyway, but there is the opportunity to have a trip out in October, that would involve an overnight stay (rather than a long day driving there and back on rural, twisty-turny roads).  The actual event itself is free, and is over a weekend,  But because it's in the middle of nowhere, the only real option for accommodation is at a purple hotel, or the lodge for travellers, in nearby centres of population.  The purple hotel was cheaper than the lodge - which, frankly surprised me.  I mean, I know we're thinking about a Saturday night - which is obvs the most expensive night, but the lodge used to be the economy option.    It's one of those type of events that is probably worth going to at least once, so we might have to take the accommodation hit - and see where else we can save money - either on the weekend, or leading up to it.  I will have to weigh up which hostelry is nearer to the venue though, as additional fuel use from the purple hotel, might munch up any gains from the cheaper room price.  

I like a challenge me..... 🤣

Right, better see if there are any ice-creams in the freezer and then sit back and watch the footy - Scotland v Denmark.  

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Right. so one of the lodges for travellers is significantly more expensive than the nearest purple hotel (so is immediately ruled out), the other lodge for travellers is £10 more expensive.  The price per night is IRO £53 a head....... 😱  There is virtually nothing in the mileage, they are both a similar distance from the event.  I thought it would be clear cut, and the cheaper purple hotel would win out.  And then I read the reviews.........  It appears for £10 extra, I should opt for the lodge for travellers.  I normally get annoyed with reviews, as the first one will be 'no stars, this place is awful', followed by '5 stars - I would award it more if i could, it is the best place I have ever seen/been' 🙄  However, the reviews for 2025 for the purpley hotel were consistently awful, so I think that says something.  Although having said that, the reviews do point out one major flaw with the lodge for travellers, so swings and roundabouts.  I have had a quick look at the CO2 bAndb website.  That seemed to have a selection of too small or too big accommodation, has the issue of only one night's stay needed and when you add up all the fees, to the day rate, didn't seem to be much cheaper.  I think I will keep the lodge for travellers in mind, and have another look tomorrow to see if there is anything else locally.  I would consider hotels or B&B's, but they are perhaps less likely to offer family rooms.  It seems to be an area catering for groups or couples, with not much in between.  

Greying X

EssexHebridean

It’s working looking at the booking and hotel dot com sites too, as you can filter down by various options including price, then see on a map where the various places fall, T/Lodge are on TCB as well, remember. (For those who get such things, you can also use T’s Clubc@rd vouchers against bookings on the “hotels” site. 

themadvix

Are there any hostels in the area GP? A family room with communal cooking facilities might be an MSE option. They are not always cheaper, although given the price quoted, I’d be surprised if not. Membership gives you a slightly better price, but isn’t a requirement these days (and many hostels are no longer owned by the YHA but run along similar lines).

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks EH, I'll have a look into those options.  One issue is it's rural location - so  the 'business motel' options are very few.  But you're right to suggest the hotels site, as that may throw up a 'traditional' hotel option.  Thank you.

tmv -  I hadn't thought of YHA - but I have just had a look and the nearest option is 'whole venue hire' only, for up to 30 people but with a 2 night minimum stay , and then a second option - a room in a small, shared place, isn't available on the date needed.    To be fair, that seems to mirror other accommodation options in the area - targeting couples or large groups.  But thank you for mentioning it, because I don't naturally default to thinking what YHA could offer.  I just looked up Cheddar YH, as caves have obviously been on the agenda recently, and many, many moons ago (pre LG), DH and I stayed there. But it's changed to whole venue hire only, whether that is because it's an 'adjacent' property now, I'm not sure.  

Mmmm, decisions, decisions.  Do we spend quite a lot of money to go to this 'free' event perhaps once - I'm not sure the event changes much, year on year - or do we target the money to do something special in the half-term.  I need to do more research and then make a decision.

Right, I've snap to make, DH and LG will be setting out in a couple of hours.

First wash is on, and I've one more load to try to get done today.  

Tea tonight is probably going to be pizza and wedges.

Ta for popping in and for the advice - always appreciated.  Thank you.

Greying X