From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

KajiKita

I find making meringues leads one of two extremes - either absolute perfection or a wet splodgy mess all across the baking tray! I can never predict what I will end up with and so I always feel like making meringues is an activity on the teetering edge of chaos! 😉😂

KK

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Cool start with us (shan't say cold, as it's a + temperature).

A wash is on.  My 'everyday' wear with a couple of bits of DH's things thrown in too.  I don't know how well it will dry - it's pretty still out there, and not forecast to get any breezier.  I was watching a video yesterday of a bloke in Norway, chatting about how to dry washing in cold temperatures.  He was saying that it is possible - but it takes longer.  There was frost in the ground where he was - we've not quite reached that yet, but I also suspect the air was drier with him, which helps to draw the moisture out of the clothes.  Still, if I can get this load something towards dry today, then I'm nearly caught up with the clothes wash at least - ready for it all to start again 🤣

I've just folded up yesterday's wash and LG has taken their things upstairs to put away 👏  I'm not judging how well this happens - let's just go with LG took their things to their room....... 👍

I am hopeful I will walk across to the retail park today (must dig my gloves out).  The leaking boiler took out a roll of kitchen paper 😱 not totally - we did use it for cleaning up the mess, and other cleaning around the house, but it was the only roll I had (DH had just started it on Saturday), so I need to get more. I think there is still some left (which probably doesn't have any water/additive out of the boiler), but we don't want to use it for wiping faces or get it near food - but we will use it up.  But it was the only thing that was affected by the leak, so we were lucky.  I may well have a pootle around the M&$ food-all too, whilst I'm in the area.  Have a looksie, drool over the Chrimbo delicacies and choices 😁

I'm not trying for "all" lentils in our meal options this week, but I will try to stick with what I have got.  I need to activate my next MrS voucher from the insurance, and try to keep food spends as low as I can - not for any sack cloth and ashes reason, but we've not really 'gone without' yet, and every penny I can save, or use wisely to get store ingredients will pay dividends come payday at the end of the month.  I want to do everything I can to assuage DH's feelings of 'letting us down' 🙄

Right, snap is done.  Uniform set out. Best shift a tail feather and get ready to get out the house.  The weather isn't encouraging us! 😁🤣

Ta for popping in.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

KajiKita - sounds like an episode of bake-orf!  🤣

Washing pegged out.  I'm pleasantly surprised that it is breezier than I anticipated, I think the wind is coming from the west, which isn't what was on the weather map, but still, I'm not complaining, as at least the washing is moving and I've positioned it, so that the little sun that now hits the garden, is at least hitting the clothes.  It's not catching them all, and won't be for long, but we'll gather what we can get.  

I just got lost down a rabbit hole researching (online, not in real-life) brandy.  Random, I know, but I was just wondering whether to get some for christmas baking.  Not necessary I know, so i may not bother, but I haven't bought spirits in so long, i no longer actually know what is available.  DH and I have to be very careful drinking spirits - we found 'cheaper' blended whiskies/brandies, and the 'cheaper' big brand lagers tended to make us incredibly niggly.  Luckily we discovered this all pre-LG so we gave up drinking them many years ago.  DH will occasionally get given a few cans of lager through work, but we don't normally have lager/spirits in the house.  Naturally, for cooking, the spirits aren't as concentrated, so I was thinking about maybe using some in a fruit cake and/or for a HM christmas pud.  Not a necessary expense, but it's stir-up Sunday next weekend, so I thought I had better look into things.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Finally got back.  Actually ate up more time than I thought, but I had a good rootle through several shops.  I have ended up buying more than I thought I would, but it was all 'needed'.  I bought DH some more work socks.  teekaymax had deigned to have some stock in, so I got them whilst I saw them.  Although I got some last week, DH was low on work socks anyway, and I threw out a load last week, so he was still back to square one with not having enough socks if I can't do a wash/get things dry.  I could save them for Christmas, but he needs them now, so..... Plus having got them, it frees up the MrT vouchers that we have and I've seen something that I want to get from there for December 'food', so it all works out 😁

I dropped on some footwear for LG - as you know, if you see it, you have to get it in tkm.  Another dilemma as to whether to give them now, or hold for Christmas, but being realistic, if they fit (isn't it amazing how clothing sizes differ ☹️) they can be made good use of in the run up to Christmas, so it's probably better to hand them over now.  I did make the mistake of wandering through the stationery and art supplies section of TKM - oh my, I could have spent some serious money........  As it was, I limited my purchases to a couple of stocking fillers for LG.

I did buy some foodstuffs from M&$ - puy style lentils and some not including the bagel seasoning, so need to amend my siggie figgie.  I did actually remember to actually get some kitchen roll from hB - which, as you'll recall, was the whole purpose of the trip 🤣

I'm glad I walked, as a) the retail park was actually very busy, and it was just easier to access on foot, and b) I walked there via a semi 'rural' route, and got treated to all the sights and sounds of woods and big gardens.    And lets face it, who doesn't need exercise, #raiseshand.  

I was reading about a local 'big house' (not grand enough to be a stately home), and to be fair the 'new' generation of the family dynasty are being proactive and opening up the estate much more than previously (probably need to, to keep from going under).  They are putting on a 'winter fair and makers type market event' and I found myself looking how much the tickets were were and pondering whether it would add to the Christmas spirit, and then..... I stopped myself.  It's my idea of h*ll.  Not so much the trail - which if done well, could be magical - it's a lovely rural setting - but then I remembered there would be X hundred other families 'doing Christmas', and it would possibly lose any magic and just become a competitive walk.   So I've saved myself £40 dear reader 🤣  But what it did highlight, is that I do like getting out in nature - whatever the season - and I got so much from today's walk, seeing how the plants are reacting to the changing season, and listening to the birds - I'm pretty sure I was alongside a gaggle of long-tailed t1ts at one point - they are so cheerful tweeting continually to each other.  What we do need on our Christmas list of activities is a walk somewhere in the countryside.  Doesn't have to have a theme, doesn't need a hot chocolate stand, nor do we need to buy a ticket because 'everyone from school' will be there.  We just need to get out and about together.  I think I've gone a bit wrong in recent years, berating myself for 'not being Christmassy enough', but I think the key is to still do things everyone in your brood really enjoys.  It's not about doing more of 'anything', it's about doing more of what you enjoy - and a walk in the countryside can be as Christmassy/wintery/Advent/Solstice as you can make it.  Plastic reindeer, or Christmas songs belting out on a loop, aren't going to make it moreso (well, not for me anyway - apologies if that is what any MSE'rs like to do, I'm not a crowds person really).  

Right, best do some packing and squirreling of pressies before the school run.

Greying X

Watty1

you have just reminded me of a really fun Boxing Day we had some years ago - my mum hired bicycles and we put them in her big car and headed off to the local park and attempted to ride them. It was hilarious. We had coffee and cake in the car as snacks.  It was just a really fun outing  (we were all adults, it was years since any of us had ridden bikes) of just us all being together

Greying_Pilgrim

Watty1 said:

................... of just us all being together

It this, isn't it?  It doesn't matter if you're blood family, generations apart, chosen family, chosen friends, chosen company of one, chosen company of pets it's the 'being together'.  Having fun is - of course - an added extra.  You know how sometimes you can be in a room, surrounded by people, and yet feel "lonely" - I think, that's me a lot of the time.  I don't think I'm a humbuggy, grinch, but I just can't do forced fun/jollity/participation.  I'd want to do the woodland wonder walk through the snow (or whatever the "attraction" was), but I wouldn't choose to do it with several hundred other people - especially if they are there to be "seen".  Most of the time on our walks/bike rides, it's because we've not been seen, or heard, ourselves we've seen some pretty stunning things - deer, stags, a pike (it was big too 😬), red kites, goldcrests, the list goes on.  Not everyone's cup of tea - I appreciate, but my cup of tea (preferably coffee, actually, from a thermos 👍), especially when I'm surrounded by Team Greying 🥰

Next year's saving focus is definitely going to include saving for a tow-bar for the car.  Then we can take our bikes places and have fun 🥰😁

Greying X

Fortune_Smiles

I don't celebrate Christmas in any religious sense but I do appreciate the relief it can bring to the long winter months: the social connection, a sense of joy and anticipation, and cozy, warming traditions.  I'm drawn to the pagan traditions: bringing evergreens into the house, lighting fires and candles, feasting and gift giving (within reason of course).  I'm very tempted to have a wassail in our orchard 😂

Fortune x

Greying_Pilgrim

Raises a glass 🍻🥂🍻🥂 or more to Fortune's Fabulous Fruitful harvest 2026 🥂🍻🥂🍻🥂 Cheers!

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

Tea has been munched.  It was rice, lentil dhal and an omlette.  There is rice and dhal left over to go into the freezer.  Pud was the leftover bramley apple and mincemeat sultana pudding  I've had mine cold (actually to be recommended), but LG and DH had theirs warmed up and with yoghurt.  i'm sure the original recipe is from Dame Mary, but the website I linked to, converted it to gluten free (and posted the original recipe I think).  The recipe is a keeper for me - original or GF.  It's that 'essence of autumn' we've been chatting about if you've got some tasty apples to use. 

Yes, thinking about it, I think I err more on the side of celebrating the season, the anticipation of Yule.  I like to mark the Solstice with a nice meal/candles - not a tradition that I've got from my upbringing.  I don't mind a bit of religion - my primary school was CofE - loves me a bit of carol singing. I like some lights - preference is for strings of fairy lights, rather than a 'Buddy Hall's extravaganza' (Deck the Halls - 2006).  I like some nice food, but do actually crave simplicity after a day or two.  I like cosy - and I do miss not having a wood burner. I like company, but prefer home entertaining where everyone brings their slippers; to ballgowns and black ties and marquees because the venue has 6 corporate do's going on.......  I do actually like Santas in green - although that's a rarity.  I like 'giving' much more than receiving, especially when the giving can be time, effort, and thoughtful - not determined by budget, nor rated by cost.  I like greenery, holly, and pinecones.  I'm not a fan of glitter, tinsel or foil.  

I wrapped the gifts this afternoon - a book had turned up (ordered from the BayofE) on Saturday, but I think I managed to squirrel it away from peeping eyes, and now it is wrapped up.  

LG's footwear fits, and they like them enough to keep them - win.

I can't think of anything else MSE that I achieved today.    

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

Blackcats

"Yes, thinking about it, I think I err more on the side of celebrating the season, the anticipation of Yule.  I like to mark the Solstice with a nice meal/candles - not a tradition that I've got from my upbringing.  I don't mind a bit of religion - my primary school was CofE - loves me a bit of carol singing. I like some lights - preference is for strings of fairy lights, rather than a 'Buddy Hall's extravaganza' (Deck the Halls - 2006).  I like some nice food, but do actually crave simplicity after a day or two.  I like cosy - and I do miss not having a wood burner. I like company, but prefer home entertaining where everyone brings their slippers; to ballgowns and black ties and marquees because the venue has 6 corporate do's going on.......  I do actually like Santas in green - although that's a rarity.  I like 'giving' much more than receiving, especially when the giving can be time, effort, and thoughtful - not determined by budget, nor rated by cost.  I like greenery, holly, and pinecones.  I'm not a fan of glitter, tinsel or foil. "

Oo matchy matchy as the groovy kids say.  Only difference is I'll swop Santa in green for some glitter.  I do like some glittery glitter.