From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Feel free to laugh - I'll admit on here, that which I wouldn't in the school gate queue - I have just spent 10 minutes or so, sorting through mixed veg, selecting out things for various recipes.  I've put the labelled cartons back in the freezer, ready for Christmas cooking 👍

The weather has changed again, and we're back to a stiff breeze and pavement spiltting sunshine.  But I'm leaving the stuff on the airer - my punt paid off, and if I'd have left the washing out any longer, it would have been as wet as when it came out of the machine.  Whereas at the moment, it's touch dry, and will dry overnight without making the room cold and miserable.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

I know this is going to read as 'soppy sausage', but once LG had finished their homework this arvo, we made hot chocolate, raided the chocolate biscuit tin (MrL canyon bars), and watched a shmaltzy, dire 'n predictable afternoon "holiday"  movie 🥰  D' y'know how sometimes simplicity wins? This.  It was lovely.  The film was slightly predictable - filmed in California, in the height of summer, but......................  I really enjoyed it.  What a treat.  

Tea was black olive pizza, and potato wedges.  It was nice, and there are 3 pieces of pizza l/o to put in the freezer.

Can't think of anything else MSE to add, but thanks for popping by.  Greying X

thriftmonster

Sometimes in the frenetic run up just doing something like this is the best. As a family we still have rubbish films we quote to each other because they're part of all of us

VintageHistorian

That sounds like a lovely way to spend a Friday afternoon!

Blackcats

Perfect for a November Friday afternoon and dinner sounds great too.
we are watching a concert of film music performed by the Liverpool Philharmonic and really enjoying it.  Better still we recorded it so we can ff through the ads.  Curled up with a big mug of tea.  Sometimes things just work out so nicely.

Greying_Pilgrim

Thank you Thriftmonster, Vintage Historian and Blakcats 😁  For once, the 2 main characters didn't 'fall in love, then there was a misunderstanding so they fall out/avoided each other, and then they realised there had been a misunderstanding so they kissed and made up, got married and lived happily ever after.......... 🤣 And yes, just in case anyone wondered, snow did fall, the minute it struck midnight, just in time for Christmas Day...... 🤣  It didn't require any brain cell useage to watch, analyse or evaluate 🤣  And yes, Blackcats - ours was on tape too, so we could ffwd through the ads 😁  It was a good incentive to get LG to do a key wodge of their homework too 😁👍

Wet start with us, I won't be pegging anything out today.  I shall try to hold on until tomorrow, and hope that I can get the important bits washed and partly dry.  I don't think the wind will be strong enough to dry everything fully.

Can't think of anything else MSE to add at the mo.

Ta for popping in.  Greying X

Watty1

I think these 5 weeks of the year are perfect for those kind of films.   Complete brain rest films.    VNM and I have a list that we have watched each year since we have been together over this period.   i think of them as the antidote to the season, he thinks of them as part of the season

Greying_Pilgrim

Watty - I can take so many of those films, but the plot lines get a bit  a lot 'samey'.  But there is normally a wonderful main street of a New England town, or great scenery, or wonderful houses to look at too, so I'll tune in for the set design 🤣

So I wandered into Greying Town.  Moved money around to where it needs to be so that all the bills will be paid this month.  I even popped into a Christmas Fayre in one of the church halls (who is this person????) There was lots of lovely handmade stuff, but sadly nothing I needed.  

I went to the library to do some printing and then came out of town via several chazzers (didn't find anything), and G00utd00rs where I picked up a pair of trousers for me, for everyday.  I had used my previous sets until they literally wore out, and I've been replacing them this year, but they never seem to have multiples of my size, so I've been replacing them  ad-hoc.  There was a pair in the shop today, in my size, so I bought them.  That's my Christmas present to myself.  

LG stayed with their dearest Papa, and they're been tinkering about with mini DIY projects (draught proofing and replacing worn out door hinges) around the house.  

I got caught in a cold, sharp, wetting shower on the way out of town, but the sun is shining now.  No washing would have dried this morning though, so I made the right decision to not bother.  

I'm going to whip up some sort of soup for lunch - we've just munched on a M&$ doughnut each.  I'm not sure what will be for tea - I'm currently thinking along the lines of curry.  

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

Ha, we had hot chocolate and watched another Channelfive Chrimbo movie.  Gosh - we had to get the cheese-ometer out! It was really 🧀.....🤣

Tea was MrS vegan range sausage rolls, cheesy, pea mash and baked beans.  The sausage rolls were a try-out, but I don't think I'll bother with them again.  I wasn't overly impressed with them and LG ate theirs, but mentioned they weren't inclined to do so again.  DH liked his, but I'm sure he would eat if I had a go at making some too.  I managed to finish off the remainder of a bag of peas in the mash.  LG doesn't like peas, but putting cheese into the mash made them acceptable 😁  The mash was lovely and smooth (apart from the lumpy peas 🤣).  

I can't think of anything else MSE to add.  I only spent £1.10 on doughnuts today.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

2 washing loads out on the line.  DH's workwear and a general everyday clothes wash.  Although we've clear skies and nice watery sunshine, none of that is hitting the clothes line, so I'm not sure the breeze - such as it is - will be capable of doing the heavy lifting, needed.  But we'll see where we get to.

I remembered to soak 3/4 of the bag of black eye beans that I got from FF last night.  So they have been cooked up in the PrC and are cooling as I type.  Carribean one pot stew will be for tea.  I don't think I ever had a formal recipe, it is based on one of these (quite expensive) ready to -cook- meals that you can find in distinct fridges and freezers in farm shops etc.  It has sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black eye beans, coconut and allspice in it anyway, amongst other ingredients.  I spotted it as I was looking through my index the other day, and realised that if I got some SP's in the PoTW, I had everything else to make it.  

LG has written a thank you note and that has had a stamp put on it, and will be popped in the post box today.  DH and LG have gone on an expedition, so I've armed them with the MrT vouchers and a list of things to get.  MrS have seemingly stopped doing - or perhaps it's on hiatus - their plant P10neer range of burgers and no-beef balls.  If MrT haven't got any, I shall shop at MrAl, who do still stock them.  I went with MrT as we have the vouchers.  

I would like to go to an Advent carol concert tonight.  DH and LG are resisting.  I am starting to question what is the bl**dy point of 'the season'.  School prioritise attending a -paid for by parents- panto, over the kids doing or seeing anything that may have developed in the christian/secular/pagan celebration or acknowledgement or understanding of the time of year or version of events.  You don't have to agree with stuff to investigate or study it.  There is no learning of seasonal songs - religious or secular.  And to cap it all, they're making a big blessed deal about the elf on the shelf taking up residence in school.  The same school that regularly has episodes of bad behaviour and damage to school property.........  

I know it's our choice not to eat a Turkey dinner, with all the trimmings, but I really am starting to wonder what else is there, if you make Christmas about nothing more than presents on one day?  Sorry, just having a rant.  I know LG is growing up, and whilst they never really had the 'meeting Santa' opportunities (Santa came to nursery once, and then c'vid kyboshed any other opportunities).  They cried when we took FB donations to a 'reverse grotto' that featured volunteers dressed up (the volunteer Santa was awful with kids - Mrs Claus had more idea), so we're past that stage now.  They aren't getting the religious angle of Christmas as school won't acknowledge it (it was different for me, I went to a CofE aided school, so we were in church every 5 minutes!).  It feels like we're just left with commercialism, and I just find all that so empty and so fake.  

Grr.  Right better do something worthwhile.  Will dig out my address book and get doing the envelopes for the cards. 

Greying X