From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Cherryfudge

Catching up on posts... got stuck, wondering how on earth you fillet a Quorn?

VintageHistorian

Ciabatta is definitely best when fresh baked (or from part-baked), it can be quite chewy the next day.

Greying_Pilgrim

Cherryfudge said:

Catching up on posts... got stuck, wondering how on earth you fillet a Quorn?

With a left-handed spanner and oven mitts Cherryfudge  - and never start at the bitey end.........

EH - I'm going to have a go at herby black olive and cranberry rolls so that LG can have their lunch in one handful as it were - but Foccacia did cross my mind, although I can never get the uniform deep dimples in mind - like wot proper bakers does 😁

VH - thank you, that's useful, I'm glad I kept my money in my pocket now, and will note that carefully when I come up with an future hair-brained ideas! 😁  Mind, they did look like ones you'd be pleased to get in a cafe, alongside some steaming hot soup, or a baked cheese or something.

Well, it's official, I should not be allowed out by myself before Christmas.  But I have saved money, so that's the name of the game.  I did buy a frying pan in MrM (random), but we've only got a small saute pan, and sometimes if I'm cooking something for all of us, I have to do it in batches.  I didn't particularly need a large fry-pan, but settled for a 24cm one for £5 instead of £6.50. We'll see how long it lasts, and in future may upgrade, but it's not a piece of equipment I use all the time, so I have to be practical about cost per use.   I did also get a couple of YS'd bags of parsnips (wonky) for 23p a bag.  I realise in a couple of weeks they'll be tuppence a bag, but these can go in soup/stew this week, so worth it to me.  I did spot some reasonable deals on beer, so our Christmas beer is now well and truly G.O.T.  I did get a couple of Plum Porters and a stout (1 each), in the 6 for £10 deal.  I couldn't remember if it was St Peters or Titanic Plum Porter that we liked last year, so I got one of each..... for comparison purposes.......

I'm glad I went to fArm F00ds, as whilst I was disappointed there were no more bags of black eye beans (but they did have channa dhal and chickpeas this week, in addition to red lentils and red kidney beans), they did have some readymade jellies for 49p/4 (Raspberry) and 79p/4 orange or strawberry.  Just what I wanted for seasonal appropriate lunchboxes!  I realise - proper price - they are not cheaper than a block jelly (although they have shot up in price), and there is far less plastic, but at those prices, I indulged.  They are only that cheap as they are BB Dec 25 - which is no problem, as between LG and DH they will be snaffled!  Plus I can feel mildly virtuous as they are the ones with fruit juice in them.  I also got some vac pac beetroot and some more of the 3 for £1 tinned chickpeas.  Whilst not all the money I spent will go against the grocery budget, I've spent a pretty penny today!  

Right, I need to amend my siggie figgie.  I won't include the alcohol, as that has a separate budget - which is still miniscule compared to if we were party animals at this time of year - but will put the frying pan against the non-food budget.  

Need to run out and get the washing too.  The sun is really low in the sky (will definitely no longer be touching anything in the back garden) and the temperature is beginning to drop.

Greying X

themadvix

Greying_Pilgrim said:

Cherryfudge said:

Catching up on posts... got stuck, wondering how on earth you fillet a Quorn?

With a left-handed spanner and oven mitts Cherryfudge  - and never start at the bitey end.........

This made me lol! 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

As expected, LG dove into the YS'd iced coffee milkshake oohing and ahhing, and saying how scrummy.  But after a few slurps they decided they didn't, actually like - the coffee bit of - it, and so it got poured away, quietly whilst I was out of the room.  I'm not surprised, and I'm glad we tried it at YS'd price.  I think LG felt 'grown up' getting to try it, but sometimes childhood flavours of strawberry, chocolate and (occasionally) banana are better.  Adulting ain't all it's cracked up to be.

We had lentil bolognese from the freezer, with pasta  and steamed broccoli for tea last night.  Clean plates all round.  

Rain with us today, and the beebeecee has cheerfully forecast rain for what seems like the next 2 weeks 🙄  Wasn't there an article in the summer talking about the negative skew of weather reports, putting people off attending events and not going anywhere?  The forecast will probably change, but at the moment, I fail to see how I'm going to get any washing dry for the foreseeable 😬

Shopping.  I have my 'long' list - which does include non-food items, and I shall stock up so as to avoid having to get clogged up in crowds, just for wont of a tube of toothpaste.  

Club tonight and monthly fees are due, so the CHB will take another hit in 2 days.  LG has embraced the slippers, as I knew they would 🙄They are actually a bit too big - as I knew they would be, so the product reviews were wrong - in our particular case.  Mind, if I turn around and wait 5 minutes, they'll probably grow into them......

School has settled down a bit - thank goodness.  

Yesterday's wash dried in front of the dehu.  I was miffed that the whites wash wasn't much drier than when it got pegged out, but at least the second load had - whilst not fully dried - surpassed the first load.  2 hrs in front of the dehu made enough of a difference, and the clothes can now be put away after a night on the airer.  I was watching a vlog yesterday (a knitter based in Finland), and she was saying how damp her house was, and that was translating into coldness.  They have a dehu - it's the same brand as we have, but the much more 'ooomphier' one.  I was thinking to myself last night, how it was difficult to tell what radiator is needed in LG's room as when I use the dehu in there (to dry clothes), it seems much warmer.  Of course, the dehu pumps out heat, so that is a factor, but the 'dry' air is also a factor.  There is no doubt, the new windows have made a difference to the warmth of the house, and it is far less humid, but I still think we probably need a bigger radiator in LG's room.  Yesterday, when the dehu finished it's cycle, and the heating was on, it was 'comfortable' to stand in the room - but I was fully clothed.  

Right, can't think of anything else MSE to add.  So I'll toddle orf.  Ta for popping in.

Greying X

Watty1

the damp air certainly makes my cottage feel so much colder - but - it is an old barn without proper insulation so ?? what do i expect (if I knew I would stay until my dotage I'd take down the plasterboard and insulate properly and put it back up).

EssexHebridean

The biggest difference we've found from the flat to the house is that the house "feels" much warmer even with the same interior temperatures, because the humidity is far lower - it makes a real difference. Dehumidifiers are also brilliant for added heating we've found - I'm always cautious about where in the house I use ours in the run up to bed time as it can actually make it too warm! 

Greying_Pilgrim

Yes, damp air just makes everything so miserable ☹️  I do - now that it's easier to open all the windows, routinely air the rooms in the morning too, just to get an exchange of air blast.  

Shopping done and put away.  I've sorted out the figgies, but need to amend my siggie figgies once I've rabbited on 'ere for a bit.  

I went to MrS, hB and MrL today.  No veg boxes in MrS nor MrL, very few YS'd things, even fewer bargains.  

I spent £21-53 on non-food; soap, toothpaste, loo paper, foil, rubber gloves, dish scourers all that sort of thing.  I spent my £20 MrS voucher on food and a pack of 'ordinary' beer (rather than anything flavoured/expensive/for Christmas).  And I spent £51.72 on food, which didn't specifically include Christmas fayre, but did include duplicates of coffee, tea, bread spread etc etc.  I did pick up a couple of packs of cheese & onion rolls (think sausage rolls) which had been YS'd 20% in MrL.  Not a huge saving, but they will be used over the festive period - on the cheese board, or to accompany soup etc - they are now in the freezer.  I did buy an additional block of cheese (will it last until Christmas???) today, as we like it - red leicester - and it was one of my smarty prices.  And dearest tmv was right, i got my smarty prices, despite going through the tills today 😁  It didn't take any longer than a smarty shop, and I was able to check that the many tins of chopped tommies/baked beans I was buying weren't bashed up - which seemed to be a theme with today's Stam. St. tins.  I did notice that tinned peaches had gone up in MrS from 37p to 45p (I think), T bags, baking fat  and mushy peas had gone up in price in MrL.  Having said that, I'm pretty sure that the family pack of mushrooms I got have gone down in price - now £1.69 - I'm sure I paid 1.75ish last time I got some.  I'm sure there was something else that had gone down in price too 🤔  It's no good whanging on about price rises, when some things are dropping in price too. 

Right, I'm away to amend my siggie figgies.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

EssexHebridean

The family packs of mushrooms have been £1.69 in our Lils for a good while - certainly months rather than weeks. I don't always buy those, but when I know I have a need for mushrooms in several meals across a week, I tend to opt for them as they're better value. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

Tea has been munched.  Rice, dhal and an omlette for me & DH, and beans, mash and omlette for LG.

LG is insisting on coming home from club the long way round so that they can take in the municipal lights, I had hoped we'd do that later in advent, but they're enthusiastic, coming up with ideas themselves, and insisted that the advent chocs in the calendar this morning were saved to be enjoyed on their little adventure, so I can't complain too much!

School matters have come to a head, so I've met with the teacher about it.  It isn't just LG's health and well-being, there are wider behavioural issues for consideration.  I certainly felt listened to., as did LG.  So we'll see.

I'm trying to stress to LG that it does pay to behave 'well' as a default, and for people to get to know you and trust you, and know what you're likely to do, and that which you're not.  When another adult says "I don't believe LG did that", it's quite heartening - as a parent - because you don't believe that your kiddo did it either.  Trouble is, as a parent, you can be looking through rose-tinted spectacles, can't you.  But when another adult, confirms that no, your kiddo wouldn't do/say/act like that, it helps.  

The guided tour must be over, I've just heard the car return.  Hope the chocolate was yummy 😁

Greying X