From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Thank you Blackcats - I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but that isn't something that was considered, so thank you for mentioning it.  They're the impartial lot, aren't they?

Greying X

rtandon27

Ah the curse of globalized customer service...

When I've struggled to understand a non-native English speaker's accent, I often ask to be trasferred to someone in the UK.  When they ask why, I tell them very clearly that I'm struggling to understand what they are saying because of the accent. 95% of the time I get transferred to someone with a broad Scottish accent and often say - oh thank gawd, someone I can understand, a comment that makes OH howl with laughter!   I spent my uni years living with dear family friends where both the Dad and his sister spoke with same said accent when sober and Glaswegian when not, so it feels like home to me.

As someone who after 20 years still has their Canadian twang, I can say whole heartedly that I'm not the least bit insulted when someone asks me slow down or repeat myself - same language does not by default mean same intonation!

beanielou

badmemory said:

beanielou said:

Yes it’s hard. I will say I am hard of hearing and can you please slow down and it makes no difference. 

I have said that so many times & no they pay absolutely no attention.  I know they want to get off the phone asap but they should realise that if you can tell what they are asking the whole thing would go faster & without the aggravation.

Absolutely this. 

Blackcats

Greying_Pilgrim said:

Thank you Blackcats - I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but that isn't something that was considered, so thank you for mentioning it.  They're the impartial lot, aren't they?

Greying X

Yes, they are impartial.  They don't get advice per se but set out the various options, rules etc so you can make better decisions and avoid tripping yourself up with a decision that might trigger some restrictions or not be tax efficient.  MrBC was a bit reluctant to do the call but says it was helpful and it certainly helped us not to shoot ourselves in the foot.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

I achieved a nsd today.  I wasn't aiming for one, and I find that I can have loads of nsd's and then spend a load of money the next day 🙄 But it all helps.  ed mentioned about 'living within your means' being an achievement (and not simple), today over on rt's thread, and I really do agree that living that way is incredibly important (to me) - but it does require such focus, not a small amount of time, and patience.  It's wonderful that MSE gives support to all with the process.  

I made a sort of stew for tea.  It was going to be lentil and sausage, but things went a little awry, and I suppose it ended up a tadge more soup like than I intended.  Part of where I went wrong, was to decide (at the last minute), to finish up the soup mix.  I cooked it (rinsed didn't soak), in the PrC, in a bit of water for 10 minutes, and it worked, and everything seemed cooked.  I then added in a ton of chopped veg; onion, celery, carrot, sweet potato, potato, swede, some more water, a stock cube and a handful of green lentilles verte.  I cooked all this up for a further 10 minutes, but was a bit disappointed at how watery it was.  I blitzed it a little, but it wasn't as stew-like as I'd intended.  I added in seasonings and mixed herbs and made some dumplings to cook in the stew whilst I cooked up 3 veggie sausages (L1nda Mc red pepper and chorizo flavour from her0n sometime ago).  Unfortunately the stew caught a bit on the bottom of the PrC, but I caught it just in time.  But anyway, I dished it up, and we had a dumpling each in it, and 1 sausage chopped up on top.  It tasted OK, but was a tadge on the brown side 🫤There is a portion of stew left.  Yoghurt will be for pud.  

Still, the positives are that I used up some store cupboard ingredients, it tasted OK, and we're all fed.  Win.

DH is pleased that we could probably proceed with the towbar, but wants to double check he's going with a 'good' firm.  

Erm, can't think of anything else on an MSE vibe.  Keep warm, and above all, keep safe.

Greying X

edinburgher

I could use a new PC Greying, any recommendations? Our previous one was a hand me down from FIL but we had to get rid eventually as no instructions, markings worn off and we weren't convinced it was safe/pressurising properly 😱

Greying_Pilgrim

Oh ed - mine is an 'analogue' technology one.  Surely an insta-pot 7 mode/9 mode or whatever thing would be of more use for you?  I don't have one of those - tmv does though (I think 🤔).  I'm not sure a PrC is worth it now?  If you could have a multi-cooker for the same cupboard/counter space?

Greying X

edinburgher

I've never really fancied one of those, I suspect it's the digital bits/general plasticky nature? I hanker after a Kuhn Rikon one but they're 🤑 I do think we could get value out of one, cut my 12-hour stock sessions down to an hour etc 😂

Greying_Pilgrim

edinburgher said:

I've never really fancied one of those, I suspect it's the digital bits/general plasticky nature? I hanker after a Kuhn Rikon one but they're 🤑 I do think we could get value out of one, cut my 12-hour stock sessions down to an hour etc 😂

ed - that's the one I have.  It cost...... £95??? about........15 or 18 years ago??  I think it was during "one" of the UK/Global financial pinches anyway.  It has replaceable parts, and the parts distributor is in the UK - Midlands, iirc.  It is very simple to operate.  I got the big(ish) one that looks like a stock pot (2 handles).  I was tentative with it's use to begin with - although I primarily bought it to cook pulses, because of the fandango of (remembering to) soak pulses and then all the steam that was created in our (already) cold, north facing kitchen with single glazing when cooking beans for hours on the stove-top.  It transformed pulse cooking for me.

I firmly believe that the PrC has paid for it's self X times over, with pulse cooking alone, but I've found it invaluable to whip up soups and stews with it - I've not the finesse to cook vegetables - particularly different types in one segregated basket in it, with a chicken on top, to present a pot-au-feu for Sunday lunch for 17 🫤 But I wouldn't be without it now.  My PrC is definitely not as scary as the bells, whistles and weights versions of the 1960's/70's!  My mother would not have entertained having one of those in the house!  Despite them probably being invaluable in the 1970's oil crisis.

Ouch!  I've just looked up on the KR site, and my pot has doubled in price 😬 I didn't get mine from KR though, I bought it (actually over the phone - them were the days!), as I'm sure it was cheaper from a kitchenware shop than from KR.  Perhaps it was in a sale or something.  I didn't really have the money at the time to afford it, and there were cheaper brands, but I took the line of 'buy quality, buy once'.  I think I had saved money from the grocery budget to get it. 

**EDIT** - I've just remembered the co. I used.  THEY are now dearer than KR, but I'm sure at the time they were cheaper.  The KR also has the benefit of being very easy to clean - sometimes particles of food do get stuck in the lid - especially with a rapid de-pressure.  I haven't used a instantlypot, but I don't know how easy they are to clean, other more learned folks could comment on that. 

HTH Greying X

redofromstart

Interesting chat on the PC. My mum had a scary one in the 70s which put me off for years, but I bought a prestige manual one in a sale some years back which was useful until I was lazy and put it in the dishwasher which discoloured it. I then bought an IP which got used more than a slow cooker would. The insert pot goes in the DW without problems. I like it but probably wouldn't replace it if it died. It takes a lot of worktop space and I don't use it as much given the changed household.