From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

peb

Um. Tow bar covers?  Are they not a thing?  So you don't hurt when you clank your leg.   

rtandon27

peb said:

...Tow bar covers?...

I've seen a few of those in the Stonehenge parking lot - two made me laugh - one in the shape of a minion and one was darth vader's head!

Greying_Pilgrim

peb - you are quite right - it is possible to easily get covers for the tow ball, but it is the tow bar that has left a nasty bruise on my leg in times past.  Nothing is impossible, so I wouldn't say it was impossible to get some sort of padding, but how that padding would stand up to being on the vehicle all the time, I'm not so sure.  But that unsureness is from not having seen tow bar padding - not from any knowledge that it can't be done.  Tow ball covers - tennis balls, brand name caps Mr H Simpson et al - yup, seen them 😁 

I have queried with DH as to the aversion to removable tow bars, and his reasoning is sound, and based on first-hand experience.  We also floated the idea of tow bars having changed size/shape due to an increasing number of vehicles having rear sensors - which tow bars can interfere with - so maybe designers are moving with the times and adapting to newer technology.  Our previous tow bar was fitted to a car which had models without parking sensors, and ours had the PS - and it was not without it's issues.  I suspect, that we're going to have to suck up the fixed bar and invest in cricket pads......... 😉🤣

DH and LG finally got out on their bikes, and had a good time by the sounds of things!  This, more than anything else may hasten the fitting of a tow-bar...... 😉

I used my time productively whilst I had the house to myself.  I drafted a letter, regarding an issue that is currently causing me significant frustration.  I may never send this letter, but a first draft has, at least, got some of my negative emotions out.  And I didn't even use any naughty words, not once......... 😉

I made a soup - not one of my finest creations 🫤  It was lentil, tomato, pasta.  But I put too much water in to begin with when I cooked the lentils, the soup didn't thicken when I blitzed it, and didn't really alter when I put HM tommie sauce in it, nor cooked pasta 🫤  As a last throw of the dice, I added the leftover chickpea paste from the chickpea soup from Tuesday.  It did thicken the soup.  But the soup remained bland.  I did put a spoonful of red wine vinegar in at the end, and this helped a little.  The downside of made up soups, when they are tasty, is that you'll never have that recipe again.  The upside of made up soups, when they are indifferent, is that you'll never have that recipe again..... 😉🤣  To be fair, it was at least edible, and DH and LG finished off the pan between them, so there's none left over (YAY!).  It did use up leftover HM tommie sauce, leftover cooked pasta and the leftover chickpea puree, so that's good.  But I don't think I am going to be star pupil in MrCheery's Soup 101: base notes, mid notes and top notes, anytime soon ☹️

I had the washing out until about half an hour ago.  We got a sharp shower that luckily I saw starting, but which would have undone all the good-ish drying of this morning.  I have currently put the wettest clothes and towels in front of the dehu, and there is half an airer of dry-er clothes waiting for its turn.  I am pleased that so much drying has taken place - nothing is bone dry, but for a winter's day, with an intermittently useful breeze, I'll take that.  It's still mizzling, but the sun has come out now 🙄  Still, we're up slightly in the laundry stakes today, and I'm nearly up to date, so 👍I also put away most of yesterday's laundry and mended an item of DH's workwear, so that it lives to be worn another day 😁 A stitch in time........ 😁

I think DH and LG are going to do something out in the garage, so I might have another go at revising/refining my letter.  

Greying X

redofromstart

I managed to forget about the tow bar and parked the car in the garage door as a result. Not my proudest 'driving' moment!

Cheery_Daff

Ha, don't worry about meeting Mr Cheery's exacting soup standards - I very rarely do myself! 😂😂 Fortunately he has declared gets making a wholesome soup this evening - I will report back as to what it contains 👀

EssexHebridean

The mention of towbars reminds me - remember you’ll need to declare it on the car insurance - MrEH’s car had a tow bar fitted - we never used it, and spent the entire 6 years he had the car talking about getting it removed.  Naturally it was firmly still there when the car was moved on..! 😂

Greying_Pilgrim

Thank you EH,  will do.

We had veggie burgers and wedges for tea.  A teeny bit similar to Friday nights 'fakeaway' I suppose.  But the tea used some YS'd baps from MrL, the last 4 veggie burgers that I got from MrT with our CC vouchers in....... was it November or December 🤔 and used up some more of the Christmas tatties - we're at the very last handful now 🫤  Yoghurt and the last banana were for pud.  

The dehu is finishing off the washing.  I don't think everything will be bone dry, but dry enough, although I'm hopeful that some of DH's worksocks from yesterday have finally dried.  They are thick fabric and take forever.  I bought them in a hurry as he needed some new socks and it was all that teekaymaxi had at the time.  But they are so awful to launder, I think I will replace them with some of the JayCeeBee brand that MrM have for £8 for 3 pairs.  

LG has gone to bed, DH has gone to watch a mini-series on his phone, and I might have another draft of my letter.  It's too long, and veers into connected but not the central issue, so I could do with some editing.  I've been inadvertently gifted the phrase that may well connect the core points, and make the letter much tighter, and to the point.  I do feel better for having written out my frustration, so it may well not get mailed.

Can't think of anything else MSE, so I'll push orf.  Ta for popping in.  

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Good luck with your letter, sounds like it's serving its purpose whether it gets sent or not! 

I have my washing in front of the dehumidifier too 😊 and some on the radiators (jeans etc) which I'm hoping will be at least mostly dry before the radiators get turned off.

Baileys_Babe

Another with laundry in front of the dehumidifier.

I had the last bowl of soup from a batch I made earlier in the week it was edible but that is all that was good about it. 

Between lunch and dinner we managed to clear 7 containers of leftover bits and pieces from the fridge and everyone was happy with their meals.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Grey start with us.  Not much breeze, typical winter's day really I suppose.  

I'm up to date-ish with the laundry.  I will need to put away yesterday's wash.  DH said this morning "erm, did you have time to mend my workwear......?" and I think he was shocked when I said yes, as he hadn't seen me do it.  He's been banging on a bit this weekend about how much he's achieved, and yet I've been quietly getting things done, and prepping meals etc etc 🙄🤣  Good job we luv 'em, eh?

So the last week of January.  I'm always keen to not wish my life away.  A by-product of getting older I guess. Who else was looking forward and wanting their next birthday to arrive, one day after their birthday... when they were an ickle pickle?  Now it's such a hassle to have to notify the fire brigade of the risk pertaining to the candles on your cake....... 🤣  I am pleased that - at this moment in time - I'm not scratting around trying to stretch the food budget, and neither have I blown it.  I have had some success in January's past in keeping things in check - only for it to go to pot for the other 11 months of the year 🤣 On newgirly's thread, daisy mentioned about saving (£2 coins I think) for the previous 11/12 months to enable a 'splurge' at the end of January to keep your spirits up.  As daisy herself said, this was sometime ago, and £2 ain't what it was, but I really like the principle - what would your splurge be?  A trip to the panto, steak and chips, a new book, a weekend in a sun-drenched location?

I am pleased that we're starting the year with lower costs.  Changing insurance providers, and the changes to the water supply have freed up some cash.  Having said that, I think the water company have (purposely?) underestimated our useage, so I don't think our DD will be as low for long.  But then at least it's far, far better than it was, so I'm not complaining - and the meter will at least record our use going forward.

I have a few groceries to get today, we've run out of fruit and we're low on yoghurt, so I will consult the list and go and get those things later.  I would forego them, except we're out of bananas and apples and citrus.  There aren't any substitutes.  Although thinking about it, we do have grapes, and I forgot to put any in LG's snap box today 🙈

Right, best get shifting. 

Greying X