Make Do, Mend & Minimise in 2025 (and 2024)

YorksLass

@Cherryfudge - Right now it feels like a deluge!  Maybe I should think about building an ark?  We're very lucky in that our two excellent hospitals aren't too far away - both are just under 4 miles as the crow flies but, not being a driver, it's considerably further on public transport which isn't really an option due to DH's mobility issues.  So, taxi it is, a dear do at £22 per return journey but now DH has Attendance Allowance to help with that so it's not as bad as it could be.  He also has a Blue Badge (registered to him and not a specific car) that DS can use when he takes us for appointments.  Of course it's Sod's Law that DS is currently in hospital himself at the moment.  Ah well, one day the sun will shine again!  

Today I've given various bits of bric a brac and the sanitary ware in the bathroom a thorough clean.  No Minimising - unless you count the number of times I've been up and down the stairs that hopefully keeps the pounds at bay.     

Today's foodie Make Do's: Leftover bits of Sunday's lamb for a hot pot for dinner tonight and custard to use up some milk.

Cherryfudge

YorksLass said:

@Cherryfudge - Right now it feels like a deluge!  Maybe I should think about building an ark?  We're very lucky in that our two excellent hospitals aren't too far away - both are just under 4 miles as the crow flies but, not being a driver, it's considerably further on public transport which isn't really an option due to DH's mobility issues.  So, taxi it is, a dear do at £22 per return journey but now DH has Attendance Allowance to help with that so it's not as bad as it could be.  He also has a Blue Badge (registered to him and not a specific car) that DS can use when he takes us for appointments.  Of course it's Sod's Law that DS is currently in hospital himself at the moment.  Ah well, one day the sun will shine again!  

The sun will indeed shine again - maybe even soon. I really hope so. Meanwhile I found this page about hospital transport. I don't know if it applies in your area but mobility issues are mentioned. Sometimes there are volunteers drivers who use their own cars, too.

My MMMs for today:

Make do - finished up some leftovers for my main meal (which is also minimising). I also pulled some bags of clothes out of the loft to sort through. Most are summer clothes packed away last autumn but there are a few from long ago to make decisions on. I hand washed a skirt which is quite nice but turned my hands green. I'd put it aside long ago because there's a raw edge that needs attention. Once it's dried I'll try it on and see if I like it, it fits and I think I can repair it.

Mend - one sock.

Minimise - threw out a restaurant doggy bag that's been in our fridge a week and wasn't ours to begin with! 

London_1

My lovely gardener Mick has had to cancel twice this week because of the rain and I can't see him coming today as its getting very dark and overcast again. The rain is it seems to be around for at least another week if not more  

Make do : Cottage pie from the freezer (eating stuff down because of moving) fingers crossed late May.

Mend : I have a cotton Radley shopping bag thats got a small rip in it and as its a nice one I shall catch it before it gets any bigger.Plus a couple more squares to be knitted for my charity blanket while I watch a recorded film this afternoon with my feet up  

Minimise: Try to empty another one of the kitchen junk drawers. So much stuff to declutter

Hope you all have a good Easter weekend and stay dry and warm if you can


JackieO xx

PS don't forget to put your clocks forward an hour before you go to bed tomorrow night ,

British Summer Time all we need is some sun xxx

YorksLass

Thanks @Cherryfudge - our hospitals do offer transport, including volunteer drivers.  As DH now gets AA we decided to stay with taxis (when needed) and leave the transport available for others who might not have any other option.  Another appointment next week for DH, hopefully for biopsy results and potential treatment plan.  DS seems to be having a full MOT having had every test going but still not allowed home.     At the moment he's being pumped with diuretics to reduce the swelling in his legs and feet and beta blockers to bring down his heart rate.

Had a walk to the Co-op today - for once the sun was shining and I could even feel some heat coming from it!  Bought a few bits and pieces and Minimised my soft plastics in their bin.  That's shopping done for the month and this weekend I'll be reviewing the cash spent over the last 12 months to compare it against the budget I originally set.  Other than that, I'm planning a lazy weekend (busy doing nothing) and might even open the Mother's Day chocolates!  I keep forgetting about them.  

Have Minimised the laundry basket contents, just a little bit left but it's not urgent.

Cherryfudge

I hope your DS's treatment gets results soon, @YorksLass. It must be stressful for both him and you. And I hope your DH's visit comes up with a treatment plan too.

Not much to report here in terms of MMM. We went to church for the Good Friday service this morning and most of the rest of the day seems to have been about sorting things out for a day with our adult children and their partners tomorrow. I've been doing food prep and in order to get things in the fridge overnight, I've frozen some peppers and courgettes, which I'm counting as minimising waste. I've also minimised the plastic recycling to the supermarket. My best make-do is making do with the cold night air outside to keep the mushrooms cool as they won't fit in the fridge.

Lunch was making do with some home made jam that didn't turn out well!

I've started on a make-do/minimise waste by taking the fabric off an umbrella that broke and putting it in the wash. Somewhere I've seen a pattern for making umbrella fabric into tote bags, and I could do with a  new tote bag, as well as wanting to keep the fabric out of landfill a little longer. It won't be finished in the near future but I'm looking forward to trying.

London_1

Did a wash load last night and just Minimised it to the washing line as it seems the only day that's going to be dry over the holiday. 

Making do: with a salmon portion from the freezer, and a small salad using up some tinned potatoes as well.I have dug out some spicy Halloumi for lunch just have to think what I can have it with

Mend :  brought some more wool down from my big zip up bag in the spare room to knit some different coloured squares for the blanket

There's a storage light in the sky  I do believe its a rather pale sunshine maybe summer is on its way at last

  Cheers chums JackieO xx

gemmajenkins0208

Make do - well managed to curb the daily spending. Been shop twice since I last posted and that was just to get milk and sugar! Had a bit of cash on me I'd forgotten about which paid for that.


No Mending.


Minimise - The TV destined for OH mum turned out to be broken when we got there... OH went over a funny bit of road on the way there and I heard it bump but thought nothing of it. I didn't really want to bring it back to ours as we're short on space as it is. OH mum is doing a lot of tip runs currently so she offered us to store it in her garage until she does the next one, which I mustn't forget we have a smaller TV to go also so need to make sure she swings by ours to pick that one up. I also have a tumble dryer incoming from a colleague. Which has a meant a slight reshift of a couple things in and near our kitchen. Meant moving everything from a storage unit to move it(and then move the fridge over) but was able to condense it all down so it is all within the unit and not spread out on top the fridge/on the floor etc. there are easter eggs and a freezer drawer in the gap that the dryer is going in currently, but the eggs will be gone tomorrow and the freezer drawer will go back in the freezer once we've used some stuff. Finally sold a small lamp that was in the man cave gathering dust. Lamp was in there and instructions were in the living room! So put them both together in a bag which I mustn't forget on my way out the door to work soon. Finally sold my old phone and watch - collated all the products, boxes, manuals etc together - so they're gone now. I actually have 2 eggs I also need to take to work with me today as brother is coming to get them for him and his missus.

YorksLass

Minimise: Quite a few coat hangers have been binned, thanks to the recent sorting of some clothes that are waiting to go to the CS.  Sadly, they don't take hangers, otherwise they'd be in the bag too!

Make Do: We're having a picky tea tonight that will minimise some bits and pieces from the fridge and freezer.  I'm also  defrosting some cooked pork slices, some for tomorrow's dinner and the rest will be shredded for a stir fry on Monday.

Mend: As well as being in the process of knitting a sweater, I've got another one by my chair that just needs the neckband finishing and then I can sew up the pieces.  There's an email in my Inbox from my yarn supplier and they have my favourite yarn on sale.    I'm oh so tempted but I really can't justify buying any more - yet!  

Today I've gone through the grocery shopping receipts for the last 12 months and found I'd exceeded the budget I'd originally set by £90.  Most of that was for food with a bit more for household cleaning items, toiletries and "miscellaneous".  I'm not too disappointed - or surprised - given prices increases in general.  I think I'll increase the budget by £10 pm but will keep that on one side for the months where there doesn't seem to be much wriggle room.

Mum161111

London_1 said:

My lovely gardener Mick has had to cancel twice this week because of the rain and I can't see him coming today as its getting very dark and overcast again. The rain is it seems to be around for at least another week if not more  

Make do : Cottage pie from the freezer (eating stuff down because of moving) fingers crossed late May.

Mend : I have a cotton Radley shopping bag thats got a small rip in it and as its a nice one I shall catch it before it gets any bigger.Plus a couple more squares to be knitted for my charity blanket while I watch a recorded film this afternoon with my feet up  

Minimise: Try to empty another one of the kitchen junk drawers. So much stuff to declutter

Hope you all have a good Easter weekend and stay dry and warm if you can


JackieO xx

PS don't forget to put your clocks forward an hour before you go to bed tomorrow night ,

British Summer Time all we need is some sun xxx

When you move, hopefully all goes well for May Jackie, don't forget to keep in touch regularly as your posts are always encouraging, uplifting and most welcome.  It's a new adventure for you and will be interesting for all of us to hear how you are getting on.

London_1

Mum161111 said:

London_1 said:

My lovely gardener Mick has had to cancel twice this week because of the rain and I can't see him coming today as its getting very dark and overcast again. The rain is it seems to be around for at least another week if not more  

Make do : Cottage pie from the freezer (eating stuff down because of moving) fingers crossed late May.

Mend : I have a cotton Radley shopping bag thats got a small rip in it and as its a nice one I shall catch it before it gets any bigger.Plus a couple more squares to be knitted for my charity blanket while I watch a recorded film this afternoon with my feet up  

Minimise: Try to empty another one of the kitchen junk drawers. So much stuff to declutter

Hope you all have a good Easter weekend and stay dry and warm if you can


JackieO xx

PS don't forget to put your clocks forward an hour before you go to bed tomorrow night ,

British Summer Time all we need is some sun xxx

When you move, hopefully all goes well for May Jackie, don't forget to keep in touch regularly as your posts are always encouraging, uplifting and most welcome.  It's a new adventure for you and will be interesting for all of us to hear how you are getting on.

Thank you, all the paper work is with the solicitors, so its now just down to them really. It will be nice to get moved and settled in. Going to be a busy couple of months but I'm really looking forward to it.

JackieO xx