A new chapter is ....... FINALLY HERE

pennywisepoundstupid

rachmac3 said:

So jealous of your patty pans! I've tried to grow them a few times and never had any success :(

I've grown them this year in a huge tractor tyre which seems to have worked well as they like warmth and the tyre holds onto the heat of the sun and they also like a lot of water which can't drain away to quickly in the tyre.

pennywisepoundstupid

Morning, very wet here today, the garden will be happy. Hopefully it will brighten up this afternoon and i can sit outside with a book. This morning is laundry and house jobs.

Decided to try and have a low spend week regarding groceries, freezers are full and the garden is producing quite a bit so i'm going to try and stay away from the supermarket, will need milk,butter and greek yoghurt towards the end of the week but I will send Mr pwps as he is much better than me at just walking into a shop and only buying what is on the list.
So i havn't made a meal plan this week, i'm going to wing it and try and make meals from what we have and what the garden gives, yesterday was fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, lunch i had hummus with carrots and radishes from the garden in a wrap, tea was a cheese omelette. 
Today for breakfast is yoghurt, strawberries and blueberries from the garden with HM granola, lunch i have some crumpets that need eating which i might top with the last of the hummus and have some veggie sticks on the side,Dh is home for lunch so he will either have the same or a cheese toastie with veggie sticks. Tea tonight is a spicy garlicky chicken tray bake using some chicken thighs from the freezer and potatoes, PP squash and tomatoes from the garden, also have some mushrooms that need eating so might chuck those in as well.
Need to make a sweet treat, might make scones or some butterfly cakes.

Finances are ticking along it's the end of the month slump so not much happening, £6 in from v1nted which has gone to holiday spends pot.
HP spends £60
HP Africa £1891

pennywisepoundstupid

Ok breathe, brain dump warning.

So I havn't posted this week due to feeling down and questioning my lifestyle choices, this has come about due to comments from a 'friend', who after a week of thinking, talking to DH and DD i've realised isn't a friend and always makes me feel rubbish whenever we meet. We are friends as are our children were friends when they were in Primary but went to different secondary schools, kids went in different directions and are no longer friends, not in a nasty way just grew apart and are very different people. But we (adults)still catch up occasionally.
So basically we met for a drink last weekend to catch up on life and i came away feeling !!!!!!, my holiday choices are boring (scotland), crowded and common (florence) and OTT for a week in the sun (mexico), I didn't bother mentioning about wanting to go to Africa. She manages to say these things that at the time seem joking but when you think about what was said you actually realise there is an undercurrent in her comments, sort of judging if that makes sense. She actually asked how we could afford it (!!!!!!) I just said it's because we don't go in school hols now so cheaper and our outgoings are less because children are grown and standing on their own 2 feet and I try and save in other areas so we can have nice holidays as that is what is important to us. I got laughed at for growing my own veggies and a I couldn't be arsed comment, another comment about turning into a eco hippy. Lots of other snarky comments such as you should come with me and get your nails done, oh I don't suppose there is much point if you are up to your elbows in !!!!!!. I didn't comment on her lifestyle choices, her life seems to be about getting her nails done, going shopping to the big shopping centre near Manchester and posting selfies on SM of her sat in a swanky bar or restaurant. We are not the same, have different aspirations, different lifestyle goals and different views on happiness. I do not wish her harm but I do not want this person in my life making me feel bad about me being me and I will avoid in the future. I am annoyed that I let her get to me though  .

So onwards and upwards

Money in and been shuffled about,
HP spends £135
HP Africa £2602

Extractor fan has gone kaput in the kitchen, managing without at the moment as doors and windows are open as weather is warm but will need to get it sorted going forward.
Car has been filled with fuel £50 spent.
Work has been bonkers this week, so busy and lots of last minute bookings, also come away with so many freebies this week as there has been a few guests from abroad that obviously can't take food back on a flight. I only take unopened stuff for hygiene reasons, but guests are so lovely and even leave notes saying hope it's ok we left you some things.
So far this week I have come away with, gouda cheese, 2 packs bacon, mayonaise, chocolate biscuits, eggs, tomatoes, avocados, butter and 2 bottles of beer. Cheese, bacon and eggs got turned into a quiche which we have had for lunch for 2 days with salad from the garden.
Grocery shopping has been done and frankly a ridiculous amount spent £140 between Mr L and Mr S, food costs are just beyond belief, it didn't help the budget that we needed tea, coffee and dishwasher and laundry detergent this week. Lidl freebies this week were demi baguette, belgium bun and a pack of peppers. Did also snaffle a decent £1.50 veg box at Mr L, lots of fruit and veggies. Used the free tomatoes and peppers with some PP squash from the garden to make a roasted veg soup, most of it has gone in the freezer. Also made a celery soup as this was in the veg box added some PP squash as well and lots of garlic and white pepper and OMG it is lush, probably one of the best soups I have ever made, some of this has also gone in the freezer. Some of the bananas in box have been turned into a banana and date loaf cake, half gone to the freezer.

Better get dressed and head off to work xx

jwil

That is definitely not a friend. True friends accept that we can have different likes and aspirations and are supportive of each others choices.  I love Scotland and it's definitely not boring! And there's nothing wrong with being an eco hippy, we need more of them!

Well done for stepping back, no one needs 'friends' that make them feel bad.

Great bunch of freebies! 

slm6002

Sorry your 'friend' made you feel wrong about your life choices - yours sound better than hers by far to me and probably most people on here.  I have had to cut a few people out of my life over the years due to similar or always having a drama (not really worth it kind of drama) in their life that they liked to drag me into.  Well no more.  I have a couple of very good friends who are always there for me and understand me and my life, and I like to think I am there for them in a similar way.

Food is so expensive now so well done on grabbing a lidl box and making good use of it.  I never seem to be there at the right time for these.

in_need_of_direction

I agree that this is not a friend and that distancing yourself is a good idea. However, despite the derision, you were prompted to look at your choices. Well done on confirming these were right for you.

dawnybabes

Gosh true friends just accept that’s what you like and are happy for you! My bestie loves camping, I’d rather pull my own teeth out one by one but I’m always happy when she’s going away having a holiday. 

I adore celery soup, tis one of my favs ! 

Sun_Addict

That’s not a friend. Sounds like she’s jealous of you to be honest. 

pennywisepoundstupid

jwil said:

That is definitely not a friend. True friends accept that we can have different likes and aspirations and are supportive of each others choices.  I love Scotland and it's definitely not boring! And there's nothing wrong with being an eco hippy, we need more of them!

Well done for stepping back, no one needs 'friends' that make them feel bad.

Great bunch of freebies! 

Thanks Jwil, i'm going to avoid her in the future. There is no need for us to get together just because our children once played together. I also love Scotland especially all the castles, I'm a proper castles geek  . 
Regarding the eco hippy comment, it's just not how I see myself as when i think of eco hippy I think of swampy sat in his tree protesting. Yes i'm thrifty, buy 2nd hand mainly because I loath over consumption and prefer a more minimalist life, I like to make memories rather than have things. I love to cook and garden but these are my hobbies and give me a quiet place to think. I also prefer a long walk with my dogs rather than trailing through a shopping centre. I also do things that are not classed as eco, I fly and I eat meat. I just felt it was her way to get a dig in about my lifestyle. 

pennywisepoundstupid

slm6002 said:

Sorry your 'friend' made you feel wrong about your life choices - yours sound better than hers by far to me and probably most people on here.  I have had to cut a few people out of my life over the years due to similar or always having a drama (not really worth it kind of drama) in their life that they liked to drag me into.  Well no more.  I have a couple of very good friends who are always there for me and understand me and my life, and I like to think I am there for them in a similar way.

Food is so expensive now so well done on grabbing a lidl box and making good use of it.  I never seem to be there at the right time for these.

Thankyou, she is a drama queen, On several occasions she went stomping into school about some issue and demanding to see the headteacher, or she would have issues with other parents.