My Off-grid and need to be frugal diary

AnimalTribe

teapot2 thanks I'm still feeling a bit under par today, but I think tomorrow should see me back to full health.

Very few extras to report today. I've sorted a couple of small financial things and bought some DVDs from Ebay (they are pre-owned so cheap).

DH took one of the dogs in the car to the post office, as she likes the ride, and it provides a bit of mental stimulation. When she was a puppy she used to get awfully car sick - thankfully those days are over. Our dogs do get plenty of walks and lots of play time, but as this dog is young she needs things to keep her occupied. DH sold something on Ebay so it was a good way to get an 'extra' from the trip.

I finally, finished the liquid soap that I made from an old, unwanted bottle of bubble bath. Watered down it lasted a very long time. Especially as I'd used a foaming hand pump - it needs lots of added water so the pump doesn't jam.

AnimalTribe

Today’s just been a normal work & house cleaning day. I haven’t done much extra: an e-mail to a friend, backing up my laptop and trying on a few more clothes. I’m trying to do a half hour declutter, at the very least, every day.

Tonight’s dinner will be a butternut squash stew. I still have loads of squash left as I bought a big box of them for £3 before Xmas and they are still all good. The stew I make is really easy:

1 squash (or pumpkin or marrow) peeled, (or courgettes unpeeled) cut into bite sized pieces

Tinned tomatoes (1 or 2 tins) depending on how many it takes to cover the vegetables

1 or 2 onions (or leeks\chives\spring onions). It depends how much you like the taste of onions

1 vegetable stock cube

A large dollop of tomato paste

It’s good plain, but I sometimes add in black pepper or garlic or chilli or herbs.

I put everything in a pan and simmer for 30 mins with the lid on (check with a fork that the squash is tender). That’s it.

It’s good as a stew with some bread, or on jacket potatoes, or for bruschetta, or whole on pasta (or liquidised for a pasta sauce). If there’s any left it’s usually liquidised and added to the next batch of soup.

The only thing to watch is that it has enough liquid in to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. If it looks like it’s too thick just add some water.  

teapot2

Thanks for the recipe, I also like to have a BNS in the cupboard because it keeps so well, same with sweet potatoes...

AnimalTribe

teapot2 they are my go to long-term storage veg, along with marrow. DH loves sweet potatoes, whereas I prefer the standard ones. I started a sweet potato experiment in November 2024. Basically I put a sweet potato, root down, in a jam jar of water. I thought I might be able to grow it into a plant. Some tiny roots have now appeared so it's still a work in progress. One thing I have found though is that the potato is still looking fresh. I've tried all sorts of kitchen waste as windowsill grow projects over the years, some more successful than others. It costs nothing and I've had some unusual houseplants like Avocado.

DH has sold 3 things on Ebay this morning which is great. 

I thought I just had a cold but unfortunately, it appears I have some sort of stomach bug. It was a very unpleasant evening yesterday. Today I'm feeling better, but not back to normal yet (if I ever was, that is ). Today is a do the minimum day with something bland for lunch and dinner.

foxgloves

Hope you are soon back to normal. Gastric bugs are horrid. Still lots of norovirus around.
F

AnimalTribe

Thanks Foxgloves my stomach is feeling a lot calmer. I did manage to pull a muscle though and have a headache which just won't shift. Still I had a very long lie in this morning, which was a bit of a treat.

It's been very windy here the last few days, so dog walking for DH isn't pleasant, but it means that the batteries are fully charged, so 'free' electricity. Today is going to be a 'do very little day' again for me, some minor tidying and then I'm just going to read a book or do some cross-stitch.

AnimalTribe

It's lovely and sunny here today. Still cold and windy though. I've done very little today as I'm still feeling a bit poorly. I've finished reading the book I started yesterday and I'll add it to the small pile I'll give to my sister the next time I see her. I've also found a few DVDs that can go to the charity shop next time I'm in the village. So at least I got a tiny bit of decluttering done.

foxgloves

Sunny here too. Decluttering is always a mood-booster, I find.
F

AnimalTribe

DH has vacuumed the house and I will be doing some more decluttering. I have some craft stuff that I need to sort through. Hopefully, my sister will be able to use some of it, and some can go to the charity shop. Another quick declutter win will probably be my greeting cards stash – there’s some in there that I don’t think I would send.

It has been a long time since I’ve found a sheep in the garden, so it looks like DH has finally solved that problem.

I’m still not fully recovered, but still improving.

foxgloves

I'd be so excited if I found a sheep in our garden! I wouldn't like the chomping though. It was bad enough with the badger damage last year, though it was magical knowing that one had visited us! The most destructive critter in our garden is actually the local sparrow army. I love to see them, as they are one of the common UK species which have really declined in number over my lifetime, but we have to net all leafy veg, runner beans, sweetcorn, etc, until the plants are of a sufficient size & sturdiness to withstand a group attack. The most annoying thing is that they don't even eat them but just peck them into pieces before spitting the bits out. Slugs were dreadful last year with all the wet weather we had but it's naughty beaks which are the biggest destroyer here. 
F