Where does the time fly?

Heloooooooooooooo

It’s been a hectic period in this home of late lots of bits getting done. I have been away from the gym as I think I have a stress fracture in my foot and x-ray this week will confirm it or not.

I like to read a blog called fugal queen. About a woman’s journey from debt into financial freedom and living well within her means. I came across this blog by accident and it has proven to be a useful tool in making me think outside the box a bit more. Always did live cheep but not always as creatively as I would have liked to.
I now look at what I spend and try and push it a little further.

This month I have taken what I have had in my fridge and wrung the living life out of it. Finally I’m on its last gasps so today’s menu looks like this.
Ingredients available
3 spring onions
A small bit of cheese
Couple of toms
A pepper
Small bit of cucumber.
And the ends of some beetroot
A lettuce heart some homemade potato salad made (from a 14p tin new spuds using some of the spring onion greens)
And some Sainsbury’s basics Cole slaw witch I padded out with a fat carrot and it worked a treat
There are also some spuds (fresh) and a little buttery type spread.
I have about ½ pint of milk and 4 eggs. This is the plan.
Beat the eggs add milk and seasoning chop up ALL of the spring onions and great the cheese mix with the egg and add as much of the milk as wanted. Poor into a baking dish. Pop on a sliced tom and bake for about 20 mins ish on 150-200degrees. Will chop up reaming lettuce tomato and scrappy bit of cucumber and add the bit of leftover slaw, beetroot and spud salad to go with.
There are a couple of banana buns in the freezer for himself and I shall bake some basic biscuits to have with a cuppa.

Wedding


Finally the dressmaker has ordered the fabric so next stage would be getting the pattern cut. Other things are progressing S.L.O.W.L.Y. I know himself would like a hog roast somewhere for the reception but I feel it’s going to be a little too expensive. I have heard of a community hall that has a kitchen bar and a good space for people, usual amenities as well and I feel finally he is willing to go and have a look. We could hire someone to assist with the catering to help side step some of the cost. As I said “Darling I am marring you” “If others want to join us that’s fine but truly if they’re going to judge us on the meal ect then frankly I would rather just have a micro sized day (we will be a small party anyhow) than try to please others before you” he agreed so now all I have to do is get his arse out and get him to have a look see lol

ROOF

We seem to have progress of sorts the organization that (threw up) built our home said they will foot the bill for all damage both inside and out I do hope they mean to replace my built in wardrobe as well. We called as we had heard nothing for a bit and were told that another builder should have contacted us and would do so by 4pm yesterday. Surprise surprise no call so that is a job for this morning. Keep you posted on that one.

SEWING

Dearly beloved wanted some lightweight cotton jammie bottoms. We are trying not to spend unnecessarily and I was lucky enough to find such a pattern free on line what would fit him. So far all I have been able to do is print the darn thing out. I did get very lucky in a charity shop, found one double and one king-sized quilt cover for 99p each rang and asked him if he minded pink he was cool with that lol so it looks like I’m going to get at least 4 pairs out of it and have some fabric left for patchwork! Now that’s my Idea of good use.

DIY UPCYCLING

Dad has turned in to a re vamped Tommy Walsh and is doing OK for a man whose not into D.I.Y. a set of shelves for me near my side of the bed he’s done a STUNNING job of a very beet up set of drawers and they have pride of place beside my bed. Also a
Couple of cupboards for me in the kitchen. Can’t tell you the difference it has made and a shelf over the radiator so I can pop my radio on there and move my mixer to a small piece of non nondescript worktop and make better use of the very little space I have.

Recently I have been on the hunt for furniture as you know I want pieces that are cheap made of wood and have some strength to them so far I have been very lucky thanks to a small thrift shop I know of. I even managed to get a free piece that she was offering as a giveaway no on collected and I asked if it was still free and home it will come sometime next week when she is back from holiday. We were lucky enough to score a new to us table and chairs for the garden that will suit the space we have much better and my sister can have the larger set. £25.00

I also found a Parker knoll chair for £4.00. I stripped it and the labels were still attached and one was stuck to the frame saying 9th September 1956 even gave the number of the piece worker and the type of fabric it was. And have some sample curtains I picked up in a sale for £2.50 each fully lined and there is more than enough to cover the chair and line it. Dad said he would polish up the wood ass it is a chair with legs and not a recliner. Can’t wait will be fab. I think by the time we have finished it will have cost a maximum of £10 all in. Will post pictures.

Dad has shown an interest in also sprucing up the dining chairs and I have said I will cover them hose is going to look fab and we will have spent little. Looking forward to that. The reason why I am going for it a t the mo is there are some very small funds available and I want to, well for me at least future proof the house. I know a time is coming quite soon always happens sooner that you think where funds won’t just be lumpy they will be static and that’s that. So if I do things now. I won’t have to worry about wear and tear other than at some date new seat pads or a mattress that sort of thing, as wood always can be freshened up. I also have enough basic skills to re cover seat pads and make cushions and the like.

I can honestly say despite the challenges and the down days I am happy with this period of my life feels like I am getting somewhere and am moving forward but with direction.
Please let me know whats going on in your world would love to hear. all the best
Rachel

It’s been a busy old week here

Vets


Autumn had to go back to the vets about her teeth and one extraction later and a good de gunking she’s chowing down like a good un. Had to go and top up her wet food but also order some dried as she was eating the general dried food and that’s not so hot for my old girl. I do wish the others would go back to the cheaper brands as that is costing me £15.00 a week for them Autumn is about £30 and that doesn’t include Jack the mad mad terrier and feeding us. However he result we good the extra pill for her thyroid is working and her kidneys seem to be reacting to the new diet very well. The vet made no apologies for extracting £218 from my shaking hand! Don’t begrudge her the health care but dear lord!



Were in the money!



Did have a nice surprise my coop dividend paid out was £8.40 and it couldn’t have come at a better time I wanted to do a small roast beef for father’s day but pennies were not happening not only did I buy it in the coop but from the reduced section as well. That teemed with peas carrots spuds n Yorkshires will do just fine. Also managed to cobble together a fruitcake with the leftover dried fruit that I had for Christmas and that I bought greatly reduced. The booze bottle wad well behaved and allowed me some for this cake leaving me enough for a Christmas one!
Charity shops and finding what you need...
Managed to find something for dads prezzie went for my usual Friday coffee with some of the knitting people I know and there were a good smattering of charity shops one was having a clear out and were offering buy one get one free on their CDS. Costing £1.50 each so I went and had a look. Not only were there ones that dad liked there was a double Christmas album and she counted that as one CD so 9 disks for £5.50. Making them 61pence each. I was so chuffed. Also wanted to do something for D.B His kids never seem to bother, now if they had had a falling out or some difficulties I would understand but not even a card. I know times are tough but hells teeth make one if you are really really pushed pop um all in the one envelope and share the postage! OK rant over. Anyhow went into another one and found two pairs of marks and Spencer jammies D.D S size tops and bottoms in FAB nick £3.00. Bought them as he spends so much time in bed jammies are always welcome. We have one charity shop we have here called “jeremiahs journey” they help children and teens who have lost one or both parents wonderful charity helped my mate out no end. I purchased a good white cotton sheet from them for £1. Also went on a bit of a wander through town yesterday needed the time and space on my own just to blow out the cob webs




Vintage fair.
Saturday afternoon there was a small vintage type fair on in town not going for a spend but to gather ideas for the wedding and I wasn’t disappointed. There were some good ideas as to what to do with books that are falling apart. As I have some over thumbed copies and odd cotton job done!
So the plan is (not the plan is lol) to tidy the spare room as we can’t pop things back into the loft till the roofs done. And then I will sort through my ideas and look to making a mock up and see what D.B thinks. After the fair we went for a budget coffee. Poppa is on o2 and they do promo vouchers for bits so we make use of those. So a knit and a natter were had for free!
We then split and I went for a wander. Boy did I get lucky in the cancer research shop a lady was just coming in with donations and there was a large very plain 6 drawer storage box. Holding CDs. Said to the assistant interested in the box only how much please. Oh gimme a fiver she said. I have been looking about for one of these for I can’t tell you how long. It’s just the right size to hold the over spill of D.DBs aftershaves and pills all the odds and ends I have some drawer plates out in the shed and will pop them on so we don’t have to keep searching each time. And that coupled with the much sought for small extra bathroom cabinet I bought at the car boot Saturday morning for £2.00. All are sturdy and in b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l order. These are things that I am not going to have to re purchase again and when they look a little tired WILL get re vamped. As it will be home made gift giving this year and I am in the throes of making a start on that ,I found two feather filled cushion pads for a pound a pop and 2 double poly cotton flat sheets and a fitted double all in the same colour. A pretty pale blue wonderful order (just like the white sheet I bought the other day) and to cap it all if you had six items you only paid for five so it meant that I could put in the pretty blue tablecloth that I was going to forego. (So something else to go into the box for our wedding). Making each item just over 83 pence each. Out of the sheets I will get 3 complete flat and one “sides to middle” plus a couple of pillow cases for just over 11pence an item. So not feeling to rotten about that, however when I add in cotton and reclaimed ribbon we may hit about 20 pence.
It was good to have a mooch found what I needed and the cost was minimal I do try and have a little back of the wallet cash for moments like this. I don’t do them very often but you never know.






Father’s Day

Well woke to have a short but wonderful breakfast with my Father. I can honestly say if he wasn’t my Dad I would still want to know him as a person.
So a late lunch a rotten film and a slumbering afternoon will be just wonderful. I also managed to have a nice morning with my man, he liked the jammies and so far we have had only one text from his children there are four in total. I will cook a lunch for him as well and when I come up later in the day as he will be sleeping, we can sit chill and snuggle in front of some delish crappie telly.
However you are father weather inheriting or not I hope you have a wonderful day.

in for a penny....

D.B had his opp and it seems to have gone well. I took off the wadding from his eye cover and he said the floaters are there but his vision is clearer and he can make out my shape and colours for now. Tomorrow lunchtime is when we are able to remove the cover completely but for the next four weeks we will pop in eye drops 2 sorts. one lot 4 x a day another 3x a day.





Called the vets about Autumn said that she was sucking the gravy only from her renal diet food pouches and was told bring her down on Friday and they will run her bloods and possibly operate on her teeth then. Fab says I and books her in. Then had a chance conversation with Dad saying I had seen her nibble on some of the normal dry food that the rest of the clan was eating. Oh yes said Dad shes been doing that quite a bit. Rang the vet as I thought it was relevant. another £45.00 later I get off the phone so far today in theory (Friday will be the actuality) I have spent £210.00 on Autumn. I dont begrudge her a penny I want her as well as she can be for the time we have left with her. Please make the bills disappear!




as you know like Liza's Henry there is a hole in our roof. we chatted to the powers that be and they are the ones who set the premiums NOT the insurance. As fro negotiating a payment plan not on yer Nelly!(nice lil earner me thinks. this is my own personal opinion and no one else's nor is it based in /on any fact)We were put in touch with a solicitor whom I think will kick bum as Dad said. He dont sound like the buggerin' around sort! at £215 per hour I hope hes not lol.



D.B no longer wants the venue down the road for the reception . to be honest I am glad it looked a hole and for the price one part was £500.00 to dress the room. and the its they had that were available for use( a furthermore charge and that we could only hire there in house DJ was very off putting. So for now the search continues.





Did manage to take some craft with me to the hospital have a heap of unfinished bits knocking around and finished one cover and will finish another in a little while.



I am not too sure what is happening re Fathers day I have bought the gift my sister asked me to get for him and I have bought a card. I want to make a fruit cake as he loves them and its knowing what else to do might do the pajama bottoms he was talking about the other day that should serve him well. Marks n sparks here I come!


that's it for now I'm tired and am wanting me pit some bad telly to help me fella out and then some sleep. if I'm lucky lol


hope all is well with you and yours


Rachel

out of sight?

To day is D day. D.B goes in to have a cataract removed but sadly not the floaters. this is the only eye that works and its teetering as to if that will continue.

I am so worried for him. He is worried to but says little, that's his way.




We found out what the excess on the roof is from the housing authority we have shared ownership with it is £906.00. We will seek some advice on this in my hear I know we are on a loosing wicket contesting, this I know sounds defeatist but my little voice is screaming at me and will not shut up!.



Autumn my old girl of a cat who not only has hyperthyroidism is now in the beginning stages of renal failure will not eat the diet the vet has prescribed. I do hope it is just the fact that she has a problem with her teeth and we need to stabilize her meds in order for her to have them attended to.

Right need to go and see how D.D is doing as he needs his meds and some brekkie before we leave.

Hope life in your world is happy safe and well.

chat later
Rachel

My leftovers have leftovers

Need to go through the fridge. It looks like a car pileup .With all this stunning weather I have become deeply entrenched in the I don’t give a toss phase of cooking and going down the road for overpriced over processed crud. I NEED A KICK UP THE ARSE!!!!!!!



I THINK I will make risotto today as I have chicken coming out the wazoo and some leftover veg that with some salad and fruit for dessert should kick me back into line,
Think I will also go down the road and buy a couple of chickens and roast them off as its really salad type weather and l can’t be bothered to cook much.
Need to do some banana bread for DB as he’s mad for it and custard. Instead of making a loaf I pop the mix into muffin cases and it helps with portion control.





Banana bread


3 small or 1 medium or one small one large Banana
8ox plain flour
3 teaspoons of baking powder per 8oz
8oz of marg/butter or a mix of
4 good sized eggs
8oz sugar brown or white even a mix of.
Optional extras... some cinnamon or mix spice to taste any dries fruit mixed or otherwise
If you have a mixer throw everything into it and beat the living heck out of all the ingredients until light and fluffy.
If I am making buns/muffins I cook at 200c if you have a llb loaf tin adjust to what you think I normally go down to about 100c or just over and keep an eye on things. Leave it to cool and then slice and freeze if you are bulk making for future use.



Pea and mint soup



Depending on you love of peas and how thick you want it one bag of basics peas 1.84 celery or onion or spring onion depending on what you have about 5-10p
Pint of veg sock chicken or a mix of 1.5p per cub either basics or Everyday value
Fresh mint Free if home grown or about £1 ish from Aldi and you can take cuttings and put it in a bucket in the garden.
Season to taste, go easy with the mint as you can always add more if you want to.
Cook gently over a medium to low heat and serve with oven baked sweet potato chips
This is a new fave of mine.



I have also reviewed my milk bill and found I can buy powdered milk from Sainsbury basic for !.01 and get 6 pints for the price equaling 16.83p per pint if you add the cost of water in I guesstimate about 17p a pint. The only time I would use a pint of ordinary is when I make Yorkshire puddings using ½ pint of full fat milk but I would get 2 dozen puds out of this



If you have a potato with lots of sprouting on it peal the spud save the peelings plant then out and you should get a good small crop of spuds in about 5 months.

If an onion has started to sprout don’t throw it away use the green sprouting but as an alternative to chives and you still have the onion for cooking.



If you have bread drying out in the bread bin don’t chuck it, when the oven is next and you have turned it off put in on a oven tray and leave till the oven is cold and you will have a crisp bread of sorts for anything you fancy. I like this as an alternative to the usual bread crumbs and bread and butter pudding.
I like to keep the bread bags back for freezing other things as well
The drama on the roof continues and I am still waiting on my wedding fabric. DB has his eye op next week and I’m still procrastinating about paper work.





Off to Aldi and will catch you all later xxxxx

Morning all


Well life thickens as it does, Have needed to go to the vets a lot this week cats are getting older and health needs are rearing there very ugly heads.
I have six furry free loaders. Don’t get me wrong they are very much loved and wanted but gee their bums lol.



My eldest Dora is thankfully in good nick went and had a check up and we believe she has the very early stages of arthritis.



My other girl Clover (youngest) has a bladder condition that gives her permanent cystitis so I need to order pills on line. Thank god they are not on prescription! So easy enough for me to do.



We also have my old boy Bramble who bless his is a scrawny thing with a heart murmur and a thinning coat. He always looks puzzled by life and has the sharpest claws I have ever encountered. Well last year he developed a sarcoma and we had the affected area removed but it came back so we had the ear amputated. The sarcoma was called something unpronounceable and apparently as a rule only dogs get this on their spleen! And to top it all I needed to take him back to the vets yesterday he had a serotonin growth on the side of his cheek and the Vet said this is what horns are made of. Tell me she said does this cat ever get anything normal? lol nope not our Bramble!



Then there is Autumn who’s markings made me think of falling leaves she is my golden eyed VERY independent miss, she is not so well. Her Hyperthyroidism has escalated and we need to try and get 2 pills a day down her, which is proving to be interesting and to put the icing on the cake she now has the onset of renal failure and needs to go on a special diet, at £30 per week this coupled with he fact that my clan are getting older. There are 6 of them and diets have now to be changed so that’s about £20 per week for them. Seriously though I am looking very hard at what deals are about and what they will eat.



I am thinking I need to do some serious math! Lol As I am getting married next year and to top it all the insurance will not cover the roof. It frighteners me as to the potential cost. We are at the moment talking to the building council as to the builders liability, long long story but believe me I want to yell and kick arse but will go softly as that’s the best way to do it for now.




So looks like another VERY homemade Christmas again this year but within limits. Last year I crocheted me Butt off for people and (I know you shouldn’t expect a thank you) not even an acknowledgement of thanks.

So will sew gift bags and see what they have in the budget section of the charity shops and car boot. And make an adult jamboree pack.



On a brighter note we are having a fab make do and med session in the garden. The fence is being painted with a nice rich brown colour and Dad had painted up the hanging basket brackets and stand for the sun brolly. That one needs fixing but a bit of wood and a screw and job done.

I am hoping there will be enough paint over to freshen up the wooden furniture we have as well fingers crossed.
Refreshed the hanging baskets and planted some seed in them that we have had around for god knows how long but what the heck see how it goes. Dad said he would pressure wash down our very very small patio area so should brighten it up with a good bit of effort.


The pippin apple tree I bought and popped in a planter has flowered and looks like it will bear us some fruit and the herbs are going on well. Planted some nasturtiums and they will be good in a salad and bring wonderful colour to the garden. Not only that I love the idea of them self seeding as did the wild geranium I brought from the last house. Hoping that the packet of “love in the mist” when scattered will do the same. Such a pretty pale blue flower and is one of my favourites.






So that’s it for now just need to get arse into gear and go forth so to speak!
How’s life in your world?
Chat soon
xxxxxx

Well the man will come to see about the sieve, i mean roof that we have a problem with.

So fingers crossed for that I also have a million and one phone calls to make today.

Will write an update soon as we had a girls craft day out and my sister came briefly.

Hope you are all well

chat soon Rachel