Domestic help wanted, must be cheap.

Hello. I do have some cleaning equipment in the cupboard under my kitchen sink, but every time I open the door a hot sweat comes over me and I go all fluttery. My brain starts to panic at the thought of actually reaching for a cloth and a bottle of whatever. I take a few deep breaths and try and focus. I say to myself, 'come on, you can do this'. I was not put on this earth to drag a Dyson around, or flick the dust off the picture rail. There's no fun in that, but today I made an effort. I have some people coming this week, so I need to tart the place up a bit. 

First this mess on the table. There's allsorts of crafting bits and bobs here. I'm sure it can't be me leaving things lying around, I wonder who is doing it ;o)

The window is clean, inside and out. I have moved a lot of stuff upstairs, and put a clean cloth on the table. It's a bed sheet by the way, This is a work table which the cats jump up on to sit in the window sill, so no point in putting a posh table cloth on, it would get ruined, and I have plenty of bed sheets. The window sill cover is also a bed sheet, folded to fit.

Remember the four years of dust, well it's gone now. Imagine all the time I have saved by not dusting it every week. The mantlepiece has quite a shine on it. That will do nicely for another four years, or until I get some more visitors.

Tomorrow I have the bathroom and kitchen to clean, they won't take long as I am not quite so slovenly where food and washing is concerned. Housework does not turn me on one bit, if I could afford it I would employ a cleaner. Now that's an idea, I'll have a look at the budget to see if I could stretch to a fiver a week, ha ha. They don't cost much, do they?

Thanks for popping in. Catch you soon. Toodle pip.

How many other uses does it have?

Hello. Has anyone else got bottles of lotions and potions in their bathroom cabinet they no longer use? I gave up using conditioner on my hair ages ago. It takes too much faffing about, wash then rinse, condition and rinse again, several times until the water runs clear. I now skip the faff, and towel dry after rinsing the shampoo off. 

So, what to do with these? The VO5 I found in a skip a couple of years ago, and the Tea Tree, I must have had it about ten years, probably longer. I'm sick of seeing them and want them gone, but I'm not chucking them out, I'm finding other uses for them. 

Last night I had a long soak in the bath, when it came to scrubbing myself clean, I didn't reach for the soap or the creamy body wash, I applied a squirt of conditioner onto the rough side of my sponge, and used that. It worked perfectly fine.

This morning I washed my hair, don't like going to bed with wet hair, and the hairdryer is only for use in emergencies. I always let my hair dry naturally. I skipped the shampoo stage, and gave it a scrub with conditioner. My hair is clean and soft.

It got me thinking of other uses for it. I read somewhere that you can use it instead of soap when you shave your legs, and it leaves them silky soft. I am not about to try that, I don't shave my legs, not much point when I only wear trousers. And even if I wear shorts, where's the harm in a few hairs sprouting out above my socks.

Another idea is that any left over and unwanted conditioner could be used to refill a pump action hand wash bottle. Or perhaps a spoonful could be put into a washing machine as a clothes and bedding conditioner. Maybe it could be diluted and put into a spray bottle and used to clean the bathroom sink, and wipe around the toilet and bath. There must be other uses, anyone any ideas of their own? Being frugal is about using up what you already have before buying new.

Once these two bottles are empty I won't be buying any more conditioner. If I find any in a skip I will rescue it, or if someone gives me a bottle they no longer want, I would happily find a use for it.

Crafty pictures tomorrow. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip

Keeping on track, a review

Good morning. I will zap off this post early being as I missed yesterday. From time to time I review my money saving activities, to ascertain if they are still relevant today as they were when I first started on my frugal living journey. You might have noticed there is a list of money saving tips on a separate page, link at the top, I have been checking through them to see if they still apply now.

Almost every aspect of  living expenses can be tweaked and pruned by making choices. Make a wrong choice and you will find you pay more than you need to. Saying that, everyone's aspirations for a better life are different, so there is no, 'one size fits all'. The areas I save money in may not be the same as yours. So why am I so tight when it comes to spending? Easy answer, because I like to be in control. I will not hand over any money willynilly, every purchase is carefully thought out.

The first question I ask myself is, 'do I need it?' If yes, then where is the cheapest place I can get it. If no, how much do I want it, and do I have enough money to pay for it without skinting myself. At this point treats come into it. Nothing wrong in treating yourself now and again, but a treat to me is something I allow myself occasionally. My treats might be a small bar of chocolate, a bottle of wine, a can of cider, a bag of crisps, or  a magnum ice cream. I spread my treats out over several weeks or months. One bottle of wine a month spread over four days. One magnum when I am on a day out or holiday. One small choc bar if I really fancy it, but my self discipline always kick in when I am in a shop and I will not pick one up as an afterthought to add to my other purchases.

So, basically, I save money in some areas to channel that cash into other areas which are important to me. I like a nice car so I save up for one. I have pets so I need money for that. These might seem like fixed costs that I can't cut down on, but as I said, all aspects of living expenses can be tweaked and pruned. I could buy a cheaper car which costs less to run, but I can afford the one I have. I could have just one cat. I am at my maximum of pets cost wise at the moment, and would not take on any more. I have a budget for them and I am at my limit. Utilities are flexible costs, I can choose when to flick switches, when to turn things on and off. I can monitor usage through my meter readings.

So let's have a look at the money saving list. I will pick out a few to review.

Before I wash my clothes I inspect them to see if they are dirty or smell. Yes, I still do that. It's a waste of water, electricity, and soap powder to wash clean clothes. Will they last one more wearing before they need a wash. I wash everything on a 30 degree, 30 minute wash, using two dessertspoons of powder for each load, and dry everything outside. If the weather prevents me from drying outside, I have enough clothes to delay a wash until a good drying day comes along, windy or sunny.

Cut down on tea and coffee, heat a mug of  water in the microwave and add a dash of fruit juice. Yes, I still do that. I very rarely use my electric kettle because it needs two mugs of water to cover the element. I know you can put some in a flask for later, but I only have one hot drink in the morning, the rest of the time I have cold drinks, and they are very watered down juice drinks.

Check bank statements and credit card statements for any direct debits that are not needed any more. I keep my direct debits to an absolute minimum, preferring to pay bills by cheque into the bank My mobile phone is topped up at the local shop, £10 every two months. I have an annual DD for my Youth Hostel membership, and car recovery service. £4 goes to googlie for posting unlimited photo's on my blog, and a monthly DD goes out for house insurance, and landline/broadband. That's all, makes it easy for me to monitor.

Buy children's tooth brushes, they are cheaper than adult brushes. Yes, I still do that. A three minute scrub with a small brush gives the same results as a bigger one. My dentist always asks if I use an electric brush, my answer is no. Why do I want to spend money on a gadget that will need charging up, and new brushes to purchase every so often, when I can do the same thing using wrist power. And while on the subject of teeth, I only use toothpaste in the morning. I like to start the day with a fresh clean mouth. All other times I brush with water only. It's the time spent brushing that counts, and using the correct technique, plus flossing, which gets rid of the food trapped between them. I must be doing it right because I've had five years of all clear check ups.

Use wash cloths instead of paper towels. Yes, I cut up old cotton sheets, old towels, and use them as dishcloths. When they are past their useful life in the kitchen they get relegated to floor cloths, shoe polishing cloths, window cleaning cloths, and dusters, when I can be bothered to dust. I have a couple in the bathroom for wiping bath, basin, and toilet down. And the very old cloths get used as cat litter box wipes after I have scrubbed them out and they need to be dry before refilling with fresh litter. When I throw cleaning cloths away they are manky. Just a note to add to this. I do have a paper towel roll, I use it for a dribbly nose. It lasts longer than a conventional box of tissues because it doesn't fall apart so quickly, and my nose is constantly cold and wet, even though I never catch a cold. A bit like a dogs, ha ha. I never ever buy J cloths, wet wipes, dish cloths, floor cloths, or boxes of tissues.

I still wear boys and men's underpants as opposed to ladies knickers. I haven't had to buy any for years, they last ages, never fall apart, and never stretch and go baggy. They are a snug fit, no uncomfortable floss up the bum or cheeks hanging out. Anyone with a small bottom would save loads of money by making the switch. They come in all colours.

Tidy your food cupboard and have a stock check. Yes I still do that. I know exactly what tins, packets and frozen I have, no festering unmentionables lurking at the back waiting to be chucked out. I keep my spices to a minimum, no small glass jars of goodness knows what hanging about. I don't follow recipes for cooking, because if you do, you need to check you have the ingredients first, if not then you buy it. So easy to be left with half a jar of this, half a packet of that, never to be used again. I make my meals with whatever I have in, I improvise, I use up what I already have. No recipe books in my house.

Moving on to food shopping. I don't take a list, I go with an open mind. There is no item of food that I must get, I buy whatever is a good price and I can substitute one item for another. I like expensive foods like they have at Marks and Sparks, but would never shop there unless it has a yellow sticker, and that isn't likely to happen because their big store is on the edge of town. I am not loyal to one supermarket but will cherry pick from those I am close to, or passing to and from somewhere else. I will not waste petrol running around from shop to shop. My motto is, 'pop in when passing', especially if it is between 5 and 9pm. Another motto, 'worth a look'.

Don't buy food out. I know the times when my stomach will be grumbling for food, so if I am going anywhere and I know I will need to eat, I take a snack with me. A sandwich, a drink, a piece of fruit, a few cream crackers a piece of cheese etc. If I don't eat when I am hungry I start getting wobbly, and that means eat something now. So rather than dashing in a shop, I have something in my bag. I eat before I go food shopping, because being hungry in a supermarket aisle will trigger off my desire to grab whatever is available. This has happened on occasions, and not wanting to give in to junk, I have been scouring the shelves for something suitable to eat. I might pick up a cheese and onion pasty or a banana, to satisfy my hunger. One thing I cannot bring myself to buy is ready made sandwiches, even if they have been reduced to pennies. No thanks.

I like to review my money saving and spending habits now and again, just to check I am on the right track. To check I am not slipping back into spending more than I can comfortably afford. I read other money saving sites to see if there is anything I am missing, any good ideas I should be doing. It's easy to take your eye off the ball and slip back. I don't keep a spending diary any more, by keeping my outgoings and incomings simple, all the information is stored in my head. As long as that bank balance stays in the black I am ok. It may dip a little at times when there is a big bill to pay, the next one will be car insurance, but exercising restraint for a few weeks will bring it back up again. Swings and roundabouts comes to mind.

Your priorities will probably be different to mine, but whatever you spend your money on, it has to be what you can afford without going into debt. Some sacrifices have to be made to be able to live the life you want to live. I want a nice car, I don't eat out. You eat out twice a week, go to the gym, get a coffee in a cardboard cup every day, and you make do with a cheaper car. Your choice, my choice. Don't come moaning to me that your car is clapped out and you can't afford the repairs.

Thanks very much for popping in, I hope I have given you something to think about. Time to take my best friend out. He is lying on the carpet, I'll get his lead.

Toodle pip

A dead cheap pamper

Hello and Happy Fathers day to all dad's. So what's this little Orphan Annie doing today then. Looks like I am about to perform a war dance with my painted face. I am scraping out the last few applications of this small tube of moisturizer which I have cut in half, but it's so small I can't get my finger into it. So the answer is to use something to poke it out. 

A wooden toothpick is mighty small, which does the job, that's why I have stripes on my face. It's a freebie sample of hand and body lotion given to me by a friend. As far as I'm concerned it can be used on the face as well.

I've been checking my beauty stocks in the bathroom. I hardly ever buy anything new, lotions and potions last ages as I use them most sparingly. Take these cheapo supermarket smellies, they seem to last forever. Even the cheap ones I use the absolute minimum that I can get away with.

I bought the toothpaste from Poundstretcher, I was in there about six months ago for something else and spotted that this was on offer at 50p. Pretty good price I thought, best to have a tube on standby for when the other one runs out. I can't see me starting this for another three or four months, such is my sparse way of spreading it on the brush. I only use a smidgeon, just enough for a slight foaming of the mouth.

The toothbrush is another item on standby, still in it's packaging. Did you know that children's tooth brushes are cheaper than the adult equivalent? No need to pay full price just buy a smaller brush and give your mouth a good scrub round with that. It reaches into all the hidden corners. I usually walk around the house multitasking while brushing my teeth as it's such a boring job to be standing still.

This is my deodorant stash, ha ha. Not much to choose from, and I didn't even have to buy them. My sister gave me the Arrid, and my friend donated the Nivea to a worthy cause, me. Neither of them liked what they had bought for themselves so all donations gratefully received here. 

Getting to the end of this sun lotion so it's an upside down job. I bought this yonks ago, not sure if it goes off, but I use it as moisturizer from time to time. I like the smell, it reminds me of holidays.

There's a long way to go with these two, at least another years worth in there. I don't moisturize my body, so the whipped body oil gets used on my face, neck and hands. The body wash will be used in the bath, eventually. I bought these two before I went on holiday to Scotland because I read that it's good for keeping midges at bay. I never did see any midges, think I was too early in the season.

My soap stocks are slowly shrinking. I used to sell hand made soap on my stall at the market and events, so I had some left when I closed the business. That was over ten years ago. Here we have strawberry, lemon and lime, and gingerbread. It has lost some of it's perfume but still performs as well as soap should.

I keep my toiletry purchases to the minimum, I only need the basics and use them sparingly. I don't need all the posh names, or the expensive perfumes. There is no cream which halts the aging process, and perfume evaporates into the air. As long as I am scrubbed clean with one of those sponges with a rough side, that will do me. I've got the bath water on now, so I'll scrub up later.

How big is your stash of toiletries? Is it minimal like mine? Or do you like a bit of luxurious pampering?

Hope your Sunday is a good one. Bye for now. Toodle pip.

Crumbs !!!

Hello, it's a nice day and I have been out . I went out yesterday as well, to visit The Ropewalk Gallery in Barton on Humber. I haven't been for ages so decided to take a look at the exhibitions. I was lucky, there were two extremely talented artists on show, this one was very pleasing to the eye. This is my kind of art, the sort that makes me go 'wow',, innit fabulous. The pictures here are photographed from the leaflet I brought home, there is a bit of blurb about Clive Redshaw below. 

Here is a link to the Ropewalk web site. There are some more of his pictures on the Lincolnshire Open Studios  web site. I really enjoyed this exhibition. 

On a completely different note, I've been getting fed up of clearing away bread crumbs and other bits of chopped and grated food from my worktop. Some of it inevitably ends up on the floor as I try and wipe it up with a dishcloth, which then means I have to clean the floor as well. Grrrr, I hate housework. I've come up with an idea which I am trying out. I don't want to get a bigger chopping board, mine is a normal size one which can be a bit cumbersome to scrub down in the washing up bowl. I thought of an idea to extend the boundaries of the board by placing a tea towel underneath it, then all it needs is for the chopping board to be lifted on it's side, with the bits falling into the tea towel, which is then taken outside and shaken. I haven't got a nice tea towel, mine are all a bit worn, so I have used a pillow case. I will see how it goes, good idea eh!

What do you do with half a portion of chips left over from the day before. I just fancied some yesterday, it was a massive portion, enough for three people. Today I put the last of them in a bowl, topped it with half a tin of baked beans, and zapped it in the microwave. Ta da! a two minute Sunday lunch, no food wasted here. I will make something a bit more healthy for my main dinner in an hour or so.

I'm going to sign off now, I've got more stuff to talk about but I'll save it till tomorrow. Some questions to answer, and I've picked out a couple of ideas for blog posts from your comments. Thank you for joining in, and welcome to the new readers.
Toodle pip
PS. Still waiting for two addresses. Primroses Attic and Aussie Cheryl. You have each won a shopping bag, they are ready to go. Give me an address.

Re organizing my space

Hello. It's been a damp and dreary day here in North Lincolnshire, best place is indoors. I woke up with a few ideas of what to do today, could do some sewing, could do some cooking, or I could move my big computer down into the living room. Now it is running perfectly it's a shame to leave it upstairs while squinting downstairs at the little netbook. 

So what's to be done. I have a large front to back living room with a table at each end. This corner next to the table at the front is wasted space at the moment. An ancient treadle sewing machine which I never use, (ought to really), and a writing bureau which has some crafting stuff stored in it which I don't use very often. On the top of the sewing machine are storage boxes full of more crafting stuff which I often dive into, so I want to keep them close at hand. The space could be better utilized. 

I do my sewing here at this table, so the machine can stay here.

That's better. The telephone socket comes into the house here, so that's handy for the router. Those wires dangling down are for the tv aerial and the satellite dish, neither of which I use, so I'm thinking about chopping them off.

This office desk will fit in the space perfectly, all I have to do is get it downstairs. It weighs a ton, I bought it second hand years ago from an office furniture warehouse for £30. A bargain and it's ever so sturdy.

I think I'm going to need these.

That's the wood removed, next dismantle the frame.

Bit by bit it all gets moved downstairs, and cleaned. Now how does it fit together. I should have marked what goes where.

 YAY, dunnit. Everything plugged in and switched on, and it works.

Now I've got to get the writing bureau upstairs. The treadle sewing machine is too heavy to move very far so that will have to stay in here, I'll find a space for that. There is room under the desk for the plastic storage boxes, and then I've got to move the second desk in the office to underneath the window so the cats can jump up into the window sill. I think I'll get my dinner before I carry on.

I must say it's nice getting back on this big computer again, the screen feels gigantic after that little one. I much prefer a real full size keyboard as well. Yes I think this arrangement will suite me better. I used to spend a lot of time in the small office, now I prefer to be all on one level. Shall I move my bed downstairs next, ha ha. The next move might be to a bungalow.

Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip

When is an ironing board not an ironing board

Yes I'm still here, apologies for my absence yesterday, but housework and holiday preps kept me busy. Curtains in two kitchen windows taken down and washed, windows cleaned inside and out, garden was tidied, again, it's a never ending job, and a visit to the morning Craft Club. Curtains are now back up and all looks clean in the kitchen. Now I'm starting to gather the bits and pieces together for the rucksack. This task takes a couple of days as it involves making a list and walking all around the house picking up what I need. 

Here's an idea that works for me. There isn't much space in my bedroom for a bedside cabinet. If I put one next to the bed it would be sticking out into the room. This is where my ironing board can be utilized for two jobs. I hardly do any ironing at all, don't iron clothes, but just ironed the curtains, and sometimes I iron sewing bits that I am working on. To save getting it out of the cupboard under the stairs, or have it cluttering the spare room up, it sits very nicely in the space next to the bed behind the door. 

The top is looking a bit faded, and stained with burn marks, so it needs a spruce up. A piece of cotton fabric that I got out of the last skip I raided is the exact size. It took a few minutes to hem the edges all the way round, and bingo, a nice cover for my bedside table.

 It is the exact right height, a couple of inches higher than the bed, so it's easy to reach for my bits and bobs. A library book, a wind up torch, wind up clock, a table lamp which I bought for my mother nearly 40 years ago, still going strong, and a tub of aqueous cream. There are a pile of magazines at the other end should I wish to browse those before I go to the land of nod.

Just lately I've been taking a mug of hot chocolate to bed and sipping that while I read. I'm going to have to stop that because it's a nuisance having to get up and go to the bathroom to brush my teeth.The torch by the way is for checking my watch for the time if I should wake up during the night. In the summer months I always leave a chink of curtain open so the light comes into the bedroom at dawn, then I can decide whether to get up early or roll over and have another hour. Getting up at a time that suits me is my little bit of luxury, ha ha.
  

So, my ironing board has two functions. I could actually iron on it, the iron is kept in a cupboard nearby, and it makes a jolly useful bedside table. I like finding alternative uses for things. Toodle pip
Catch you tomorrow.

Not back breaking work.

Hello. I'm all for making household chores easy for myself, I do only as much as I need to, to keep things ticking over. Today I will share a load of washing with you. It's a warm and sunny day with a gentle breeze  so a good opportunity to strip the bed. The washing is in the machine, a 30 minute cycle at 30 degrees. My method of transferring it from the machine to the garden is not a conventional plastic basket. I don't drag it all out in one big pile, all tangled up, and drop it straight into the basket. By the time it gets untangled and hung up it's already creased. 

I don't have a basket because I don't like having to bend down and remove the items piece by piece as I hang it. This tall seat is what I use for transportation. I carefully take the washing out of the machine, shake it flat, and lay it on the chair. 

Like this. Heidi getting in on the picture again, ha ha.

I lift the whole lot up, chair and washing, without bending down, and pick up the pegs hanging on the nail on the back door. This keeps me in an upright position and doesn't put a strain on my back. When I peg out there is no bending down. I can move the chair along the length of the line if I need to. Mostly I just walk up and down, removing items one at a time as I hang them.

When the washing is dry and ready to be brought in I have the chair close by. I shake each item and fold, and lay it on the chair, starting with the largest items first. Again, no bending down to put it in a basket. When all washing is collected it takes hardly any effort to lift the chair a few inches keeping my back straight, and taking it all inside. It is then ready to be put away, but in the case of this load it will go straight back on the bed. I don't iron anything, can't be bothered with such mundane tasks. I don't buy clothes that need ironing. 

I have two sizes of wooden spring pegs, the bigger ones for the larger and heavier items. The smaller ones for such things as teeshirts, pillowcases, and pants. 

I also have some coloured plastic pegs. These are no good at all for hanging washing out. They are not strong enough for the job and they break easily. They are however very useful for clipping together the tops of half used packets of food stuffs. I like to keep things in their original packaging so I can check on the dates now and again. 

That's my washday system, it works for me. Have you got a system?
Toodle pip.

More patchwork, and a declutter

I got straight onto the job of adding more patches this morning, after the breakfast pots were moved into the kitchen. That's what I like about being retired, I can do whatever I like, and today I decided I am going to get this block finished. I've cropped the edges in the photo. It started as a 24inch square, and half an inch will be trimmed off all round to give a neat edge.   

I think this method works pretty well, and it goes together quite quickly using the sewing machine. I am going to carry on and make more. It won't be a bed quilt, probably a throw for the sofa. I'm not sure how big to make it, I might get away with six blocks, but might go to nine. As it's already got two layers I will just put a backing onto it. I will need to dig out some more fabric from my stash, I don't want to buy any more, but want to use up what I already have. So, hey ho, keep on sewing.

Another little job I tackled today, keep on chipping away at those boring unglamorous jobs. I have a nice little old writing bureau sitting in the corner of my living room. Someone gave it to me years ago, they were moving home and didn't have room for it in their new abode. I seem to have a talent for finding freebies, ha ha. Anyway, it has been housing my card making bits and bobs, mainly old greetings card which I cut up and stitch onto new cards. I haven't made any cards for ages. I tried to sell them at one point, but I think most people are of the same mind these days and have given up sending cards.

I thought about chucking the whole darn lot, having a good clear out, but there are some very old family cards here which I don't want to part with just yet, so I have just scaled down my collection. I took the scissors to the ones I didn't want to keep and now I have a big pile of white card to use for notes. I've also saved a lot of decorative snippets which can be used to make new cards, if I feel inclined to start making them again.

That's a lot better, the unwanted clutter has gone in the paper recycling box. I bet the bin men will think it's strange when they empty the box, to find lots of Christmas cards three weeks before Christmas. They usually get recycled in January.

I did find time to go out for a local walk today, I like to get out once every day. Right, I'm going to do a bit more sewing, make a start on the next block.
Toodle pip.

Sentimental softie

Amongst the pile of books I rescued from a house clearance the other day, was a very old copy of Mrs Beeton's Family Cookery, with nearly 3000 practical recipes. It also has sections on how a housewife should look after her home either by herself or with the help of servants. Apparently Mrs Beeton's is the only cookery book to have survived two world wars, and generations of successful housewives have found this an invaluable source of information.

There isn't a date on the cover, or the inside of this book, but I guess it is pretty old. It's a small book which is 2.5 inches thick and has 896 pages. The advertisers in the back include Lea and Perrins Sauce, Foster Clark's Custard, Chivers Jellies, and Quaker Macaroni, most of them boasting over 100 years in business.

I've had a look through some of the first pages which deal with mainly how a house should be run, and some of it made me smile. Things have changed a lot since this was written. Let me quote a few lines. "Much is demanded of the housewife, in that she should be able to keep good-tempered, patient, and calm amid all the cares and worries of domestic life. In this way she will ensure a happy and contented home, and create a feeling of security and stability long remembered and appreciated by her children". I think a lot of these values went out the window a long time ago.

Under the heading of Daily Duties, it states, "Before breakfast - daily clean the dining room, lay the breakfast, and prepare the food for cooking. Wake the children and give them as much attention as their age requires. Cook and serve the breakfast, by which time all the members of the household should be down and ready. When the family is large, breakfast is apt to become a somewhat irregular meal, owing to various train times and engagements. However, the housewife who is wise will do everything in her power to encourage punctuality and simultaneous appearance".  Ha ha, a quick yell up the stairs, get out of your pit now, I think is what happens now.

On flicking through the recipes, I don't do recipes as you know, my food is made up as I go along, I came across this rather gruesome description on how you should prepare a calf's head for eating, accompanied by a picture of a head on a platter.

I will share the recipe with you, should you decide you want to have a go. So, first the INGREDIENTS.

A calf's head. 1lb of lean uncooked ham. 2 hard boiled eggs. 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Ground mace. Nutmeg. Salt and pepper. For the stock 1 or 2 onions. 1 carrot. Half a turnip. 1 strip of celery. A bouquet garni. 12 peppercorns.  

METHOD. Cut the head in half, take out the brains, dress and serve them with the tongue as a separate dish. Wash the head in several waters, and afterwards let it soak for 12 hours in salted water, which should be changed several times. Put into a saucepan with a handful of salt, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then drain and wash well in cold water. Return to the pan, cover with cold water, boil, skim well, then add the prepared vegetables, bouquet garni, peppercorns, salt to taste, and cook gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the bones can be easily removed. When the head is boned, spread it out on the table, season well, and distribute narrow strips of ham and slices of boiled egg evenly over the surface. Add more flavouring and roll up tightly and wrap and tie securely in a pudding cloth. Have the stock boiling in the saucepan, put in the head, and cook gently for about 2 hours. This is sufficient for 10 or more persons.

Well if I hadn't already been put off eating meat for life, I certainly would be after reading that. It sounds utterly revolting. I think these days a lot of meat eaters would rather get their flesh in neatly wrapped polystyrene packages from the supermarket. What you take home in your shopping bears little resemblance of the animal it came from. I think it should be compulsory for meat eaters to go and see for themselves how an animal is killed and butchered. What I can't understand is when the spring comes and the fluffy little lambs appear in the fields, everyone goes, aaahhhh, aren't they sweet, then stick a lambs leg in the oven and eat it. There are still a lot of carnivors about though, who will happily chop up every bit of an animal and serve it up. There is no room for sentiment if you eat meat. 

I am a sentimental softie, and proud of it. My lunch today was mushrooms in a garlic sauce, with spinach added to the pan, served on a bed of spinach, and a tomato. It was bloomin lovely.  

Have a nice weekend, it's raining here, filling up my water receptacles nicely. Hope it's better where you are. Toodle pip

Down the pan.

In my quest to save precious tap water, I have set up my own Rainwater Harvesting Station. It is so designed so that any rain falling over this collection of plastic receptacles will automatically be contained, therefore being prevented from soaking into the ground.

My theory is that 30 days of continuous heavy rain will produce enough water to flush the downstairs toilet 50 times. If we have some heavy snowfalls this should increase the volume of collected water, as the snow will gradually melt into the containers.  

I have set myself the daily task of inspecting the above Harvesting Station, and removing any collected water to a large bucket next to the toilet bowl. Any floating debris such as leaves or twigs will be removed during this process, to minimise any blockages as it goes down the pan.

Should we have excessive rainfall over a long period of time, to avoid overflowing and losing collected water over the sides, plans will be put into action to empty the receptacles more often. To implement this plan it will be necessary to ask around the neighbourhood for any unwanted empty large plastic milk bottles, to store the excess water. If not enough bottles are found then it will be necessary to rob the bottles from the plastics collection bank in Tesco car park. On no account must any water be lost, such is the value of this precious commodity.

By my reckoning I predict that after a wet and cold winter of many weeks of heavy rainfall, I should be able to knock a full £5 off my water bill through severely limiting my use of tap water, in favour of using the free stuff which rains down on us all.

What are you doing to keep your water bill low? Will you be following my example?
Toodle pip.

PS. Thanks to Debbie, I have your address, I will be sending the bag tomorrow.

All @rse about face to me :o)

Good morning. This is the sight which greeted me as I opened the curtains at 7am, oh no, not more snow! It's getting a tad annoying now, especially as it's getting quite close to the date when I set off on my long walk. According to the weather reports we should be expecting it to be cold, with rain and snow, untill the end of the month. It's not clear whether it will be gone by the time Easter arrives at the beginning of April. I am going to have to do some serious thinking here, whether to postpone the walk untill the weather picks up, or to say stuff it, just do it anyway. I don't much like the idea of trudging mile after mile getting drenched to the skin. Although my waterproofs are pretty good at keeping the worst off me, if the weather doesn't improve, it's going to be more like an ordeal rather than a happy challenge. I'll make a decision soon.

My apologies for not posting last night. My broadband connection sometimes throws a wobbly and simply disappears off the face of the earth. I tried closing the computer and router down and then starting up again, which worked for a while, but half an hour later it was lost again. I decided that the best options was to say stuff it and make a start on another car body panel art project. I was thinking I want to make small holes in the panel and tried drilling, but that didn't work too well. Then I thought, aha, it's plastic so I can melt it. Yep, heat a nail up on a gas flame, held with pliers, and it quickly cuts through it. Good, now I can get on with an idea I have. 

I think you might have noticed by now that I've enabled word verification. To be honest, the spammers were doing my head in, all automatic of course. Masses of them, every two minutes, were coming in. It has been such a relief these last 24 hours to see that now they are blocked, I have no spam comments at all. I am sorry that I have had to inconvenience you in this way, I hate word verification myself, and know how difficult it is to see the gobboldygook we are supposed to copy into the little box. Don't be confused if I suddenly change the settings back, I want to see if intermittent on/off makes any difference to the spam bots, how long does it take them to recognise changes in status. It's woman against a machine, and I suspect machine will win. It's quite worrying really, the way computers can rule our world. 

Anyway, what shall I talk about now? A couple of things I have seen on a forum, which are linked in a way. Have you noticed when people want to make changes in their life, they seem to go about it arse about face. I'm talking about money saving here, tightening the belt, and cutting back, though the same thing also happens when they want to lose weight, start growing veg, stop smoking, or get fit. 

The will is there to start making these changes, but then they feel they need to spend money to achieve their goal. As I have demonstrated in my fitness video, you don't actually need to spend money to get fit. Yes, I bought a cross trainer, because I find that fun to use, and I saved up for it. I deliberately put it in my living room so I can do a few laps at anytime. I didn't actually need it, but I do actually use it. How many people have exercise equipment out of sight in their spare bedroom, shed, or garage, bought in a flurry of well meaning enthusiasm. And how many people actually make time to use it, or is it a case of out of sight out of mind. So, what's arse about face where buying exercise equipment is concerned? Just looking at the rowing machine or exercise bike does not make you fit. Nope. Putting some music on and dancing around the living room, is cheap and good for you. A bit of skipping, stepping, and stretching is good for you, and it's free, no equipment needed. 

Have you noticed how many people are hung up about following a particular weight loss diet. They read about a new idea in a magazine, and think, oh, I'll try that. Weighing portions, counting calories, buying shakes, the this and that diet. They end up constantly thinking about food and spending more money at the health food store. They buy more gadgets for their already full to bursting kitchen cupboards, which eventually get donated to a charity shop because they have lost interest. Being on a diet is pants, it makes you spend money, don't do it. So how can I talk about dieting, because I have no need to lose weight? Well I do know a bit about it, I crept up to almost 11 stone while I was driving, stuffing my fat face with all mannner of crap. My diet was mainly heart attack material. Why do you think I don't need to diet now?  Because I eat healthy food, end of. The ocassional chocolate bar, or biscuit, or ice cream, does pass my lips, but as a treat. So, what's arse about face where weight loss diets are concerned? It makes you focus on food which gives you a feel good boost if you are down, rather than food which you need to keep your body alive. There is a difference. On a diet you feel deprived of all the nice things that you can't eat, you feel sorry for yourself, and have a treat, and another, and another. I have trained myself to love steamed vegetables. Simple food can be just as nutritious if you vary it, and costs less, so a bonus there. 

I'm on a roll now, what's the next arse about face example. Growing veg. There are two reasons why people start growing their own veg, (1) to save money, and (2) home grown veg tastes nicer. Good reasons. If you are in it to save money, like I am, it's a bit arse about face to go to a garden centre and buy a spade, a fork, and loads of tools you think you might need. Then buy a greenhouse with all the paraphenalia that goes with it, flower pots, staging, the list is endless, one thing leads to another. The gravel to put on the floor of the greenhouse, the slabs to lay around the outside of it, so it looks neat and tidy. OMG, it's got to look neat and tidy. You're growing vegetables to eat, they grow in muck, nothing neat and tidy about that. You can get loads of free stuff for your veg garden out of skips, from neighbours who want to get rid of something, from freecycle and freegle. All I bought was a few bags of compost to get my seeds started and get my raised beds going. I scrounged loads of hoss muck from horse owning friends, and turned my own kitchen and garden waste into compost. Spending money to save money is arse about face.

Ok, so I admit it, the next example is something which I know very little about. How to give up smoking. I have never smoked so I haven't experienced how hard it is to give up. I can only write about how I see it, from my common sense approach. I think we all recognise that tobacco is a poweful drug, once hooked it's very difficult to go back. In my mind, arse about face comes into this when you substitute one method of getting a nicotine fix, with another. So you stop the fags, and start on the patches. Or you get the electronic version because you feel lost without something in your hand. So, by delaying the outcome of stopping smoking you merely put it on hold for a while. You want to let yourself down gently, you feel lousy and you need a crutch to prop yourself up while you experience withdrawal symptoms. A bit arse about face if you want to ditch the dreaded weed permanently. I don't want to turn this into a lecture because addiction of any kind can be crippling. If you try and give up, and fail, keep trying. If cutting down is not working, try cold turkey.

One more example of arse about face. A woman does an online shop and spends £155, she is chuffed that she has chosen some special offers that have given her a reduction of £27, money that she feels has been given to her. Erm, no, it was hers in the first place. She thinks she is in profit, and this idea could be taken up by others to help them pay off their debts. I agree that buying multiples of the same item if it is on offer is a good thing, but only if you actually need them, and can be sure of using them. Having a mini version of Tesco in your pantry is not good housekeeping, it can get out of control, and becomes hoarding. She doesn't say if she did an inventory of her cupboards and freezer before she placed this large order, whether she had worked out how long it would last her, and whether the stuff was actually needed. I have never done an online shop, but I suspect that you could easily get carried away ticking the boxes, a bit like being let loose in a sweet factory. Tick a box, oh, we'll have this, and we'll have that while we're at it. Might as well chuck that in the trolley as well. I can't see that curbing your spending is any easier when shopping on line. If your instinct is to buy whatever you like, then justify it by focussing on how much you have saved on special offers, your spending is out of control. Seems a bit arse about face to me. 

I think I'd better stop now. It's going to take you a few days to trawl through this lot. You've got double rations this morning, two posts in one. My fingers have set the keyboard on fire, ha ha.  

Lunch time. Toodle pip.

Breakfast sorted for six months

Aye up then, what's going on here. I come back from town and this is what I find. What do you think this is, a free drop in centre for cats. Cor blimey Bugsy, I left you in charge, you are supposed to see them off, not invite Micky and Garcia in for some free nosh. No wonder my cat food bill is sky high. I don't know Bugsy, can't leave you alone for five minutes. Well it looks as if I'm going to have to open another pouch because Micky has scoffed the lot. Don't come crying to me Bugsy, when there's none left.

I called in at the Cash and Carry, wanted a few snacky things for a trip I have coming up. Hey, look what I found. Three catering size bags of Crunchy Nut, and Bran Flakes, for £2 per bag. I took 2 CN and 1 BF. On the Tesco web site the Crunchy Nut is £2.68 for 500grm, and Bran Flakes are £2.09 for 500grm. I can't be bothered to work out the total saving, but I think I got a fantastic bargain. This lot should last me six months. It's a short date but will be ok, I'll store it in an airtight box. I'm chuffed.

Here's me getting a free face mask. I'm not sure that these things do any good, but it was given to me so I might as well slap it on the old mush. It says rinse off with warm water, so I had to boil the kettle. I don't pay to keep the tank full of hot water, when I only want a piddly little bit. Skin suitably freshened I applied a sachet of pro collagen eye renewal, then finished it off with dollops of moisturiser. That's me duly beautified, ha ha, and pigs might fly.   

I'm going for a walkies tomorrow. Not the biggee walk, but a practice one. I'll take some pics.
Toodle pip.

Oooooh, look at the muck in here :o)

I've been doing a bit of spring cleaning today, oh how flippin boring that was. I can't find any enthusiasm for these mundane tasks. I believe that some people actually like housework, goodness knows why. You sweep, dust, polish, vacume, wipe, and wash down, and bugger me, five years later it's all dirty again. I noticed that my front door and front porch was looking a bit shabby so I suppose it needed doing, after all, you never know who is going to step over your threshold.

So it was down with the net curtain, and into a sink full of hot soapy water it went. You should have seen the muck come out of it, I'm surprised that I managed to restore it to almost white again, thanks to a splash of bleach.  The home made shoe rack in the corner came out, boots and shoes were removed and it was wiped down with a wet cloth. All the nicknacks hanging on the wall were taken down. It took seven bowls of hot soapy water to wipe down the walls on two sides, the front door, and the glass at the front. I got fed up then and got the Dyson out to clean the carpet, and put everything back.

Well at least it now looks respectable for when people visit. You never know, the Queen might pop in to see me. Oh, I forgot, I am the Queen, ha ha.

My car insurance came up for renewal last week, pleased to say the cost is much lower than last year. That's because I have had a claim free couple of years, so it has gone back to what it was before I claimed. I also got it down a bit more by reducing my annual mileage, from 8,000 to 6,000. They told me that figure is not set in stone, and as long as I get it somewhere near I'll be alright. I don't seem to be doing many miles at the moment, I limit my short journeys and save up the miles for the longer trips.

My flippin knees are aching, I've got a big ginger cat sprawled right across them. Bugsy is going to have to move in a minute. My dinner tonight was steamed potatoes and cauliflower, with half a microwaved cauliflower cheese ready meal, with black eyed beans and garlic cream cheese added to it. Luverly jubberly.
Toodle pip.

Organising my cupboards

I thought I might go shopping tonight, but look at the time. I can't be bothered, besides I have plenty of food left here, I can last a few more days. Someone asked if I could post about my cupboards, now who was it? Frugalthingymabobwotsit, blimey what a long winded name. She wants to be nosey and see what I have in my store. Well here you are then. I did this once before but it was such a long time ago, the post has probably dropped down into the bowels of the blog, ha ha. 

I have oil, lemon juice, mustard, packets of spicey flavourings for stews, vinegar, tomato sauce, cuppa soups, stock cubes. This is all I need to add flavour to my food. There's a big bag of turmeric at the back which I use a lot of. I stocked up on the lemon juice while it was cheap.   

Various tins. Fruit, beans, tomatoes, rice pudding, spaghetti, sweetcorn, peas, and a jar of lemon curd. These basics do me fine. I might get some different beans next time I am in town, and I need some chick peas, will look in the Asian shop for them as that's where they are cheapest, although I have seen some in Home Bargains for 33p.

Sultanas, pasta, rice, cous cous, curry powder. I usually have some nuts and seeds in here, but I have run them down at the moment. Might get some more but they are very expensive now.

Cereals, five boxes of bran flakes, wheat biscuits, porridge. Someone gave me the instant cook in the microwave porridge, I am not too keen, prefer the proper stuff. Tesco Value has just gone up from 75p to 85p. Other supermarkets have put their up the same. Still a good buy though. Bran Flakes are 88p, no need to buy Kellogs.

Sixteen tins of evap milk, peanut butter, coffee, cocoa, fruit juices. I won't be buying that cocoa again, it's not very nice. Two tins of cider. I don't keep cider in all the time, I got a couple of packs for Christmas. I wait till I run out then buy another fourpack. Cider is a treat.

What's in the door of the fridge. Cream cheese, marmite, honey, garlic, peanut butter, lemon curd, fruit juice to dilute, lemon juice, and yogurt. The rest of the fridge is almost empty.  

I don't buy things that I might only use very occasionally. I don't like food hanging around for years, then getting chucked because I probably won't finish it. Just a few simple spices is fine by me, I am into simple cooking which requires basic ingredients, nothing too fancy for me.  

Today, breakfast was bran flakes. Lunch was a tub of home made curry with tagliatelle. Dinner was grilled salmon, steamed new potatoes, onion, runner beans, and sweetcorn, drizzled with toasted sesame seed oil. In between meals I ate some grapes and a banana, oh, and I pinched a bit if cheese. And by the way, I didn't tidy the cupboards just for the photographs, they are always like this. I like to see what I've got without scrambling through a lot of clutter.

Toodle pip.