Thank goodness for convenience foods.

I've been out all afternoon, helping Helen deliver the Parish Council newsletters. Lots of walking, up and down steps, and getting my fingers trapped in letterboxes with strong springs. I couldn't be bothered with cooking tonight, so I resorted to convenience food. Take one bag of strong and peppery wild rocket, was �1, I paid 10p. Microwave one pot of minty green vegetables, ready prepared, peas, green beans, and broccoli, was �2, I paid 20p. Grill one Linda Mac's mozzarella quarter pounder burger. �1 for a box of two. It's hidden under the greenery, please excuse hazy pic the steam is coming off it.    

And there you have it, a cracking good convenience meal for 80p. That will do nicely. I'm going to  put my feet up and watch the third episode of George Clarke's Small Spaces, and get an eyeball at the scrummy William again. They are building a tree house for this series. Have a nice weekend, I'll catch you tomorrow.

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The RED bag

I've been fiddling about with the colour, I know it looks a bit pink, but I can guarantee that this bag is RED. Yes, I made another bag. First of all I cut out the pieces needed, then I scrubbed them in hot soapy water in the sink and hung them out to dry. I made it as I explained in a previous post. 

Before I stitched it together I put the logo on the front. I am not clever sewing round corners with a machine, and I think this hand sewing looks more attractive on this RED bag. I used contrasting bright green thread. 

 

The machine stuggled to go through several thicknesses when I added the handles and hemmed the top. Had to resort to hand stitching on this RED bag.

The total logo on this RED bag. The deliberate misspelling, the backwards letter 'E', and the dropped letter 'A',   appeals to my sense of humour.

 A brilliantly strong RED bag, will carry heavy stuff, and will probably last for ever, and it's RED.

Oooops, a mistake, missing stitching on the letter 'M', should I rectify that, or should I leave it? It is a RED home made after all, maybe I should leave it as it is.

I'm not sure if I will make another one because the fabric is difficult to put through a normal home sewing machine. Mind you, I do know where I can use an industrial machine, might try that. Or I might think of another idea for the remainder of the fabric.

Shopping went well last night. I spent just over �30 so I was able to use the �4 off voucher. Got quite a few yellow stickers, bags of salad leaves for 10p, yogurts for 9p, 10p, and 15p. Bread rolls for 15p and 30p. I even bought a four pack of Tetleys Bitter for �1.50. I prefer cider, but hey ho, I'll have the bitter for a change, and because it's cheap at 38p a can.

I noticed that the large tubs of Value plain yogurt have gone back down to 45p, from 59p. They seem to put prices up and down faster than a yoyo. For a change I bought a box of Kenco Latte coffee, eight sachets in the box, on special offer for �1.24. Wouldn't normally buy this because I like the bog standard Nescafe. Another thing I am trying is frozen fruit, it seems cheaper than buying it fresh, something I can't afford any more. So, I have Fruit salad for 88p, cherries �1.50, and raspberries �1.50, and blueberries �1.50. I am thinking I will make smoothies with it.

Bit disappointed that there wasn't any veg reduced so had to pay 89p for carrots, 63p for onions, and I got a �1 bag of spinach for 75p, had a 25p off voucher for that. I will put the list on the page above, when I have a minute. Got to go out this afternoon, catch you tomorrow.
Toodle pip

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Nearly but not quite

Howdy. I've been beavering away all day on the butchered air bed recycling project. It wasn't as easy as I expected, the fabric is rubber backed, and proved a pig to sew on the machine. After a false start I had to find a way round the problem if it puckering up while I tried to sew two pieces together. It looked a mess so I unpicked it, and used some sticky back fabric tape which didn't pucker but made it difficult to get it through the machine. An industrial type sewing machine might have done the job, but I don't have one of those.

I had to finish it of with hand sewing, using pointy pliers to pull the needle through. Boy was it tough, and time consuming. However, it is finished, but by then it was dark outside. I took 20 photo's of it inside with the flash, but wherever I placed it the red came out as pink. Why is it that red is the most difficult colour to photograph. Anyway, I am not happy with the photo's all have been deleted, thank goodness for digital cameras. I don't want to post photo's that aren't a reasonable standard. I will try again tomorrow in daylight, and hope that the red comes out as bluddy red.

I am nearly out of food so I must go shopping tonight. I've got no fresh veg left, no bread, no eggs, and not many tins, and hardly anything at all in the freezer apart from my own frozen home made curry stew. So it's a Tesco Dash tonight. I have a �4 off voucher on a �30 shop, will need to take a pen and paper to tot up as I go around.

Did you have a good firework party last night? I did, had a few friends round, it was fab. Made a little video of it. Have a look.



Sorry folks, that's all I could afford :o))
Toodle pip

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The house of make do and mend.

In my quest to spend as little money as possible on house and garden stuff, I am always looking for ways to cut corners, to problem solve by using given and found things, and not running to a shop every five minutes to buy what I could make. So here is a little project I knocked together which didn't cost a bean.

First of all I needed a plastic tray which would not deteriorate and crumble in a short period of time if I left it out in the garden. I just happened to have one of those large containers which they transport fresh fruit and veg in, and end up on the counter in Aldi. They have large cut out holes for easy washing and drying, and the air can circulate around the produce while it is under refrigeration. Just the job, lucky I had one.   

Next I needed some fine netting. Lucky that I had a large roll of this green stuff, given to me by a friend a couple of years ago. Here I have used it for a temporary fence between me and the next door neighbour. I still have lots left, another freebie.

Cut off a suitable length of netting and place it inside the plastic tray, overhanging the sides. Can you see what it is going to be yet?

Put a layer of fine sand in the tray, about five inches deep. The sand was also given by a friend, she has loads and wants to get rid of it. Another freebie.  

You've guessed now, haven't you. Yes I have invented an outdoor cat litter box. The idea is to try and keep mine and my neighbours gardens free from little parcels deposited all over the place. Cats love freshly dug soil to poo in, failing that they will do it anywhere around the edges of gardens, under bushes, in long grass, and in places which are well hidden. Then someone comes along to do a bit of tidying and yuk, a stinking mess which gets stuck to your boots and hands.

I wish mine would do it in the middle of the lawn where I can see it and pick it up. I do try and encourage them to use the litter boxes indoors, much more convenient and safe. Bugsy the old boy is ok with that, but the two young ladies are ready to dash out the back door into the garden first thing in the morning. Hopefully they will find the new outdoor litter box, and I can scoop the poops out of there and the rain will wash the piddle straight through. We shall see, I'll let you know what happens next.
Toodle pip

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Another recycling project.

I like taking things apart to see what's inside them and how they work. You never know what you might find, something interesting perhaps, something that can be used to make something else, or not very much at all that perhaps needs dumping. Anyway, it's a good idea to at least look before you chuck. Take this airbed for instance, it's very old, I have slept on it many times, it's been handy for camping, and using as a spare bed. But now it has an air leak somewhere and I can't find it.  It's a bit manky, and it takes ages to blow up, so I think the time has come to either chuck it or give it another life. It is made out of a heavy, waterproof fabric, red on one side.....   

and blue on the other. By an amazing coincidence it is exactly the same as the brand new never been used one, I got out of the skip last week.

After attacking it with a large sharp pair of scissors, I separated the two sides by cutting around the edge, to find them internally joined with lots of small pieces of stuck on fabric. They needed cutting apart and all these tags could be pulled off, like removing plasters.

I was hoping to add more pictures to show what I am doing with it, but I am a bit behind as things keep cropping up which need my attention. Jobs need doing, but I am beavering away and hopefully soon I will have something to show.

I was talking to a man today who lives at the other end of the village, I have spoken to him before. He had done some tree lopping and was clearing away the debris. Me being nosey I asked him what other jobs he could do. Oh, a bit of plumbing, a bit of decorating, assembling flat packs, cleaning gutters. That's interesting I thought, my gutters need cleaning. In fact he could be a useful bloke to know, for any other jobs that might crop up which I can't manage myself. Anyway, he is going to come and do my gutters sometime in the next week. If I had the right ladders I might attempt the job myself, but his quote is fair, so I'll take the easy option.

I really must get my spuds dug up now. We had a frost last night, must do that tomorrow. There are jobs that need doing in the garden, the runner bean poles need dismantling and removing and storing in the garage. A couple of the veg beds need digging over, but I have been putting it off because a frog lives in them. I have brought the three massive money plants inside now before the frost kills them, so I need to make room for them somewhere inside the house. I need to take stuff to the charity shop. I need to do lots of things. Not enough hours in the day. I need to eat something now.
Toodle pip.

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Today I scoffed cake

Yes today I did scoff cake, and now I'm suffering. Can't face any dinner just yet, full up with cake. We have had a baking competition in the village, all money raised goes in the pot and is distributed to local charities. People have been busy in their kitchens, not me, I wouldn't know where to start to bake a cake. Besides I don't want to get into the habit of eating cake, and I would do if I took up baking as a hobby, so best not to go there. 

Everybody taking part delivered their masterpiece to the Village Hall this morning, and at 2pm the doors were opened to the public and the winners were announced. As soon as people had received their prizes, some of the cakes were auctioned off. Here is the auction taking place, hands were going up and people were dipping into their pockets. However tempting it was, I managed to control myself.  

Here are a sample of the scrumptious looking cakes. There was over 40 entries, so a good response from our residents. Be prepared to drool. 

 

Is your mouth watering yet? The cupcakes were entered by our younger residents. Children under 16.

After the auction what was left was served up with a cup of tea. Plenty for everyone for a �2 entrance fee.

I was a pig and asked for two pieces. I had one chocolate, and one orange. It was so difficult to choose just one from the whole lot. You could say my eyes were bigger than my belly. I think I have had my sugar rations for the whole of November, in one mad frenzy this afternoon, ha ha.

I think I might just be able to manage a bowl of soup shortly  :o)
Toodle pip.

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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

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