Frugal-or-Mean?

Well, what a month this has been!

2011-05-22T11:16:00.000+01:00

Enjoyed the no spend month but this month has made up for it!
DH needs his own computer with a bit more ooomph than my laptop for school duties. £150 off a mate. (all bona fide)
My food processor part of the kenwood, just a little attachment for it, has died. probably from overuse. I have a magimix on put by at Wollacotts along with a 22" tv for the bedroom as the one there will be used as a computer monitor. We did have a computer monitor before but gave it to the one of the school mums who were desperate for one.

Eldest is having teenage problems and school friend problems, though anyone who calls my daughter an "F****** B****" for no reason in front of half the school is no real friend. It has really shaken her self esteem and she has stopped eating properly again. It's not helping her asthma either.

Will be saying goodbye to my beloved bureau and corner display unit. We no longer have the space and being stuck in the spare room they really weren't getting used. I shall send them back to the charity shop they came from so they can re-sell and make some money. It is for the local hospice so not just any old cause.

Sorting the dining room so it can be used as a dining room/homework room again.
I do wish we didn't keep changing our minds about stuff.

Eldest also needed a new pair of not quite so hot pants (i.e. not up her arse as far as those for older teens thankfully). Her "friend" had started copying her style of clothes so I bought her a pair of white ones and am dyeing them. Now let's see her copy those! I know it's great to be a trend setter but there is copying a trend and taking the piss!

Still trying to win competitions. DH bought me a subscription to a comping club. So far I have entered 70 competitions. Some postal and some online and I am out of stamps! The prizes have ranged from thousands of pounds to yarn. I bet I win the yarn. I always win yarn!

A-haaaa Blogger problems

2011-05-19T16:05:00.002+01:00

Not been able to blog due to various Blogger computer issues!
Really going to have to sit and concentrate on making a post to make up for nearly 10 days blog free.

hmmm

All quiet on the Frugal Front.

2011-05-10T06:41:00.000+01:00

Petulant Princess is having a taster day at school. If all goes well then she will go the rest of the week and then probably rest of the term. 10 years old and at secondary school, she did announce that she will show the science teacher a thing or two as long as the maths teacher can show her division. (She doesn't "get" division, I have tried to show her division for nearly 5 years now and she just can't do it. She can do algebra though!)

The house is so quiet without her! Amazing, the boys haven't screamed at each other once.

Just trying to sort the Mr T order. I have school fees to pay this week plus pay for the school window repair and kids have to have their pocket money and there was something else and I can't remember. Oh yeah council tax!
Next month I have £360 to find for the winter coal stocks.
I can't believe it's May already and I will be looking to start running down the freezer so I can clean it before the winter food stock up.
I have found a supplier of sustainable (Hugh F-W approved) fresh fish locally, I know someone who can supply me with goat meat, one of the parents at the school does pork and one of the stall holders at the market does lamb and beef.

Just up the road I ahve found Ramsons...Wild Garlic. Hopefully a bit of nice weather later this week will mean I can go foraging a bit, I will then freeze the leaves for soups etc

Tonight is pasta with salmon and cheese sauce, possibly with a bit of broccoli.

MICE!

2011-05-08T15:05:00.000+01:00

Our shed has mice! Found 2 in the chicken corn today!
Now on the lookout for a cat, any cat. Preferably a "live outside" cat (well live in the shed cat).
I shall blame Rockstar for this as she had a habit of dropping chicken feed everywhere on the shed floor and no clearing it up! At least there are no mice in the house.

So we have to get a cat. A cat is cheaper than rentokill and more reliable!

What a day!

2011-05-06T16:04:00.000+01:00

As usual today was far from normal. With the threat of an unseasonal "spanish plume" due to bring thunder, lightning, loads of rain etc I was sat down relieved that I had no gardening to rush through and decided to clean out the rayburn to light it incase of powercut so we can eat and have hot water!

Then Postie brings my tomato and pepper plants! Buggeration, no compost left and no pots!
Rush off to garden centre to buy both plus another mini greenhouse, rush back to get them sorted before rain arrives.
Then realise the spud tyres need topping up (will soon need more tyres Rachael!) so used the leftover compost to do that.

Now I am tired, go to agonising pain, do not pass go, do not collect painkillers and need a bath desperately. I bathed yesterday but unfortunately the water wasn't hot enough to relax in so I will try again tonight!

I hope the kids aren't expecting a full on homecooked meal tonight, fish fingers and salad is what they're getting. If they are lucky they may get Eton Mess for afters!

Arghy arghy arghy argh!

2011-05-05T13:38:00.000+01:00

Been on phone to HA. No they are not putting a shower in unless we have the bathroom turned into a wet-room (which can't be done in our house). So, I told them we are putting one in instead. Lots of blah blah about building regs etc...... Played my ace card. I am getting contractors (that put THEIR showers in) to do ours all fully Part P etc. (They are based in the village)
I don't have the patience to wait for them to finally decide yes or no, the bathroom has needed decorating and tiling for the 5 years we have lived here and we haven't done it because we didn't want the HA to turn around to rip it off to fit in a shower!
At least if we get it done we can then get the tiling done.
Same with the kitchen really!
Then got told that I must ask for permission, I very nearly told them to sod off as they have broken every promise about new kitchen, disabled adaptations and adjustments we have requested and offered to pay for to boot.
They even refused permission for a stair lift due to possible wall damage...Stairlifts haven't needed to be fixed to walls for decades! Stannah Stairlift man will come out and quote next.

I would, of course, rather be saving this money for moving but alas, a shower is needed as is a stairlift for DH. Social services are useless and we can't even blame government cuts as they told us that using a wheelchair is not disabled enough for a starlift or getting the downstairs loo brough back into action three years ago! I dunno, maybe we are just to young and don't have "proper" disabilities.

So many jobs, so little time

2011-05-04T16:24:00.000+01:00

I really have loads to do and just can't find the time (maybe getting off the internet might help...lol).
Army Chef and Farmer Boy are arguing to the point of WW3 breaking out! I think banging their heads together may be an option at this point. Home education, don't you just love it!
I have a guest coming to stay next month so have to sort the house out majorly. I have to try and finish removing the mould in the bathroom, tidy the living room and get some sort of air purifier/filter. (she has asthma far worse than we do and the HA won't sort the mould, they wouldn't even replace the faulty bathroom heater!)
I would like to get the bathroom decorated before she comes but that just ain't gonna happen without a sudden injection of a lot of cash and energy. Cash I can do, energy is far more difficult.
I may though be able to get the shower sorted, we have the electrical fitting for it just no actual shower. We have called a local electrician/plumber who can tell us what sort of thing we need to get and how much it would cost etc. The firm is a good one, they come every time the house has an electrical fault. Personally I hate showers but Rockstar prefers them to baths due to baths bringing her out in a rash.....don't ask! THe Dr already thinks we are a right medically weird family!

Just ordered some new duvets. 4.5 tog as the old ones got used for insulation in the shed! Next it's new beds.
Us first, then Farmer Boy, Petulant Princess and Rockstar. No doubt by then Army Chef will need one too.

I am supposed to be saving not spending!

Chaos, work and mess.

2011-05-03T14:10:00.000+01:00

What a life of chaos I lead.
Farmer's Market went fine on Sunday, could have done with it being busier but I think the horrendus 6hr thunderstorm the night before sent the grockles home.

Eldest (Rockstar) has conjunctivitis and could not go back to school today, she has to see the Dr tomorrow. It's bad enough she may have asthma but this just really peed her off and upset her.

Petulant Princess was racing about at the farmer's market and fell on her hand, she has a slight fracture. Unfortunately it's her right hand so she may not be able to do her taster day at the school.

No. 3 (Army chef) is in a strop because no one will play with him, Farmer Boy is just in a mood.

The house is a total mess and I have a guest coming in 6 weeks time!
Arrrgh!

stuff going on

2011-05-02T15:25:00.001+01:00

Lot of stuff going on, will update all soon

School fees and the like.

2011-04-28T10:01:00.000+01:00

Next Wednesday is School fees day. The fees are not a problem it's just when they mess about the Tax Credits and stuff over bank holidays it puts all the accounting to buzzcocks!

I have a market on Sunday at Hartland. You readers in N. Cornwall & Devon ought to come have a gander. Hartland Parish Hall 10am-1pm.

Anyhoo back to the subject in hand.
As independant schools go, £300 per term with £85 for lunches (all home cooked, not a twizzler in sight) is not overly expensive. It'll get expensive when No2 "The Princess" starts (hopefully) in September.
All good fun then!
As neither of them would cope in a huge school, especially The Princess, the Small School is the best option.
The Princess, despite her mouthy exterior can be quite sensitive to things, especially comments. She has had a rough time with her problems and we need somewhere that understands that sometmes she just doesn't "get" things.
One example of this is her maths. She can do a heck of a lot of mental arithmetic, is great at problem solving and simple equations BUT give her simple division and she goes to pieces. She knows she has to do well in Maths to get on in Physics but she just flunks it completely. She would be far better off in a class of 8 than a class of 30.

In other news..
Water butt arrived and now fitted. I do need some bigger ones for out the back but unfortunately both us and Youngest "Farmer Boy" need new beds.

Eldest has been diagnosed as asthmatic, so half of my kids are now. No surprise really as I still get the odd recourrance and asthma features pretty strongly in our family. Whether that was anything to do with the heavy mining our ancestors did I don't know, maybe it's something to do with DH's old jobs on the lime and uranium (yes URANIUM) mines in Africa. Who knows?
All I know is the dusty air does nothing for them in theis dry spell and I wouldn't mind a couple of night-time rain storms.

We have runner beans poking through the soil now, onions are doing well, 3 trays of mixed salad are growing well, peas are coming along nicely too.
I do think though more raised beds may be called for, thankfully Link-a-bord are not expensive and are made from recycled plastic...WIN!

Stock just arrived from Redmoor ready for Sunday....busy busy busy.

Bank Holiday Monday

2011-04-25T13:46:00.000+01:00

Up with the lark....well with the alarm anyway!

Went to Homebase to pick up new mower. Now the brilliant thing about the no spend on crap month is that we have been able to buy stuff we have needed, like the new mower.

Problem is, I have seen a gorgeous bright orange paint I want for my kitchen, some floor tiles for the kitchen and hallway, some paint for the sitting room (that would be a decorator jobby), some fabalon for the kitchen cupboards to brighten up the boring whiteness and some gloss paint for the hallway.

The fabalon is bright yellow and lime green. Will go well with the orange.

So over the next few months I will be spending less to be able to spend more....does that make sense?

Looks like summer will be busy!

Tonight's dinner is...Omelette containing the leftover chicken from yesterday, oven chips and salad with leftover crumble and custard for dessert.

After

2011-04-24T11:35:00.000+01:00

before

2011-04-24T11:33:00.002+01:00

OMG What have I done?

2011-04-24T09:15:00.001+01:00

I have spent some money!
Actually it is under Drs orders. I wanted to go to a gym but the prices round here are so excessive that the GP can't prescribe gym membership.
I wasn't that worried I hate gyms that are filled with folk just going for the pick up and not actually to get fit besides, most of them won't take someone with fibro..."heath and safety risk" "Need 1000 letters from your GP" etc. So the next best thing according to my GP was...buy a Wii & Wii fit+.
I have done so. Only I haven't had chance to use it yet, I can't get DH off it. He is playing Wii sports and loving it. I don't mind actually as it is getting him a little more active.

I am only allowed by the GP 15 mins per day otherwise I could flare or crash spectacularly. Don't really want to do that with a Farmer's Market coming up and my bestest mate Pud coming for a flying visit next month. (well actually she is coming for a week)
so, 15 mins per day and slowly build up and make sure there is plenty of codiene and voltarol nearby incase of sprain strains etc and pray to all that is heathen that there is no dislocation of any joint anywhere!

Gardenwise it is looking gooooood. Tyres are all in place, the rubbish is nearly cleared into the front lawn (eeek, better call the CRAPP man) and the raised beds are just waiting plant delivery. I have the mini greenhouse put up by back door waiting for tomatoes and have a second planned for the cucumbers and peppers.
I have a water butt on order for the front garden for car washing, looking at getting a 60 litre barrel for the washing machine water and I need to order 2 more for the rainwater so I can keep one of the older barrels for bathwater.
Now, I have weighed up the pros and cons of using grey water of any kind on the garden. I usually use it for the flowers but in a drought I am more than happy to use it on veg. I just make sure the veg is thotoughly washed first. I know about pathogens and stuff and don't need a lecture about soap residues.
DH spent a LOT of his life in Africa and as he says, when you are living in the middle of a drought, no-one gives a feck WHAT water goes on the crops! Same with Poop. He doesn't understand why we are happy to use animal poop on crops here but not happy to treat human poop to use.
It's common practise in places like Mexico.
When poop is subjected to several treatments (extreme high temperature, UV etc) even the nastiest of viruses like AIDS/HiV and hepatitis is killed off and then the poop is powdered and turned into fertiliser.
I mean, c'mon, put off by the idea? Like the idea of a composting toilet? What's the difference?

Roast Chicken for dinner

My name is Penny-Pinch and I'm a frugaholic

2011-04-21T07:56:00.002+01:00

Well, my name isn't Penny Pinch but that would be such a cool name though!

After the very slow day yesterday where the most excitement was a visit from Mr. T's, today is back to normal albeit on strong medications!
2 bouts of 4 hrs in a car does not help my back at all!

Today I have to crack the whip on the bratlet slaves to get the old raised bed cleared so I can get the washing line repositioned. Hopefully not where it will overbalance precariously!

Then it is sort out the rabbit hutches for someone collecting them off freecycle and send DH + Eldest of to a farm to pick up some old tyres. (For growing potatoes, will explain later)

Then tomorrow will be planting afore said potatoes in the tyres. Using the tyres as planters you can add a tyre when the spuds get to the top of their current tyre. Then when harvesting you just remove the tyres...simples.

We also use them for herbs etc, any that go into the front garden get painted so we don't get the wrath of the housing people upon us for turning the front garden into a scrapyard.
At the moment though as we are waiting to ensure all the crap is out from the back the front lawn is non existent. Hoping to get the crap man in after the bank holidays.

Later today I will be making Bara Brith, as we don't do Easter but love hot cross buns I shall make bara brith instead and we will have a maaaahooooosive one between us.

Firstly though we have to speed out to Hartland to get prescriptions and Atlantic Village to get chocolate.

Yesterday I had big row with council tax department. I asked for a card to pay my CT at the post office. It never arrived and because I am concerned with the was TDC takes their Direct Debits (i.e. as and when they like) I wanted to pay cash at the PO.
It hasn't arrived.
I e-mailed several times and got fed up so phoned them only to be greeted with a "well you are now officially in arrears" So I explained that no we can't get to the cash office, I don't want to do DD due to their computer system, their online payments do not take my card and no I do not give my card number over the phone! I am not that stupid!
I was them told that a card was sent out on my request on 13th March. Odd, I didn't request it until the 15th.
I gently reminded her that we live somewhere where buses are as rare as hens teeth and there is no way I will go to Holsworthy on market day (the only day the office is open) because there is NO disabled parking that day. Besides, if I had to take the CAR to pay the council tax, could I deduct the cost of diesel? That would look good in court!
I enquired as to why none of my letters or e-mails gave them the idea that the card had not arrived and why I had not got a reply.
"We don't reply to written or e-mail enquires"
I wonder why? Because it is harder to claim abusive behaviour when something is written when you can when someone is going nuts at you down the phone because you are not LISTENING? Never heard of the power of the written word?
"If you've not received it then it is your post you must have a post thief"
Odd, apparently they have sent 3 or 4 letters too, not received those either. I got my debit card ok and a cheque for £1000.
"It will take 3 weeks to order another, by then you will have lost your right to installments"
Even though it is THEIR fault. Threatened them with MP & solicitor.
"Oh we will put a 4 week extension on but by then the next instalment will be due"
Actually I have the £1008 sat in my bank account waiting to pay. Amazing how much fear the letters M & P install into these uncivil servants.

Sometimes these people need to be reminded of their job and their place...civil SERVANTS...servants of the PEOPLE i.e. I pay their WAGES.
Mind you if you remind them about that on the phone you are then classed as abusive!

Pizza tonight

In recovery

2011-04-20T08:11:00.002+01:00

After yesterday's trip am in recovery.....

Oh my oh my oh my!

2011-04-18T15:34:00.000+01:00

Yesterday may have been a bit of a mistake! I don't think I would hurt so much if I had done the damned marathon yesterday! (Who am I kidding? I would not even be at Tower Bridge!)
Still, the garden is starting to look less like a scrapyard and more like a garden.
My knee is in agony and I don't like strapping it up so I think support tights are in order for today.
I just have to go to Waitrose and the stables today then I am going to spend the rest of the day crocheting.
Done the Mr. T's order for Wednesday, tomorrow we are off to Gloucester to visit rellies.
The fuel prices are absolutely shocking now, £1.41 per litre for diesel. Still at least we are not in the Scilly Isles, £1.60.

UPS man just brought our chitted potatoes. Sarpo Axona, they have been bred to be blight resistant, scab resistant and eel worm resistant. I had ordered Sarpo Mira as well but they had sold out so they doubled up on Axona and sent a £5 voucher too...WELL DONE THOMPSON AND MORGAN. http://www.thompson-morgan.com/
With the help of Eldest and Youngest most of the spuds are planted, mostly in tyres*. Will give some to the neighbours to grow and will find something to plant the others in.
Tonight we are having battered haddock fillets with oven chips and peas. Nothing fancy, I just want something super easy and as we will be burger munching in Gloucester tomorrow I think unhealthy two days are in order!

*Old tyres from local tip and from farms stacked up with soil in, adding a tyre to the pile as needed.

Can I cry now?

2011-04-17T13:49:00.000+01:00

Just spent THREE hours "gardening". Well I say gardening, more like "supervising with a small bit of light digging and raised bed arranging". I am now in total agony waiting for the hot water to heat up again so I can go bath. Dh +Ds1 &2 have already bathed. It's the girls next then me.

I hurt....a lot.

Dinner today is Chicken Korma salad.
Chicken breast cooked en papillote(sp) with some Patak's Korma Paste smeared over it. Leave to go cold then shred/chop and mix into a basic salad.
The basic salad is salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, mayonaisse, grated cheese or feta and spring onions. It's almost a coronation chicken thing. We are going to have it with bread rolls and bagels (whatever we scrape out of the freezer.)

The trials of an untroubled teen and other stuff..

2011-04-16T17:00:00.001+01:00

Eldest is a teenager. Not your average teen angst teenager despite having screaming matches with little sister!
She washes up, puts the rubbish out, tidies(ish) her room, does her homework without being asked, does her guitar practice without her amp up full-whack. Tell me folks is this normal or is this some replacement for a normal teen by some sort of alien race?
OR...
Does this mean little sister is going to have teenage angst in a couple of years twice a bad?

Anyhoo
On the needles right now is a tank top for DH for the cooler days so it can keep his back warm.
He went to his appointment yesterday and apart from the horror of realising that the Prof is retiring he also realised that the Prof can't guarantee that this replacement isn't going to be one of these "it's all psychological" types. This would be despite the Profs best efforts of trainings them. The Prof is an immunologist with a specialism in immuno-neurology. What's the betting his replacement will be a specialist in Psychiatric-neurology?
At the moment DH has had his gabapentin increased and has to enquire about physio at the GP's as the Prof is writing to them to recommend it. So glad we have the better GP now. He ALWAYS takes us seriously.

Tonight is hair dye night. Once every 8 weeks we splash out on the Nice N Easy and dye away the greys. Also Eldest dyes her hair blue-black..cos she's weird like that :-)

In other news...
Today is "something with beef" for dinner, crumpets (reduced price, Waitrose) for lunch. The failed cheesecake became and afternoon dessert. Tasted good. Maybe I just need to practise more to get it to look prettier....well that's what the kids think anyway!

Cheques arrived today from my unit trusts. Unfortunatley the Post Office was closed so never got chance to pay them in. I could pay them in on Monday or wait until Tuesday and pay them in at the Gloucester branch of the Co-op.

It's just a shame I can't take them to one of the bigger co-op stores to pay them in. Still, hopefully it won't be too long until I can pay stuff in at the Britannia.

Cheesecake fail!

2011-04-15T17:35:00.000+01:00

Made cheesecake this morning (for my sins). It's cooked, it smells fine, it just doesn't "look" pretty. As it was supposed to be a dessert for the school for tonight...cheesecake scrapped for family use and chocolate brownies made instead! Fail to Win!

Dh is off to see Prof. Pinching about his M.E. fingers crossed he can sort some sort of therapy for his leg. He can deal with either fatigue or pain, not both! Unfortunately Prof. Pinching is retiring next year. I just hope his replacements are as good!
Last night I had a fatigue attack, now I have the pain! Sometimes I think that fibromyalgia is easier to deal with than severe rated M.E. Although I do wish someone would take my pain away sometimes.
Right now sitting is becoming a problem, I can't sit for more than 20 mins at a time, then standing for about 10 mins. I feel like a bloody yo-yo.

I forgot the cream!

2011-04-15T11:28:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow I have to make a dessert for a school fundraiser (who would believe it is the holidays???). I had decided on a cheesecake.
Then I found out I forgot to order the cream from Mr T's! Well, as we have to take some stuff to storage I will have to pick some cream up at the same time! Meh!!

Looking forwards to next month we have decided to do all bar the fresh and dairy shopping in one go. Although we do have to sort out the storage space for it first.

As I am training to be an EFL teacher I am looking to sort the spare room to make it into a "classroom" for lessons. Should get £8 per hour for them as a trainee after a £15 assessment lesson, £20 per hour when certified! (DH always said I was certifiable!)

We do have a lot of Poles in the area due to the amount of farm work and the lack of interest of the youngsters wanting to work in a "dirty-hands" job. They sit there, in the pub moaning about the "damned Poles" yet they believe shifting cow shit is beneath them! Even at near £7 an hour (agricultural wages). Nope they'd rather sign on, which if they "can't" drive they don't even have to get out of bed for as they are allowed to postal sign! (We have no transport and really it could be classed as DWP's own fault as there is a bus to the Bideford office but here we are allocated the Bude office. There are no buses to Bude!)
I just wish one of the Poles would take over cleanin the toilets down here. The bloke that does them always "forgets" to unlock them and doesn't check them at night. Something very important since a few years ago a body of a homeless girl was found in one that had been locked but unchecked. She died of hypothermia due to the severe drop in temperature. She had only gone there to use the facilities before heading to the methodist church which usually "houses" the odd wanderer over winter.

Well we have just had our visit from Mr T's and they had no Feta left..boooo. Ah well dinner plan no 2 instead!

I have a headache!

2011-04-13T14:54:00.000+01:00

'tis a cracker too. Went to Bideford today to get more bits for B's baby. B is still in hospital so got together some stuff to take up next week so she doesn't have to come out of hospital and panic about nappies and stuff. Also got her huge box of choccies. Why do people always buy for the babies but never for the parents? Will also pass on some £ for her.

Otherwise today quiet due to afore said headache!

Oh golly gosh!

2011-04-13T08:05:00.000+01:00

Today has been, as usual, busy busy busy!
Out to Bude to buy something for my niece who is ready to pop a sprog, Eldest needed the garden centre to buy herself a propogator and I saw a water diverter kit there...handy! Would it be classed as wandering off the no spend considering it would save us using tap water?
While I was there I saw a cool bag on wheels. A bit like a trolley. That is up for consideration next month as we can use it to save spending £ on food and drink at shows and events. At £14 for the trolley and the average cost of a pasty at an event being £4 we will save it in one day!
We will also need another water butt, I hope they deliver free to the village!

Current total at Boots £17.35 in points value.

Advantages??? Of having wholesale access.

2011-04-11T16:25:00.000+01:00

Ok so there are some, I get various items at cost price. But what the heck do I do with 24pks of pasta? Apart from the obvious...eat it, it's storage space. We still haven't heard back from Crapka Housing about our new kitchen. One of the houses round the corner are getting their new one next week. We have been told FIVE YEARS! The darn cupboards will have collapsed by then because unlike some residents of social housing on certain estates (of which this is NOT one) in certain towns round here I CAN AND DO COOK.
Grrr! I bet if I stopped paying the rent and totally wrecked the kitchen they'd have it done last week.

Have sorted Mr T's order for this week. I probably will not order anything next week.
Next week we are driving up to Gloucester for a family visit so that will be extra diesel.
Anyhoo... Business wise
Depsite ordering stuff from the wholesalers I still have to pay for them into the business as I pay for them out of the business account. Anything else is just pure fraud and it makes the books look really messy, with my writing they are messy enough!
However, as a cash based business I have found Sage One do online accouting for £5+VAT per month and it looks idiot proof. Will look at the 30 day trial and see if it's any good.

Paid a cheque into business account.
Still waiting for investment cheques to arrive, they should be here this week. Investing half into the business and half will go into the savings.
I need proper storage for the stock and some display stuff too. Also need Microsoft Office as although Open Office if frugally free...it's a pain to use!

Now I am busy tidying up my computer, unistalling some of the dumb games that have "appeared" mysteriously snce DH computer went fizz bang pop! I wonder how they got there! It's amazing, I found 8 gig of hard drive space!

I am going to try to make fresh bread daily now instead of just 3 times a week. I am finding it difficult to chop veggies and grate cheese again since I broke my food processor bowl yesterday. The bowl was an attachment from my Kenwood, I had been talking about buying a full size one as the one I had was only a small one. Lokks like I will have to next month whether I wanted to or not.
I don't think many people realise how important something as simple as a food processor is to someone who frequently has problems with their hands!

Ah well something else to add to the list!

Week 1 over & done.

2011-04-09T19:24:00.000+01:00

Today we had a "trip out" all the way to the garden centre. Eldest decided that she is now old enough to stay at home alone, with the neighbours keeping an eye on the place obviously!
I spent a few mins lusting over expensive secateurs and garden forks but alas it was to no avail! I only came out with the Round Up and the wood shavings! Maybe next month eh?

Went into Holsworthy for Voltarol and sun cream (in April....sun cream, but that was only because it was BoGoF!)
Gutted when I got back because the Avon book was here! With a heavy heart and a nose though the toiletries bag the book and empty order form went back to Kel's!
Spent an hour "Much moaning in the garden" well I was supervising Eldest actually who has currently got a "gotta tidy up the gypsy site" fever. I mean come on, it doesn't look THAT bad. OK there are a few tyres here and theyre but they are my spud towers!

All the laundry is done. I do need to uy washing powder and fabric conditioner on Monday when we drope Eldest off at Pony Club. (She is paying).

Kids are finding the No Spend Month difficult. As I have reminded them, once they are at school/college or we have emigrated there will be no time, money or anywhere to go to spend money.

Sorted more stuff to go to storage. Had a vertigo attack..eeessh 'twas 'orrid!
Made bread, have to make more tomorrow!
Neighbour dropped round a cheque for £15 for coal he had bought off me.
Council still haven't sent new payment card, how the hell they expect me to pay the council tax I'll never know!

Weather is warm, dry and sunny so staying as far away from the beach as possible, staying off the main roads as much as we can too while the silly season is upon us! Should be safe to venture out by the time November comes!

Now, a decision. A nearby farm is doing half a lamb and 30kg of beef for £250, all organic and bona fide and the delivery is free too. Would give us enough meat for months...should I or shouldn't I?