Touching base

Life seems a bit mad at present so Wednesday mornings are such a treat. The boys are erecting our new shed in the garden today. It is icy cold, but sunny. The old shed came down earlier this week and has opened out a great space in the garden. I love it. No plans for what to plant yet - Big J and I have to do our walking around and talking about it thing! Maybe veg? Maybe plants?

I have caught up with the news from other bloggers and so enjoy doing it. Especially when they add in links for what inspires them or where they have been. It does mean a lot longer in front of the computer though.....

I am trying really hard to be careful with our food and the use of it to avoid waste and to save money. I had to do a run to Aldi this morning for eggs and milk, but that is not bad. There is enough meat/veg and other staples to get us into next week so when I top-up shop this weekend, we won't need so much.

I am an avid fan of Moneysavingexpert and have been for years, long before we moved to England. I read the emails weekly and have had some brilliant advice. Big J and I are overpaying our mortgage as fast as we can - and I am saving hard.  The kids laugh at me and occasionally think I am 'weird' but when things go well on ebay and my cashback sites payout, they are pretty impressed. They are now well used to the fact that most of my clothes and shoes are from the OP-SHOP!! I so want to instill in them the habit of reflecting before they reach for their wallets. Do I NEED it? Will I USE it? and CAN I AFFORD IT? I also tell them to save at least 10% of everything they earn or are lucky enough to receive as gifts. 20% would be better - they still get to spend 80%!

Even little Juno will be a frugal puppy! Her first puppy training pads were left overs from a local litter - I got tons of them for £10.00. This afternoon I am going to collect her cage, again used by a local pup who at six months has graduated from it. It will need to be disinfected, but it is perfectly sensible to re-use a nearly new cage.

I think while I am working and am fit and well I owe it to myself, my kids, husband and society at large to put away money that will keep me in old age, so that someone else does not have to!!!

Okay you lovely people, I am off to town - on foot - to do some errands.

Thanks for popping in.

x










 

catching up

Firstly, Big J is home and well and it is nice to have him here. The Rising Tide EP launch was fantastic. Poor Han developed a migraine early in the afternoon and it was touch and go whether she would be well enough to make it. Her medication kicked in enough for her to sit in the back seat with her duvet and pillow for the drive to Brighton

By the time we got there and had something to eat, she was well enough to enjoy the night. It was a great gig, a good crowd, many who knew the songs. The band was in top form and apart from enjoying the music it was a lot of fun. I was very proud to be step mum to a band member. Big J then arrived home in the early hours of Sunday morning and was determined to beat the jet lag by having a normal day. So off we went for our Sunday morning coffee/walk to our favourite cafe. We then went back to town to have lunch with Celia B and her man - and to celebrate Celia B's 70th. Home for a slow cooked leg of lamb which I simply could not eat, but we all sat at the table together. I like that. Last night Big J indulged me and came to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a film I have wanted to see. It was funny and a little predictable. It really fired my urge to go to India, it may be on the cards for this year, still considering it. And, it reminded me of a conversation I had in my first marriage when I told my other half that when I retire I wanted to go somewhere where I might be able to utilise my skills to benefit other people. At the time I was doing a Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language and I thought maybe I could volunteer my teaching skills. My poor other half was horrified. He asked me if I planned to take off when I was retired, why did I even bother getting married? Good question!! Big J has an adventurous spirit and like me wants to travel and do things in the prime of his life. Phew!! Tonight, like Frugal Queen, see her blog in my side bar, I used the left over lamb leg for a shepherd's pie. I used the meat part of this recipe and it was excellent. I did not go for the rich topping, just mash, but with some greek yoghurt in it! Tonight it is raining and it sounds lovely on the roof. Han is working on her skirt, Adam is out and Big J and Em are watching a film. Happy times.

Frugal sewing

Em is keen to make a skirt too, a bit like her sister's, so rather than schlep all the way to the nearest fabric shop and fork out a fortune, yesterday we had a poke around in a local charity shop where she found a size 16 skirt with a ton of fabric in it to cut up and use to make one! It even has a good zip and at £3.99 that is a pretty cheap way to start off learning to sew. She is busily unpicking bits of it now. Han spent a number of weeks looking for something to rehash and in the end we bought her fabric, but next time she may be lucky and find the right thing.