In Store Shopping
Probably a shorter blog this morning as intending to go to Morrison's soon after 9.00am. Not necessarily to seek bargains (but will of course be looking hard for any), but to get the few 'fresh' foods needed, plus some 'stores'.
After reading Kathryn's comment (and what interesting reading it made), feel that shopping later in the day is when the foods are reduced in price, but as I need to use the store's scooter, feel that early in the day is best for me. However - do hope other readers note what Kathryn had to say for I was SO impressed by her purchases and what she will be making from them, and well worth following her example. Particularly liked reading about the 'community spirit' that seemed to emanate from those customers hanging around waiting for the price reductions.
With so many people now having to spend a large percentage of their hard-earned income on their household fuel (gas/electricity), and the fact that the fuel companies don't seem to reduce their prices when they pay less when the price goes down, what do they do with all their extra income? So Les, do tell me where the extra money comes from to pay the huge bonuses to their bosses if very little of it comes from our pocket. My B would say it comes from investments and money earned that way, but then what money, whose money? Extra money in business usually comes from profits made when something is sold at a higher price than bought, and some of these profits may (or may not) be invested, but it still (originally) our money. Or is that too simple an explanation and I can't see beyond that?
Seems that both Susan G and Sarina live in Sussex (lucky girls, I've had many holidays in Brighton and Rottingdean and love the area, and is that windmill still on the Downs close to the sea road?). You were fortunate with your weather yesterday for here it was very cloudy, very VERY windy, and although no rain to speak of, it felt so gloomy and worse than most of last winter. I can't believe we are now into summer.
Thanks to an Anonymous (new reader, so please let us have your name so we can welcome you personally). Have just checked the two jelly packs (as mentioned yesterday) and it is true, the Tesco one IS slightly less in weight (by 10 g) than the Hartley's, and this Could make a difference in the 'nutritional' value. Even so when made up we still only get a pint of jelly from either. So other than flavour (and extra calories - this being mostly sugars), we don't end up with more made-up jelly for our money. Not that I suggest we buy the cheapest anything because we get no less than something more expensive, but when it comes to jelly might feel it is worth it if I can improve it myself (I make up a cheap lemon jelly by adding the juice of a small lemon, ditto orange, and do this whatever the price/brand of jelly).
Food for thought when you queried whether I fancied taking any courses minimiser deb. Not sure quite what I'd choose at the moment. I did once do a pottery course and got on well with that, so might like to take it up again. Have also done a course on silver-craft, just ending up making a spoon (with a carnelian set in the handle) and quite enjoyed that. As to cookery courses - might like to take a course on advanced sugarcraft (am quite good at the intermediate level), but one thing I'd like to learn (and it probably is a 'craft' in its own field) is butchery! How to carve up a cow/pig/sheep etc, and also be taught how to bone a chicken without leaving flesh on the carcase (have never managed to do that successfully myself - think I haven't the right knives for the job).
Loved reading your list of crafts you've done Eileen, and - because you and I are so much alike, almost clones - you won't be surprised to know I've also had a go at most of these, although my macrame was made using parcel string instead of the proper 'stuff' (it still worked).
Your mention of choosing a dish made with mince suddenly reminded me of a time when I decided to give 'English prison' names to foods made with minced meat: such as Armley 'amburgers, Pentonville Pork Pies... There were others that I can't now remember, but one has stuck in my mind being my most favourite: 'Strangeways with Mince'. The mind boggles at what that would taste like.
Well done Cheesepare for including chicken livers in that £1 a day challenge. I am kicking myself I forgot those (especially as they are so cheap at 5op a tub from Tesco). The challenge itself proves that with advance planning it is not THAT difficult to give ourselves a varied diet on £1 a day (for 5 days), but to do this we have to buy enough in one go to last the alloted time, as only then would we have enough to 'play with'. If we were limited to a daily 'shop' with only £1 to spend, then it would be much more difficult. Where can we buy just one egg for instance? Or a few ounces only of porridge oats? We would probably end up with a loaf of bread and a can of beans and maybe one orange, with not a lot else to last each day. Whether or not we are on an extremely tight budget or have more flexibility, 'advance planning' always means we can end up with more for our money.
Yesterday cooked the gammon, this is now chilling in the fridge and will be sliced later today (or tomorrow). Also had a trial run making some cookies. This needs a bit more experimenting with as it has possibilities that only this morning occured to me, but you will eventually be told when I've perfected my version.
Needless to say I never got around to making the marmalade.
Beloved fancied fish for his supper (so that put paid to the chilli I planned) so he had the last piece of 'fresh' salmon from the freezer. I put it in a pan of cold water to thaw and - as he'd been out enjoying himself all day - when he returned home let him poach it himself and eat it with some watercress he had bought. He seemed to manage that OK, and so I was able to put my feet up and watch a disaster film on TV (all about global warming causing another Ice Age), followed immediately (on another channel) by a repeat of Benidorm (which I pleaded to watch and so was allowed to).
Then watched two episodes of 'Father Ted', and a few of Jamie O, and also Hugh F.W AND a French chef's (name forgotten) prog. on cakes and desserts, so was quite a happy bunny last night when it came to TV viewing. B didn't care for any of this so spent the evening sulkily playing games on the comp. It was about 4.00am this morning when I went to bed, but got up at 7.00am when the central heating switched on (the boiler is in the bedroom so the noise tends to wake me), and I feel none the worse for lack of sleep. No doubt I'll nod off this afternoon after watching 'Instant Restaurant'.
By the way, there is a full day of Jamie Oliver's programme repeats (from past and present) next Saturday on the 'More 4' channel, beginning at 9.00am (but best check to make sure I've got it right). He is always worth watching. Must plan my cooking to allow for me to watch at least as much of it as B allows.
Mentioned the other day how my B can get 'led astray' easily, and this happened yesterday when he happened to meet the man who works (voluntarily) at the RNLI shop at the same time as B. This man was off to a pub to watch a football match, so after B had done a bit of bird watching he told me he then decided to call in the Dog and Partridge (pub very close to where we live) and watch a football match being shown there. Bless. He would never have gone had the thought not been put into his mind by the other man. Not that I minded, B can watch as much footie as he wants as long as it is somewhere else, not in our living room.
Sorry about the early finish, but for once Morrison's is more important than 'rambling' on about trivia. Who knows, the shopping spree might give me a lot of interesting things to write about
.
Please join me again tomorrow - and keep those comments coming? TTFN
After reading Kathryn's comment (and what interesting reading it made), feel that shopping later in the day is when the foods are reduced in price, but as I need to use the store's scooter, feel that early in the day is best for me. However - do hope other readers note what Kathryn had to say for I was SO impressed by her purchases and what she will be making from them, and well worth following her example. Particularly liked reading about the 'community spirit' that seemed to emanate from those customers hanging around waiting for the price reductions.
With so many people now having to spend a large percentage of their hard-earned income on their household fuel (gas/electricity), and the fact that the fuel companies don't seem to reduce their prices when they pay less when the price goes down, what do they do with all their extra income? So Les, do tell me where the extra money comes from to pay the huge bonuses to their bosses if very little of it comes from our pocket. My B would say it comes from investments and money earned that way, but then what money, whose money? Extra money in business usually comes from profits made when something is sold at a higher price than bought, and some of these profits may (or may not) be invested, but it still (originally) our money. Or is that too simple an explanation and I can't see beyond that?
Seems that both Susan G and Sarina live in Sussex (lucky girls, I've had many holidays in Brighton and Rottingdean and love the area, and is that windmill still on the Downs close to the sea road?). You were fortunate with your weather yesterday for here it was very cloudy, very VERY windy, and although no rain to speak of, it felt so gloomy and worse than most of last winter. I can't believe we are now into summer.
Thanks to an Anonymous (new reader, so please let us have your name so we can welcome you personally). Have just checked the two jelly packs (as mentioned yesterday) and it is true, the Tesco one IS slightly less in weight (by 10 g) than the Hartley's, and this Could make a difference in the 'nutritional' value. Even so when made up we still only get a pint of jelly from either. So other than flavour (and extra calories - this being mostly sugars), we don't end up with more made-up jelly for our money. Not that I suggest we buy the cheapest anything because we get no less than something more expensive, but when it comes to jelly might feel it is worth it if I can improve it myself (I make up a cheap lemon jelly by adding the juice of a small lemon, ditto orange, and do this whatever the price/brand of jelly).
Food for thought when you queried whether I fancied taking any courses minimiser deb. Not sure quite what I'd choose at the moment. I did once do a pottery course and got on well with that, so might like to take it up again. Have also done a course on silver-craft, just ending up making a spoon (with a carnelian set in the handle) and quite enjoyed that. As to cookery courses - might like to take a course on advanced sugarcraft (am quite good at the intermediate level), but one thing I'd like to learn (and it probably is a 'craft' in its own field) is butchery! How to carve up a cow/pig/sheep etc, and also be taught how to bone a chicken without leaving flesh on the carcase (have never managed to do that successfully myself - think I haven't the right knives for the job).
Loved reading your list of crafts you've done Eileen, and - because you and I are so much alike, almost clones - you won't be surprised to know I've also had a go at most of these, although my macrame was made using parcel string instead of the proper 'stuff' (it still worked).
Your mention of choosing a dish made with mince suddenly reminded me of a time when I decided to give 'English prison' names to foods made with minced meat: such as Armley 'amburgers, Pentonville Pork Pies... There were others that I can't now remember, but one has stuck in my mind being my most favourite: 'Strangeways with Mince'. The mind boggles at what that would taste like.
Well done Cheesepare for including chicken livers in that £1 a day challenge. I am kicking myself I forgot those (especially as they are so cheap at 5op a tub from Tesco). The challenge itself proves that with advance planning it is not THAT difficult to give ourselves a varied diet on £1 a day (for 5 days), but to do this we have to buy enough in one go to last the alloted time, as only then would we have enough to 'play with'. If we were limited to a daily 'shop' with only £1 to spend, then it would be much more difficult. Where can we buy just one egg for instance? Or a few ounces only of porridge oats? We would probably end up with a loaf of bread and a can of beans and maybe one orange, with not a lot else to last each day. Whether or not we are on an extremely tight budget or have more flexibility, 'advance planning' always means we can end up with more for our money.
Yesterday cooked the gammon, this is now chilling in the fridge and will be sliced later today (or tomorrow). Also had a trial run making some cookies. This needs a bit more experimenting with as it has possibilities that only this morning occured to me, but you will eventually be told when I've perfected my version.
Needless to say I never got around to making the marmalade.
Beloved fancied fish for his supper (so that put paid to the chilli I planned) so he had the last piece of 'fresh' salmon from the freezer. I put it in a pan of cold water to thaw and - as he'd been out enjoying himself all day - when he returned home let him poach it himself and eat it with some watercress he had bought. He seemed to manage that OK, and so I was able to put my feet up and watch a disaster film on TV (all about global warming causing another Ice Age), followed immediately (on another channel) by a repeat of Benidorm (which I pleaded to watch and so was allowed to).
Then watched two episodes of 'Father Ted', and a few of Jamie O, and also Hugh F.W AND a French chef's (name forgotten) prog. on cakes and desserts, so was quite a happy bunny last night when it came to TV viewing. B didn't care for any of this so spent the evening sulkily playing games on the comp. It was about 4.00am this morning when I went to bed, but got up at 7.00am when the central heating switched on (the boiler is in the bedroom so the noise tends to wake me), and I feel none the worse for lack of sleep. No doubt I'll nod off this afternoon after watching 'Instant Restaurant'.
By the way, there is a full day of Jamie Oliver's programme repeats (from past and present) next Saturday on the 'More 4' channel, beginning at 9.00am (but best check to make sure I've got it right). He is always worth watching. Must plan my cooking to allow for me to watch at least as much of it as B allows.
Mentioned the other day how my B can get 'led astray' easily, and this happened yesterday when he happened to meet the man who works (voluntarily) at the RNLI shop at the same time as B. This man was off to a pub to watch a football match, so after B had done a bit of bird watching he told me he then decided to call in the Dog and Partridge (pub very close to where we live) and watch a football match being shown there. Bless. He would never have gone had the thought not been put into his mind by the other man. Not that I minded, B can watch as much footie as he wants as long as it is somewhere else, not in our living room.
Sorry about the early finish, but for once Morrison's is more important than 'rambling' on about trivia. Who knows, the shopping spree might give me a lot of interesting things to write about
.
Please join me again tomorrow - and keep those comments coming? TTFN
posted by Shirley at 6:59 am
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