Another rainy day

This is part of my poor sodden  back garden  this morning, you cant really tell but its still raining hard, even the dog bowls have filled up overnight.  To be honest I dont like the rain very much and feel really sorry for the people who have to work outside, my daughter is a postie and although she gets sodden on her round her take on it is ' Im getting paid for getting wet' well I suppose its one way of looking at it.  Im just glad I work inside and only have to make a quite dash from the car park into work.

I havent really been doing much, my Xmas preps are still going on, and Ive now knit five pairs of wrist warmers, I have just to get a load of buttons for them and after Ive fully finished them I will post a photo.  I still havent finished the cake band and Im really getting fed up doing the same patterns time and time again, so Ive decided to complete one pattern a night until its finished.  Im also making aprons this year and bought a cheap plastic one from @oundland and Im going to use that as the pattern, I already have some material, but Im a bit scared of the sewing machine, I havent done any real sewing on it since earlier this year when I had a relaspe and thought I needed one!! lol mistake really I could have paid that money off the CC  but hey ho its done now, so I ought to get around to making friends with it.  I follow froogs and love her quilts and would really like to have a go, but I havent plucked up enough courage yet.

Im making a menu plan for the next 2 weeks today, and only decided that Im having fish, wedges and mushy peas for tonight!! I really should look in the freezer and create a few meals out of what I have in. I'll let you know how I get on with that, Im still trying to cut down on the spending and so far this pay month I havent been too bad, but I do need a heat pad for the guinea pig so I think I may be spending on that tomorrow, I cant have my baby going cold!

Anyway thats all for now, off to complete menu plan.  I bought a chalk board (only 1.99 bargain) so I will write all the days and meals onto that so I have no excuse but to follow it.

Jane

Just frugalling along

I went to Ashbourne last week with a friend for a day out and bought this top from a charity shop there, I was pleased as it fits me a treat and its either new or very little worn.  I also ought a handbag for work but I havent taken a photo of that.

Yesterday was my day off from work and I decided to have a craft day, after the normal cleaning, washing and tidying around I started to X stitch my cake band and then I decided to have a look for something to knit as stocking fillers.  I found  a pattern for some wrist warmers in a sort of lacy pattern and they seemed pretty easy so I thought I would have a go and knit some for myself with a spare ball of wool I have, anyway long story short they have turned out really well and Im very impressed with the pattern, so Im going to knit another three pairs for all three girls and a smaller pair for my grandaughter.  I will upload a picture when I have bought and sown on the buttons so you can see the finished product.

I also made the linings for my lounge curtains out of the fleeces I bought and you can certainly feel the difference, the winter preparations are coming along nicely!!

Anyway must go and see if my tea has cooked through
Jane

Weekend catch up

I had a lovely day yesterday, and as you can see I was 60 - I know it sounds old but I certainly dont feel it, thank goodness.

Anyway a friend bought me this mug and I feel I can cope with it - 60 thats 21 with 39 years experience - so very true and it made me chuckle!!!!

My DD3 and her husband picked me up and we went to Nantwich food festival, it was brilliant, there were so many stalls, fasinating smells, so much to try, you could have had breakfast, lunch and tea just by trying samples!  and loads of really nice people, all enthusiastic and ready to answer questions about what they produced as you can tell I was sooooo impressed.  The local shops were all involved as well and it really good, good and good! Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera naughty me, will do better next time

Afterwards I was taken back home, full of goodness and told to get my posher gear on, as I was being taken out for a meal at night and be ready at a certain time as I was being picked up.  So at the appointed hour I was duly picked up and transported to a very nice pub/resturant and family and friends were already there, so I was treated to a very special night in the company of my DD1, DD3 and good freinds.  (DD2 lives abroard and work committments meant she couldnt make it, but she phoned my whilst I was there to join in) so I went home afterwards a very happy bunny.

This morning I had a bit of a lie in, which considering the headache I had was good!!! but then I had a cup of coffee and couple of pills and I feel more normal now so after this Im off to start a bit of X stiching for Xmas and watch a DVD with Pierce Brosnam in it (oh and I may make myself a slice of toasr as well)

Back to work tomorrow so I will go and enjoy my afternoon
Janexx

Ta dah moment

I have at last finished the knitted blanket for my DD3, she wanted to learn how to knit some time ago and I taught the basics and she went out and bought a couple of balls of wool and decided to knit squares to make a blanket, studying got in the way and it came home to me. So earlier this year I started to knit the odd square, undo all the ones she had knit cos they were all different sizes and have been knitting ever since inbetween doing other things, anyway its now done and I must say Im quite pleased with it, and this will go towards her Xmas presents, as I ended up buying all the wool bar the four balls she bought anyway hope you like the picture

I made some courgette curd the other day and that was lovely so Im going to make some more this afternoon to use the last of the courgettes I have been given, and Im going to start some new Xmas projects, Im determined to have a more old fashioned homemade Xmas. 

Anyway better get on and make the curd and then I can have a sit down and start the next bit of sewing

Janexx

Wake up call

I know, I gave up with all this blogging a few weeks ago because it all seemed a bit pointless but Ive had a bit of a wake up call today, I have sat down and been through my accounts and I really thought I had done really well from last pay day to this one (I get paid every four weeks) but I havent!! I havent been frugal at all and found out I have been to the shops and paid on my debit card 12 times when I shouldnt have and that amounts to £206.80 now I know that some of that was for my daughters birthday present and some was for things for winter ie fleeces and curtain rails - but really!!!!  It has made me realise that I cant keep doing this and I really need to take myself in hand and get stuck in,  I bet Im like a lot of people, I know what to do, can talk the talk and think Im doing well, when in reality Im shite at it!!!!

On the positive front I have made fleece curtains for the bathroom and kitchen, and I cant believe the difference it has made, Im really pleased.  I didnt spend a lot of money doing them - or so I thought - just two cream fleeces at £3 each, expandable curtain poles and curtain rings.  Ive also got three more cream fleeces to line my front room curtains as they arent lined at all, and I dont want to put my heating on much this winter.  The other things I have been doing is making a few bits and pieces for Christmas presents, I dont have to buy for many as I dont have any family, only my three girls and a couple of friends, so I thought this year as we are having a 'make do and mend one' putting a small hamper up for each one filled with homemade and charity shop bought goods and the odd crafty bought thing as well.

And the only other thing that is happening is my birthday this weekend and I have reached the grand old age of 60years!!!  Birthdays dont normally bother me at all and I just accept Im getting that bit older, but I certainly dont feel my age and luckily I have good health and still do a lot of things, BUT what upsets me is that for years I thought I would be retiring at 60 - not so now its going to be 62 years, 6 months and 19 days!!!! not that Im counting, and I do feel for the people who have got to work to 65,66 or 67 whatever the govt. have put it up to, but I really was looking forwards to retiring and for once in my life having more time to do what I want to - not that I know what that is yet ha, ha.

Anyway its a really long post and I will be posting more often as I crawl along my frugal road, hopefully much better than this last month.  I have to get my debt paid off before I retire so I can at least have a bit of money left over after all the bills have been paid - I want to be one of those who goes on coaches to the seaside and has a free bus pass!!!!!!!!

Janexx