Fantastic Frugaleers Continuing Austere April!

[Cagliostro]

Hello! :)

Not many hedgehogs about now, i read that badgers eat them and as their protected now there's more of them.

No idea if it's true though. What you need is a rescue hedgehog to come and live with you. Garden trading company do hedgehog houses.

We get hedgehogs in our garden. Big ones and baby ones. You can hear them sniffing

Eek, Purple, that would terrify me. On the few occasions I have seen hedgehogs, I always worry they're rats at first, before realising they are much nicer animals. I had TWO hedgehogs in my garden one night last summer, but haven't seen or heard them since.

No worries cag glad your dd liked the coins. I have some more but my house is an absolute tip at the moment. My suitcase from Tokyo is still semi unpacked. I have stuff everywhere from my living room in my bedroom as we are trying to do the wall paper and all that. We both work full time, and even though I'm sort of winding down at work, I have a few things to deliver and frankly, can't be arsed.

Have a meeting tomorrow where supposed to discuss (as a group) some targets. I've met my targets and I am the only one to have done so. The thought that they've not even tried to persuade me to stay (I wouldn't have but would have been nice I suppose) makes me wonder why I'm even going to waste my time!

Im definitely PMSing.

Is it actually possible to acquire a rescue hedgehog? I would love that!

I saw one of my cats bothering something one evening and on investigation discovered it was a huge hedgehog I was so excited i woke dd so she could come and see it!! The cats were fascinated but the hog wasn't bothered by them at all apparently you have to make hedgehog sized holes in the bottom of your fences so they can get into your garden.

Yes but you've got to feed them and have a really secure garden. Plus you need holiday cover for them.

You can get guides online on making your garden hog freindly too. I love animals and would love a hog.

I quite like rats though so maybe I'm odd. Nearly adopted one in pets at home but the cat started bringing dead ones in so I wrote it off as an accident waiting to happen. So no free range rat for me.

Baby hedgehogs are called hoglets. Cute.

I really want/need a blender of some sort. Loads of JO recipes (and others) call for things to be done in a blender/mixer and I would also love the make smoothies etc. I have a stick blender but it's dying and is no good for big jobs. I don't want to spend loads but at the same time don't want something shit, any recommendations?

Bees - it is horrible isn't it when you slog your guts out for an employer but when it comes down to it you are a number.....bye! Been there, got the T-shirt !!!

I am fully embracing frugaling (is that a word??) and loving trying out some of your tips. Was all ready to use Shoptize but they don't refund against online shopping but if I go into Tesco I will spend a fortune (not yet strong enough!!).

I used to go shopping whenever I was bored and constantly bought things for packed lunches (dd & dp) and treats or anything with 'new' slapped across the packaging, now I am very much 'not until X has all gone and y is eaten up'. Never thought spending nothing would be such fun!!!!!

I have also got things in both Facebook and eBay and look like I might get a few quid here and there....it's such a buzz!!

Particularly hoping the freezer is ok so my ice cream firms up a bit. Need to drown my sorrows in chocolate... meeting tomorrow morning at work. I thought I was ok with all this but turns out I'm not even vaguely ok. Shit. Time machine anyone?

on a much lighter note... hedgehogs

Cag we have your back. You know she was out order. As you are giving your side just think you are telling us. Best of luck.
Plastering success 😁 and dd did dinner. Top result.

Cag,very best of luck for tomorrow. Whatever the outcome, at least it will be over with. Have you written out some notes of exactly what you want to say? Deep breaths, stay calm and get your point of view across.

have been into Jerusalem old town today. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm not religious at all. But was completely overwhelmed by it all. Church of the holy sephulcher the wailing wall the dome on the rock. Insanely beautiful moving overwhelming city. Come to j-town. It's great. Food is cheap. Drinks cheap. People friendly.

Spent all afternoon in 29 degree heat in meetings. Boring. Just returned from dinner. Israeli wine is delicious!!! Spent ILS98 on souvineers. (Approx £30).

I think we're flying home tomorrow evening. Instead of Friday as meetings have been cancelled. I'm def coming back to Israel.

Thanks folks.

It's not really the complaint bit (although I am bringing it up, and the colleague accompanying me is aware as well) - it's more the finality I suppose. I know the outcome, I have known it was coming for several months now, and I know it's for the best really, but I'm still really, really sad about it.

wreck I swear by Braun hand blenders which can be used as a stick blender but also come with a blender jug. I bought mum the MQ745 for Christmas and she loves it (can't link).
unescorted impressive work, I feel quite inspired to get on with painting dd's 1990s pine furniture. We have the chalk paint & wax, just need to get on with it
£30 at garden centre
£22 supermarket shop
£50 diesel
£110 on towels (40% off + 4.4% cash back with tcb). It feels very extravagant but it's our first spend on towels for 20 years and it's for 10 in total so good value
Shouldn't be much spending for the rest of the week thank goodness.
Made 2 soups tonight, smoked haddock chowder & lentil & bacon so that's lunches for a couple of days and maybe tea one day too.
Today: plate steak pie, chips & veg
Tues: soup & Cajun chicken wraps
Wed: spag Bol
Thurs: bean burgers & salad
Fri: burgers at cricket nets

Cag, whatever happens, give yourself permission to grieve. (Hugs)

Good luck for tomorrow Cag

Spent £11 on fruit and veg on Saturday, got loads as the stall holder was closing up. Also spent about £24 in the haberdashers on stuff for DD2's school work.
NSDs yesterday and today, very large Sainsbo's order coming tomorrow, over £140 need loads of non food items plus store cupboard stock.

Good luck cag. You may have known it was coming but until you get that final letter there is always hope I guess. Be kind to yourself, write down the points you want to make. Afterwards cry if you want to and have a little treat lined up if you can. We are all here for you to talk to. It's hard when something you want so badly can't happen but remember you also have future plans to cultivate now.. X

Good luck Cag!

North I think I'd like one that chops finely etc too.

Em sounds fun! I went to Israel to swim with dolphins.

Frugal win: MIL lives in New Zealand and I've seen on Facebook this 'miracle' eczema cream, all natural. Anyway I asked her if they sold it cheaper over there and she just messaged me saying three pots are on their way to us hopefully they work for poor dd. She has awful vulval eczema as well as having it in all the usual places.

I have today off work as the dc have an inset day. I need to go and pay the deposit for dd's party but then I think I'll take them to the park and won't waste any money on anything else.

Good luck Cag! We're all here if you need to talk about it later.

Wreck, I have a magimix, I love it it's brilliant. They are quite expensive, we bought it with money we were given when we got married. It really is good quality though and quite compact so saves space compared with some I've seen that are enormous!

cag good luck for today.

Off to tel Aviv today for more meetings this afternoon then a hop in the plane home later. Should arrive home home tomorrow morning. Boss is changing flights as we speak.

I'm off to find some holy water to cure my hangover

Wreck this is the one I bought minus liquidiser jug Kenwood Food Processor

I use mine for soup, breadcrumbs, pancake batter and not much else really so didn't want to spend big money. Have had stick blenders for a long time but they burn out quickly. So far I've made pancake batter, soup, breadcrumbs and sliced onions in it, all perfect. I purchased one from Aldi recently and it didn't even blend soup properly so I returned a week later or so. I was disappointed as usually the Aldi electrical stuff is good.

Good luck Cag. It's a horrible situation to have to go into.

Wreck Your poor DD, what an awful place to get eczema. Poor girl.

Thanks lilac my sister recommended the same.

Purple I would love a magimix but way too much for us!

Thanks fluffy poor dd has so much to contend with!