The Lockdown Saving and Spending Continues! May Frugaleers continued

[LaneBoy]

New thread!

41 miles! No wonder you hurt.
I threw it all away as it had pink orange bits in which are bad bacteria apparently. Have given up for now.

Nsd but DD was made up to be back at the stables

unescorted I pronounce you a sourdough queen! Your description of the process is pretty much identical to the "Artisan baker of the year" I'm following on Facebook. It's that last stage I need to work on! life in the FB group I'm in someone posted a picture of their starter with a pinky tinge, it wasn't you was it?

Pink does not sound right....

North I will try to find the link to the you tube video I saw...

Unescorted do you knead it at all? You say ‘mix the dough’ but I’m not sure if that includes an old-fashioned kneading at that stage. In spite of my love of baking I’ve never tried sourdough (bit scared to get into bread making as I struggle with my weight enough as it is!)

Not an nsd... my new desk finally arrived and it is beautiful! (The oak Ercol one sold by Next, if anyone is interested). I then went online and bought some orla kiely coasters, a mug For my pens and a bamboo tray for papers. DH and I managed to get the huge chest of drawers the desk is displacing downstairs (with some difficulty - had to remove and reinstall the stair gates) and then I properly hoovered and cleaned skirting where drawers had been (too heavy to move by myself so not done often!) and properly cleaned the insides of the windows. Then set the desk up. It looks sooooo nice. Definitely worth the hard manual labour on a hot day! The rest of the spare room is still way too cluttered but i am going to tackle it urgently as I’ve got a plumber coming soon to give me a quote for moving the radiator. (It will be expensive - putting it under the bay window so rad needs to be made to measure - but that will free up a whole wall for book cases furniture.)

Other than that the DC were tricky today and so was work, so I’m wiped out! DD stuck a berry up her nostril and it was properly stuck. DH panicked but I managed to hook it out with a sharp needle and a steady hand. DD was very good about that bit, but then had a huge meltdown because I wouldn’t give her the berry back! Ds can’t tolerate her crying so he also had a screeching meltdown too (one of several today - he also can’t tolerate flies coming into the house ) so the neighbours probably hate us right now. The noise was unbelievable.

Lots of discussion on the school whatsapp groups here about schools going back and how different it will be. I really feel for the kids and staff. No idea how they are going to make it enjoyable for everyone involved, and school should be fun. I feel really sad about it. Anyone else sending their primary DC back? Assuming it doesn’t get stopped by the unions...

I love bread making. So therapeutic. Unescorted does indeed sound the Queen of Artisan loaves.

Up since just before 2. Bloody ds again. Just need to make it through until 5 with work and then I can collapse

My two DC are going back sea, but they’ve been going in about once a week during lockdown. We don’t really have a choice about it. I walked into a Reception class the other day and the room set up was quite strikingly less welcoming

I hope you are ok wolf

It’s meant to be a day off for both DP and I and we were considering a walk/picnic. Possibly to the beach (as local) but not after seeing the news stories of yesterday and crowding. Will have to find somewhere less touristy.

Morning all.

Sea I’m the same. Dh makes sourdough and if it’s straight out of the oven and we have lovely butter...it’s game over for me.

I need to sort myself out. My shorts don’t fit comfortably any more and I need to do a tone up and lose the 5kg I’m still carrying around. Doesn’t help that whilst in lockdown I’ve done a ton of baking with ds and eaten most of it. I’m also drinking more than I used to. Not excesssively but 1-2 g&t’s in the garden has seemingly become the norm.

For all of them you want to create a tension across the top and keep the sticky dough in the centre.

Sea For a high hydration dough there is no need to knead because of the length of the ferment. The stretching is enough to develop the gluten. I run about 78% for a sourdough. Water is 78% weight of dough.

I am with your DS on the flies....

The berry reminded me of when DD stuck a sultana up her nose... except being the negligent mother I am I didn't notice. Over a few weeks she developed a red patch where she had been scratching it. Then she got a cold..... she sneezed and a comet of snot with the sultana at the head flew across the kitchen and slid down the wall. I have not laughed so much ever.

just parking this here for later

Wasn't me on FB however I'm interested now in the group

I was chatting to someone yesterday about this and I'm sending ds back when I can. Y5 so second wave. I'm fortunate we are healthy and the risk to our health is not outweighed by DS need to be back with his friends and in school.

God yes fresh white bread mmmmm heart burn and chub but so worth it.

wolf. Hope the daylight is better than the witching hour wake up.

Carrot and mango yogurt is better than beetroot and whatever it was. Marginally

Unescorted you saved me googling Dutch oven, I can use my cast iron le creuset knock off casserole dish so!

Life I'd say it's more like 2G * wolf* omg at ds rubbing chemicals in your face, how are things now?

This is my reward for going out for a walk this morning, did however bump into my bf too & got a kiss, that was before I fell though

I'm having more hassle with house purchase too and can't get hold of my engineer

Spends this week have been few but some big €150 heating oil €15 charging cable €18.90 mostly dc pocket money spends €45 on digital driver card for bf €65.73 cc payment €20 horse riding for dd, she's going sat but that activity is my responsibility so gave it to ex tues going to buy burger buns now if local shop have them.

I don't have a cast iron casserole 😭

Ouchy happier. The dangers of phone and walking.

Fingers crossed house things are sorted.

We're still undecided about sending dd1 back to school but I think we will. My concern is that I will be in one school, she will be in another and the others will be at nursery. That's a lot of germs to mix!

Wolf I wish I had a magic wand for you.

I am not the queen of anything - just watched too many you tube videos. Sea an no knead recipe for you

DS will be going back to school as soon as they are open - just because it is near on impossible to get him to do any work at home. There is always some excuse why it is not possible. I would turn the router off but I need it to do my work.

Yogurt is foul …. with anything but beetroot sounds marginally more appealing, because sweet yogurt is the grossest thing except maybe watermelon.

DD has been at nursery throughout.

NSD today I think. Although I feel bad as I haven't bought DD an Eid present but I just dunno what to get her. She hardly plays with toys and we are still in a poor financial position so hate to buy something that just gets ignored or played with once. Her birthday next month too which also can't decide on a gift for her. Hmm

Could you light a candle with her meadow. Have you got a new one she could have that hasn't been burnt yet and just wrap it up. . Your could light it and she could blow out out ad infinity
I forget what Eid present are meant to be so if im wrong sorry.

Work done until Tuesday. Day has been ok. Wine open. Wooo!

Sorry haven't fully caught up.

meadow how old is dd? For preschool age I would suggest lots of boxes/paint/stickers. Then you could make a house or fort if you could get really big ones? For her birthday how about a tuff tray with stand? We use them all the time at nursery, they are perfect for messy activities, water, sand play. Or setting up small world/art stuff. If you go on pinterest theres loads of ideas for them. Will be something she could grow with and you can get all sorts of colours. Or a box of scarves/fabrics/bangles/silly hats for dressing up and dancing.

I haven't been on, been busy listing things on Ebay, 180 items listed so far! Spent £12 on some empty lol tubs and checklists for the second hand dolls I've bought dd2. Been making origami boxes in the evenings to wrap up the amazing surprise set I got her like the cookie swirl video she always watches!

Going up tesco soon for some fresh bits.

Hope you are enjoying your wine Wolf!

meadow unless there’s a specific “thing” that Eid presents are meant to be if go with something like Duplo. Or wooden blocks.

I recently bought Dd and ds some blocks from amazon. £25 I thing. Ds loves them and I think is a similar age to your Dd (she’ll be 2? - ds is 2.5)

If you don’t want to do new ebay have some duplo bundles. I got ds some duplo for Christmas from eBay. (If you’re a bit wierd with germs like I was you can chuck it in the dishwasher if you have one!)

Evening everyone
Have been to Monmouth for a little trip out with Dh to get a multitude of supplies for Mum, Bob, NDN , Mum's friend who fell & for us. DD1 did Mother & Bob bless her heart . Went into Lidl it is a total disaster there no one abiding to any rules , l don't know what on earth they were thinking , eldery ppl being the worst!! Reaching over you for things , going up a one way aisle , totally in your face and worst of all sneezing !!
l was so glad to get from there l can tell you ! Spent £30 in Home Bargains and 20 in Lidl's

Meadow does she like sensory play? Mine both like kinetic sand (also another brand of similar thing called motion sand). Also, one of the best things I ever invested in was (wait for it...) a cat litter tray. Cheap, big enough for stuff like sand or water indoors, and reasonably deep but not so they can’t reach in. We use ours a lot with that shaving foam soap stuff, or kinetic sand mostly.

I am not quite sure what to get DD either - she turns 3 next month. She has loads of stuff inherited from DS but is only into a few small world character toys and wooden cakes /tea party stuff. No interest in her balance bike, but loved her scuttlebug (now too small for her) so am thinking of a trike or bike with stabilisers. She’s not very brave, iyswim.

Thanks for the sourdough info Unescorted. I don’t mind kneading, was just checking whether I’d got the wrong end of the stick or not!

Sorry about the house hassle Happier

Another day of work and not giving the DC enough attention . I’ve been too busy to knit this week but need to get back at it, it’ll cheer me up! I’m off to dig it out now for a quick few rows before bed...

Wolf hope the wine was good and the night even better. Don't take this the wrong way but I hope it is mid morning before we see you today.

Sea even though you don't knead it, the dough changes as it is stretched and then as it is shaped. It is really satisfying when you get it right. It ends up as a lovely pillowy dough after the bulk ferment and then it shapes and loses it's stickiness as it is shaped. Although if you are rough with it,it comes back to being sticky again quickly.

It is raining! I am so pleased for the garden and the moors. It was so dry - we had only had a single heavy thunderstorm since the middle of March. I have been hosing most days because I have so many new plants.

I have a long weekend with no plans...