Lets have a cosy chat

Hi, I seem to be getting a little bit behind with replying to your comments, so why don't we sit down with a cuppa, and have a little natter, and I'll fill in some of the gaps. I'll be working backwards through the posts, so if you've asked me something hopefully all will be clear quite soon.

Dartford Warbler asked if the last photo on the Brigg walk was the Angel Hotel. Yes it was DW, here is a bit from the Brigg Market Town Website.

Brigg Town Council is justifiably proud of the Angel Suite, which was officially opened in 1995, following the final phase of renovations to the old Angel Hotel.
The Town Council Office is located in the basement of the Angel Suite, but the main function of the building is to provide Brigg with a Community Centre which lends itself to any type of function. The building is also regularly used by a number of local organisations.

Welcome to the new Annonymous contributor, who used to live in North Lincolnshire, and who now lives down south, good to hear from you. I can imagine how difficult it must be to lead a green and frugal life in a part of the country where everything is expensive. Up here in the sticks is recognised as one of the cheapest places in the UK to live. Try not to get too disheartened, you are lucky to be near your family.

Hi lizzie, no I have not tried making my own yogurt. I sometimes buy the plain which is cheaper, then add my own fruit. Fast forward 20 mins and I have just been reading a web site called http://www.makeyourownyogurt,com/ and watched three videos, and now I feel ready to have a go. So maybe a project for next week. Thanks to you, and PP, and Sarina, for suggesting this.

Hi PP, you ask how much I spend on food each month. I am in the process of monitoring it. There is a seperate page for this which you can access from the link at the top of this page. Total for the first month was £55, I am monitoring it over a six month period, some months will be up some will be down, I am looking for an average figure over the six months. I grow vegetables in the summer only. I want to keep it as an enjoyable hobby, not as a chore which I have to do, so I take the winters off. I don't want to keep chickens, the two main reasons reasons being, there is a big initial outlay of time and money to build a fox proof henhouse and run. And I don't want all the responsibility that goes with looking after them. Letting them out each morning, getting them back in at night, dealing with red mite, prolapse, and any other chickeny ailments. I dont want the commitment. No thank you very much.

Anonymous has commented with some price comparisons, thank you for your input. Your Lidl bran flakes are a good buy at 69p. Mine are 77p for a 750grm box of Value at Tesco. As you say, just as good as the branded one, and half the price. I must admit I tend to do the bulk of my shop at Tesco, but will call in any other supermarket when passing. I have tried the Value yogurt and it was horrible so the next step is to try Sains basics, that's if I don't start making it myself.

There has been some comments on re heating food. I don't always re heat the whole pan. If I am taking some out to eat I microwave just that portion. If I am adding something to the pan and it needs cooking first, I steam it seperately then add it, and warm the whole lot up on a low heat. Or if I add a tin of something I chuck it straight in the pan and reheat the whole lot. It seems to work ok for me, but I wouldn't advise anyone to do the same if they have meat in their stew. Oh, and I ought to mention that you won't be struggling to erm, 'go', if you do as I do, ha ha.

Anonymous in Australia asks if I will be doing any bag tutorials. I am not sure if the Anonymous readers are all the same person, perhaps if you could add your preferred name to the end of your comment I could reply to you personally. I think I have done a couple of tutorials, I am never sure if people actually want to copy the bags, or just read about them to give them some ideas, either way is ok. I must start sewing again, and adding some tutorials.

I think that's covered most things. It's been a tad cold here today, but I still haven't any heating on. I'm sitting here with a fleece dressing gown on over my clothes, as long as I keep moving about that will keep me warm. I did an hour of litter picking this morning, my goodness that was cold round the old lug holes. I need to get my wooly hat out.

It's mobile library day today so I changed my books. Got six more to add to the five I already have out, we can have a total of twenty. I like to have a selection lying around the place so I can dip into them at any time.

I've picked up a massive book with just under six hundred pages, The Good Book, A Secular Bible. Inside the front cover it says, 'The Good Book is a book of insight, inspiration, wisdom, solace and commentary on the human condition drawn from the great humanist traditions of thought and literature of the world. It's principal concern is how life - the good life - should be lived. Stimulating, thoughtful, rational and rewarding, it makes essential reading'. It says it is made by philosopher A.C. Grayling, not sure if that is the same as 'written by'. I reckon this will send me off to sleep a treat :o)

A couple of bargains I got yesterday. This is the sort of shopping I like. Cheers me up no end when I find cheapo's like this.

And this makes me fed up. Now beans are 31p, they were 26p four weeks ago.

My lunch for today. Plate piled high with iceberg lettuce, half a tub of potato salad, grated cheese, spinach, with a blue cheese dressing. Fabulous.


I'm off now to brew up another three day stew to take with me to Derbyshire tomorrow. I'll take the net book because they have internet at the hostel, so I'll be keeping my beady eyes on you. Toodle pip.