What's cooking.

Who wants to know what I put in my stir fry's. Well here ya go. Clear the decks and I will show you. Thanks to the subscriber who asked the question. 

The idea is, you can put anything in it. Mix and match. Pot luck. One pan cooking. 

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

Easy day

I've had a fairly easy day today. This morning I thought I would make an effort and go to the Stand in the Park group meeting held at Central Park every Sunday morning. Look for the yellow flag. It's a friendly group, we chat about the latest events, and it's nice to know we are all on the same page. I had a smashing conversation with a chap I haven't seen before. He was very interested in art and photography so that was a good starting point to kick off the conversation. SITP is a world wide organisation. There is a list of parks in the UK where the meetings take place. 

I picked up my free copy of The Light newspaper. 

I pass Aldi to get to the park so it made sense to call in there and get my shopping. £50 spent, all stocked up now. Next stop the Jet garage and fill the car up, ready for the next trip. Another £50 spent. 

Lunch today was cold steamed vegetables with mayo. I made double portions last night. There was some left for dinner tonight as well. 

I have started a new picture, it is smaller than the last one. I got the design out of a book. Lots of colour and embroidery. I like to have something on the table which I can pick up any time I have an hour to spare. 

Tonight I have done some hedge trimming. Must keep on top of it

It is still sunny at 6.30pm, so I will go for a local village walk. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Starting from scratch with the basics

I have recently found a new to me yoootooober to watch. They just appear on my screen, so I thought, worth exploring this one. I was pleasantly surprised. Martijn Doolaard bought a plot of land with two run down sheds, high in the mountains of Northern Italy. 

Access to the property is up a very rough track, he cannot get his four wheel drive close to the buildings. 

His videos are very gentle and relaxing to watch. Nothing is rushed. He has a drone which adds some stunning shots of the surrounding mountains. Later videos show him fixing up an electricity supply with solar panels, adapting the water supply which comes out of the ground, making a new door and window frames, and hauling up timbers from the woodyard down in the village on his trailer, to build a new roof. 

His neighbour on the other side of the hill built his cabin some time ago, and you get to see that. 

If you have run out of TV programmes to watch, give this a try. 

Have a good weekend.   ilona

Invent and make, or buy........

Yesterday I was rooting around in my boxes of bits and bobs, tools, screws, and metal bits, things that might come in handy for something. I need a longer arm when I am walking around making a video, because holding the camera in my hand does not keep it steady. It's hard to concentrate on the camera when I need to look at my feet. So what's the solution, a longer arm.

 

I suppose I could buy something that is made for the job, but you know me, I try and make things with what I have already got. After about an hour or so, fiddling around with screws, trying to find one which fits the tripod hole at the bottom of the camera. I eventually found one, now what? What can I use for an arm, and how can I fix it to the screw which fits the camera. 

Throughout this process I thought what the heck am I doing, it is now two hours since I have been messing around with this. Should I give up and take the easy way out and just buy the extension that I need. I stuck with it, hands now filthy with all the searching through mucky junk. Frustrations building up, I know what I need but I can't find one. Let's try this, or, maybe that will fit. 

Eventually I cracked it. A wooden coat hanger, a hole drilled into the end of it, a piece of metal from a door bolt, a piece of rubber, and two screws. 

Not perfect because I can only point the camera forward. Carrying a coat hanger with me is not very convenient, the extensions made for the job are telescopic and collapsible. Well I'll give it a try and see if it makes any difference to my shaky videos.

Throughout this I wondered at what stage do I give up. Is it worth the effort. Why not look through a catalogue and buy one? But where is the fun in that. If we gave up on every problem we have and threw money at it to resolve it, then that creates a need to earn more money. By choosing what we spend our money on means we can create opportunities to be inventive, with the added bonus that it exercises our brains. By giving in and buying and not trying to solve our own problems, we become robots. 

I know this is in contradiction to my recent post about spending money at Go Outdoors, but I cannot make a decent waterproof jacket and trousers, and I definitely can't make a pair of boots which will last three years or more. So, the message is, invent and make when you can, buy second hand if you can, but buy new only when you can afford it. 

Time for breakfast on this sunny Sunday morning. Toodle pip.  ilona

The way I do things.

Weather not too good this morning, raining, it may clear later. I've had some questions from a reader, which I will answer here.

Am I using energy any differently now to when I first started on my frugal journey? 
Last winter was very cold so I did use a bit more. Also my emergency fund looked very healthy so I reckoned I could afford more heat. I still can't bring myself to leave the heating on over longer periods of time because there are other alternatives to keeping warm, such as wearing more clothes, and moving about more. I am not one to sit on the sofa huddled under a duvet with all the doors shut. All my doors are open, I am not going to walk from a warm room into a cold room, and back again.

I don't put curtains up over doors, or use draught excluders along the bottom, can't be doing with struggling to get in and out moving things out of the way. I put my heating on when I am cold, and switch it off when the house is warm, same as I have always done. A prolonged period of time in a centrally heated place is not healthy. Being outdoors is healthy, when you are well wrapped up and moving.

When I first had to tighten the purse strings I didn't have central heating, it packed up and I managed without it for three years. I didn't get it repaired because I couldn't afford to. Then I got a new boiler and hot water tank free, from a Warm Front grant. I was awarded £3,500 which also paid for loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.

I am in a good position now, I can afford heat, can afford to pay a standing charge, but then I think why should I when there is a cheaper alternative. Why should I pay more than I need to. It's just my way of thinking.

Do I use gas for anything else, cooking, hot water? 
I use the hobs on the gas cooker, and the grill, but not the oven. My food is simple, I can make perfectly good food without baking or roasting it for an hour or so. For a single person I think it is not worth putting the oven on. I use the microwave every morning to heat a mug of water for my coffee, and use it to heat food. I have a gas fire in the living room, which I haven't used for ages. It has been checked, I have a gas plumber who does an annual service.

I heat a tank full of water when I am having a bath, which is once a week. Just like the old days when we used to do this at home as kids. In between baths. I wash my grubby and smelly bits in a sink or bowl of hot water which I heat with a kettle. I wash my hair over the kitchen sink when it needs it, in between baths. I have a shower over the bath but it started acting up about ten years ago so I stopped using it. I don't like showers anyway, much prefer relaxing in a bath and having a good scrub.

I don't need constant hot water. I rinse my pots, pans, crockery, and cutlery under a tap as soon as I have finished with them. I don't have dirty pots stacked up waiting to be washed. If I have been eating anything which is slightly greasy, which is not very often, I have a toilet roll on the kitchen worktop and give the plate or pan a wipe with two squares before I rinse it. Once a week I boil the kettle and dunk things in a bowl of hot water. As I am cooking for one, I use the same pots and pans all the time, I have got rid of my surplus, I only need two of everything, with an assortment of cutlery.

To sum up, I am careful with my use of water, gas, and electricity, mainly because I don't like waste of any kind. The way I do things hasn't changed a lot over the years, it's just that the pressure is off to be super frugal. Can't think of anything else, thank you for the questions. Feel free to comment, but if you question or criticize my personal hygiene, or or tell me it's a wonder I haven't poisoned myself, I am not inviting you to come and sniff my armpits, or eat the food from my kitchen.

The weather has worsened since I started this, we've just had a snow shower. I'm going to feed the guinea pigs, will take my breakfast with me and sit with them for an hour.   ilona

PS. It is snowing right now.

A tiny home for little people.

Hello. Sunny today so I went out. I was on my way to the park, walking down the High Street, when I bumped into my friend Linda and her sweet pooch, Poppy. She hadn't got a specific route in mind so she said she would come to the park as well. It made a nice change to walk and chat. 

When we got to the park it seemed that a lot of others from our village had the same idea as well. It was a really nice atmosphere to meet and greet with everyone. Linda told me about a fairy house in the wood which I hadn't seen before, it must be quite new, and here it is, a play area for children. It's built with thick wood, and well put together, it should last for years. 

It's got a sink with two taps and two plugs.

A beautiful wood burner.

A lovely tall dresser.

The view through the front door.

It's got two bench seats, both have a foot stool and a coffee table.

There is a central dining table. Whoever built this has made a fantastic job of it, I can see many hours of fun for the children in the summer. It would be great to live in a bigger version of this, with all the furniture made out of thick solid wood. It would last a lifetime, no need to buy anything else ever again.

Little Poppy looking wistfully for another treat.

Look at that cute little face. Couldn't you just fall in love with it.

When I went out the cats were in the garden, when I got back my two were waiting to get in. Garcia has been missing for three days, I reckon he has been staying in his own house and not bothered to go out. He was back again this morning though at 7.30am. When I got back from the park he was waiting at his own front door for his family to come home from work. That cat is clever.

Thanks very much for popping in, the weekend starts here so enjoy. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Keeping on track, a review

Good morning. I will zap off this post early being as I missed yesterday. From time to time I review my money saving activities, to ascertain if they are still relevant today as they were when I first started on my frugal living journey. You might have noticed there is a list of money saving tips on a separate page, link at the top, I have been checking through them to see if they still apply now.

Almost every aspect of  living expenses can be tweaked and pruned by making choices. Make a wrong choice and you will find you pay more than you need to. Saying that, everyone's aspirations for a better life are different, so there is no, 'one size fits all'. The areas I save money in may not be the same as yours. So why am I so tight when it comes to spending? Easy answer, because I like to be in control. I will not hand over any money willynilly, every purchase is carefully thought out.

The first question I ask myself is, 'do I need it?' If yes, then where is the cheapest place I can get it. If no, how much do I want it, and do I have enough money to pay for it without skinting myself. At this point treats come into it. Nothing wrong in treating yourself now and again, but a treat to me is something I allow myself occasionally. My treats might be a small bar of chocolate, a bottle of wine, a can of cider, a bag of crisps, or  a magnum ice cream. I spread my treats out over several weeks or months. One bottle of wine a month spread over four days. One magnum when I am on a day out or holiday. One small choc bar if I really fancy it, but my self discipline always kick in when I am in a shop and I will not pick one up as an afterthought to add to my other purchases.

So, basically, I save money in some areas to channel that cash into other areas which are important to me. I like a nice car so I save up for one. I have pets so I need money for that. These might seem like fixed costs that I can't cut down on, but as I said, all aspects of living expenses can be tweaked and pruned. I could buy a cheaper car which costs less to run, but I can afford the one I have. I could have just one cat. I am at my maximum of pets cost wise at the moment, and would not take on any more. I have a budget for them and I am at my limit. Utilities are flexible costs, I can choose when to flick switches, when to turn things on and off. I can monitor usage through my meter readings.

So let's have a look at the money saving list. I will pick out a few to review.

Before I wash my clothes I inspect them to see if they are dirty or smell. Yes, I still do that. It's a waste of water, electricity, and soap powder to wash clean clothes. Will they last one more wearing before they need a wash. I wash everything on a 30 degree, 30 minute wash, using two dessertspoons of powder for each load, and dry everything outside. If the weather prevents me from drying outside, I have enough clothes to delay a wash until a good drying day comes along, windy or sunny.

Cut down on tea and coffee, heat a mug of  water in the microwave and add a dash of fruit juice. Yes, I still do that. I very rarely use my electric kettle because it needs two mugs of water to cover the element. I know you can put some in a flask for later, but I only have one hot drink in the morning, the rest of the time I have cold drinks, and they are very watered down juice drinks.

Check bank statements and credit card statements for any direct debits that are not needed any more. I keep my direct debits to an absolute minimum, preferring to pay bills by cheque into the bank My mobile phone is topped up at the local shop, £10 every two months. I have an annual DD for my Youth Hostel membership, and car recovery service. £4 goes to googlie for posting unlimited photo's on my blog, and a monthly DD goes out for house insurance, and landline/broadband. That's all, makes it easy for me to monitor.

Buy children's tooth brushes, they are cheaper than adult brushes. Yes, I still do that. A three minute scrub with a small brush gives the same results as a bigger one. My dentist always asks if I use an electric brush, my answer is no. Why do I want to spend money on a gadget that will need charging up, and new brushes to purchase every so often, when I can do the same thing using wrist power. And while on the subject of teeth, I only use toothpaste in the morning. I like to start the day with a fresh clean mouth. All other times I brush with water only. It's the time spent brushing that counts, and using the correct technique, plus flossing, which gets rid of the food trapped between them. I must be doing it right because I've had five years of all clear check ups.

Use wash cloths instead of paper towels. Yes, I cut up old cotton sheets, old towels, and use them as dishcloths. When they are past their useful life in the kitchen they get relegated to floor cloths, shoe polishing cloths, window cleaning cloths, and dusters, when I can be bothered to dust. I have a couple in the bathroom for wiping bath, basin, and toilet down. And the very old cloths get used as cat litter box wipes after I have scrubbed them out and they need to be dry before refilling with fresh litter. When I throw cleaning cloths away they are manky. Just a note to add to this. I do have a paper towel roll, I use it for a dribbly nose. It lasts longer than a conventional box of tissues because it doesn't fall apart so quickly, and my nose is constantly cold and wet, even though I never catch a cold. A bit like a dogs, ha ha. I never ever buy J cloths, wet wipes, dish cloths, floor cloths, or boxes of tissues.

I still wear boys and men's underpants as opposed to ladies knickers. I haven't had to buy any for years, they last ages, never fall apart, and never stretch and go baggy. They are a snug fit, no uncomfortable floss up the bum or cheeks hanging out. Anyone with a small bottom would save loads of money by making the switch. They come in all colours.

Tidy your food cupboard and have a stock check. Yes I still do that. I know exactly what tins, packets and frozen I have, no festering unmentionables lurking at the back waiting to be chucked out. I keep my spices to a minimum, no small glass jars of goodness knows what hanging about. I don't follow recipes for cooking, because if you do, you need to check you have the ingredients first, if not then you buy it. So easy to be left with half a jar of this, half a packet of that, never to be used again. I make my meals with whatever I have in, I improvise, I use up what I already have. No recipe books in my house.

Moving on to food shopping. I don't take a list, I go with an open mind. There is no item of food that I must get, I buy whatever is a good price and I can substitute one item for another. I like expensive foods like they have at Marks and Sparks, but would never shop there unless it has a yellow sticker, and that isn't likely to happen because their big store is on the edge of town. I am not loyal to one supermarket but will cherry pick from those I am close to, or passing to and from somewhere else. I will not waste petrol running around from shop to shop. My motto is, 'pop in when passing', especially if it is between 5 and 9pm. Another motto, 'worth a look'.

Don't buy food out. I know the times when my stomach will be grumbling for food, so if I am going anywhere and I know I will need to eat, I take a snack with me. A sandwich, a drink, a piece of fruit, a few cream crackers a piece of cheese etc. If I don't eat when I am hungry I start getting wobbly, and that means eat something now. So rather than dashing in a shop, I have something in my bag. I eat before I go food shopping, because being hungry in a supermarket aisle will trigger off my desire to grab whatever is available. This has happened on occasions, and not wanting to give in to junk, I have been scouring the shelves for something suitable to eat. I might pick up a cheese and onion pasty or a banana, to satisfy my hunger. One thing I cannot bring myself to buy is ready made sandwiches, even if they have been reduced to pennies. No thanks.

I like to review my money saving and spending habits now and again, just to check I am on the right track. To check I am not slipping back into spending more than I can comfortably afford. I read other money saving sites to see if there is anything I am missing, any good ideas I should be doing. It's easy to take your eye off the ball and slip back. I don't keep a spending diary any more, by keeping my outgoings and incomings simple, all the information is stored in my head. As long as that bank balance stays in the black I am ok. It may dip a little at times when there is a big bill to pay, the next one will be car insurance, but exercising restraint for a few weeks will bring it back up again. Swings and roundabouts comes to mind.

Your priorities will probably be different to mine, but whatever you spend your money on, it has to be what you can afford without going into debt. Some sacrifices have to be made to be able to live the life you want to live. I want a nice car, I don't eat out. You eat out twice a week, go to the gym, get a coffee in a cardboard cup every day, and you make do with a cheaper car. Your choice, my choice. Don't come moaning to me that your car is clapped out and you can't afford the repairs.

Thanks very much for popping in, I hope I have given you something to think about. Time to take my best friend out. He is lying on the carpet, I'll get his lead.

Toodle pip

A dead cheap pamper

Hello and Happy Fathers day to all dad's. So what's this little Orphan Annie doing today then. Looks like I am about to perform a war dance with my painted face. I am scraping out the last few applications of this small tube of moisturizer which I have cut in half, but it's so small I can't get my finger into it. So the answer is to use something to poke it out. 

A wooden toothpick is mighty small, which does the job, that's why I have stripes on my face. It's a freebie sample of hand and body lotion given to me by a friend. As far as I'm concerned it can be used on the face as well.

I've been checking my beauty stocks in the bathroom. I hardly ever buy anything new, lotions and potions last ages as I use them most sparingly. Take these cheapo supermarket smellies, they seem to last forever. Even the cheap ones I use the absolute minimum that I can get away with.

I bought the toothpaste from Poundstretcher, I was in there about six months ago for something else and spotted that this was on offer at 50p. Pretty good price I thought, best to have a tube on standby for when the other one runs out. I can't see me starting this for another three or four months, such is my sparse way of spreading it on the brush. I only use a smidgeon, just enough for a slight foaming of the mouth.

The toothbrush is another item on standby, still in it's packaging. Did you know that children's tooth brushes are cheaper than the adult equivalent? No need to pay full price just buy a smaller brush and give your mouth a good scrub round with that. It reaches into all the hidden corners. I usually walk around the house multitasking while brushing my teeth as it's such a boring job to be standing still.

This is my deodorant stash, ha ha. Not much to choose from, and I didn't even have to buy them. My sister gave me the Arrid, and my friend donated the Nivea to a worthy cause, me. Neither of them liked what they had bought for themselves so all donations gratefully received here. 

Getting to the end of this sun lotion so it's an upside down job. I bought this yonks ago, not sure if it goes off, but I use it as moisturizer from time to time. I like the smell, it reminds me of holidays.

There's a long way to go with these two, at least another years worth in there. I don't moisturize my body, so the whipped body oil gets used on my face, neck and hands. The body wash will be used in the bath, eventually. I bought these two before I went on holiday to Scotland because I read that it's good for keeping midges at bay. I never did see any midges, think I was too early in the season.

My soap stocks are slowly shrinking. I used to sell hand made soap on my stall at the market and events, so I had some left when I closed the business. That was over ten years ago. Here we have strawberry, lemon and lime, and gingerbread. It has lost some of it's perfume but still performs as well as soap should.

I keep my toiletry purchases to the minimum, I only need the basics and use them sparingly. I don't need all the posh names, or the expensive perfumes. There is no cream which halts the aging process, and perfume evaporates into the air. As long as I am scrubbed clean with one of those sponges with a rough side, that will do me. I've got the bath water on now, so I'll scrub up later.

How big is your stash of toiletries? Is it minimal like mine? Or do you like a bit of luxurious pampering?

Hope your Sunday is a good one. Bye for now. Toodle pip.

Smile please, you're on camera

Hello. I think I should get Nellie Knowitall, our guest contributor, to write this post, it's right up her street, but as she is swanning around somewhere in the Bahamas, I won't disturb her. I am sure I am just as capable of stating the bleedin obvious, so I'll rattle it out myself.

Speeding, what do you think of speed cameras, or any cameras for that matter. There is an article in a well know national newspaper this morning entitled 'Know your enemy : there are 20 different kinds of cameras spying on motorists : spot them before they spot you.' Some are used to catch criminals, monitor traffic, or collect data. But large numbers are used to issue fines, which total £284 million pounds a year. They are despised because most of the money goes to the treasury. Every time you drive you are spied on.

Most of the population of Britain seems to hate them, they are labeled as 'cash cows' for the government. Ok, these are my thoughts, my simplistic way of looking at things. If you don't drive over the speed limit you will give the government nothing. If you don't park where you are not supposed to, you will give the government nothing. I have been caught speeding three times in the 45 years I have been driving, all in commercial vehicles, and all when I had a lapse of concentration for a few seconds. Not slowing down enough from 36mph when I hit a 30 limit, at 6am when there was no traffic about. Passing through a roadworks on an the A1M and didn't get down to 50mph quick enough, on a Sunday when it wasn't very busy. And coming out of a built up area on a wide road thinking the speed limit must be 40 when in fact it was still 30 for a little while longer. All my fault. My licence is clean now, and has been for some time, I have learnt my lesson. Driving over the speed limit costs money, so why would I put myself in that situation now.

You can get a speed camera detector gizmo for your car, it will bleep as you approach one, they can cost around £180. Why would you want to pay that much, when all you have to do is watch for the speed limit signs, make a mental note and adjust your speed accordingly. Simple really, it costs nothing to concentrate.

There are web sites out there which show where speed cameras are located. So, say you are planning a journey in an area you are not familiar with, would you spend time searching a map to find where all the cameras are? What if you decided to go off route during your journey and you didn't have the correct map, you are stuffed then, unless of course you have access to the maps in a sat nav. Jeez, there are enough distractions on the road without introducing more. For safety's sake you are supposed to be watching the road ahead, not eyes up in the sky searching for cameras. Wouldn't it be a lot easier to take note of the speed limit signs, then glance at your speedometer and make sure it is reading the same or less than the speed indicated on the sign. What could be chuffin easier than that!

Then there are web sites which tell you how to avoid paying fines, for goodness sake, you got caught, you pay. Don't speed, you won't get a fine. Simple.

A lot of the comments on the article are from people who object to Big Brother watching them, and I can't understand that. If you are doing something you shouldn't be, or if you are somewhere where you shouldn't be, then you have cause to be worried. Security cameras and speed cameras can work in your favour if you have nothing to hide. My car is street legal, no worries there. I don't mind the cameras in the High Street, I would rather someone be watching out for my safety. I don't mind cameras inside shops, useful tool to deter thieves.

When I retired the pressure came off to drive anywhere fast. I did take some risks, that was the nature of the job, but now I can go about my business in a more leisurely way. I have forgotten how to rush, everything I do is at my own pace. And it's lovely, I have time to smile at the cameras.
Thanks for reading. Toodle pip,

Re organizing my space

Hello. It's been a damp and dreary day here in North Lincolnshire, best place is indoors. I woke up with a few ideas of what to do today, could do some sewing, could do some cooking, or I could move my big computer down into the living room. Now it is running perfectly it's a shame to leave it upstairs while squinting downstairs at the little netbook. 

So what's to be done. I have a large front to back living room with a table at each end. This corner next to the table at the front is wasted space at the moment. An ancient treadle sewing machine which I never use, (ought to really), and a writing bureau which has some crafting stuff stored in it which I don't use very often. On the top of the sewing machine are storage boxes full of more crafting stuff which I often dive into, so I want to keep them close at hand. The space could be better utilized. 

I do my sewing here at this table, so the machine can stay here.

That's better. The telephone socket comes into the house here, so that's handy for the router. Those wires dangling down are for the tv aerial and the satellite dish, neither of which I use, so I'm thinking about chopping them off.

This office desk will fit in the space perfectly, all I have to do is get it downstairs. It weighs a ton, I bought it second hand years ago from an office furniture warehouse for £30. A bargain and it's ever so sturdy.

I think I'm going to need these.

That's the wood removed, next dismantle the frame.

Bit by bit it all gets moved downstairs, and cleaned. Now how does it fit together. I should have marked what goes where.

 YAY, dunnit. Everything plugged in and switched on, and it works.

Now I've got to get the writing bureau upstairs. The treadle sewing machine is too heavy to move very far so that will have to stay in here, I'll find a space for that. There is room under the desk for the plastic storage boxes, and then I've got to move the second desk in the office to underneath the window so the cats can jump up into the window sill. I think I'll get my dinner before I carry on.

I must say it's nice getting back on this big computer again, the screen feels gigantic after that little one. I much prefer a real full size keyboard as well. Yes I think this arrangement will suite me better. I used to spend a lot of time in the small office, now I prefer to be all on one level. Shall I move my bed downstairs next, ha ha. The next move might be to a bungalow.

Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip

Switch it off! Even better, don't switch it on.

Hello, I've spent most of the day indoors today, the weather has been horrible. I did pop out briefly to run to the doctors surgery, yes run, only two minutes away, I got distracted and nearly missed the appointment. As soon as I went in I was called straight away for my flu jab, other people were sat around waiting. I don't want to be in there longer than is necessary, all those nasty germs floating around. I was in and out in two minutes.

It seems one of my readers is most impressed with my gas and electricity charges, and asks how I keep my usage so low. Thank you for your email, I'll try and give you a few pointers. For a start there is only me here, so no one to fight with over switching things on and off. I only switch lights on in the room where I am sitting. I have my desk light on and the small Christmas lights on in this room at the moment.

I don't have anything on standby except the fridge freezer. My gas cooker can be plugged into the electrics but I don't bother, I don't need a clock in the kitchen. I switch the microwave on when I use it. In fact I don't have any clocks at all plugged in. I have a wrist watch and a wind up clock in the bedroom, that's all I need. I have a music centre/stereo/radio which I only plug in if I want to listen to something. I like quiet in my house, don't need constant noise, don't need a tele or radio for company.

I use the dyson when the floor looks a bit mucky, and have a blitz every so often on the cat hairs. I have a hair dryer but very rarely use it, always let my hair dry by itself. I use the washing machine when I have a full load, and only wash things when they are dirty or smelly. All the washing gets dried outside on the line, so I only do a wash if it's windy or sunny. I have plenty of clothes, bedding and towels so could last several weeks without doing a wash load. If it's a nice drying day I might do two loads. I use the thirty minute setting at 30 degrees for everything.

For cooking I never use the oven, I don't bake or make pies or roast anything. I use the top gas rings, usually just one as I steam all my vegetables in one pan. I sometimes use the grill. I don't fry food because it makes a mess of the cooker, and I don't like washing greasy pans. In fact I have a new system for washing up now. As soon as I have finished with a pan, a plate, a mug, cutlery etc, I rinse under the cold tap with a brush. Saves on wash up liquid, water, and heating the water. I might do a proper washup in the bowl if I have used several pans for different things. For that I heat the water on the hob in one of the pans that needs washing. Then have a blitz and wipe down all the worktops and top of cooker, and scrub the sink. I might do this once a week.

I have only one mug of coffee a day, first thing in the morning. The rest of the time I drink diluted juice or water. I have a kettle but hardly use it. I put a mug of cold water in the microwave, take it out after a couple of minutes, add coffee, sugar, and dried milk, taste it, then put it back in the microwave for another minute so that it's hot. I must save loads of money by not drinking endless cuppas during the day.

I heat a tank full of water when I have a bath. I have a good soak and scrub every bit of me. Every morning I wash in cold water, it's not too bad if you do it quickly. If I want to wash my hair in between baths I use the sink in the kitchen, for that I boil the kettle, can't wash hair in cold water, that's a step too far.

I have the computer on a lot, but have switched to using the small netbook, it probably uses less electricity than the big one. Other gadgets, sewing machine, lawn mower, strimmer, slow cooker, stick blender, food processor, battery chargers, all used occasionally.

So that's about it really, keep things simple. At the back of my mind I always think that when I switch something on it's costing me money. I am used to living this way, for me it's normal, it's no big deal.
Hope that helps, thanks for asking. And now for the question. Is there any way you can cut down on your use of gas and electricity? Winter is approaching and bills will be creeping up, now is the time to start thinking about how you can monitor the situation, be more aware of what it is costing you to run your home. The next quarterly bill for me will be in January, I will be ready for it.  

And now for tonight's simple dinner. One portion of home made veg curry frozen in a margarine tub, and a portion of frozen rice.

A few minutes in the microwave, and Bob's your uncle, instant dinner, and I know exactly what's in it, well more or less. Can't quite remember but I know it hasn't any nasties in it.

Thank you for popping in. Toodle pip

Add on to yesterdays post.

Hello. To save you time goooogleing Mount Athos here is a 30 minute video.



Back later. Toodle pip.

The 1939 house, even more photo's

I see from the comments on the previous posts that you are enjoying the photo's from the 1939 house, there are plenty more. This is Joanna. I spoke to her on the phone last night, (she has a mobile), because there was one or two points which I wanted to confirm with her, and also ask her a couple of questions which came up in the comments.

Her interest in the thirties and forties started when she was a little girl visiting her grandmother. She always felt safe and happy in the house. As she grew up she loved watching old films and listening to old records. She always wanted a house like her grandmothers, and now she says she is living her dream.

She lives in the house just as it is. Yes, she does use the dolly tub and mangle to do her washing. Wash day is a Monday, she likes to get it all done in one day. The water is heated on the range, and she also cooks her meals on it. There is only one cold tap in the house, over the kitchen sink. She has a tin bath, and she lives exactly as they did in 1939.

Joanna works three days a week at a local supermarket, and cycles the five miles to work, and back, in sun, rain, wind and snow. She got a puncture once and had to walk to the bike shop to get it repaired. 

The corner of her front parlour.

Do you recognise Joanna in this photo.

A trip down memory lane, family photo's.

A beautiful old record player.

Patterns to make your own clothes.

This is a friend, who likes to dress the part.

More memorabilia on the sideboard and table.

A hand embroidered table cloth.

Doesn't it look cosy. I can vouch that the sofa is as comfy as it looks.

There are a few more photo's left for tomorrow. Joanna would love more visitors to her house as she enjoys talking about how she lives. There has been mention of television programmes of people living in this era, more of an experiment to see how they cope, Joanna lives this way all the time.

Sunny day again, I'm off out. Back later to catch up on any comments. Toodle pip. 

The 1939 house - with photo's

Copied from previous post.

I've had a spivving afternoon, I took a trip back in time to 1939. Joanna lives in a small terraced house here in my village, and today she had an open day. I first met her a few months ago on the bus coming back from town, and immediately fell in love with her style. Her clothes were from the thirties, and her makeup and hair was in keeping with the whole thirties look. Yesterday I saw her again and she told me about the open day. I have taken lots of photo's but it will take me a while to sort them out. In the meantime, you may like to look at this web page which will give you a taste of 1939. I will add my photo's to this post when they are ready, possibly tonight.

Joanna's 1939 house is here.

Catch you later.

I am ready, well half ready, I will split the photo's into two or three posts, there are so many of them. I just couldn't stop clicking. There are also photo's of the Heritage Group Fun Day as well, down at the bottom pub. I will save them for later. So, this is Joanna's 1939 house. She has been mad about the thirties/forties for a long time and has been collecting memorabilia from that era, buying things from car boot sales, charity shops, and Hemswell Antiques Centre, which is a few miles south of here. Forties music was blasting out into the street when I arrived.  

Entry was down the side passage, first off was the outside lavvy, ha ha, brings back memories of sitting out in the freezing cold with my knickers round my ankles. We had an outside lavvy in 1966.

Next to it is the coal hole. Also housing the garden tools.

Plenty of firewood stacked up next to the old metal dustbin. Remember those dustbins? The bin man used to grab the handle and hoist it on his back before depositing the rubbish into the lorry. No health and safety then.

These two ladies turned up, don't they look lovely.

There is a small back kitchen with a single cold tap over the sink.

The wooden clothes horse, ah yes, we had one of those when I was a nipper.

The dolly tub and washboard, no modern appliances here. This is how Joanna does her washing.

The mangle and wooden ironing board.

My mum was always mincing food. This is a beauty. The bread bin is under the table.

The fire in the range was roaring, it was sweltering in there. All the water is heated on here, for cooking, washing, and bathing.

My grandma had one of these clothes dryers. There was always something on it.

It was like being in a museum, a fascinating array of  bits and bobs from many years ago.

The glass fronted cabinet with the best glass and china on display.

More friends came to help Joanna show the visitors round the house.

I'm going to stop there, I will post more photo's tomorrow.