Forum mojo

The new forum at http://21stcenturyselfreliance.myfreeforum.org/index.php has found my mojo for me!  I've let a lot slip over the past few months due to illness and a general lack of enthusiasm not helped by the attitude of some of those around me, in real life and online. However, seem to have got over it, and have renewed vigour and enthusiasm for all manner of things now. Today saw my second loaf in a row, today's being even better than yesterday's, so that's good I've made a pot of one of my favourite soups to go with it for my supper - yellow split pea and smoked ham. Later on I need to sort out a few Kilner jars and make some sugar syrup ready for bottling tomorrow, and am awaiting a top up supply of matches for stashing away and a few cartons of cream for butter making tomorrow. Knitting is to hand for later, and I have a big pile of makes to photograph and list in my shop. Small things, but they soon add up to give the required satisfaction-with-the-day quotient. Ah,that's better................  it feels good being back in the saddle again, and this time I will stay there and not let others wear me down :)

New forum on self-reliance

Long story short,  am shutting down Creative Living forum after over 7 years; it's been good, but recently has gradually evolved into something which is not what was intended, and getting quite diluted. Others have gone off to start their own, while I am getting more back to what I originally started out with - take a look and feel free to join if you like, or just read. The whole point is to build up a valuable resource to make us all less dependent on others in our  home lives, whether the shtf or not http://21stcenturyselfreliance.myfreeforum.org/index.php

5 1/2 hours

- in a hot Rayburn really is too long to cook two wee crumbles.  Oops. (Don't hold out much hope for the dishes either................  ah well.)

Better?

- or not lol  Tis hard work, I keep forgetting to do things and it all just disappears lol

Bit of a radical departure...........

The last changes I did elicited a few comments about how it had become harder to read what was written here because of the colours, so I've spent most of this morning shouting at the computer (did you hear me? lol) trying to make amends.  Once I'd worked out how to get back to the beginning again if I didnt like something, I tried all sorts of options and much more by accident than design I stumbled on this. I like it - it's clean and fresh and uncluttered - all the wee pictures and things are still there down the right hand side if you hover your cursor over them, and a list of recent posts appears on the lefthand side. I think you can change the layout of thee, by clicking on the word at the top of the ist,so you can view the posts/pics in various ways. I hope I haven't lost anything vital in the process lol  Will see how it goes, but I felt the 'shabby chic' theme was a bit jaded and it was time for something new :) So - what do you think - love it or hate it?

Frugal Friday flamingo

I am in the process of re-decorating my wee bedroom; walls are painted, I have new curtains to put up, a new beside lamp and a couple of nice pieces of furniture to put in. It's all been done fairly cheaply so far, under £100 including Fired Earth paint - don;t usually buy anything that pricey, but the colour (duck egg blue and it really is ) was exactly the one I wanted. New bedding was from e-bay, so that was reasonable too. When Bean is home from university I want her to be comfortable in there too, and warm , so have opted for lined curtains. They need shortening, so will have left over fabric for cushions etc I hope, maybe incorporate it into a patchwork project of some sort. A good few years ago now i bought an Indian cotton rag rug at the tip, aka recycling centre, for a few pennies; it's done well but is looking very jaded now, so instead of buying new, I invest  another£3.99 in a pack of machine dye to brighten it up - which it will, being  bright flamingo pink!  I think it will add a lovely splash of colour with the blue walls and dark floorboards. A nice crochet blanket is about to be started too, and I'll buy a couple of plants for the windowsill as someone managed to kill my wee rubber plant (that takes some doing!) Will take a pic when the room is done.

Smokey chilli beans

This is a very versatile base for a meal, quick, easy and cheap. Once the base is made, you can add in anything you like - cooked or raw meat (pork is particularly good),vegetables, boiled eggs, pulses, anything really; or you can just go with the beans as they are :) 1 medium onion sunflower oil 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1 tin baked beans Worcester sauce smoked paprika chilli powder gravygarnule if required Chop the onion (not too fine) and fry in oil until just softening; add tomatoes and baked beans, Worcester sauce and a good pinch of smoked paprika. Add chilli powder to taste, stir well, cover and leave to simmer on a lowish heat. If it requires thickening, add in a tsp gravy granules for a thicker sauce, boil until it thickens, thne lower heat and simmer intil onios cooked through and everything well mied in. Then add in any extras, make sure is piping hot; serve with baked potatoes, rice, on its own, good bread,etc. Leftovers can be put through the blender for a soup base, or use it as a curry base, or just keep adding in more beans, meat etc