The Thrifty Times Issue Five

So there's another week done. I'm finding the time is flying by, but I have kept my normal day for doing specific housework in place [a hangover from when I used to work fulltime] so that I can keep track of the days and made a deliberate decision to not do so much in the way of gruntwork at the weekend.

Firstly the rumours are true...I may have accidentally stepped into the garden when hanging out the washing and tricked myself into doing a bit of weeding here and there. I've been pretty selective about what I've removed...mainly masses of self seeded Valerian which is a devil to get out if it gets too big as it has such deep roots. We've already got lots. By poking around though in the border I was delighted to find that the Lily-of-the-Valley has taken this time...my parents have given us a clump over the last two years and the first lot disappeared without a trace. Thankfully we are being spoilt by wild violets spreading everywhere...I am happy to leave them in situ. Vegetable seedlings are sprouting forth and our neighbours [other side from the pull up bar TYM is using] have kindly given us some pepper and cherry tomato seedlings. We are going to give them our spare raspberry canes when they're big enough to transplant. We have warned them that once they have them they'll never get rid of them, but they smiled and said it's rather a nice problem to have!!

Get the flags out...this dame has finished cleaning out her dollshouse....there are still a few bits to go back in, but here's the photo evidence to prove it!! That was one evil job I am not sorry to see the back of.

Food wise another week with nowt wasted.  We even changed our menu on Sunday to Toad in the Hole so that we could use up some excess milk that was on the turn...such is the excitement of our lives sometimes these days. Not wasting anything has become a bit of a personal challenge and each little triumph feels like we're winning. After the success of the roast cauliflower last week the outer leaves got shredded and added into another dish and then I tackled another new culinary thing. Gnocchi using fresh potatoes with a minced garlic clove and a pinch of dried chilli flakes. I used Jack's recipe here https://www.hellomagazine.com/cuisine/recipes/2014030517312/jack-monroe-gnocchi-recipe/ Despite the prospect of making it raising my anxiety levels [I'd put it off from the day before] the desire to use up the lurking potatoes won the day and I made something quite passable. Even the mash hating son gobbled them up. Only one for a day when I've got time to do it properly though...if I was tired and frazzled this would make me reach for the takeaway menu. I have not fallen in love with having to handle sticky, icky doughs!!

Mr GBT has started attending a weekly play along folk session on a Wednesday evening and I've been going to a virtual version of our monthly Repair Cafe most Saturdays which has a variety of talks on different green issues aswell as discussions about how we want to keep the green impetus that has been building during the crisis with the clearer air quality and many people really beginning to appreciate the natural world around them.  

Until next time!

Arilx