FE college!!! Hair cut for £8 and other little gems!!!

After a lovely weekend and time spent with my sister and Biggles, I returned to  work yesterday....... boo  however there is an up side to working in an FE college Cheap haircuts!!! and cheap beauty treatments! Cheap food in the student run restaurant and nice food  - so good spot for lunches you take with friends! 2.50 for a main course of restaurant standard is not bad at all!! ( Won't be many of these however)  Hair cuts and hair removal of the epilation stylee for £2 a session may be indulged!!!

I would like to see them roll out their services to include painting and decorating and other household maintenance They have a joinery and carpentry departments,  plumbing, gardening (- horticulture) am a sure simple maintenance service would be very very popular! 

Some car valeting ( FREE)  goes on  but only for the chosen few - I feel I may try to wheedle my way into this group!!!

I would def recommend checking out your local  FE college if you want some ultra cheap pampering and lunch!!! Most colleges will have a working salon, spa and restaurant!! Downside would be that they are only available term time! Some offer an evening service - check it out!!!  The student let loose on my hair  who done a very good job was an experienced level three student. This means they have studied for at least two years  possibly three prior to being let loose and have passed qualifications and several placements in working salons outside of college.It will cost me just as much to get Weeny girls hair cut!!! They do not take children under 12 which is pants!!!

I think a treat or two may be in order for the princely sum of £2-3- not a bad to while away your lunch hour and for a self esteem boost every so often its cheaper than regular salons and you help a young person learn and achieve! I shall update you with my adventures in FE college as they happen!!!


I also have an invite to a free day/look around at the new college animal gardens! The weeny one will appreciate this. I have actually already been  but will indulge again!!! 

I like cheap and free!!

Cragside Sunday, Messy Church and great lasagne!

We were off and out and at em again this morning-  after making bolognese for tonight's lasagne, armed with a picnic, camping stove and this time matches for the making of  a decent cup of tea.! Biggles was off training for his sponsored motorbike ride (visiting a number of RAF bases around the country in a set number of days)- build up hours spent on bike or you get severe numb bum and tiredness as riding take a lot of concentration especially on new roads of the A and B variety. Weeny girl and I tootled off again to visit a local stately home and estate. First time I have ever been - always been too tight to pay £16+ entry fee.  Though you could easily spend the day there in good weather - you drive or walk around the estate on a one way road - a circuit with car parks which lead off to places of interest - waterfall, lakes. play area, labyrinth, country house, formal gardens, iren bridge, clock tower, picturesque picnic spots, forest walks....






We took in the most relevant places to a three year old - despite driving round  she was getting tired after a couple of hours hard marching here and their- the estate is huge and you would need to walk well to get round it in a day. The only spend was on the ice cream - £3.60 for two and a can of diet coke for incredibly thirsty mummy. Eeeek!!!! prices!!!!

 

Called in to Messy Church  at 4pm- was referred by  the Debt Christians and I happpen to know the person they referred me to so I felt I had to turn up at some point. It was actually not bad - very child friendly and more of a  Sunday school with songs, games, craft activities and also tea!!! Yes the kids and adults get a sandwich tea! Not bad and more than enough to full your tum if you don't have plans for lasagne! Weeny girl happy as pig in muck! Seen  her chums and had a good play with other small ones  with some God thrown in for good measure. Its not a weekly thing but every so often - next one not till  8th May - I may go back- will see what we are doing nearer the time. We may be in Sheffield again- two trips planned for near future.

After the crappy Morrison's lasagne sheets sticking and having to cook a few more - (I salvaged the cooked bits of the lasagne - yes all of the sheets decided to stick in the middle - the ends of the sheets were getting overcooked so I made the executive decision to waste the middldes rather than wait for a complete disaster to happen . Only needed a few more sheets to add to the off cut salvage pasta.) made a med and small lasagne - we ate the small which was full to the brim the medium one is not brimming so about equal.  One for either tomorrow or the freezer - I think frozen as I have left over cheese salad to have with baked potatoes tomorrow.

 I am shattered- weeny girl though she snoozed in the car on the way back from Rothbury ( That's where Cragside is and yes its also where the mad gunman was last year) - is snoring loudly and doubly shattered!  Day off tomorrow to spend with weeny girl before full time service resumes - Ha just my luck to be part time in the winter but not during the great weather!!! sigh!!!!

Saturday good stuffs!



Bamburgh Castle 

Busy busy! We headed out to look for princesses at Bamburgh Castle then hit the beach for a picnic, a plodge and sandcastles! Despite wearing her fairy princess dress the weeny girl was mad keen on a sword!!! She looked ace prancing about as a warrior type princess. Got a bit scared in the dungeon - it has dummy people being tortured - I said they were wicked witches and trolls so she got over it and swung her sword in defiance!!!  She also lusted after a princess figurine. I asked if she wanted  a prince to go with it but she plumbed for a dragon! That's my girl - own sword and no need for a prince! I indulged despite my frugal leanings this month! The beach was a bit windy but we got changed and wrapped up  and so armed with picnic blanket, bucket and rake (couldn't find the spade) and picnic off we trotted or rather climbed up and over sand dunes playing ''We're going on a bear hunt!''. We munched then indulged in sand drawing, sandcastles and race the waves! She was brill on the way back over the sand dunes carrying the bag with the  bucket and rake in! Popped up to the village ( Bamburgh)  to check out the Grace Darling Museum - local heroine who made a daring sea rescue back in 1838 in only a rowing boat. Popped to St Aidens church - which is set on the spot where St Aiden died and is very old and lit a candle for the dearly departed and said prayers! She was very respectful in the church and I was most pleased. Also indulged in ice cream- tut tut tut

Waiting on Biggles return from getting new tyres for his bike  before starting  the barbecue- that's if the neighbours take their sodding washing in soon- been out since this morning before we left.  I even washed the car and found my glasses!!! SO have spent more than I planned as well as charcoal as I was out . The bag should do for summer however. Burgers, sausages, salad and buns for tea!

We are off to visit Mother Biggles next weekend. this interrupts weeny girls visit with her other family but hey ho such is life she would only be sent out into the concreted garden to play at her gruesome grannies house. Easter my family return from overseas so that's out to. Next time will be  the weekend of the Royal wedding. Biggles is working that weekend so I really do not care if she goes or not. I start full time work again from Tuesday so time I have with her is precious. The SD is not that bothered re access so I shall not be either.

Will post pics when I have facebooked them lol.

Cragside House tomorrow and the Alnwick Museum then messy church to make Easter bonnets.  Oh and yes fuel costs - but its free weekend and it would have cost £8.50 for the castle and £6.00 for Grace Darling or there about and Cragside is about the same. She loves it and is worth it!!! And also very tired.....  great!

Biggles bringing Beer!!!!! yay Biggles!!!

 

Sand Drawings!!

NO spend Wednesday!!! Useless CAB

Not a penny did I spend today! The Roo and I have walked to the beach and back searching for snow drops. The Roo is also the  weeny girl, the beautiful one called Roo since a baby as she was so tiny she could fit in a pouch!  Glorious spring day - fresh, sunshiney and very mild despite the frost last night.  'OOOO Lovely drops' was all I could hear as we strolled back . I am very lucky to live in the country and have lovely walks on my door step. Few shots of our local beach found on the internert. Low Stead Links part of the heritage coastline, an area of outstanding natural beauty and looked after by the National Trust.

We had homemade soup and buffet bits ( bits of fruit, some ham,) bread for the weeny girl )for lunch. bread - home made of course- all very cheap and cheerful and tasty - Spicy lentil soup Mmmmm.  I am the soup dragon! I have inherited  skills at making a decent 'pot o' or 'pan o' soup from my mater who heralded from the Scotlandshire!  Many a night we would be fed a 'plate o soup'. Food that would stick to your ribs and keep the cold out. Pretty much any veg can become soup and taste bloody good. All left over veg, veg about to go off, past its best.. I stockpile it in the freezer till I have enough and then it  becomes soup.(Not keen on gazpacho however and salad never lasts in my house)

Am feeding  Biggles the Owl lover as well this week. he is on leave from work- its about the only thing I can do in return these days apart from the odd football fridge magnet or silly football badge (All coming in under the £2.00 rule - I don't like paying over this amount for anything £3 at a push for select items) He likes the silly football stuff depicting his team as supreme to a rival so it makes him do a smile. Ah bless.  So  its tuna and cheese baked potatoes with salad this evening - salad will be used up for fajitas on Thursday or Friday. We are away at the weekend to the land of whippets and flat caps and steel. Only for the night to see Mother Biggles but this means food - great food and a good natter while Biggles watches his beloved football team.  Roo is also off to visit her other family so we get a rest from each other.

Contacted the CAB today to find out about debt management options - They were useless. Offered  me a telephone interview/chat with debt adviser ( have already done this) or a Video link interview!!!!
IE Webcam. Said I would prefer to speak to someone in person and was told this was not possible. Person on the phone was ok - didn't really know alot about benefits and how they were awarded IE Working tax Credit and I had to explain it to her. She had no direct experience of it herself.... you could tell. It is a complete pain in the backside to apply for and goes off last tax years earnings not what you currently earn. So many people who do not get Working tax credit seem to think its a cure all for everything and that the government are paying out thousands each month  to individuals to enable them to ride around in flash cars, buy flat screen TV's etc Errrrr Not in this case.

In the end I have made an appointment with CAP not to be confused with CAB. CAP Christians against Poverty area reputable charity who help you to contact your creditors etc and intervene on your behalf so that you are not bullied into paying more than you can reasonably afford. They will visit you at home  to discuss your needs and situation which is very civilised better than a web cam.

Also got the spring/summer clothes out of storage today - floral and colour are back brightening up my wardrobe once again!  I still need to work on the sweeping -I find some domestics incredibly mind numbingly dull.

I have an interview for a PGCE   (Secondary Citizenship and Social sciences)sometime in April. Would be fabulous to get a place and  achieve QTS however that will open up a financial mine field! Thought I may have sold the sodding house by now post redundancy six months ago and house on market for 7 months.
But one step at a time - have arranged to  go into a school for a week and then see if I get accepted before I start to worry  or work on alternative plans!

The rest of Saturday

I managed to spend exactly nothing today! I am chuffed. Free afternoon at Boulmer beach and village looking for signs of spring - one crocus starting to boom and a few snow drops - not long now. Jess collected shells and ate a yoghurt on a rock so was chuffed. The park at the end of the street has been revamped with some quite funky play things so that was another hour whiled away. Lots of cookings - school chicken curry with peas and rice and naan bread followed by cupcakes which will do for tomorrows sweet treat as its Sunday.

I feed Biggles the owl lover at weekends - Five sausages, two chicken breasts for a saturdays isn't much really- He brought the box of wine so fairs fair. Roast chick breasts tomorrow with the ususal trimmings for a sunday and fairy cakes.

So apart from being stuffed for thrity quid due to an errant standing order have spent bugger all and won't spend till Monday.

Gotta love curry sauce and bargain frozen chook bits!