And the dream is.............

On chatting  re when we win the lottery, the Biggles and I would do the following

Purchase a business - cafe on a good biker road with adjoining campsite and bunkbarn and also sell a few biking essentials ideally somewhere pretty. Promote said business in biker mags and website.

Have a garden turned over to produce and keep chickens.  If feasible a hut much like that of the Deer hut for the winter with a few more essentials in it. Doesn't matter where it is as logn as its a feasible bikers road this.

Live frugally.   We do quite a bit as it is. We are not going out people.  We do not value new sofas, clothes, flash holidays where one lazes by the pool. The bike is Biggles big extravagance - his passion.And mine??? I have yet to find it! I would love to quilt and dress make but no sewing machine.  And a bike of my own would be fantastic. Walking is also grand but weeny can't quite manage any really good hikes yet. One day however....

Ah well nice to dream ......

We have decided to leave going to the Deer hut till the autumn. Will still be lovely shame it is booked at the moment.

off to Sheffield in a fortnight for a few days as well.  Some free parks and stuff to take in for weeny girl with animals and sand pits.


Next time we are in London we have our eyes on Greenwich and other free stuff to do which won't be til the Olympic malarky is over.

Monda!

And after a lovely ordinary weekend Monda! is ere again.

Sunday was lovely we managed to get to Brizlee Tower, the magic garden and the hermit cave on a wee walk through Hulne park - aka the Duke of Northumberlands personal playground for country pursuits that he graciously permits the serfdom to walk through.

We took a picnic- Weeny girl satisfied.  then home for major Sunday feed! Cheap Sundays dinner with only bacon as the meat course.


Biggles has a thing for white sauce all over Sunday dinner with a splash of gravy as well.  So was happy with the cauliflower, brocoli cheese thang with smoked bacon. Loads of veg as well as roast spuds and cheepie yorkshire puds. At 39p for 12 - and then divided into two meals I can't make them any cheaper really and my efforts are rather hit and miss.

Am feeling smug about the work attire after the Big shopping splurge on Saturday. Ha ha my work clobber costs me less than a Fiver ! Ok not including shoes but they are the same age as weeny girl so £10 per year is not a bad investment . Trousers - £1 Top 1.95, bag 1.95, bangle - FREE present.

Why on earth spend a small fortune on clothes for work???? Beats me.


We have leftovers for lunch with approved food naan bread and a smattering of fruit.

The £1 rail got me and other stories!

Well after our swimming ventures I had to get some plastic strimmer stuff ( £7.99), pop to the bank and had promised Weeny a treat. Biggles had a date with a meter reader. As he has mothballed his house they are suspicious  of the low meter readings.

After our £5 breakfast treat for two ( Weeny and I - It was extravagant but she loves it so!) I got sucked in by the  reduced rail and the £1rail in the RSPCA shop and Cancer Research respectively.

Well for a £1!! I snaffled work trousers - black, long sleeved under shirt thing - the sort that turns spring and summer clothes into winter/autumn to wear under stuff , pair of jeans - lighter shades but good for summer, flowery shirt- not so much me but hey ho ( £4) and a t shirt and dress 5-6 for weeny Both pink funnily enough! (£2)!!!  I also nabbed a brand new work jumper top thing for £1.95.

In addition I also needed a lint roller thing (£2) and indulged in lollipop freezer shape things(£1) and five packs of sweeties for a pound. (£1) and Biggles  Valentines pressie ( The bad taste one) £1.50!

So an expensive morning!  £27.50 gone before 1pm!!! Some investments though esp the clothes.


As summer hols are looming and new holiday care requires a packed lunch I put in an approved foods order  for flavoured water, biscuits/sweet things as well as other useful and super cheap bits.


So its been spend spend spend here! But was nice!!!

Gardening
Biggles and I attacked the Jungle that was the back garden. After the rain and a few weekends away to say it was overgrown was an understatement. Only took us two hours to hack at the foliage and grass. Looking  much neater but I have an infestation of some sort of horrible weed that  sends out creepers then implants a bit of inself further from the main plant.... and it is starting to invade the  grass. Comes up easily enough but its very annoying.

For those with green fingers what can I do about this nasty???? Other than a good dose of chemicals??? Or whats the kindest chemical stuff to buy???


We had bolognese for tea - a small portion of mince with added veg does us fine and with garlic bread there is always enough left over to fill one of my lunch time pots.


Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese with bacon tomorrow.


Biggles has two more man jobs tomorrow - fixing a bike and putting on my wheel trim. Ahh bless and he comes home for a rest!

Sometimes I am so thankful for what I have

Sad news on a blog I occasionally pop by - lurk. Some of you may pop by too. I had popped in looking for some happy news - but only sadness and my heartfelt sympathies go out to the blogger and her family.

I am glad I  can only try to imagine.

So very sad.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

And so tis nearly time...

For me to drop to four days a week.  I requested this as it makes butkiss difference financially if you consider child care, petrol etc etc and is part of my decision to stick around for another year.  Oo maybe Ill be able to spend some of Weeny's child tax credit on her for a change rather than daycare or rather afternoon care and collections and pick ups and I can drop her off at school once a week and collect her to do fun stuff with Mummy.

I can also :

Get fit, be active, study, clean ( BORING) do all the mundane things that I usually leave till its vital they need to be done, work a bit for cash ( paying tax) doings sessional work with yoof.

August 3rd I am off!!!1 Woo hoo!!!

As ever we were in bed early last night with lights off and watching TV in the dark. Tis still cold in the northern reaches given the pish weather.

I have not been near a charity shop in ages!!! I am proud but suffering withdrawal..... The ones near me are so overpriced anyway.

A summer fete or jumble or even non soggy carboot may appeal but nothing in my area. I refuse to go to the local Car boot in Amble due to the prices being silly and also the traders being professional sellers.

The sodding Dear hut is fully booked the week I am off. Typical. Though Mid week camping is a possibility if the weather gets any better.

Durham Reccy! and other bits.

I finally got the opp to do a reccy of where I may consider living in the future. Scratched a few areas just didn't go for them. Just not me! Others look ok though a tad more expensive  to the tune of £50 a month but for being content for three years and happy to leave my house without being concerned or spooked then tis worth it!

I have no news on whether a deferral is possible yet. I may just have to explain and reapply next year.

Sacriston, Witton Gilbert all look ok. Ushaw Moor at a push. Also Bearpark and Langley Park. All fine.  Will need to consider child care and do some investigating but that's for later I have Duke of Edinburgh to  keep me busy first.  I also get my four days per week starting August which is nice.


I have booked a week off at the same time Biggles has a fortnight off. I only have 7 days leave left so am only able to take a week. I may take the other two days during his week depending on plans.

We may go to the Deer Hut if it is free mid week.  ( Barrowburn posher camping barn!)

Iceland - the shop not the country!

Yesterday we picked up one of those tex mex enchilada things for ... 45p from the Co op. But this is about Iceland you say! Yes it will be! Anyhoo I decided I needed onions to go with the tex mex. Apparently you could just use chook but I decided I would use up left over bacon and a pepper and needed to add Union of course! I was out of onion and not wanting to park up and go to Morrisons etc or use the super expensive butchers come mini green grocer I trotted over to the land of ice. Now all those terrible adverts for frozen processed food normally keeps me well clear of the place however I was pleasantly surprised by some of the bargains and savings to be had.

Now I live in a titchy market town. We have a Sainsburys, Morrison and Lidl,  a Co-op and Iceland.  No big bargain shops like Tesco or Asda. Sainsburys is often out of my price range, though if you are picky with what you purchase its not bad sometimes ( stock cubes for 10p for eg ). Normally I find Morrison's the cheapest and most reliable for their prices in comparison to both Lidl and Sainsbury.

Anyway while in Iceland I snaffled half price Yorkshire tea bags, pizza, chicken breast bits and onions all for a rather nice price. The cucumber was 10p more expensive as was the Iceberg lettuce.

However Iceland was worth a gander just for the Free Range Eggs 6 for a pound. There are only caged hen eggs for cheaper in Morrisons and Sainsburys which I refuse to consciously buy.  Lots of other deals as well like 10 diet cokes for 2.50. Now I am partial to a diet fizzy drink from a can its got to be a can on the odd occasion - needs to be branded. Normally its a treat form the tiney winey pound shop where three for a pound rule!

A few other bits like a five pack of frutella for £1. Weeny girls likes three for a pound so this was better value. And the loo roll is softer and cheaper by 21p.  Only a pound for four rolls of petal soft. The rolls look about the same price and I refuse to purchase expense tissue for wiping ones fudge tunnel! What a waste!

Reduced fat cheese £2 foe 300grams - this is the normal price not the special price.

After all that getting past the party food aisle, ignoring the prawn ring and processed crap its occasionally worth a butchers.

Smart Mums go to Iceland to reccy the bargains not to purchase the processed ready meals!