CATCHING UP

Well the boys are now both finished for the school holidays, so we will be trying to do things which don't cost a lot of money or involve loads of travelling.

We are lucky in that we live only 15 miles from the beach (Mablethorpe/Cleethorpes), so a picnic and some beach games and the boys are fairly happy.

On a brighter note, the weather has been glorious the last few days, so we have been eating salads etc which don't involve a lot of cooking only new potatoes.

I am also going to do an online delivery for groceries end of next week which will hopefully last us most of the holidays, with just a few bits of salad etc picked up if needed when/if we do go out; I will also be having my veg/salad box delivered each week so shouldn't need to pick up too much.

To help on the fuel front, where I live the trees were being pruned/cut back so I asked for all the wood, now have a nice pile for Dave to work through ready for the winter.
He will also be working on fitting the shower screen so that we can use that instead of baths. Will be alot easier when the boys have been playing out all day.

FUEL ECONOMY/RISING PRICES

I have had to be even more vigilant than before with petrol usage as we have now reached £1.17/ltr (£5.30/gall), and on short trips we only get 30 miles to the gallon.

I have just been quoted 63p/ltr for heating oil whereas this time last year it was 43p/ltr.

Combine all this with the rise in food prices and people on the poverty line will be seroiusly having to consider heat or eat this winter.

As it is we only even in the winter use our oil heating as little as possible and use the open fire to heat downstairs and the boys have electric fan heaters to take the chill off their bedrooms.

I noticed yesterday when I went to the supermarket that some things have again risen in price by 4p since last week; or things that have been on offer have now gone back up to full price and the price has jumped by at least another 6p.
Things that used to be cheap options are now at a similar price to what mainstream options were last year.

CLEARING OUT

Things are ticking along nicely, we are continuing with the clearing of things and alot has gone to charity chops this last week.

The boys old clothes etc are being given through the schools colloection programme again (the school gets paid per kg).

In the garden we have rhubarb galore and also garlic; I am also waiting for the elder tree to flower so I can make elderflower cordial, this is a drink I really enjoy mixed with iced water.

On the baking front I used up some cereal which the boys had decided they no longer liked, by using it in a cake (Maisie's Recipes).

CATCHING UP

Although we have been busy over the last few weeks not alot extra has been done on the "green" front. W ehave just continued with the day to day stuff.

The rubbish is still being kept to a minimum with the recycling bin full every 2 weeks, and the compostable bin also.

I still haven't managed to defrost the freezer yet as I got a nice haul of "whoopsied" meat including steak and whole chickens, which will nearly do us the month of June and it only cost £25 for £40 worth of meat.

After getting this lot I have on talking to the farmer where I buy my eggs from found that he will sell me pork,lamb and beef as and when I want, and you see the animals in the farmyard. His prices are good as well £70 for half a pig.

So yet again I am on a mission to clear the freezer so that I can take advantage of this meat after defrosting the freezer; the farm is only 5 miles up the road (closer than the supermarket) and the animals all go to a local abbatoir which is only 40 miles away.

I also managed to come in only just over my Grocery Challenge budget (£1.22) in May (MSE.com).
The whoopsied meat is from June's budget.

USING IT UP

This is a duplicate post from my other blog.

I have been raiding the freezer this last week instead of sticking to my menu plan, for the following reasons;
1. I have stuff lurking in the depths of the chest freezer which needs using up
2. I need to be able to defrost this freezer so I can then move the stuff from the inside freezer into it so I can defrost that. This will make the freezers more energy efficient again.
3. No point buying more stuff if have enough things in the freezer to make a weeks worth of meals.

Also we have been having warmer days which influences dinner choices alittle as well, We have had salads twice and although I have cooked the other 2 nights it was because I had veggies which also needed using up.

I intend changing my veggie box order from next week to a salad box.

BLOG AWARD

My friend, Susan My Peaceful Valley, just awarded me my very first Excellent Blog Award! How very nice of her to do that for me!!

As part of accepting the award I am supposed to award it to ten more bloggers. There are so many excellent blogs out there, but here are ten I enjoy:

1. Susan My Peaceful Valley

2. Rhonda A Home with a Smile

3. Jackie A Year of Living Greener

4. Donna A More Green and Simple Life

5. Ceridwan Chez Ceridwan

6. Sue One Families Attempt at Going Greenish

7. NeeCee NeeCees My Life

8. Nikki A Satisfying Journey towards Simplicity

9.Nina Vindicate the Vegetable

10.Tammy Live Dangerously while Eating

MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY- DAY 126

Although today is a Bank Holiday here in UK and it would be a chance for a day out, we have decided we will stay at home and do a few tidying jobs in the garden as things have been growing alot lately. Also saves petrol!!

David cut the grass Saturday afternoon whilst Thomas was working at his job. Thomas used to do this for extra pocket money , but obviously now he has a Saturday job David has taken over.

I have a guinea fowl and some chicken breasts (all whoopsied) cooking in the oven which will be used for meals for the next couple of nights. I will also bake some more bread as there is just enough for lunch but no more.

I have decided on the grocery front to look at what I buy this month and then see how much we use, to then do a bulk shop at the beginning of June for June's groceries, possibly using an online delivery for this; I used to use online deliveries but got a bit annoyed with the weird substitutions and things being said to be out of stock, but then me going to the store to get something else and said item being on the shelf, so I might just use this for staple goods which will not be substituted and get the rest when I go to the store for petrol.