October Reading...

 

The month began as September ended with Bella Mackie and How to kill your family - and I confess I am a little nervous about what this says about me because I absolutely loved this! Very dark, very twisted, but also very funny. The twist at the end was completely hilarious and totally unexpected, and that is all I’ll say about it! This got popped into a book exchange local to where I work. 

Time for an Ian Rankin Rebus story then. Saints of the Shadow Bible is set in the time period where Rebus returns to the Edinburgh force after a brief period of retirement - rejoining as a Detective Sergeant. Initially this sees hiring as junior officer to now D.I. Siobhan Clarke - and interesting turning of the tables! Probably not the most gripping Rankin I’ve read, but still a good enough storyline to keep me hooked. This one got finished on the Isle of Eight, but usually for books read while travelling it headed home with us to join the others on the shelf.

The month’s Reacher fix followed - Lee Child’s 61 Hours. This was one of the books we grabbed from a book exchange either in the Hebrides or en-route - I had read it before but it wasn't one we had on the shelf as far as I could remember. Standard Reacher stuff, as usual, although the countdown running right from the beginning is a clever twist to build suspense. Thoroughly enjoyable, now on the shelf with the rest of the collection.

A book I had for some reason been putting off reading for ages next - Peter May’s Chinese Whispers has been on the to-be-read shelf for a ridiculous amount of time, but following May's recent death I felt it was only fitting to read it. As is so often the case with his books, I was immediately grabbed by it and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was interesting to read a book set in such a different culture - although I appreciate that this was softened by one of the main characters being an American woman. It's reminded me how good May was as an author - I must re read some of his others, and this one is now on the shelf alongside them. 

A non fiction offering was next off the shelf - Barbie Probert-Wright with Little Girl Lost - her account of her time as a young girl in wartime and immediate post-war Europe travelling with her sister Eva to attempt to be reunited with their family. This is another book that has been on my shelf for ages, and I  confess that I wasn’t sure how I would get on with it, however I was only a chapter or so in before I was thoroughly engrossed. A fascinating read and astonishing story. Not one to keep, this will return to the charity shop. 

Finally for the month - David Baldacci with Deliver us from Evil. Baldacci does write a good gripping thriller, and this is no exception. I particularly enjoyed the way he built to a climax mid-book, but still managed to maintain the pace to the finale! That said, I actually think he could have left things hanging a little more with the finale - it felt like unfinished business to me, with a set of “non ending” on one of the storylines. There were also some minor irritations that often come from an American writing a book with British characters and/or set in Britain. Sorry Mr Baldacci, but nobody in Britain was calling the Channel Tunnel the “Chunnel” by the time you wrote that! This one has gone on the shelf for now, but I’m reconsidering keeping this author’s books as I’m not convinced I enjoy them sufficiently to justify keeping them.

Robyn. 

Have you seen a ghost?

 

Nooo....not a spooky character wearing a bedsheet, but a ghost sign? I love these, and find them fascinating, so I decided to take a wander one lunchtime near work to see if I could see, and photograph - a few. 

The one at the top is a long time favourite of mine - whether you needed furniture or household removals, C Hawkes were clearly your go-to in Leytonstone! This one is reckoned to date from the 1950’s, and it’s impressive how well it has survived. Another which is apparently from the 50's  is the shop front above with the old sign for "Greys" just about visible. This was a sports shop for a long while, and was completely covered - when the sports shop ceased trading they took their sign down and this one was sitting underneath. 

Finally from that wander was the other one I knew about at the time - a window with signwriting for a firm of general builders still just about visible as you can see. I'm amazed that this still lingers, although it does look like the window has been a stranger to a damp cloth for quite some time, doesn't it! 

Having found those I was inspired to research whether there were any others in the area - the excellent Londonist site provided a link to the rather fantastic London Ghost Signs map so the following day - albeit in rather less pleasant weather, I headed out to find some more! 

I can’t quite make out which “Stores” this one might be promoting - that one word is still pretty clear though in spite of being open to the elements for however many years, isn’t it. Better by far than this one..

…where just the echo of the word “Hardy” plus an ampersand is visible - meaning that the suggestion online that this was an advert for shoe sellers Freeman Hardy & Willis seems likely. There was apparently a store nearby, so this at least seems to be one ghost sign with solid provenance. 

Finally for Leytonstone then is the really quite remarkably well preserved offering above - which is apparently relating to a chemist’s shop which used to be nearby. The shelter from the adjacent wall has clearly done this one a favour!

I did rapidly discover that once you are more attuned to looking for things like this, they are far easier to spot as a trip to Queens Park in North West London at the end of the week saw the one above absolutely jump out at me as I was walking back towards the station. Not often we see the word “Depository” in everyday use these days is it, this really did feel like a sign of it’s time! 

Robyn

Frugal Friday - Time for a challenge?

How do we feel about a late-in-the-year grocery challenge? With Christmas around the corner, we can all expect a higher than usual cost month to come, and "every little helps" (yes, I know, sorry) in the run up after all. I've also spent much of October building stocks and resilience and as a result have full cupboards, 2 full freezers, and a slightly more depleted than ideal grocery account, so November could be the right time to challenge ourselves to spend less. 

Some rules for this one then:

- I will be buying odds and ends towards Christmas as I see things at a good price, and will not count those for the challenge.

- Household goods aren't being included - I will be buying another pack of loo rolls for example, and probably washing liquid. 

- We will be going to the farmer's market and shopping there as normal. This will include a loaf of delicious sourdough bread. I will not be taking questions on this... ;-) 

- Storecupboard items will be replenished as they are used but further stocking up will not take place.

- There will be a focus on using up things that have been lingering in the freezer for longer than ideal too - 2025's green bean harvest, I'm looking at you! 

- As and when I have accumulated any coupons or vouchers that may be useful, we can take account of those to reduce the money spent if we wish. 

The first thing we'll need to do to help with this will be a freezer audit I think because as always knowing what we have in will be the key to success on this sort of challenge. The other reason for wanting to do this challenge now is in order to get some freezer space created ahead of Christmas - when I will be wanting to buy a couple of hams to glaze and roast to provide meals into the beginning of next year, and of course there will be the turkey leftovers to make the most of, too! 

Second step will be equally as dull I'm afraid - yes, the good old meal plan! I'm inclined to attack this slightly differently to the standard though by making a list of meals that we will cheerfully eat, and that we have the makings of, and then allocating them as we feel like it through the month. I'm also intending to stick to a rough - although not set in stone - pattern of types of meals - on a Monday I rarely feel much like cooking anything complicated, so something batch cooked that will come straight from the freezer to the microwave to our plates works well. Tuesdays are traditionally some sort of grain/couscous based bowl, often with halloumi. The rest of the week is going to be a variation on pasta or stir fry, or soup and bread, an omelette or perhaps a curry. I am very open to the idea of a low-effort mid-week tea. At weekends our main meal is often at lunchtime on a Sunday, and MrEH is frequently out at lunchtime on a Saturday so I often use that as an opportunity to see what needs using and finish things up - "stuff in a bowl" if you like, maybe a toastie (what the Americans would call a "grilled cheese" sandwich) or even just that classic stand-by of a tin of soup! 

I don't forsee this being as low-spend as the good old days of grocery challenges when we had loads of vouchers to use against any spending, and prices were far lower anyway, and I'm also not setting any sort of goal spend on this one either - I really don't know how it will end up - but if we finish up with some extra slack in the grocery account ahead of Christmas, I'll be quite happy! 

Anyone fancy coming along for the ride? 

Robyn

I did a THING!

Photo and tattoo by Adam Silas.

For pretty much as long as I can remember, I have hankered after getting a tattoo, while simultaneously assuming it was never going to happen because I was worried about how painful it would be, AND completely undecided about what on earth I would get. Obviously it isn’t the sort of decision to take unless you are very invested in the design, and of course there is also that idea that a tattoo has to be terribly meaningful as well, very deep…

A few months back, instagram decided that I needed to see posts about tattoos. You know the way it does this- you like one random post on a subject, and insta decides that must be the new thing you need to see EVERYTHING about! One of the posts that popped up was from an artist called Adam Silas - also known as The Goosefather because the majority of his work is what can best be described as comedy geese. I clicked through to his profile, spent several minutes laughing uproariously,and then announced to MrEH that I may just have decided to get a tattoo! 

Oddly enough after all the shenanigans around actually making the decision to do it, the idea for the design came together really quickly. As you know I have been a Queen fan for pretty much as long as I can remember, with my favourite band member always having been drummer Roger Taylor. Once I’d decided that I loved the idea of a silly goose, the obvious next step was a silly queen video in the shape of “I’m going slightly mad”. When I messaged Adam to ask if it might be something he was interested in tattooing, he was immediately enthusiastic - he is a Queen fan himself and also happens to love that video, so he immediately got the vibe I was after. 

Outline completed, next step colour!

On Friday I headed into London to Queens Park where the studio Adam works in is situated.  From the moment he greeted me I was set at ease- although oddly enough I really wasn’t nervous beforehand, I think making the decision to do it was the biggest thing for me although I would be fibbing if I didn’t say that the trust involved in not seeing the design until I arrived wasn’t a bit challenging. The feeling that we were on the same wavelength over it was borne out though and there were no changes to make to Adam’s original design at all.

Having filled in some paperwork, and gone through what I could expect from the process Adam set to work. I was pleasantly surprised how little discomfort there was - it felt scratchy, with the occasional sharper feeling where nerves are closer to the surface, but certainly nothing that was any sort of problem - a definite relief! The time passed surprisingly quickly - there was lots of chatting, periodic breaks for a stretch, and around three and a half hours later I had my very own Slightly Mad goose!

I am honestly delighted with it - it is just so cute, and makes me smile every single time I catch sight of it, and you can’t ask for much more than that. I can also now vouch for the fact that what people say about a first tattoo not being the last is very probably going to be true in my case as I’m already thinking about ideas for more!

Robyn.

A productive Sunday…

 

I may have mentioned before that we are on a quite clever electricity tariff called Agile - it is one of the smart tariffs offered by Octopus, and for us it manages to save us a lot of money.

Having spent 20 years in the flat on an economy 7 tariff with its lower rates overnight and higher rates during the day, a smart tariff was a pretty logical choice - load shifting is already in our skill-set so we may as well make use of that. As a general rule it means avoiding electric use between 4pm and 7pm, and prioritising things like doing the washing at weekends when rates are often lower. Sometimes though, weather conditions can mean we either get super-cheap prices, or better still, we get paid to use electricity- which is absolutely a win. Today was just one of those occasions with storms Austen & Boelo having battered the UK this weekend, and prices were negative from midnight all the way through to 2.30pm today! 

We started by using electric, rather than gas, for our heating. No sense in running the boiler at a cost when we could be paid to use the electric underfloor heating in the kitchen and bathroom, and our two trusty oil filled radiators. Those last were set up on smart plugs to ensure that they turned off at the right time too, along with the dehumidifier which also ran all day. Before I trundled off to bed last night I also loaded up the slow cooker with some meaty lamb bones, plenty of veg, stock and some split peas and pearl barley to make a sort of scotch broth style stew. That fed us at lunchtime with jacket potatoes and will be repeated in the week at some stage. A load of washing ran during the night, and I put that on to tumble dry first thing when I got up - that was then followed through the machine by another three loads of washing during the day too- those were line-dried thanks to a nice sunny and breezy day. 

More cooking - I got a pan of dahl on the go as soon as I got up - we had a couple of sweet potatoes to use up so I added those to a pan with some finely chopped onion that I had softened in a little ghee, a can of coconut milk and a cup of red lentils, plus some curry spices. That was all simmered until everything was cooked and the sweet potato was breaking down, then a couple of teaspoons of garam masala stirred in - three tubs of delicious dahl for the freezer. Meanwhile MrEH played his part too with two batches of lunchtime rolls being made, and a big pan of autumn chutney to use up the final green tomatoes and some of our home grown squash too. Finally on the kitchen front I roasted the chicken portions that will form the basis of some of our meals through the week, plus a pan of mixed veg that needed using up - that will likely be turned into a pasta sauce.

In addition we also ran the underfloor heating in the office - even though we weren’t going to be out there it is a good opportunity to give the building a warm through and be paid to do so - and any other devices that needed charging were filled up too, plus the dishwasher ran through to keep on top of the dirty dishes from the cooking.

We ended the day with meals for the freezer, a warm house, an empty laundry basket, rolls for our lunches for the week, and a row of jars of delicious chutney - oh, and £2 in credit against our electric costs for the month too - and of course none of the stuff we did through the day today cost us a penny either! What a bargain - and what a productive day! 

Robyn. 

Frugal Friday...

 

As those who read my monthly reading posts will know, I am a fan of a Jack Reacher book, and Reacher has a phrase about "hope for the best and prepare for the worst" which could easily be a sub-heading for this post! 

There has been plenty in the  news about the expected poor weather this winter combining with the knock-on effects of the summer's drought conditions and the increasing cost of transport, with some news sources suggesting that shortages on the shop shelves could be an issue. While I wouldn't encourage anyone to stockpile in a way that leaves them with more than they can possibly consume, and results in shortages for others (as we saw during the Covid19 pandemic), a degree of common sense in having sufficient stocks laid in where possible to ensure that if things do all grind to a dramatic halt, we don't have any immediate cause for panic is logical. Living as we do in an urban area with a choice of shops within walking distance, I don't imagine we are likely to be severely hit with any shortages, but it is nice to think that we have good supplies in to make our lives easier should any occur. If you are in a more rural location though, you may want to ramp things up a little more. 

Right now our freezers are well stocked with home grown produce of course, but the freezer isn't really the ideal place to have emergency food supplies because if the brown smelly stuff really does hit the spinny cooling device, then power cuts are of course a possibility, and while most modern freezers will survive a good few hours with almost no drop in internal temperature, that only applies if the door isn't opened! Tinned and packet goods are without question our friends here, and have the added advantage of lasting a really long while without degrading too. Tinned beans and lentils are wonderfully versatile in that they can be eaten cold directly from the can, or heated up, and will take the part of either a protein or a vegetable. the packets of microwave-heatable rice and grains also fall under that useful heading, although those are mostly nicer reheated, they can almost always be eaten straight from the packet and combined with a couple of tins of different pulses and perhaps a simple dressing, you have a tasty bean salad to hand. Assuming that the power remains on, these sorts of ingredients become even more versatile as well - some mince from the freezer, some frozen veg, a tin of tomatoes and another of beans, plus some herbs and spices and served with rice or pasta you have a hearty and warming dinner.

We're changing plans on our re-purchasing of toilet rolls - so often the first thing to disappear from the shelves in any form of crisis. Until now we have always bought the new pack when we have reached the point of having 2/3 rolls left - now we will purchase a new pack as soon as the "in stock" one is opened, ensuring that we always have a couple of months, rather than a couple of weeks, supply. I've always tended to follow that pattern with washing liquid, and we'll be doing the same with other household goods now also. For those who have periods, ensuring a decent supply of sanitary towels and/or tampons in stock is a good plan - there were supply chain issues with some brands of those during Covid so if you are a fan of particular brands this is even more important. If you are able to then switching to a menstrual cup or period pants can be a great and sustainable option, but these don't suit everyone, and they do require an outlay at the beginning.

Small habits can make a difference to the way that creating a storecupboard can feel to your pocket. I'm trying to add a few items to each shop that are intended for setting aside rather than for using immediately. When I need to pop in to a supermarket because I have used their carpark, I'm picking up three or four small items - tins or packets - that will go into stores to build resilience. Keeping an eye out for special offers on things we use routinely is something we do anyway, but I'm keeping a bit of a closer eye at the moment and pouncing on any unmissable deals. 

Remember also, a "storecupboard" doesn't have to be a walk-in pantry with shelves filled with beautifully labelled jars - over the years ours has been a cupboard in the spare room, the hallway cupboard, and now a spare kitchen cupboard (top picture) with backup from one of the pullout units (above) and a wardrobe upstairs. My big bag of rice sits in the cupboard under the stairs! You do ideally want to ensure that the space you choose isn't subject to extremes of temperature as that will shorten the lifespan of the items within it. "In store" cleaning materials might be able to live at the back of the cupboard under your kitchen sink, and a spare pack of toilet rolls in the  back of a wardrobe. For packet goods a drawer under a rarely used spare bed might be perfect. It's a myth that you need masses of spare space though! 

Robyn

HOW long?

 

I have just realised that January 2027 will see me having occupied this little corner of the internet for a whopping 20 years! It seems astonishing that is even possible - I can actually remember making that very first post too, and wondering how long I would keep up with being a blogger - turns out that to some extent or another the answer is "a really long while"! 

I'd love to say that in that time I have been someone who had routinely blogged every few days, but of course that is far from the case. There have been years within that where I have only put up a handful of posts, but there have also been others where I've been active on here far more - with 2020 perhaps unsurprisingly being the standout year for that with a long run of daily posts during the first lockdown, and a total of 177 for the year. 2012 and 2013 were also good blogging years. 

I've never really set any sort of target for any frequency of posts. There are folk out there doing "A photo a day" blogs and I applaud them for that - although I have my suspicions that sometimes those don't feature a photo taken that day or even the day before at all, but are simply batch-readied and scheduled for upload. Still lots of work, though! Others have blogged for years most days - and again, that's so impressive, when life gets busy all too often it also gets interesting, but that tends to be when I find the first thing to get pushed aside is this little space! I've always tended towards more of a "when I feel like it" approach - because the quickest way for me to go entirely off doing something is to feel that I "have to" and particularly from the photography perspective I certainly don't want picking up the camera to feel like a chore! 

Where would I like it to go from here then? To be honest I quite like the randomness of it - although I'm well aware that more consistency would see better stats, I've only ever written it for myself, never for anyone else, so I'm not wildly motivated by that side of things. I love that people do read it, but I'd write it just the same - more than anything else it's fascinating to look back and see what was in my head at a certain point in 2010, or 2017, or whenever. I'm more and more driven to write about experiences as well - trips away, days out, the life changing events of the Covid pandemic... Similarly I could define it more - a Frugal blog, or a photography blog, or whatever - but again that steps away from the randomness aspect, and I've never wanted it to be curtailed by having to fit within a category. It started out around photography, certainly, and I do generally try to get a photo or more into each post, but sometimes that just doesn't happen, and that's fine. 

So I'll stick around and keep doing much the same thing I should think - for some context, when I started the blog I was 35, we were living in the flat with our lovely HRH The Cat of course, and had begun to discover a more frugal way of life. Overpaying the mortgage hadn't quite happened. Since then we have paid that original mortgage off completely, enjoyed 7 mortgage free years during which we refurbished the bathroom, kitchen and hallway of the flat, and then decided to move to a house, which of course meant taking on a whole new mortgage to be attacked! I've gone from most of my photography being speedway-based, to not attending speedway at all, and now my main focus is aviation. The one factor that still plays a huge part in our lives unchanged is our trips to the Hebrides - and long may that continue. 

The photos in this post are a random selection of favourites from the time I've been blogging. 

Robyn