I haven’t ached so much in months! Another busy weekend coming up as we try and clear more space and move more stuff into the house from the storage unit! Last weekend I got my daughter moved into my home office (which is a tiny box room) and I moved my computer and desk into my bedroom. It’s a really tight squeeze but trying to make it work!
Oh did I mention that my eldest daughter Jess has come back to live with me? We got a permitted occupier permit (we rent our home) and Jess is settling in Swindon and will be with us until she is ready to move to her own place. Rent here is just so expensive, I really don’t know how people on minimum wage get by. There are many HMO’s here as renting out a room in a house is the only affordable option for many single people on a lower income.
Anyway, our house is now bursting even more with boxes and no place to store things so I’m committed to a tip run at least once a month to get rid of anything we don’t need anymore (if we can’t donate or recycle). It means being brutal and letting go but it has to be done!
My eating remains surprisingly stable. My daily 1940’s menu is often this…
Breakfast: Porridge with milled flax seed with a handful of berries thrown in OR a couple of slices of toast with Marmite OR a cooked breakfast on toast one day a week.
Lunch: Leftovers from dinner the day before OR a large salad and a sandwich
Dinner: A stew rich with beans and pulses or soy mince OR a pie with pastry OR vegetables and mashed potato with vegan sausages OR bubble and squeak
Snack in bed: A piece of fruit OR some bread and butter pudding OR a slice of bread a jam
My average grocery spend per week is around £15 but I tend to spend a bit extra here and there when I run out of condiments or when I fancy some extra veg!
C xxx
Only fifteen quid per week on groceries? Blimey, you are doing well.
It’s a modern perspective that if it’s cheap, it must be cr*p. But as you’re demonstrating, a bit of thought and imagination along with a dollop of 1940s inspiration, and frugality really works! And it’s healthy too.
I wish you both all the best.
Well done👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻….I’m struggling a bit to keep inside the rations due to change over of diets (Zoe). I will get there!
As for decluttering, I’m doing a month long clear out, so over the month of March I am removing from the house unneeded/unused items, 1 on the 1st, 2 on the 2nd all the way through to 31 on the 31st! (recycle/donate/giveaway/sold). That said I have already removed far more books than that, least 3 months worth😆….I’ve banked days when not got the time spare or caught up with extra on the next day! Good luck with it👍🏻
Oh well done Carolyn for staying focused while so much is going on around you. When you have so much to do it’s easy to just grab something quick to eat rather than something nutritious. xx
Wow. You are doing amazing. I did the monetary conversion and that’s under $19 a week. I spend 4 times that in a week usually. My mom lives with me (89) and I get her what she wants and likes. She’s earned it. And I get some for my daughters family they are six and like you said, I don’t see how young people can afford it, so I buy a few things for them. It’s expensive to eat healthy. I think if it was just me I might be close to thst. Keep up the good work and posts. Even the short ones to let us know how it’s going and thst you are well. 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
It sounds like you have your hands full.
Have you seen your counter > 9 million views!!!!
Did you ever get the book “Food For Free” by Richard Mabey? A foragers bible, where you not only have a field guide, but some recipes too. I’m almost certain that this was an important and necessary activity during the war.
Thanks Paul, sorry for the slow response, yes very busy indeed right now, so much so I didn’t notice the 9 million views!!!! Yes I did have the “Food for Free” book but I had to let go of so many of my books coming back from Canada back in 2013 I believe this was one of them! Good book tho! xxx C
Not sure where to post, but I have a question regarding use of:
-bay leaves
-allspice (whole)
-peppercorns (black)
-marjoram
Hi Carolyn,
Your blog is amazing and inspiring! I’m fascinated with the food of wartime England and Britain. Your blog brings it all to life.
Please keep posting! 🙂
Love from L.A. <3