Another week in Suffolk..................
First of all thank you for all the comments on old field names on Wednesdays Post- it's good to know that many are still used and I'm glad it brought back forgotten memories. Apologies for not always replying to later comments that arrive from the US. I tend to turn off the lap top in the afternoon and then forget to look back at the older post the next day.
Then thank you again for all the comments on the Aldi/Morrisons shopping comparison post it was interesting to do. I might do the same sort of thing again next month, perhaps comparing Aldi and Asda. Thanks and welcome to Boxfordellie who must be a new commenter from Suffolk👍.
Last Sunday one water butt was connected thanks to Brother in Law fitting me into his busy schedule!
He was hurrying to get things done before going to hospital last Tuesday to have a stent done. Now he mustn't drive for a few days (with proper Suffolk understatement he said "it wasn't a pleasant experience!")
I bought connections, stand and water butt as a set from the greenhouse suppliers but now I know the way the connections work between greenhouse and water butt I can get the connections cheaper from Amazon and a bigger water butt from the local hardware place for the other side of the greenhouse.
After that I've had a fun week what with one thing and another, a session of Nanna
duty with the two nearest grandchildren; the shopping comparison trip
to the outskirts of Ipswich where Aldi have recently opened their new
shop next door to Morrisons (sadly for all the people who live on the
big Ipswich estate where we lived for a year, the Aldi there has shut
and turned into a Farm Foods - not so popular);
On Thursday my sister popped in for a cuppa and Friday was a trip out ready for another blog post.
From my shopping trip the Aldi broccoli needed using first so I made the Salmon and Broccoli Pasta Bake. Divided into 4 portions and popped in freezer.
While I was making the white sauce and cooking the pasta and broccoli, the oven was heating up to finish them so I broke up a crust of home-made bread and baked it to make some nice crispy breadcrumbs to mix with a little grated cheese for the topping. I've never understood the concept of buying breadcrumbs!
I listened to the news on Thursday to find out what effect the huge price increases and new price cap on electric/gas will have. But it seems there is to be some sort of refund via the council tax for some households (including me on tax band D). Then we'll all be loaned money next October to soften the blow, which we'll all have to pay back? I don't want to be loaned £200 that I will have to pay back - but apparently there is no way of opting out.
Interest rates are going up too - worrying for people with mortgages and I bet savings interest rates won't go up so quickly! It's all reminiscent of the late 1970's and the early 1990's when prices went up every week and tightening belts was the only way to get through.
And then here we are.......... Saturday again. Today the Suffolk parts of the family are meeting up for lunch to celebrate Middle Grandsons 2nd Birthday. He really is a Covid baby, almost all of his two years have been affected in one way or another. Hopefully now we can put all that behind us. Then there will be Winter Olympics on TV next week to enjoy.
Have a Lovely Weekend whatever you are doing
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Totally agree about breadcrumbs. I always have a bag of home made ones in the freezer. Any cut off crusts, leftover bits - they all get zizzed up and added. So much nicer than those glowing orange ones!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Middle Grandson. xx
I usually eat right to the ends of my home made loaves as I like the crust toasted too but I need to spare a bit to make some breadcrumbs for the freezer, easier to have them right ready
DeleteGreat about the £150 off the council tax not so happy with the £200 off winter fuel next year. It has to be paid back £50 a year for 4 years from 2023. As you say, no opting out and not great either for those really hard up.
ReplyDeleteBy the time we get to 2027 we'll all have forgotten what and why we we loaned money and a few % of the population will be dead!
DeleteWe'll also be glad of the money off the Council tax. As for the £200 off winter fuel, to be paid back....well I just think that these Tory millionaires who come up with these so-called generous and helpful schemes display such an enormous amount of arrogance. They really have no idea of how normal (non-millionaire) families live. Have a lovely time with birthday grandson.
ReplyDeleteIt's the strangest idea ever - nearly as silly as the 'eat out' thing at the end of the first lockdown
DeleteI'm so glad you added it was breadcrumbs on the top as I was scratching my head and thinking, why has she grated chocolate on there?!!! Like you, I can't understand why people buy breadcrumbs, especially those bright orange things posing under that name.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather opt out of that loan too. That is going to cost as much to reclaim as it's worth!
The water butt looks very smart.
I like chocolate but not on a pasta bake!
DeleteI'm not sure about that £200. I think that they are not treating people as reasoning adults. I remember the early 70s as well. Mum used to send me to the shop for a loaf of bread, and we never knew how much it would be. Tough times.
ReplyDeleteI've tried to explain to my family what things were like back then but they don't understand and just take out a bigger mortgage!
DeleteThis £200 loan seems to be no help at all to the poorest people who use meters to pay for their fuel. And not wanted by the rest of us. And I don't know how it will affect those of us who live in places where there is no gas supply so we have oil fired CH. I suspect this idea was dreamed up on the morning after one of their boozy parties.
ReplyDeleteOK. Now I get it. Thank you Martin Lewis for this clear explanation https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/02/martin-lewis--how-the-flat-rate-p200-energy-bill-loan-really+-wor/
ReplyDeleteI just checked oil prices and it's going to cost me £50 than November more for my next 500 litres.
DeleteIt will be paid back at £40 a year, or £10 a quarter, over 5 years.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteIf you are going to fit water butts on your house downpipes I recommend these diverters https://www.originalorganics.co.uk/gutter-mate-diverter-filter-in-white. Yes, they are expensive. But, the top half lifts to reveal a basket which catches the leaves/moss etc. After having to deal with a blocked traditional/cheapy diverter - which meant dismantling the downpipe (the screws for the brackets were a major challenge) - I would never be without one of these. You wince when you pay for it, then happily realise that your downpipe will never block.
ReplyDeleteThank you that's a good idea. I have bookmarked the page. There is lots of mossy bits on my roof that would block up the pipes in no time
DeleteThat paying back malarky is going to create a nightmare. They will be putting people into debt when it isn't needed. How will they keep track of those that move around a lot. Someone gets the £200 then does a flit, and the next tenants/owners have to pay it back. I wonder if anyone in the Government can do joined up writing.
ReplyDeleteIt will be a levy on all bills so they won't have to look for anyone.
DeleteIt seems a complicated idea for people who don't need it. I don't like owing money!
DeleteLately, I have been trying to decide if it is better to spend a little more and shop locally to keep those stores in business or to save money and order from Amazon. I like to support the local businesses but saving money is so important to me too! Sometimes it is a quandary!
ReplyDeleteThe problem is finding things locally nowadays.
DeleteIstarted to watch the Opening Ceremony but found it very boring and not at all exciting with hardly any audience there. Watched the ski jumping this morning - that was much more exciting.
ReplyDeleteI hope to watch some of the curling and downhill skiing and ice hockey during the next couple of weeks
DeleteIn agreement with so many comments above . . .
ReplyDeleteMr Sunak is married to the daughter of one of India's richest billionaires. Her personal wealth alone is estimated to be more than our Queen. So can someone please explain how the **** he can understand what ordinary people are experiencing?
As for the £200, I heard a suggestion (might have been Martin Lewis) that you put the money in a saving account and withdraw £40 a time to cover the five year repayments, or something like that.
At least he has Martin Lewis nagging him - but then Martin Lewis is also a Very Rich Man too!
DeleteHaving your water Butt operational for growing all your produce is perfect. Sourcing and buying the second one at lower better prices is smart. My motto is: Why pay more when you can pay less? Your salmon bake looks delicious. I agree, inflation is rising, economies are shifting and new strategies are required to stay ahead.
ReplyDeleteYes the next one should be cheaper but I needed to get the one direct from the greenhouse manufacturers to see how the connections worked
DeleteNice water system you found. We have one faucet for a garden hose on back of house. Need 3 hoses to connect to get around house. We didn't have enough money at time of house being put in (double wide manufactured house) for man helping with properties to put a pipe from back side to front side. Not sure why the company who made it didn't put one on other side. Long story. Enjoy time with family celebrating grandson birthday. Hope he heals from virus issues he's had for too long. Hugs and blessings.
ReplyDeleteHe's not had Covid, just missed out on many things due to Covid
DeleteI know I am late to comment but we are farmers and all our fields are named, most are named in more recent times,such as "Foot and mouth field" so called from the outbreak in 1969 where the cattle were taken and burnt.We do have a map with 19th century names but the more modern names are relivent to the family. I have never commented before but read your blog everyday. Su
ReplyDeleteLovely to see comments from people who've never commented before.
DeleteIt's good to hear fields still have names - Foot and Mouth field is a sad reminder.
I was sad to hear that the Aldis had closed by Mum's. It was so convenient being there especially for people who live on the estate.
ReplyDeleteThe Meredith road Aldi was always really busy but I parked in an almost empty car park when I stopped there to look in the 3 charity shops and walked round an almost empty FarmFoods to see what they had. The new Aldi shop by Morrisons is so out of the way for most people without a car.
DeleteA very strange idea by Aldi
When I did more flower raising, the water barrels attached to the downspouts were a lifesaver.
ReplyDeleteI hope to get more than one as they are so handy
DeleteI don't want the £200 loan either. It will be no help at all if people have to pay it back. We could both be ones who pop our clogs before the 5 years of repayments are up! We're grateful for the £150 council tax refund (we are band C) but I do worry that the council will have to take the financial hit and cut back on local services to compensate. The increase in energy prices couldn't have come at a worse time for us 😢
ReplyDeleteI wondered if the Councils already had their computers set up to do the Council tax letters for next month and then had to start all over again to account for the £150 and as you say all services have already been cut so much
DeleteWhata convoluted way of 'giving' refunds. Paying them back, on top of the inflated price next year is going to do no one any good.
ReplyDeleteThe £200 loan idea is ridiculous, they could at least ask people if they actually want it. I bet even some people with low incomes would rather say no than get into even more debt.
ReplyDeleteI have bought breadcrumbs only once and it was when someone was enthusing over Panko breadcrumbs and I thought they must be magical. Nope, just very dried out crispy pale breadcrumbs ... something I can make whenever I want for myself for pennies rather than pounds.
I think - and hope - that Mr Sunak will have to do a U-turn on that ridiculous £200 loan. I don't want it and have emailed my local MP to say as much, also to ask why Boris' promise of not paying VAT on the utilities bills has not been honoured. There are petitions floating around Facebook asking for support to cancel the loan idea. Will he get the message?
ReplyDelete