Soups and stashbuster blankets for winter

 Well, husband got the shed and car port sorted yesterday afternoon, I think he realised he'd tried my patience a bit too far...not that I told him so, I didn't.  I do know he can't help a lot of what he does, still frustrating though.

We went to Tesco in the evening, I found I was nearly out of bottled water - I drink a lot of water and the tap water here tastes like mud.  We needed milk too.  I'm glad we went, there were lots of good yellow sticker bargains - 2 packs of tiger rolls and a seed & granary loaf, a pack of Yorkshire ham that husband really likes, all reduced to a quarter of the original price.  I also got 2 large tubs of Greek yogurt, reduced to 39p each - why I don't know as they had long use by dates - 25th Sept!

The weather doesn't look very good for the next few days.....showers forecast every day, and it's considerably cooler.  No heating on yet, but we're both wearing jumpers now.  I've done washing but only put a few bits on the line, so there's less to bring in if - well, when - it starts raining.  The rest has gone on the airer which I've put up in the car port.....now there's room to actually put it.

I gather there's a vote going on in Parliament today regarding the Chancellor's decision to take away the Winter Fuel Allowance from most pensioners....although apparently the decision will go ahead anyway, regardless of voting - I don't understand the ins and outs of it.  Although we've had the WFA in the past, this year we won't be getting it as we're no longer eligible under the new rules.  Fortunately, we don't actually need it (although it's always nice to be given extra funds!) - we certainly won't be in the awful position of having to choose heating or eating.  As I've mentioned before, since we moved house just before last Christmas, this year has been a challenging one financially - moving house is such an expensive business.  We are now back to solvency I'm pleased to say, just in time for the winter expenses.  Giving up the caravan next year - if indeed we do, although it does seem very likely - will save us a considerable amount of money, which we can put to good use AND build up a good savings amount.  Having had to use most of our savings on and since the move, I feel very vulnerable and on edge without that safety net, so building up the savings again will be a priority.

I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to winter (it's my least favourite time of year, as is Christmas), but I'm certainly not dreading it.  At the old place, in view of the very rural area we hardly saw anyone, even our neighbours, over winter, making it quite lonely and isolated and dragging the winter period out.  Here it's not like that, thank goodness.  And now, with our lovely new kitchen, I'm looking forward to making soups and stews and baking things.  I think I might also crochet another blanket - not that we need anymore blankets, we have plenty, but I like crocheting in the winter, I still have a yarn stash, and it's nice to have a lapful of warm wool when it's a bit chilly in the evenings!  I think I'll make a scrappy stashbuster one, I have plenty of odd balls and half balls.