Belt loops . . . and shopping

As I type this at 13.45 on April 4, it is snowing!  Just a flurry, but still snow.  In April.  And it's freezing cold.  It's getting a bit boring now.

I came back from the weekend with a plea for help to repair a dress for my daughter.  The little loops that held a sash in place had come out of the seam. It's a common problem, and in the past I have usually made several loops from thread and then done half-hitches (like buttonhole stitch) over and over to make it stronger.  However, this time it occurred to me that I could crochet a chain and sew that in place.

I used buttonhole thread (much thicker and stronger than ordinary sewing cotton) and crocheted a short chain using a 0.75 size hook.  Then I sewed the chain in place using the thread at the ends of the chain and hey presto! one very acceptable belt loop.  This is a much better and I think neater way of doing this sort of repair and I don't why I haven't thought of it before.

We went shopping yesterday to fill up the cupboards, and to use a '£5 off if you spend over £40' voucher.  We took a list and stuck with it.  I've changed from a very reluctant shopper to one who is keen to shop wisely.  We are learning to read the little shelf labels that tell you the unit price per weight.  It certainly pays to take a bit of time to check similar products.  Luckily DH is quick on mental arithmetic so he can compare and convert easily.  We realised, for example, that we have been conned by buying pre-packed, sealable packs of cheese instead of having it cut at the counter.  In fact, we were rather horrified to find how much more expensive buying cheese in a convenient resealable pack was.  We worked out that pre-packed it was £3.00 for 350g, but £2.20 for 450g not in a pack.  Lesson learned.  We also spent a lot of time comparing loo rolls - we have found that buying the cheapest isn't always the most economical if the quality leaves a lot to be desired ;-).  So we are now 'test-driving' a different brand that's currently on offer.

We are beginning to make double quantity of soup at lunchtime, that we can reheat in the microwave for another day.  They are all just small steps, and just one thing at a time, but for us it is better than rushing headlong trying to change everything at once.  We need to be comfortable with what we are doing.

I am thankful every day that N is able to cook delicious, nutritious meals from what we have in our cupboards, fridge and freezer without needing a recipe.  He can think sufficiently outside the box to be able to replace one ingredient with another as necessary, and is confident in his own ability to be able to adapt recipes (in his head!) as he goes.  We eat healthily, we eat well and it doesn't break the bank or go over our monthly budget.  

I'm hoping to try a chickpea burger recipe this afternoon, but it won't be quite what the recipe says.  I wonder where I've got that from?!

And it's still snowing.