Thursday 26 May 2016

Look on the Brightside

Im rather stumped by the attitude that we should be banging on the Foodbank door , I guess its just me but after a 23 year marriage to a bi-polar alcholic who couldnt stop spreading himself around , my current life is pretty easy .
Poverty is relative , things have been worse , theyre paying the housing benefit , we have a very small monthly benefit payment , daughter is in work and son is quite good at arguing with the benefits office so gets his pittance every fortnight .
 Getting paid for My job is a nightmare , but I still quite like it , on a good day , it gets me out, which is the main thing . It means i can keep a vehicle as its a tax deduction in most ways , it gives me a break from poo and endless washing .
You cant pick youre relatives , yes my mother is a nightmare , shes also a wealthy nightmare , but believe me when i say there is nothing that would make me like her attitudes and sheer bigotry against the human race . I will not agree with her just so i am in her will and the rest of the family need to get over that .
Young Baldrick is driving us mad at the moment , but it will eventually sort itself out .
Today Mr Bah Humbug sold some weird bit of vehicle on ebay so we went to Moy Park the local chicken factory  and I have £7.50 worth of chicken in the freezer , you can get an awful lot of chicken for your money ..i have tons of plans for it, June is now  chicken month ...lol
We still have the internet , ive just been looking up Navajo Fried Indian Bread, sounds like a good idea to me , tomorrows tea with chicken something ..lol .
Mr Bah Humbug had one of his group meetings with the Shaw Trust today and he said they were shocked when he said we rarely shop in a supermarket . He pointed out why would he when we can get 24 tins of beans for £2.40 , buy 800g packs of Bacon for 85p and buy army ration packs of meat 2kg for £2.75  its a case of careful shopping around. When things are this tight there are things that arent on the menu we dont buy pop squash or soda , we dont buy biscuits or cakes , no crisps  , no cereal other than bleedin porridge . I can scratch cook really well from practically anything , i know how to forage for greens and the garden will kick in shortly , thats what adds the variety to our diet , that and the endless little bags in the freezer . We have run out of cheese ..AARRGGHHH used the last of the xmas Brie on the top of a lasagne yesterday , so tomorrow i will be foraging for cheap decent cheese in the dark realms of Grimsby .
Yes were broke but we eat well, it can be a bit boring and yes i lost a stone when we gained an extra family member but i could lose 10 stone and still be called fat by my mother. I havent had a penny in my purse for 6 weeks , the bank rings 10 times a day , but things could be much worse .


17 comments:

  1. I really can't believe how many similarities we share (including the mother). Thankfully I am now in the position where I can actually save money every month. I know only too well though how to make a meal from virtually nothing and could again if I had to.

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    1. it stays with you for life doesn't it , they should teach poverty as a life skill to teenagers in schools

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    2. Crikey, they think they are living in poverty if they don't have a flash mobile phone, ipad and the latest 'game'. I reckon before they leave school everyone should go and spend six months in a camp in Africa to understand what poverty really means.

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  2. Here are some stories that will add to weird families (I could write a book) My grandma was so drunk one night (actually every night) But one time in particular, she was so wasted she ate a houseplant. also She was broke and her front window was broken, She couldn't afford to get it fixed, after a few years,bees made a beehive IN her house. I didn't know, I went to visit her with my then 2 year old son. And there were bees all over and dead bees on the floor that my toddler was trying to put in his mouth...I'm like WTF, grandma?? and all she said is "they wont bother you if you don't bother them." But you know what? The crazy families are a lot more interesting than the boring families. Sorry about your financial situation right now, you are doing one hell of a job making things work!

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    1. I think what I consider normal must horrify most readers , but I don't resent the bat shit crazy childhood I had, we have been eccentrics for generations , my grandson is already at 7 showing all the traits of being his own man much to the horror of the educational establishment .

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  3. From what I gather and witnessed you probably would not want much of the range of food in the food back offer. Stick to the greens in the garden and your bargain chicken it sounds healthier. OmG mothers - I am scared for life from mine too!

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    1. They do say people can starve surrounded by food , but the one that gets me is those who can afford to be food faddy and dont get that most of us dont care on the grounds of poverty that our food isnt free range and organic.

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  4. You are certainly blessed with your cooking and shopping skills, we could all learn a few things from you.

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    1. Like spending the last 20p in my purse on pretty linen and not on out of date spuds ...lol

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  5. I was married to a violent, bipolar alcoholic for 26 years and like you say, if you can come through that alive you can do anything. I think you are amazing though. Good luck. Anna

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    1. if youve never had hard times you never learn to cope with them ..simple

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  6. I tip my hat to you Katie, I have a bi-polar daughter and social services are legally obliged to put a care plan in place for her, so they decided I could be that plan. they suggested I give up work to do so. Who's going to pay my bills if I do. Life can be a struggle sometimes

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    1. social services ..the league of the damned . They labelled me an enabler then advised my then husband he needed to be much firmer with us all, thats why we all left . Firmer to him meant violent

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  7. you have great spirit, more power to your elbow and I hope your wages come through. Sine

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  8. Katie I am shocked the idea of food bank abhors you!.

    But then again we all have our own normal!. The lifestyle you choose would never be mine.
    As you said other people pay for your house, give you money so why should you bother , you have a roof over your head.
    Benefits Britain!.
    I have never claimed a benefit in my life!. Never wil!.
    Hope the laws get tighter!. So those we'll need to work!!.

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    1. Lifestyle choice is a luxury these days, did I choose for my partner to become severely disabled at age 45? Did I choose to be his carer, if you care about someone other than yourself that is the sacrifice you make .
      I'm glad you have the certainty that will you will never need help or support from the state ....but never say never

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