Savaged by a mad chihuahua

My DD Lizzie has a rescued chihuahua cross, she's a lovely little dog and very protective of the family, she often sits on my lap for a cuddle when I go over there, not today though.
When I walked in to the house the dog went bananas, she started barking, growling, snarling & showing her teeth. I sat down and held out my hand for her to sniff but she was still upset. She didn't bite me but was very threatening, if some 6 inches by 10 inches can be threatening! When I held out my hand towards her, she ran at me snarling & bumped her nose against me, she was obviously scared of me but knew not to bite, I wouldn't have been upset if she had nipped me as she was obviously scared. Eventually I took my coat off & she calmed down immediately, when I put it back on she started to get upset again, so I took it off & laid it on the floor. She ignored the coat & came over to me for a treat, a stroke & a cuddle. I'm very upset by this because as she ignored the coat when it was on the floor I believe that someone in a similar coat must have hurt her at some time and it makes me sad.

Buying something isn't the answer

I wander around a lot of blogs when I'm online, mainly ones by people who live frugally, some bloggers live this way by choice & some by necessity. It is a very different scenario for these 2 sorts of people, for the frugal by choice there are decisions to make, shall I buy a wood burner to save on my fuel bills, shall I buy some thick curtains to keep out the draughts, or maybe even double glazing, shall I buy a mini oven to save on using the big oven.
For the FBC's, frugal be choice, it's easier, they don't make such a big payment off their mortgage for a month or 2 and they can buy a wood burner or what ever else they deem necessary. They can then spent this money & smugly congratulate them selves on their 'frugal choice'.
For those on a low wage or pension the choices are different,here are a few examples from people I know.
Instead of thick curtains to keep out the draughts, rolled up freebie newspaper stuffed into the gaps round the windows & doors.
Instead of buying a trendy onsie to keep warm in bed put your coat on top of the bedding when you go to bed, the extra layer will help.
Instead of sitting up watching crap on TV go to bed straight after tea & read a library book. Mind you library books aren't an option for us, the mobile library calls when we are at work, a trip to the local library means driving & paying for parking or 2 bus journey's each way.
Finally the example that started this train of thought.
A colleague at work, she is a TA & earns even less than me, was saying that due to her ex not paying what he should, she'd run out money on her prepayment meter for her gas part way part way through cooking her evening meal & she & the kids ended up with cereal for tea. Some bright spark in the staff room suggested she bought a mini oven as it would be cheaper to run.
As my colleague said to me 'Where the fuck am I meant to get £30 to £40 for a mini oven & if I can't pay for the sodding gas, how am I meant to pay for sodding electric!'
So next time those of you who are FBC think that 'buying something' is the answer, it isn't!

Gifts

I've bought some hand made soap from a MSE'er to give as gifts, my photo's do not do he soap justice, it smells gorgeous & is beautifully presented.

A bag of sea shell shapes

Goatsmilk & Bergamot

Goatsmilk & Lavender

Goatsmilk & Garden Mint

Goatsmilk & Honeysuckle

Mandolin

I have a mandolin, not the musical sort, but the 'cut the tips of your fingers off if you aren't careful' sort. It's a fantastic little gadget, it cuts spuds finely if I want to  make Dauphinoise potatoes. It also slices onions finely for when my L&M wants a cheese & onion toastie. When I make him a toastie I slice a whole onion, use what I need for him & then the rest goes in a plastic tub in the fridge to be used up later in the week. No more half onions drying out & forgotten in the back of the fridge.

Birthday gifts

A gift from my oldest son, an illuminated Christmas house.

I had a real problem getting a pic of these, knitted boobs, one pierced one not, they have a squeaker inside each and are sold in aid of a breast cancer charity. Helen said they are to replace the ones I lost when I lost weight!

Good weekend

Firstly, welcome to my new followers & welcome to Frugal Freesia, who kindly commented on so many posts.
The visit  yesterday afternoon from Molly, one of the DGD's went very well, she visits often with Helen, but this was her first solo visit, she made a Christmas decoration, we did some crochet, she helped hubby thin out the carrots, picked lettuce & leeks to take home and we also visited the local shop to buy her a magazine & some sweets. Little things, but as she's had no contact with her real Grandparents it's important that we try to fill the gap.

Next week it's her brothers turn & we will do the same things again, little things I know, but we want to build a relationship with these children. Every child deserves to be safe, clean, warm and well fed, these two were none of those & have come on incredibly well since they moved in with DD Helen. They are extremely excited about Helen's pregnancy, her older foster child (who has been in & out the care system for 10 years immediately said 'Does this mean I have to move out?' when he heard the news. Helen reassured him, but explained that whilst he might WANT to move out when both babies are screaming at once, he doesn't HAVE to move out.

A few more pennies are squeezed

The milkman left full fat milk this morning instead of semi skimmed, I poured half of it into an empty clean milk bottle & then topped both bottles up with water. I pay 89p for a bottle of milk so put that amount in my savings tin.
I put 15p in the tin every day when I've eaten free porridge provided at work.
There was no free porridge on Wednesday or Thursday this week as they were inset days, but there was a free lunch at work those days, I put £1.50 in the tin for each day.
I found a punnet of mushrooms reduced from 95p to 45p at the garage today when I went to put petrol in the car, so that's another 50p i the tin.
I also put 3p in the tin every day as I reuse my teabags and drink about 6 cups of tea a day.
I don't miss the few pennies a day, but it will all add up over a year.