My turn

It has been interesting to read the comments regarding Monday's TV programme where Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall looks at what we throw away. Most of us on here already do more than average to ensure less waste. 

Our perception and the brain washing from the supermarkets into how long we can keep food is one of the key issues. Long ago, before all the best before dates, my mum (and I bet everyone else's mum) used their eyes and nose, but there was hardly any process foods. We all have differing views on what is still good to eat.

My family have laughed at me for years, I don't like to eat meat which has been minced up and then put back together, sausages and burgers are top of my list along with chicken which is reformed. I do eat sausages and burgers but only from our local butchers shop, they cost a bit more but taste totally different than most of the supermarket brands, how we make savings is to buy expensive ones but eat less. Our portion sizes are really bad, see this chart below it's an eye opener. 

Process food is off our shopping list.

 We often have meals without fish and meat.

We follow a few simple rules.

1, It does not matter how cheap it is or even an BOGOF, if we don't want it we don't buy it. This simple rule has stopped us throwing away food, for many years we loved the bargains, and then struggled to eat things before going off.

2, We no longer do a big supermarket shop for fresh meats and veg, we buy little and often, this can cost a little bit more, but waste also cost us. 

3, We only keep clothes in our wardrobe we can wear, and not endlessly shop for new, I know what is in my wardrobe and have space to see everything. We do still like a bargain and buy most clothes at end of season sales. 

4, Most important, if it ain't broke don't get a new one, again my mum hardly ever shopped for anything new other than to replace a broken item, we never missed out as children. We have been brainwashed into needing new things each season and year, we have no need to redecorate our house each year.

So is our lives boring

No we spend Saturday having fun together instead of the slog of a trip to town for needless purchases. Having less stuff is empowering, less to worry about, we quickly learn't we don't need to want so much. We have most everything we require, but more importantly we think before we buy, because, 

If it's not in the house we can't throw it away. 

After all it's not rocket science. 

I'll get off my soap box!

I have had loads of stitching time, another design worked out

 I have to decide how I am going to fill the triangle gaps,

 to follow a design will be messy, 

I might just choose one design for each space. 

We had the boys last night, both were great fun, we are lucky to live so close to them. I also got my sewing machine out, did some boring mending and made a couple of small Christmas gift for a swap I have joined.
Su will be around later for the final session for her wedding invitations.