Sunday 12 June 2022

I think hell

 Would have to freeze over before I would think of dumping Ruby. It is becoming rife in some countries due to the circumstances we all find ourselves in. We are lucky in that we can afford to keep her. Anything and everything else would go before that. She has a high meat diet that isn’t cheap. If necessary we would greatly reduce that and fill her up with other items.

We would reduce our meals in order for her to eat. She (like children) didn’t ask to be born, nor bought and we thought of all eventualities before getting her, including current problems. We have been through this before and no doubt will do so again.

It is all very well sounding off at schools for not teaching pupils to cook and learn to budget. I have been guilty of that. I was taught that but still didn’t know how to cook lots of things when I got my first flat. I taught myself to budget and got books from the library on how to cook basic food.

Frivolous buying never entered my head. In those days you often rented to buy things such as tv’s, stereograms, fridge, washing machines etc. I allocated money in jars and the bank for all bills, food, clothes, savings etc.

Holidays (and chicken), were luxuries. Saved up for annually or bi-annually and really enjoyed. 

When DB and I married, we had saved enough money for a tiny house deposit and he had a good job to get us a mortgage. Things were different then. Each era is different and has its own problems. 

We get asked often why we lived so frugally, and continue to be careful, when we had/have money to fritter away. Now you know why.

People think we were/are crazy, especially with our winter/Brexit/emergency food put by. It gives us peace of mind for events such as those the world finds itself in now.

Yes, I do know some people are truly, deeply in their own SHTF scenario through no fault of their own. Others have put and continue to put themselves there. Loan upon loan for the latest this that and the other. Keeping up with others and stupid people on social media sites etc. Eating at fast food places when they could learn to cook and eat far more than the cost of buying it there.

The mind boggles!


12 comments:

  1. Nor would we get rid of Betty, wouldn't dream of it. I made lamb & mint burgers yesterday, relatively cheap to make using frozen lamb mince, tasted fab and we know what was in them! We only had basic domestic science lessons at school, I didn't cook at home - Mum did it all and didn't like us cluttering up her kitchen! I taught myself to cook once I left home and lived on my own.

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    1. Sounds lovely. Not a fan of burgers but if we have one, it is homemade. I like to know what I am eating.

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  2. My 88year old uncle who lives next door treated us to a Chinese takeaway last night as a thank you for the things we do for him not necessary but it makes him feel good. We were talking this morning and realised it's the first non home cooked meal we have had in seven months and I think we enjoyed it so much because of that. I don't know how people afford to eat this way all the time priorities I suppose.

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    1. I wish their priorities would change. Always demanding the government helps them out. They can’t help everyone otherwise the country would be even worse off.

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  3. My pup saved my mental health during Covid stay at homes. He needed me to get out for walks, a good play, and was my company while my husband still went in to work but I now worked virtually. He's my family as much as my kids.

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    1. Lovely to hear, such good company even though she occasionally annoys me.

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  4. So agree with your post, we have an elderly Cocker Spaniel, she is nearly blind ,has arthritis and dementia but is still happy, I cook her food and she has medications and her vitamins, we are so lucky that at the moment we can afford this, our little 7 year old terrier has bladder cancer and also has medication, at the moment she is off her food so we are trying all sorts of things to treat her, it was our choice to have them and I too would give up things to keep them. The world is a sad place at the moment, we feel so lucky to have our pensions so have a guaranteed income, we are able to help out my sons who have disabilities but live independently and my eldest son is in the forces so is ok financially, so yes, we are so so lucky.

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    1. Sorry to hear about the health of your dogs. Medicine for animals and vet fees can be very expensive.

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  5. I hope no one suggested you get rid of Ruby. She is a beautiful girl and your heading picture is lovely. Would anyone get rid of their child, don't think so.

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    1. No they haven’t, am just sad about people dumping their pets anywhere rather than at a sanctuary even if they are overwhelmed with pets at the moment.

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  6. My dogs would never be put out to anywhere or anyone else, they are mine as much as I am theirs and we will all muddle through together. I was only reading an article in a magazine by a couple of vets yesterday that said how our dogs are not the direct descendants of wolves that we seem to assume they are, and they are much better off on a more omnivorous diet, one with lots of vegetables as they have adapted due to their long association with us and living off table scraps for centuries. They reckoned that the meat heavy diets we feed them now are what is causing all the health problems that dogs seem to be facing. I used to give Suky a carrot a couple of times a week and she loved it but that's out of the question now she hasn't got any teeth ... perhaps I should grate them up for her :-)

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