Some how, I don’t think the paint is going to make it onto the wall of its own accord! However, I’m only heating my house with prepaid wood and not buying gas!

Hi everyone,

Many, many thanks for the messages of support. There are things I can say on this blog and things I can’t say, and I can’t say why. It does feel as if I have the thought police breathing down my neck and it irks me to the point of the utter fucking depths of misery, but I live in a complicated world and I’m not actually allowed to say or do as I please. Enough of that and I’ll move on. And no, I don’t have a book deal…………but there’s an idea!

Dearly Beloved and I went on a shortened and slightly later than planned anniversary trip. It was eventful. We went over to France in a force 8 gale (or as the Shipping Forecast said……..cyclonic). I medicated myself with some Jack Daniels and strapped myself (I mean fucking literally!!!!) to my bunk and got there on time and in one piece! The weather instantly improved when we got there and we had the most lovely forty eight hours in Morlaix, St Pol de Leon and Roscoff. We had a frugalish ‘menu formule’ in of all places, a local supermarket restaurant for 12 euros for a three course lunch, with wine and coffee. We had coffee and croissants sat in market squares and had the loveliest of times. We also did what we rarely do in the UK: we shopped. We stayed in a thirty nine euros a night hotel which was warm, friendly, did a good breakfast and had lots of deep hot baths!!!!

I am no wine specialist. I’ve been on wine tasting evenings and after the third bottle, it all tastes the same to me. We’ve bought five litre boxes and many many bottles. Mostly for around 1.09 a bottle, which in UK pounds is a pound a bottle. Here, the cheapest paint stripping plonk you can buy is about £3.99 a bottle. I now have a year’s supply, plus gifts for family and friends for the next year. We will go back within a year…………but it’s better to be safe than sober sorry! So, there’s the frugalish - wine with a 75% discount.

We don’t have a Netto store near us. Oh the very joy of the place! I noticed there were no Brit cars in the car park but kept hearing familiar accents. So, I found where the Brits abroad go shopping. We did the usual thing of buying the local cheese, wine and onions (they are pink and so fragrant and delicious) and I added a couple of new plastic bowls to my ‘chariot’ at a euro each. After washing our hands, in cold water of course, we use the water to flush the loo. I think it’s a sin to flush the lav in pure drinking water, so we continue, even in our debt free state, to use second hand water in the toilet. (Oh, that’s the frugal bit)

Finally and most importantly, a massive thanks fort Ali for sending me some Lacura eye creme and serum. She bought them for herself and didn’t suit her and she very thoughtfully sent them on to me. I am so very grateful and even though life it a deep crevice of shite at the moment, I am astride it without wrinkles! (That’s the free bit and it has really cheered me xxxxxxxx All my love to Ali!!!!)

Frugalish, I was sent another discount code for shoes! If you go to the Clarks website, with the discount code of BERRY, you can get 20% off and free postage. Everyone needs shoes at some time. On a deeply frugal note! I haven’t used any gas for a month! I also made a payment off my mortgage capital and will be on target to pay off 10% of the balance this year and hopefully, will do so again next year.

p.s - I don’t like odd numbers so if six of you, who are not already followers, could become so, it would tidy up the numbers xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Again, thanks everyone. I’m dragging myself out of this and I couldn’t have done it without you xxxxxxxxx

All my love Froogs xxxxxxxxxxxxx