How to take the torment out of the rates.
Rates do not go away by putting the bill in the kitchen drawer,
neither do they contract. Rates simply go up and, like death, are
inevitable. To minimize the agony of paying them I find monthly
instalments are preferable to finding a lump sum each April. The
council is quite agreeable to payment this way.
If you do happen to have a fairy godmother who leaves you some
money there is no better place to put it, I think, than in a building
society. Money matters seem unbelievably complicated to those of
us uninitiated in their complexities, and unscrupulous people can
relieve you of your savings with no great conscience. Furthermore,
they leave you with no redress. There are lots of building societies to
choose from – The Bristol and West being my choice. It seems to be
smaller and cosier than the better-known ones and a sense of family
intimacy pervades the office I go to. The staff are extremely helpful
and friendly, always prepared to explain anything I need to know and
which I do not understand – like percentages and things of a similar
mysterious nature. I have consequently grasped the fact that I can
get a higher rate of interest for my investments at a Building Society
than I can at the Bank. Building Societies, I know, do not conjure up
excitement in the mind, but then they are not meant to. Safety is the
adjective that suits them and me. I like to believe that, like a nanny,
they will look after me and my best interests, (I’m sure Rupert
Brooke would have gone to one). They are a sort of caring aunt. And
this is just what one wishes to embrace being in the single position,
something secure and solid with no risks attached.
The importance of not letting the dreaded function of shopping and cooking haunt you.
Terence Rattigan’s play Separate Tables is thought provoking. But
the thought that provokes me most is not that a spiritless woman,
aroused by passion, overcame her fear, and braved the enemy, but,
how lucky all those people were, living in a hotel. They had
absolutely no worries whatsoever about what they were going to
eat; either about shopping for it or puzzling about the menu. They
just sat down and ate it. There are many disparaging things said
about institutional type food, especially English food. It is usually
boiled cabbage and shepherd’s pie followed by sago pudding, or
perhaps in more modern places, instant curry followed by instant
whip. But if I do not have to think about any of its journey, from
mind to table as it were, anything is delicious. “Life is so every day”
someone complained once. Food is certainly everyday and I think
things would have been better arranged if we had had six days in
which to labour and eat, and on the seventh everything, including
eating, stopped. This would have been a proper day of rest, at least
for the one in the family who shops and cooks.
Eating on my own I find is quite a different event from family
repasts or communal meals. The thought of making something
tempting for myself, on an everyday basis, has no appeal at all.
During lunch I listen to the news and at supper I listen to the Archers.
The food I eat is of secondary importance. But, with the increasing
waistline rapidly acquired by not eating the right things – I decided to
make a little more effort in shopping and preparation. Otherwise, I
saw myself as the Fat Lady at the Fair.
Practising food economy creates practising vegetarians, since
buying meat is a luxury, not often considered. But I do buy kippers
and haddock since fish is a must, apparently, whereas meat is not.
Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s all produce tempting
packaged pies, fish pies, meat pies, chicken pies, vegetable pies and
an assortment of frozen pies. The pies are made of good things and
are easy to cook since no culinary expertise is necessary – only the
ability to open the oven – and delightful to eat. Naturally, there’s a
snag. The price. They are expensive and add pounds to the food bill.
I have one or two stored in the freezer in case of an unexpected
guest for a candlelit dinner or whatever, but otherwise I do not buy
them. It is quite easy, quick, and cheap to make stews and soups out
of fresh vegetables. Yoghurts are good for pudding and fresh fruit is a
taste that I have acquired, even with unamusing apples. (Perhaps the
thought that they are so good for me makes the difference).
I spend about £20 a week on food. My basic shopping list is fresh
vegetables and fruit, cereals, wholemeal bread, Flora, fish and
sometimes a chicken.
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