Monday, 30 December 2024

Christmas Presents and Toilet Rolls


My main Christmas present off Alan this year was a new Remoska.

We've used Remoskas for years but when my last one broke just a couple of weeks after Alan's had met it's demise, instead of replacing mine I opted for an air fryer.  Much cheaper and very similar or so I thought.  But no, it took up too much room on the one worktop that I have, was too noisy in my small space and was just not for me.  So when I saw that Remoskas were greatly reduced for the Black Friday sales and the very same day Alan asked me what I wanted for Christmas, it didn't take  much thinking about.

He made me wait until Christmas to have it and it's been living under his Christmas tree, but now it's all mine and already it's in action and will already be saving us a fortune in electricity bills.


Last years low spending Challenge was all in aid of me learning how long things lasted me, using up all the bits and pieces that have been in drawers and cupboards for so long and generally making me more aware of what I buy and what I need.

For instance the toilet rolls.

 I have made three purchases this year of toilet rolls, and after trying a slightly cheaper supermarket own brand when my preferred option was not on offer and I needed to get some, the realisation has been that this is my favourite brand, they are usually on offer two or three times a year and over the course of that year I need to buy five packs.  It's good to know and I will continue to do this, although I now also think that if there is a really good offer, I might just buy a years supply all at once.

I also know after this year that I go through six tubs of my favourite body cream, and happily Alan knows that this is the only one I use and has bought me a years supply for Christmas.  


 The decorations are still vanishing little by little, although anything battery operated will be out until their batteries finish ... and it won't be long as the evenings are getting dimmer and dimmer each day.


Sue xx



30 comments:

  1. I've always been intrigued by the remoska, but never knew anyone who had one. We get on very well with our air fryer so will stick with it now.

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    1. We've used them for years now, I think our first one was bought when we had the first Aga as an alternative cooking method for when it was off for servicing. While an air fryer is a mini fan oven a Remoska is a mini normal oven.

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  2. Apparently Air Fryers are now to be found in charity shops so a lot of people bought them and are now giving up.
    Loo rolls arrive here in a giant box every December and last all year so I never have to think about buying them which is good for my brain!
    I've never had a Remoska or air fryer, (or slow cooker or pressure cooker or soup maker!) but have heard how handy the first can be. Have fun with your new one.

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    1. Haha, anything that relieves the pressure on our old brains has got to be a good idea. 😄

      It's being used every day, sometimes twice a day ... it's showing me how often I was turning the oven on or having to adapt my cooking while I was without it.

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  3. The perfect present then. I rely on my slow cooker for money-saving cooking and try not to use the oven unless it's a roast (when family are here) or cake or bread baking. I get through a lot of loo rolls because of visiting family and so opt for the best bargain (soft ones) at Aldi. I buy a pack of a dozen. Never used body cream in my life - think of what I've saved!! I do use face cream though.



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    1. I don't eat the sort of meals that need to be cooked in a slow cooker, so although I had one for a while I never used it, so I gave it away on FB Marketplace. I did used to use the Aldi soft toilet rolls, but found that these although more expensive actually lasted longer. Now I'm making myself laugh at my obsession with finding the best toilet rolls!!

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  4. I never ought into the air fryer obsession - the charity shops are full of them these days. The only gadget we possess is a 1970s Corden Bleu slow cooker, I've not used it in ages, I ought to dig it out, its brilliant for dhal.
    What a lovely gift, a year's supply of body lotion. Well done, Alan! xxx

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    1. He gets me the body lotion every year, and as he also bought his Mum the same body lotion, soap and perfume, Fenjal products in her case, every Christmas forever, I guess I will be okay for the rest of my life too. :-)

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  5. You and I have the same taste in body cream. I like it because it really works (I have very dry skin) and the smell is subtle, and not over-powering. I got three jars for Christmas. I have an air fryer but don't use it much. The Remoska sounds interesting. Regards Sue H

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    1. It is really good isn't it. I like it best because I have always liked the scent and now that I have no sense of smell whatsoever it's reassuring to know what I smell like. I too have very dry skin, it's a family trait unfortunately.

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  6. Totally agree about Remoska vs airfyer. Our two were in use to cook the turkey crown and the ham. The small one will go back in the Moho after the holidays. I made cauliflower and potato soup in the big one yesterday and will use it to heat a quiche later today. Husband is in charge of the airfyer as he enjoys using it. Scones in the Remoska are also better than the airfyer ones. Enjoy your new one! Catriona

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    1. Scones in the Remoska are brilliant aren't they, and baked potatoes too. I start them off in the microwave for a couple of minutes and then finish them in the Remoska until they are nice and soft.

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  7. Sounds like you received some really nice and useful gifts. I don't think we have Remoskas over here. I don't have an airfryer, but, my daughter loves the one she has. I asked for and received a salad spinner!

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    1. They are sold all over the world, having originated in the Czech Republic. I haven't used my salad spinner for quite a while, I think it is at the back of one of Alan's cupboards. Sadly I don't have the space for it here, but I might make space this coming Summer, they are useful gadgets aren't they. I actually used it to spin underwear dry after handwashing when I lived in the caravan, :-)

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    2. That is very creative of you!

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  8. I've never had a Remoska but use my air fryer several times a week. Well done Alan for paying attention to what you would like for Christmas!
    I took down all the decorations on Sunday too, apart from the little fairy lights in my bedroom, and the door wreath. I'll leave that until 12th night. I just love the twinkle from my fairy lights when it's dusk so will leave them until the batteries die.
    Angie x

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    1. It's been nice seeing the surfaces reappear one by one as I dismantle Christmas in stages. It means no big clean up all at once as well, much more civilised when I'm in a lazy mood and busy organising Mum's stuff.

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  9. I'm in the got an air fryer but still like the idea of a Remoska camp. They sound very versatile and economical.
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. It's always been a useful gadget to have, it really came into it's own when the Aga was switched off and when I was living in the caravan. Knowing that you are cooking for the same price as having a lamp on and not the cost of heating an oven is very reassuring too.

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  10. I use my air fryer most days, although I do like certain things done in my mini table top oven. However, the 2 things together do take up a lot of worktop space, which irritates me a bit. So I might do some research into getting something else eventually....

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    1. Yes, the Remoska is a nice neat little thing, just the size of a pan, I could even fit it into the cupboard between uses if I had a bit of a tidy up. :-)

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  11. I had to look up what a Remoska is. Never had heard of it. Don't think I'll add it to my cooking repertoire though. Have an Instant Post that is use as a slow cooker.

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    1. I think it's good to find the gadgets that suit your way of cooking best and just stick to them. I don't know why I was swayed to try out the air-fryer really, but I'm back to my favourite now.

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  12. I bought an air fryer. Sold it two weeks later as I didn’t like it.
    The soup maker if my favourite gadget

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    1. Alan's has got our soup maker, but as he makes huge batches of soup in one go I don't think he's used it for a while ... I might have to claim it back. :-)

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  13. If there are Remoskas in NZ they must be called something else! I heard of them on dear Weaver’s blog and guessed they were a bench top small oven. Am I right?

    My son and DIL have an Air frier which I see used occasionally, but they have a huge kitchen and it lives in its own little cupboard. It’d never fit in my smaller space!

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    1. They are like a table top oven yes, if you follow the link you can read all about them. 🙂

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  14. Wishing you a healthy and very Happy New Year xx

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    1. Thank you Carol and the same to you and yours. All the very best for 2025. xx

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