Both days we had the usual porridge for breakfast.  Tuesday I had business to do as mayor of Shildon and a County Councillor – and had to go to Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon.  Luckily I don’t have to cover the costs of anything I do for ‘work’ or I definitely wouldn’t be able to manage at all.  But I couldn’t really do what I usually do – just sit down with a friend and have a cup of coffee – at £2.60 a go it was just too expensive.  It must be really difficult not to do things that most people take for granted – buy a coffee, or even a simple bar of chocolate without worrying about it.  You get a brown envelope when you take up the care leavers’ challenge – mine is dated Friday of this week – and you don’t know what’s in it.  But my bet is I’m going to be sanctioned and find myself suddenly short of whatever money I have left to last me over the weekend.

Dinner was supposed to be a lovely corned beef hash – one of my favourite childhood meals, coming as I do from Liverpool – but it wasn’t very good!!! (Not John’s fault).  He bought some cheap corned beef and it was too greasy to cook with properly.  A friend of mine (on benefits) told me today that cheap corned beef needs to be in the fridge (out of the tin) for at least 24 hours before you use it – and then it isn’t any good for cooking.  I was really surprised.  The pudding was much better – banana custard.  We had to have the same meal the next day though as we had made enough corned beef hash for two meals and couldn’t afford not to eat it.

Friends are being lovely, even offering to pay for a meal out for us at the local Rotary Club we attend – but we turned this down – but I’m sure it must make it really difficult to have anything like a normal social life.