Aya Sophia Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 (edited) A thread for all the stories you may have about the charming, inimitable, amusing, creative, and astonishing ways in which a house of Religious (or diocesan seminarians!) economises, both for reasons of practicality and in adherence to Holy Poverty. An item I posted in the "bathing" thread: I know of a community in which, in the 1970's, the Depositrix purchased, with the Prioress' approval, an enormous lot of soap. She got a terrificly low price on cases and cases and cases of large, heavy bars of very basic, unpleasantly scented soap the color of pea soup. Today, forty years later, bars of this soap are still at every sink in the monastery! Edited September 28, 2011 by Aya Sophia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Actually this thread could have been part of the Convent Adventures thread, but here we are anyway, so I will repost this one from the bathing thread [quote]Yeah, the economy thread! I go for it! At one convent we had this horrible waxy toilet paper in the toilets - and it turned out that they had boxes and boxes of it in their store room - they had gotten it all cheaply and had enough supply to last about 30 years! [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 This morning we didn't use our napkins unless we absolutely had to because we're running low on 'em. (Our end of the table also got reprimanded lightly because we were so loud... three of our novices are leaving today for the Junioriate, so we were sharing stories and laughing and...well... we're a loud group already... oop!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I completely forgot the 'real economising' of the toilet paper convent... because of the horrible waxy paper in the toilets which no one wanted to use, we were each given a roll of softer TP to keep in our cells. Each day we were supposed to tear off what we thought we would need to use, and put it in our pocket. This was referred to as 'pocket paper' and doing it this way ensured that each sister would use it sparingly because - to get a new roll, one had to ask for permission for it! And if we ran out of 'pocket paper' during the day we could use the waxy stuff, but otherwise we were supposed to try to avoid using that (so instead of having a 30 year supply, I guess they really had a 60 year supply!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 (edited) Hmm, this isn't such a funny story but here goes. After clothing I was in charge of the veg (+all sorts of other bits) for the community. The gardener had brought in the last of our own carrots, which would have been considered, for normal people, completely inedible. I spent a whole morning going through tray after tray of orange slime and just about managed to find enough solid carrot to make a portion (tho by then they tasted pretty minging anyway). It was a vile job and by the end of the morning I could feel myself turning green. Then my NM came into the kitchen just as I was finishing up and told me to be quick clearing up so the community didn't see how much I was 'wasting'. I must admit my thoughts at that moment were not particularly holy and I would have very much loved to have presented certain members of the community (you always know the one who would have complained about the waste) with a big plate of orange slime for dinner! Edited September 28, 2011 by faithcecelia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317220102' post='2311661'] Hmm, this isn't such a funny story but here goes. After clothing I was in charge of the veg (+all sorts of other bits) for the community. The gardener had brought in the last of our own carrots, which would have been considered, for normal people, completely inedible. I spent a whole morning going through tray after tray of orange slime and just about managed to find enough solid carrot to make a portion (tho by then they tasted pretty minging anyway). It was a vile job and by the end of the morning I could feel myself turning green. Then my NM came into the kitchen just as I was finishing up and told me to be quick clearing up so the community didn't see how much I was 'wasting'. I must admit my thoughts at that moment were not particularly holy and I would have very much loved to have presented certain members of the community (you always know the one who would have complained about the waste) with a big plate of orange slime for dinner! [/quote] Ah yes, food economising! One day I ate an apple by cutting it into pieces and leaving the core. In the kithcen later I heard some sisters talking about who could have possibly wasted so much apple (the food we didn't eat we put into these rubbish bowls on the table and these were emptied and cleaned after the meal). I knew they must have been talking about me but didn't understand why until my NM later told me that we don't cut out the core, we eat it and spit out the seeds! Okay....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Oh goodness! Thankfully I never came up against that one. Oh there was a time when we had spinach for dinner and halfway through my NM who I sat next to noticed me put a bit into the little bowl. She raised her eyebrows so I moved it a little to show her the well cooked caterpillar I had discovered She later told me she was extremely impressed at how discreet I had been, just getting rid of it then eating the rest of the spinach without a second thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmaD2006 Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 (edited) [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317223139' post='2311685'] She raised her eyebrows so I moved it a little to show her the well cooked caterpillar I had discovered [/quote] But ... you didn't eat the protein. How dare you throw it away? Edited September 28, 2011 by cmariadiaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmenchristi Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 ahhhh.... I'm afraid to comment on this thread!!! How about washing and re-using plastic wrap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 [quote name='carmenchristi' timestamp='1317235474' post='2311774'] ahhhh.... I'm afraid to comment on this thread!!! How about washing and re-using plastic wrap? [/quote] I thought everyone did that? And freezerbags etc? Thats so normal to me it never crossed my mind to mention it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 [quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1317219345' post='2311654'] I completely forgot the 'real economising' of the toilet paper convent... because of the horrible waxy paper in the toilets which no one wanted to use, we were each given a roll of softer TP to keep in our cells. Each day we were supposed to tear off what we thought we would need to use, and put it in our pocket. This was referred to as 'pocket paper' and doing it this way ensured that each sister would use it sparingly because - to get a new roll, one had to ask for permission for it! And if we ran out of 'pocket paper' during the day we could use the waxy stuff, but otherwise we were supposed to try to avoid using that (so instead of having a 30 year supply, I guess they really had a 60 year supply!). [/quote] I have done "pocket paper" when I used to go to rock concerts. There never was any in the port-a-janes! [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317220102' post='2311661'] Hmm, this isn't such a funny story but here goes. After clothing I was in charge of the veg (+all sorts of other bits) for the community. The gardener had brought in the last of our own carrots, which would have been considered, for normal people, completely inedible. I spent a whole morning going through tray after tray of orange slime and just about managed to find enough solid carrot to make a portion (tho by then they tasted pretty minging anyway). It was a vile job and by the end of the morning I could feel myself turning green. Then my NM came into the kitchen just as I was finishing up and told me to be quick clearing up so the community didn't see how much I was 'wasting'. I must admit my thoughts at that moment were not particularly holy and I would have very much loved to have presented certain members of the community (you always know the one who would have complained about the waste) with a big plate of orange slime for dinner! [/quote] I totally get the wanting to serve orange slime to the sisters who would complain about waste . But what on earth could you do with it? Puree it? I doubt you were allowed to create a carrot casserole with brown sugar & little marshmallows to disguise the slime . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IgnatiusofLoyola Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 [quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317240236' post='2311826'] I have done "pocket paper" when I used to go to rock concerts. There never was any in the port-a-janes! I totally get the wanting to serve orange slime to the sisters who would complain about waste . But what on earth could you do with it? Puree it? I doubt you were allowed to create a carrot casserole with brown sugar & little marshmallows to disguise the slime . [/quote] Carrot cake? But probably not because it would be the wrong texture. In a British book I read recently one of the characters made "carrot pudding" (something like plum pudding), but I don't know if the "carrot slime" (Is that a technical term?) would be the right texture or taste for that. Somehow, I'd assume that a carrot that was that "far gone" might also be going bad and be unhealthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 [quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1317241128' post='2311838'] Carrot cake? But probably not because it would be the wrong texture. In a British book I read recently one of the characters made "carrot pudding" (something like plum pudding), but I don't know if the "carrot slime" (Is that a technical term?) would be the right texture or taste for that. Somehow, I'd assume that a carrot that was that "far gone" might also be going bad and be unhealthy. [/quote] I would not subjest even the moaners to carrot slime, its where it is sooooo gone off that it has completely liquified, makes me shudder to even think of, All it was good for wag going back into the ground, as all our food waste did, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Yeah, it's bad when veggies are so far gone that they dissolve in water . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317236203' post='2311779'] I thought everyone did that? And freezerbags etc? Thats so normal to me it never crossed my mind to mention it! [/quote] My dad washes the large freezer bags we use at home. The only time we throw them out is when they start looking nasty (when we've put something oily or greasy in it) or when they start getting holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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