Breaking Through, Travelling On

Karmacat · 26 June 2015 at 11:51AM

Absolutely - we've never met physically (yet) but I can guarantee you we think alike on that

I have an mse confession to make tho

I have an online account for gas and elec, and I took part in Martin's 2nd big switchover, which was last Nov apparently. It was cheapest for me to stay with my existing supplier, so I did, *and* I got the £30 credit for "switching". And they put my DD down by £10 a month, so its now literally half what they invoiced to me when I moved in nearly 5 years ago

So far, so good. But I haven't submitted a reading for at least 18 months _pale_ and last winter when I was so ill, I just didn't care (rightly, I think) what the cost was, I heated my home to take account of being so ill. But the possibilities of the financial impact have been nagging at me, and I haven't dealt with it.

Until today :j:j:j:j:j

I've used 300 more units than they estimate (since the "Tariff Comparison Rate is 12.98p per kWh, this means they're about £40 out). Gas is about tuppence ha'penny out

Which all means, after submitting the real figures, I'm £140 in credit :j:j:j:j:j

I can't tell you how relieved I am ... I've realised a few more ways I can be a frugalista, but I'm doing okay as is

Alchemilla · 26 June 2015 at 12:38PM

Better than okay.

Karmacat · 26 June 2015 at 12:58PM

Thank you Al! I've just hopped back online after trying to harvest the blackcurrants - there's quite a few thats ready, but they've got ants all over them. I'm not prepared to let the crop go without a fight this year, so I've gone back onto El's website to find the best way to shoo them off the blackcurrants.

shangaijimmy · 26 June 2015 at 3:05PM

Don't shout at me but... we had a flea problem a few years ago that were under patio. We tried all kinds to rid them, but in the end the only effective method was a concoction of Jays fluid, Bleach and Boiling water. I poured it on several times a day for a few days and gladly it worked. So not sure if i poisoned them, drowned them or scalded them but it got rid! It had gotten so bad we were finding them in the babies nappy, it was a horrendous few weeks and Mrs SJ nearly had a breakdown. We were covered in bites every morning and embarrassed to wear shorts or t shirts.

The council sprayed the house for us, and that didn't work. They insisted they couldn't possibly be coming from outside until i stood on a flag with white pants on and jumped up and down. Even covered in them he still insisted they were coming from inside.

So if all else fails chemicals may be your only option.

Sorry!

beanielou · 26 June 2015 at 8:02PM

Good result :j :j

Goldiegirl · 26 June 2015 at 8:29PM

Hoorah, you kept warm and saved money too.

I can't help with the ants, hope you can find a natural way to remove them

rtandon27 · 26 June 2015 at 10:34PM

Hi KC - if you can find where their nest is (usually a small pile of sand) a kettle or two of boiling water poured straight on it, will put an end to them at source - now while I'm all for balance in a garden, you can't let them overrun you & some selective culling is in order!

On the subject of selective culling, I've found out that the cute little bunnies that visit from the nearby farmer's field & munch on my clover filled lawn are routinely culled by the farm handyman. What ever am I going to do if he stops by and offers rabbit??? :eek:He's already been spotted with a brace of pheasent!:eek: I'm going to plead city-girl-itis & say that if it does not come on a styrofoam tray in unidentifiable cubes, that I've no clue what to do with it!:D

XO - enjoy your Saturday! will it involve a trip to the city? - RT

Karmacat · 27 June 2015 at 9:24AM

shangaijimmy wrote: »

Don't shout at me but...

.......

So if all else fails chemicals may be your only option.

Sorry!

#
I won't shout, I promise

thanks for posting, jimmy

I'm prepared to use chemicals on the ground as a last resort - I don't want to use chemicals on the plant itself, because that would cover the blackcurrants I intend to eat :eek:

Two applictions of vinegar/washing up liquid/water have made precious little difference - I'll do some more today, before I go out. I wonder if there's a time of day when ants are most active?

Goldie - thank you! Yep, I was really chuffed about the utility supply thing :j

rtandon27 wrote: »

Hi KC - if you can find where their nest is (usually a small pile of sand) a kettle or two of boiling water poured straight on it, will put an end to them at source - now while I'm all for balance in a garden, you can't let them overrun you & some selective culling is in order!

You're right about the selective culling ... I've always found that desperately hard, even when it comes to pruning plants, but I've realised that's just sentimentality taken to extremes

stuff dies because I live, whether its ants, carrots or lettuce, thats just how it is. Got to get on with it! I don't want to kill with boiling water tho - I'm sure its quick for the ones caught in it, its the ones on the edges that concern me

but I suppose thats the same for chemicals too

On the subject of selective culling, I've found out that the cute little bunnies that visit from the nearby farmer's field & munch on my clover filled lawn are routinely culled by the farm handyman. What ever am I going to do if he stops by and offers rabbit??? :eek:He's already been spotted with a brace of pheasent!:eek: I'm going to plead city-girl-itis & say that if it does not come on a styrofoam tray in unidentifiable cubes, that I've no clue what to do with it!:D

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: and this is why I'm veggie :rotfl: those bunnies have had a good life, though! I know someone who breeds bunnies for meat :eek: and also sells a few as pets :eek: I'll copy some of her stuff into a pdf and send it to you, if you like

it'll take a little while, but I can if you want. I dare you :eek:

XO - enjoy your Saturday! will it involve a trip to the city? - RT

Thanks honey! It *did* involve a trip to the city on the south coast - but, you know what, its a gorgeous day, I really don't want to be sat in a darkened lecture room for 2.5 hours ... I'm going to go to the resort next door to that city, have a look in the shops there, and sit on the beach and collect oyster shells. And if I run into the odd mate who still lives there, all the better :j:j:j

Let me know what you're doing

Karmacat · 28 June 2015 at 10:20AM

Morning! My day went brilliantly :j

A pillar candle in a charity shop for 99p, the new Julian Graves shop - 2.5kg of protein and 1kg of dried fruit for £7.75, and handfuls of broken shells from the beach for the garden, to deter slugs and snails from my plants

Shattered tho :rotfl: I just sat still and ate for the rest of the day

I've decided to buy some diatomaceous earth from ebay - £11.75 for 5kg, seems a good deal. And I have some paypal money from selling books

Today is much quieter - possibly a bit of garden work, it feels so good to be out there :j, but definitely some research on what to do on the next bit of Norfolk we'll be exploring on holibob.

muddywhitechicken · 28 June 2015 at 10:25AM

Good morning KC

Karmacat wrote: »

My day went brilliantly :j

:j sounds like a really lovely day :j

Breaking Through, Travelling On

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free