It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

Hardup_Hester

I haven't posted for ages, but finally feel I have something to say, lol.
My water rates are £48 a month, I'm considering changing to a meter, I have put it off in case we have another lodger as I find lodgers very wasteful with water & electricity etc.
We have 2 water butts, one we fitted soon after we moved in, the 2nd we bought when hubby built the new shed.
I made lemon curd last night, I haven't made any for ages, it tastes delicious.
I hope Sammy is ok.
Hugs Hester

ceridwen

Hi Hester:wave:

Long time no see:)

So - how have you got on with that long raised bed in your garden that you had the Minder do for you?

AnnieG

Thanks everyone, I'll keep on looking, there are a couple of possibilities at the moment so fingers crossed... I'm currently bracing myself for the start of the summer holidays and having DS at home all day, he is in the middle of a growth spurt and asks for something to eat every five minutes. Fortunately he's going away with his dad for a fortnight but I'm trying to come up with 5 weeks worth of snacks that won't break the bank or rot his teeth! He's very good and will often accept a piece of fruit or a chunk of cucumber, but that's not going to fill him up all holidays!!

floss2

AnnieG wrote: »

... I'm currently bracing myself for the start of the summer holidays and having DS at home all day, he is in the middle of a growth spurt and asks for something to eat every five minutes. Fortunately he's going away with his dad for a fortnight but I'm trying to come up with 5 weeks worth of snacks that won't break the bank or rot his teeth! He's very good and will often accept a piece of fruit or a chunk of cucumber, but that's not going to fill him up all holidays!!

How about rice cakes? Or homemade roasted vegetable crisps?

elizabunny

I have just lost my whole post!!!!! How I hate that!!

Morning everyone, although it will probably be afternoon by the time this gets done.

Thank you Tregemred for your valuable advice, it is most appreciated. I had a rabbit as a child, but that was a lo..............ng time ago and my memory is not so good. I reallly like the sound of your 'ark'.

Feeling pleased today because I have just picked dwarf beans and new potatoes from the garden for dinner tonight, so that has saved me a bit. However, can anyone tell me how to deter 'Thrushes' from digging about in my raised beds, they're driving me potty. I have hung bird feeders in other parts of the garden, covered the beds with mesh and we have a revolving bird scarer and a (don't laugh) plastic Owl! All seemingly pointless as everything I planted yesterday has been re-arranged or removed. This will not help to feed us thru the winter or the years of austerity which we are all expecting.

I hear from the news that the unemployement figures have fallen by 34,000, just can't help wondering if this is the calm before the storm, with all the cuts that are being planned. Both public and private sectors will be affected and this must surely lead to job losses, or am I missing something? Surely if the schools don't get rebuilt/refurbished and the leisure centres don't get their grants for improvement then the building industry will be affected. Just focussing on one area here, because there are so many cuts to be made, goodness only knows where we're all going to end up.

Tregemred

Not sure if this is the right place to post. Mods, feel free to move.

Just heard that hay for the winter is 3 times the price paid last year. The dry late spring and early summer has slowed grass growth to a crawl. The harvest so far is very poor. This is inevitably going to cause a spike in the price of meat. This could affect other foodstuffs too with lower yield from grain, through pulses to other veg.

Time to work on the storecupboard and freezer I think.

TGR _pale_

AnnieG

elizabunny wrote: »

I hear from the news that the unemployement figures have fallen by 34,000, just can't help wondering if this is the calm before the storm, with all the cuts that are being planned. Both public and private sectors will be affected and this must surely lead to job losses, or am I missing something? Surely if the schools don't get rebuilt/refurbished and the leisure centres don't get their grants for improvement then the building industry will be affected. Just focussing on one area here, because there are so many cuts to be made, goodness only knows where we're all going to end up.

I heard that too, and then that the number of people taking part time jobs has increased dramatically, so I think that a lot of that reduction is due to people taking part time hours rather than nothing. I've always worked full time, but now that I'm unemployed I'd take part time work, which isn't something I would have considered previously.

And yes, I think that there will be a huge knock on effect from the scrapping of the school building project. I'm struggling to think what the 'boom' industry will be in the coming years.... although I've had several emails from 'consultants' who 'are prepared to review my CV and help me with my job search'. I didn't bother sking how much they were after!!

AnnieG

floss2 wrote: »

How about rice cakes? Or homemade roasted vegetable crisps?

Ooh, good idea, and he could help make the crisps, he loves cooking. Thanks :beer:

mardatha

I wouldn't believe govt or official figures if they told me today was Wednesday !

elizabunny

AnnieG wrote: »

I heard that too, and then that the number of people taking part time jobs has increased dramatically, so I think that a lot of that reduction is due to people taking part time hours rather than nothing. I've always worked full time, but now that I'm unemployed I'd take part time work, which isn't something I would have considered previously.

And yes, I think that there will be a huge knock on effect from the scrapping of the school building project. I'm struggling to think what the 'boom' industry will be in the coming years.... although I've had several emails from 'consultants' who 'are prepared to review my CV and help me with my job search'. I didn't bother sking how much they were after!!

Good luck with the job hunting AnnieG. I hope something turns up for you really soon. It really is such a worrying time for everyone and all we can do is our best and keep at it. Perhaps at least, us OS are better equiped than some poor souls, who really don't know where to begin with it all.