If things get tougher?

Barneysmom

sashanut wrote: »

Hi all

We have an open fire in 2 rooms downstairs which we light in the winter or when it gets cold in the evenings so we don't have to turn the CH on. When we moved in we had a supply of fuel in the cellar but that has all been used up so I suppose we will need to buy more at big prices (!) although we do use logs as well. Never thought of toasting on it but may invest in a toasting fork.....we do have a converted Aga in the kitchen (from solid fuel to gas) which stays on the whole year round.....in fact have to turn it off next week to be serviced & DD saw 'turn off Aga' on calendar - she was horrified...

Another suggestion - was thinking we don't have a camping stove but do have a BBQ with a gas cylinder - could use that at a push even if the weather was cold!!:D

Sometimes people give away wood on Freecycle, worth a look?

redfraggle_2

Barneysmom wrote: »

Sometimes people give away wood on Freecycle, worth a look?

Or approach a tree surgeon? This is what we do, and have permission to pop in his yard and take the logs - you ahve to bust them up yourself but then its all free and you get some exercise! Haven't paid for wood for 5 years!!!

mardatha

Am reading a book on WW1, and its awful. The bit that I'm reading jsut now is on the Home Front 1917. The people were starving and children were dying of malnutrition. It gives people's quotes and stories, old people who were growing up at the time. They used to steal turnips out of the fields on the way to school and gnaw them. That would be their breakfast. Their tea was bread and marg or bread and dripping.
The mums sent them out to collect dandelions and turnip tops, to be boiled up as greens. The boys caught rabbits and even tiny songbirds, to be made into pies, soups, dumplings, anything edible. The countryside was bad enough but the towns must have been worse.
Every day as we do our bit to scrimp and economize, lets all remember how hard it was for generations gone before, who passed on their common sense and endurance to us. I know I do, always.

Primrose

What is the title of the book you're reading mardatha? I find that period fascinating if depressing reading. My grandmother had to bring up six young children (including my mother) during WW1, and when I was young my mum was always telling me of the hardships they had to endure. But I guess, being young and more interested in the world around me, I never paid too much attention. Now I'm old enough to understand, and to realise that although times are hard at the moment, for most of us it's a piece of cake compared to what happened during those times.

moneysavingfamilycomp

i am always fascinated by the wars too or more specifically the women left at home. my granda was a soldier out in burma in world war two and my mum can still remember all the rationing etc even though she was only a child luckily my grandma only had 4 children the 5th was born after the war. lots of other families had 11 or 12 so not only were the women scrimping to feed and clothe all these children they also had the added disadvantages of no modern conveniences in the home very poor medical help should someone be ill and they were all technically single parents for aprox 4 to 6yrs. i dont know how they coped and that was on top of the constant worry that male family members wouldnt be coming home. god forbid we should ever have another war i dont think women these days are made of as strong stuff. so to anyone whos reading this who lived through those times or new someone who did they have my respect it was definately the original GIRL POWER

bullet_2

mardatha wrote: »

Am reading a book on WW1, and its awful. The bit that I'm reading jsut now is on the Home Front 1917. The people were starving and children were dying of malnutrition. It gives people's quotes and stories, old people who were growing up at the time. They used to steal turnips out of the fields on the way to school and gnaw them. That would be their breakfast. Their tea was bread and marg or bread and dripping.
The mums sent them out to collect dandelions and turnip tops, to be boiled up as greens. The boys caught rabbits and even tiny songbirds, to be made into pies, soups, dumplings, anything edible. The countryside was bad enough but the towns must have been worse.
Every day as we do our bit to scrimp and economize, lets all remember how hard it was for generations gone before, who passed on their common sense and endurance to us. I know I do, always.

I have a recipe book printed in 1917 (though I think my actual copy is more like 1930's due to the photographs) that has a recipe for blackbird pie.

moanymoany

My gran brought her three daughters and son up between the wars. She was widowed in 1926 and after that did what she could to make ends meet. She took in washing and all of the family were expected to help.

The food she gave to her children was mainly starchy 'filling' food - bread, potatoes - with basic veg. Meat was cheap cuts and offal and not very much of it.

Her son was killed in an accident, but the three girls went on to live into their 80's - in fact one is still going strong.

Daisymac_2

My parents came over yesterday and my Dad who is retired and reads all Papers and watches news all the time etc said he had read in the paper that we were in for the worst January for a long time weather wise, it basically said we have a good chance of snow and the temps are going to stay in the minuses for a long time. Anyone else heard this ?,

lauren_1

Yes i heard its going to be rain from mid oct -early nov, a bit brrr from then but cold crisp mornings until mid dec then snow snow and a bit more snow then properly freeze our bums off during january

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

mardatha wrote: »

Am reading a book on WW1, and its awful. The bit that I'm reading jsut now is on the Home Front 1917. The people were starving and children were dying of malnutrition. It gives people's quotes and stories, old people who were growing up at the time. They used to steal turnips out of the fields on the way to school and gnaw them. That would be their breakfast. Their tea was bread and marg or bread and dripping.
The mums sent them out to collect dandelions and turnip tops, to be boiled up as greens. The boys caught rabbits and even tiny songbirds, to be made into pies, soups, dumplings, anything edible. The countryside was bad enough but the towns must have been worse.
Every day as we do our bit to scrimp and economize, lets all remember how hard it was for generations gone before, who passed on their common sense and endurance to us. I know I do, always.

I was brought up by my grandmother who was born in 1906,she was lucky as her family was quite well off and even had a housemaid,(who is now my great aunt after falling in love with the elder son)My gran would tell me about the children who went to school bare foot(some even in winter) and that was something that no one would even think twice about as it was so normal.Children also went without proper winter clothing and she says people used to pawn things weekly just to buy food.She remembers watching the cattle being led down the street to the slaughterhouse and then going with the maid to the side door with a huge jug to have it filled( for a penny) with warm blood which they would take home and make into black pudding.A perk for the housemaid as she got to take some home for her family too(there were 15 children in her family).
I learned so much from my old gran and used to love listening to her telling me about her childhood and the 2nd world war days when she was bringing up her own children.Even though she herself had quite a priviledged upbringing she says what she saw in those days made her very thrifty herself as she was terrified she would ever have to live like that and was determined her own children would never do without.