If things get tougher?

FrankieM

mumoftwo wrote: »

Have you got a link for that Frankie? I typed it into the search but nothing came up.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1175429

This is the one....

HTH

mardatha

What do you think Mrs Mac ??? Innit brilliant ?

MRSMCAWBER

mardatha wrote: »

What do you think Mrs Mac ??? Innit brilliant ?

Ohhhhhh yes indeedy :j ... that is going to be working overtime -so I can stop using my damn awkward oven
hmmm what to make next :rotfl:

mardatha

makes great wee cakies....:)

MRSMCAWBER

mardatha wrote: »

makes great wee cakies....:)

ooohhh you are awfull :rotfl: I will end up putting all my podge back on :eek: -not that I have lost it all yet :rotfl:

ceridwen

The point that was made earlier is a good one - that we want to feel in control of our lives and being prepared helps with that.

It seems to me that we probably come out at about 50/50 between those who reckon "this is just another recession - been there/done that - ho hum" and those (in which I include myself) who are aware that we are now at Peak Oil and the future is "uncharted territory" as we go into a post-oil society. Whichever camp we fall in - the basics are the same - that we are trying to work out how to be sure we have the essentials: food/fuel/water/health care. I take due note of the founder of the Transition Towns Movement comment (ie Rob Hopkins) - to treat the transition to a Post Peak Society as more like a party than a protest march. Unlike the American approach - this uniquely British approach (though I gather the T.T. Movement is spreading to other countries) focuses round the phrase "Power of Community" and is about people getting together to deal with the situation and reskilling ourselves with the "old" skills (Yep - he even recommended a YouTube clip recently about how to darn a sock:D ). So - I am just thinking "If Cuba can do it (ie deal with a sudden drastic lessening of oil availability by the people starting to grow food everywhere possible) then so can we".

(Goes off musing still about JUST how many fruit trees there are around here sitting neglected in peoples gardens - and they arent either using the fruit themselves or giving it away :mad: - havent they ever heard of Freecycle? Why dont they put a notice there for people to come and "pick it yourselves"? If I had one of these madly prolific fruit trees it would be fully utilised - I'd take what I require myself and then get someone to come and pick the rest on the understanding that they got to keep a reasonable amount for themselves and they picked the rest to put in a box outside my place with a "Help Yourself" notice on for other people to get a chance of having a share). (EDIT; Now theres a road of rather nice houses near me - £500,000 worth nice - most with loads of fruit trees - anyone wondering why I keep an eye on Freecycle - I'm hoping!).

Being such a "links person" - then here are the two main links for finding out about the Transition Town Movement: the first being the general info one and the second focuses more around his own local T.T. Group (useful - because it gives the flavour of a group that is further "down the road" than many):

http://www.transitiontowns.org

http://transitionculture.org

It is something that I note that one is more likely to see a sense of optimism and note happy faces at T.T. events than anything - as people make new friends/make connections/start feeling more in control of their lives.

I personally think that we are very fortunate in having a person like Rob Hopkins alive now - a rather quirky and very modest guy - part of why I think this is doing so well - as he just doesnt seem to have an ego - he does the British self-deprecation to a "T" and really means it. One typical comment on the first link of the flavour of it:

!!Cheerful disclaimer! Just in case you were under the mistaken impression that Transition is a process defined by people who have all the answers, you need to be aware of a key fact. We truly don't know if this will work. Transition is a social experiment on a massive scale."

[Deleted User]

I`ve been on my bike to get a few things in and lol its great to see that people I don`t know have started to smile and wave to me. I know I must be a picture ie apple cheeked grey-haired granny on a bike but lol, maybe some more will be enticed out of their cars. The first few weeks were hard but I float along now, just take my time up all the hills and I am not nearly as wobbly. 6 miles today, 10 yesterday, 12 the day before and 36 the day before. Its so lovely on a nice day, picnic in panniers as me and my dh cycle along. He is like a mother hen behind me but hey I keep my independent mouth shut

Anyway that is me warmed up for the day. I have washed a couple of small rugs as it is ok for drying today. All my functional rugs are turtle mats collected over 10 years or more. Expensive at the time but very worth it. I just ordered another 100 x 75 for my carpeted hall as I noticed muddy water dripping of my bike yesterday (I keep it in the kitchen, on a mat, so I get encouraged to use it). Now I want to find a cycle hat cover as my hair was soaked yesterday. I was drowned coming home

Relaxing, pottering day today as I cooked enough fab stew for 3 days yesterday. Really nice as it had a tang from a couple of anchovies plus a few chopped olives plus some squashed home dried wild mushrooms. I got 1 1/4 lb of welsh black braising steak from the local butcher and it had no fat on it at all. Cost just over £5 and does 2 of us for 3 meals

I gave up on the knitted lap cover made from squares. The wool is slippery and I sewed it all together first but it was messy so I unpicked the sewing and crocheted the squares together and then noticed all the sewn in loose ends had started popping up. Doh, that has been a waste of time but waste not want not and I have started crocheting a lap cover from the squares and have glued the ends down after working them in

I have made a few alan dart toys and they are absolutely gorgeous. Have a look in simply knitting as there is a new one every month. I can`t wait to make the tooth fairy and have finished a lovely crib set of: mary, joseph and baby, 3 sheep, 2 camels, one donkey, 2 shepherds, 3 kings and one plump angel. They are for my dd as an heirloom. They are very lovely and the figures are about 5-6" high

the tooth fairy is down the page. The tooth goes into a little bag to be replaced by a coin

http://www.simplyknitting.co.uk/?catname=/Stop%20Press!

MRSMCAWBER

Argghhh Kittie

One day I will learn not to click on links to "crafty items" :rotfl:

I WANT that advent christmas tree .... heck ..I can knit just fine -as long as it only involves 2 needles :rotfl: but its the sewing up I struggle with :mad: .. I knitted a polar bear (my 1st attempt) and when i sewed him up he looked like road kill :rotfl:
going now to look at that link properly ..hmmm shall I buy a subscription

katieowl_2

Slightly OT but everso slightly....as there are knitters reading this thread, has anyone seen an online knitting pattern for a stocking stictch tea-pot cosy (to keep my tea nice and hot - which is VERY OS )

I have a design in my head, which I can work out (involves a small separate knitted mouse :rotfl: ) I just need the basics of how many stiches to cast on and how to shape it!

Regards

Kate

mardatha

Let me look for that for you Owl!
Mrs Mac, I am sure "roadkill" could be the next have-to-have toy
Ceridwen-(EDIT; Now theres a road of rather nice houses near me - £500,000 worth nice - most with loads of fruit trees - I would be knitting a black balaclava and buying a black backpack.... !!