If things get tougher?

aurorahelios

Ceridwen you mention growing your own and while I agree with the sentiment it isn't always that easy. I do have an allotment where I grow a lot of stuff successfully and while I'd love to grow more food in my gardens I'm hampered massively by the local cat population. I have blackberries and herbs which were rendered useless this year by a cat spraying them and potatoes springing up from a previous crop were unusable because a cat decided to use that part of my garden as its toilet. I've always liked cats but this year I'm feeling murderous towards them because they've rendered roughly half of my garden crop unusable.

fedupfreda

ceridwen wrote: »

Hi pagangirl

I know what you mean. I guess the phrase "not looking further than the end of their nose" comes to mind here. It feels like some people are walking along the same pavements as me - but living in a parallel universe to me sometimes - as I watch them carry on as normal.

I have come to the conclusion that people fall basically into one of three different "camps" on their personal Timeclock as I call it.

Group 1 - literally focusing on today and maybe not even thinking as far ahead as next week.

Group 2 - focusing as far ahead as the next year or two

Group 3 - focusing decades/maybe even centuries ahead.

I think most people are in Group 2, there's a noticeable number in Group 1. There doesn't seem to be that many in Group 3 - shame, as I'd like some more "company in the room". Maybe it boils down to what your personal experience of life is/what your belief system is which "group" you fall into??

Ceridwen, I totally agree, far too many people display an ostrich mentality, sticking their heads in the sand and hoping that someone else will sort out the problem:sad: I guess too much state interference has wiped out a lot of peoples self-reliance skills (and the fact that those that do practice self-reliance i.e saving, living within their means etc seem to be penalised - but don't get me started on that..:mad: )

I think a lot of people have seen the inevitable and its just too challenging to contemplate. But as I am sure a lot of us know by personal experience, once you have been forced to confront a problem head on, you feel more confident about dealing with anything else life decides to throw at you. After all, LIFE is what it's all about - not MONEY. Unfortunately global society seems to view money and possessions as the be all and end all. Maybe the current economic climate is just the labour pains of a new society where money no longer has prime importance? We all know how painful and hard work birth can be - but look at the beautiful result at the end

mardatha

Moonflower, I have one and its great for emergencies. You can buy packs of 12 refills in Argos for about £15 I think. But its only for powercuts really, would cost too much to use as a cooker. I love it though cos its so neat and easy to store.

mardatha

Aurora, what about netting over it ? does that work?

BigMummaF

I posted earlier on the Grocery Challenge, that I suspect the current absurdly-high price cuts are merely a ruse. The example I gave was:-
A jar of Fudgit Budget curry sauce..Oct 18th cost 4p. On Nov 1st, the price was 26p, then the shops announce Price Cuts! & the price "drops" to 20p, thus producing 16p profit on the original item but us mugs tugging our forelocks in gratitude that we've 'saved' 6p :mad:
The worrying thing is--this is legal practise & goes on ALL the time!

ceridwen

aurorahelios wrote: »

Ceridwen you mention growing your own and while I agree with the sentiment it isn't always that easy. I do have an allotment where I grow a lot of stuff successfully and while I'd love to grow more food in my gardens I'm hampered massively by the local cat population. I have blackberries and herbs which were rendered useless this year by a cat spraying them and potatoes springing up from a previous crop were unusable because a cat decided to use that part of my garden as its toilet. I've always liked cats but this year I'm feeling murderous towards them because they've rendered roughly half of my garden crop unusable.

I can understand the sentiments:rolleyes: . I have put pebbles on the bare bits of soil in my containers - so there isnt much bare earth for them to mistake as a toilet and also put netting over the top. Hopefully that will be enough:D If I had enough land that I was growing rather more - I would be wondering about those sorta gadgets that generate a noise that humans cant hear, but cats are supposed to thoroughly dislike. Don't know if they are any good??

The readymade square foot gardening "raised beds" I have bought have their own igloo type greenhouse covers - I'd like to see a cat manage to get into one of them:D

ceridwen

fedupfreda wrote: »

Ceridwen, I totally agree, far too many people display an ostrich mentality, sticking their heads in the sand and hoping that someone else will sort out the problem:sad: I guess too much state interference has wiped out a lot of peoples self-reliance skills (and the fact that those that do practice self-reliance i.e saving, living within their means etc seem to be penalised - but don't get me started on that..:mad: )

I think a lot of people have seen the inevitable and its just too challenging to contemplate. But as I am sure a lot of us know by personal experience, once you have been forced to confront a problem head on, you feel more confident about dealing with anything else life decides to throw at you. After all, LIFE is what it's all about - not MONEY. Unfortunately global society seems to view money and possessions as the be all and end all. Maybe the current economic climate is just the labour pains of a new society where money no longer has prime importance? We all know how painful and hard work birth can be - but look at the beautiful result at the end

errr.....not having had children....I have to take other people's word for it about how painful, etc, birth is.....er....I DID take their word for it - it was one of the reasons I didn't want any myself;) - but I understand the sentiment you expressed:D

I hope you are right that this is societal "labour pains" and the end result will be worth it. I do understand why people "bury their heads in the sand" - it IS scarey taking a good hard look at things face-on. But stuff doesnt go away just because you don't deal with it - dealing with whatever-it-is in life in any context ensures a better outcome than just sitting there HOPING for a good outcome.

oystercatcher

A camping stove would be more expensive to run than a normal gas cooker. Don't cook electric but imagine camping would cost more too.
I think it's a good idea to have a camping stove on standby in case of power failure though.
Ours is all sitting the garage safely, we won't be camping any more but I feel reassured that the stuff is there for emergencies, lamps cookers candles and all sorts

Oystercatcher

aurorahelios

mardatha wrote: »

Aurora, what about netting over it ? does that work?

Unfortunately it doesn't stop them spraying which, has been the main cause of my losses this year.

aurorahelios

ceridwen wrote: »

The readymade square foot gardening "raised beds" I have bought have their own igloo type greenhouse covers - I'd like to see a cat manage to get into one of them:D

I'm intrigued, do you have a link so I can see what it looks like please.

I've known a couple of people who have bought the electronic cat repellent things to find they don't work. It seems to work initially and then the cats get used to it and carry on as normal.