really old style living?

littleowl

Madartha - is there nothing that would tempt him into the garden? What are his interests? Does he like food? If so does he taste the difference between home grown and supermarket stuff?

I understand the difficulty. Some men work all their lives looking forward to retirement to 'do nothing'. That is so sad. Life is for enjoying new things and experiences not sitting in a chair waiting for - what?

Is there no-one - family or friends who could do some of the heavy work for you in return for some produce? (I'll bet your OH would feel not a little miffed that you had to find a helper!)

mardatha

The RV thinks everybody in here is as mad as a box of frogs. Inc me. The son who lives near, god I wish he would help, I even thought of asking for one days labour as my birthday pressie - but since my birthday is at Xmas that wouldnt be much good LOL! unless it was shovelling snow.
I think that is the problem annie - if I could get it sorted then maintainance is easy, its just setting it up is hard. We been in here 21-22 years and the garden was always just grass with borders, because we werent interested in it and busy working.
And yes, I should offer "working holidays in the glorious Scottish moorlands " if you can fit into my shed. :rotfl:

csarina

Mardatha,

I am so lucky with my OH, he is 77 and apart from the wretched dizzies is very fit.

He spends most mornings in the garden, he started a new veg patch when we came here, we had an allotment prior to us moving. He also helps me with the heavy jobs in the garden.

We both big readers, keep the local library figures up taking out 8 books at a time.

I get to have a lie in on Saturday mornings and I get my breakfast in bed.

I have arthritis and fybromyalgia, sometimes I just cannot do anything, when I am suffering, and its stress that seems to bring the fibro surge, OH does all he can for me, except the cooking, so I keep hm meals in the supper. He is fine ding things on toast or sandwiches etc but main meal cooking is beyond him.

annie123

Hubby calls me and the whole MSE old style thing, "English eccentricity" says we're all nuts but thats why he loves me

I've just checked on Landshare are there are people registered looking in your 'area' Mar,might be worth a look at.
Also found some druids looking for a big plot to plant a wood :cool: tell the RV druids moving in nearby, will make you look more 'normal';)

meanmarie

Sorry no constructive advice to offer Mardatha, OH is not keen on gardening but makes an effort now and again, purely for the taste as he considers my moneysaving efforts silly....if you have money you spend it and get what you want is his attitude, which was probably why I had to scrimp and save to feed, clothe and educate my children....that was my choice and am not sorry as they are all now independent and in a position to help me financially if I need help!

Marie

mardatha

Thanks for that annie, I looked at Landshare but the're all the other side of the moor. Too long a trail for anybody and plus the RV would probly whine about it. I think maybe I need to just do a teeny bit at a time myself. (and then I can whine instead. Which is much better than letting him do it)

ginnyknit

Mardatha hunny, what everyone says is true, you support us all and also in my case give me a swift kick up the bum when I need it - but -theres that but - as I have found not long ago I was superwoman and now Im not and I do too much so I need to find a balance. If you were sat all day yes you wouldn't be as tired yet you wouldn't be fulfilled as a person. The only thing you can hope is that he grasps that , men are like children and have to be bribed and convinced everything is their idea. So you need a plan to get him to work on your kids to do the garden as a gift for you while you are out with him doing his thing. Dh and I have learned the hard way that if he wants to do something he has to enable me to do my thing ie if he wants to go fishing we have to make sure Ive got the things I need to take the day off while he is out. He has changed a great deal since he got ill and is a much better person now. Now he worries that my arthiritis will get too bad for me to look after him so is being extra nice - the x rays show its in my neck, spine, right shoulder and shoulder blade and I already knew it was in my knees and hands. Although today despite the stress of yesterday its pretty good!

NualaBuala

Phew! I have just spent ages trying to catch up on this thread!

Winged_one wrote: »

NualaBuala, I am not sure, but you may still get some brassica plants from seed merchants (I know T&M usen't deliver plants to Irelannd, only seeds, but Suttons used to do both) - too late for brussels sprouts probably but you might still get some purple or white sprouting brocolli, or cabbages, or cauliflowers. And for earlier crops next spring, put in a few peas (meteor variety are good - you need round rather than wrinkled seeds I think, or else the other way around, but whichever Meteor are) and broad beans (AquaDulce Claudia variety), you might even get a late crop of both from seeds put in this week (I know some years, when frosts aren't too early, I've had peas to Christmas week in the plots in Goatstown) - again choose an early variety. I buy a few things in bulk from the Asian supermarkets, which can help too. I buy a lot of my spices there as they are VERY good value, and I tend to get large bags of rice, ghee, spice mixes and tins of beans there too. The fresh veg can be good value too. The one on William St South (I think, or else Drury St - very near George's St arcade) is good, and so is the one about 2 doors away from Mr Middleton's Garden shop on Mary Street (keep going straight down Henry St from O'Connell St, and just past the toyshops).

Baking goods tend to have lots of offers on around October every year - extra dried fruit free, good value on double packs of flour etc. So I stock up on nough of those for most of the year then, and store them on top of the cupboards for when I need them.

And I also tend to head to Northern Ireland a couple of times a year to stock up on tins, pasta, rice, and other non-perishables. Lots cheaper.

Theoretically, I should be able to avoid the supermarkets more than I do, but there aren't great options for local greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers and bakery near us (they are all in different directions), so I go to the SM most weeks. But I do go "local" when I can and skip the SM.

Thank you so much WingedOne! :T:T:T Fab info and advice there. I confess I used to be a bit afraid of the chinese supermarket but now I love it. I go to that one you mentioned and get my big 5L vinegars for cleaning there. I must check out Mr Middleton too. I'm not sure I will be living here come spring so anything I sow/plant will have to be in containers. I might do a NI run too if I can get a lift.

ThriftyFelicity wrote: »

Here is a list of things to sow in August:

August sowing

(I knew there were more...)

Some are for overwintering, not ready until spring, others are for a winter crop. I didn't know fennel could be sown this late!

More great info, thank you!

mardatha wrote: »

The horrible thing about ME is that you can lie onna couch and plot & scheme & plan....but when it comes to getting off the couch and doing something, things turn to custard.
I'm having a very custardy day ! But love reading what you're all doing. And thanks to the support, inspiration and backup in here, my freezer is full for the first time ever since I had one

I've been thinking the same thing! I have all these ideas and plans but rarely have the energy to put my cunning plans into action. No idea what to suggest re your OH - I wonder is there some way to convince him that your plans will somehow benefit him (naturally they will, but perhaps he can't see that yet). What does RV mean? He is right though - we are all mad as a box of frogs!

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

Is anybody else in here 60-ish ( or ill )? - Do you think maybe its too old to be starting a new type of living ? My OH is not at all supportive, and on bad days when I'm knackered he blames it all on me and my "silly ideas"...(that means gardening !!) and thinks I should spend all my days on the couch watching telly or polishing bloody ornaments:eek: Please gimme some shining examples of folk who do wonders to use as ammunition!

Catherine Cookson started writing novels. Grandma Moses started painting. Thats two well-known ones that instantly came to mind. Think they might both have started in their 80s????

People I know/have heard of personally have done things like going across a desert on the back of a camel in one case, taken up learning to play the voilin in another case. What about those people who have completed a Open University degree after retiring?

Never too late to be what you might have been - to quote a phrase.:D:D

I DO hope the RV isnt coming over all jealous - because he suspects you might be more capable than him?

Welsh_Poppy

Mardatha

My hubby is disabled and gets very frustrated at unable to do what he wants or used to be able to do but is a darling and I love him to bits we do everything together.
I am sure your hubby will have to get used to you and your gardening:-)

Mine might take 4 times as long to do a job I cant do in garden but will try his best we spend 24/7 together as I am his carer and I love it not sure how I had time to work before:-)
Just wish we had acres to work on.

made victoria plum conserve today
courgette jam
tomato chutneys
Looking too make more I love it just need more storage in kitchen would love a pantry:-)