It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

Charis

kezlou wrote: »

Car box
blankets / sleeping bags
torches + spare batteries
first aid kit
car jack
haynes manual
spare tyre
a flask of hot chocolate
water
snacks like crisps etc
spare clothing - lots of socks
towels
deicer
wd40 - if anything is frozen solid this will de-ice it straight away

I remember from last year that we should also carry a spade to dig ourself out and an old blanket or piece of carpet to give traction if the wheels spin in the ice/snow (you leave it behind, apparently). Someone said take nightlights and something safe to stand them in while they burn (old biscuit tin), plus matches to light them. Apparently the warmth from a single nightlight can make all the difference if the car is stuck in snow. Let some fresh air in occasionally. We were also warned not to run the engine to heat the car if stuck in deep snow because fatal fumes can build up inside the car. Muesli bars and high calorie snacks will help keep you warm if stuck for several hours. Also don't spray WD40 under the bonnet unless you really know what you're doing, as it can loosen things you don't want it to. A road map will be useful in the event of flooding or other temporary road closures. The flask and the water bottle need to be kept in the kitchen, rather than in the car, somewhere you will remember to fill them and take them with you. A couple of Beanie hats might save your ears from dropping off.

AnnieG

lambanana wrote: »

Been talking about buying a house with MiL today and whilst she said there's no rush I still felt a bit rubbish when she was saying how detached houses are better and we should get a place with two toilets...well maybe she's used to having that but I've only ever had two toilets when we rented a new build flat and you can only use one at a time!!! I've never lived in a detached house and the only people I know who do still complain about their neighbours and the others on the street so I don't see it can really be that much better than any other house.

.... and you can't use the neighbours' heating if you're in a detached house!!

Chipps

gailey wrote: »

Hes destroyed 3rd phone we brought him this year well broke the screen on it deliberatly.

The 1st one he deliberatly dragged accriss escaleter in tesco which broke went mad as was expensive phone for his birthday, 2nd he dropped in river 3rds only very cheapy nokia as all these phones costing us fortune.

I'm afraid in our house he wouldn't get it replaced any more - he'd have to earn the pocket money to buy a new one if he wanted it. Learning to look after things is a good life skill to have, and knowing that money does not magically appear is another one.

betony

annie123 wrote: »

The history of council housing:

http://environment.uwe.ac.uk/video/cd_new_demo/conweb/house_ages/council_housing/print.htm

Whilst the housing situation is far from ideal at the mo, we should all remember that we are all a lot better off where ever we live, than many millions of others on this planet who live in appalling conditions and have lives far far worse than we can or would want to imagine.


Many people in the slums in London didn't want to move at the turn of the last century, they had lived there for years and built up close knit communities, but it was better for the health of them individually, their children and the nation.
If this change hadn't happened many would still be living in those conditions today, so changes made now may, or may not benefit those who are alive now, but it may benefit your children, grandchildren and great grand children.

As the saying goes....If we carry on doing what we've always done, then we get what we've always got.
If we never tried to do something different we will never find better ways of doing thing things.


So whilst things are tough here, they could have been a lot lot worse for all of us.
Great great grandparents may not have made it to adult hood, so many of us may not have been born:eek:

Could you imagine life here on old style with out our Mardatha:eek::eek::eek:

Well said Annie! :T:T:T

And hello, Mardatha and Ginnyknit, :wave:fancy seeing you here, thought you lived in the Really Old Style Living thread!

*Whispers to everyone else on this thread, so Mardatha can't hear - "Mardatha's got a thing about sheep you know..."* :rotfl:

gailey_2

stepsons here partime so is mam gets maintainace and to control pocket money.

Hubbys already said never buying him another phone its up to his mam.

I sure hes been tested for dylexia and hes not got it.
I have tested his reading hes few years behind in reading age.

Hes getting lots of extra help and support in school.
The schools one of best more proudly academic in his town we thourght he would improve and the atmosphere would rub off on him.

Just frustrating as hes making no effort, no ambition and throwing his life away, suspect hes only got 4more years school left if leaves at 16.

Realised randomly wrote xmas instead of test earlier and ammended.
Its all you lot talking about xmas feeling bad I not started yet.

The baby seemed to love cows milk 1st was nightmare to wean so quite glad no fuss but unsure when to give up the breastfeeding not sure im ready yet but hopefully doing carboot with mate tommorow and wont have to express.

The_Thrilla

EstherH wrote: »

Do you know what the difference is between a convector heater and oil filled radiator?

The fan heater will only heat the place while it is on, and will circulate air. Also - certainly the one I've got - will blow cold air in the summer. Or you can open the windows and the trapdoor to the loft for nothing.

The oil-filled radiatior will take a while to heat up, and will retain its heat for a while after it has been switched off. It will not circulate heat as effectively as the fan heater. On the other hand it will produce more heat per unit consumed, because the energy is not consumed driving a fan motor. It is also less likely to break down, because it does not have the moving parts that the fan has. Finally, it is easier to drape something wet over to keep the air moist. That is important to me, because I have a lot of expensive musical instruments and antique furniture.

So the fan heater will warm a room quickly, while the oil-filled heater, over time, is more efficient moneywise.

ceridwen

lambanana wrote: »

Been talking about buying a house with MiL today and whilst she said there's no rush I still felt a bit rubbish when she was saying how detached houses are better and we should get a place with two toilets...well maybe she's used to having that but I've only ever had two toilets when we rented a new build flat and you can only use one at a time!!! I've never lived in a detached house and the only people I know who do still complain about their neighbours and the others on the street so I don't see it can really be that much better than any other house.

Well - to be devils advocate here for MIL - I know exactly where she's coming from about having a detached house. Yes - you might still have neighbour problems - but the only ones my parents ever mention are my mother taking great delight in retailing off to me just how ..<cough> varied the lovelife is of one of her neighbours:rotfl::rotfl:. They certainly don't have any problems as such <green with envy - though obviously pleased for them>. If a house is detached - then you have more privacy in your own home - as its not possible for neighbours to hear your conversations(<cough> etc) through the walls - rather than "having" to keep your voice down to prevent them overhearing. You can have music on that bit louder. You can use the vacuum cleaner or washing machine in the night without worrying you might be disturbing the neighbours. You can't hear each others phones or doorbells going. YOu don't share a wall with a neighbour (so no problems about any neglect of their houses might affect your house). Most of all - neighbours noise cant come through the walls and disturb your peace and quiet...

As for two loos - well..if there's more than one person in the household and you both "want to go" at the same time....no "crossing legs" for either of you.

But then - I'm "in the same camp" as your MIL on that - speaking personally - I wouldnt dream of having a house that WASNT detached if it wasnt for lack of money:(:mad:

ceridwen

gailey wrote: »

Thanks everyone for thinking of me.

Looking ebay/paper for bed problem is most local pickup and cant fit it in silly tiny car.
might try asking if will deliver for petrol money.

plums -we lucky have several greengage plum trees round here and dads exited as think I found voctoria plums.
Obessed with picking as muc as possible.

school hols activities we lucky lots to do here free or cheap at church,libary and leisure problem is son wants to do all the expensive activities.

had drama today stepson complaining of chest pains hubby took im local hospital they did lots of tests can find nothing wrong so now hubbys wondering if wind up.

Also year 7 school report not great, his mam said better than she was expecting god knows what she considers bad.
Hes failing in most subjects, not sure about attendance but couple of tests hes got 0percent.

Most teachers say same think, lacks concentration, disruptive, does not follow instruction, try enough ect.
Also seems an issue with homework.

We knew hes behind in reading and maths which also affects his science but thourght in softer subjects like humanities, pe, rs, computing and music he might find a talent to shine at.

Dont know if everyone elses same but its split into sections and graded and despite strugglings hes achiving very poor score on effort and behaviour which I feel is something at 12 he should control. Hubbys really worried hes going to leave school with no qualifications at this rate and cant force his mam,stepdad to take more active role in education, feel a bit powerless.

Hes destroyed 3rd phone we brought him this year well broke the screen on it deliberatly.

The 1st one he deliberatly dragged across escalater in tesco which broke went mad as was expensive phone for his birthday, 2nd he dropped in river 3rds only very cheapy nokia as all these phones costing us fortune.
Hes obssessed with his i tunes anyone know cheaper alternative for i pod.
Despite saying we have to be careful with money hes still I want I want today.

.

OooH...re that deliberate phonebreaking/gimme attitude....must admit the phrase came straight to my mind of "I want - doesnt get". Do parents say that anymore to their children? I havent heard it for many years now...

I must say that when he deliberately broke the first one - he would have been told that he either did without or bought himself another one out of his pocketmoney.

ceridwen

AnnieG wrote: »

.... and you can't use the neighbours' heating if you're in a detached house!!

..but then you might find the neighbours are using YOUR heating in a house that ISNT detached......a fact I never realised until I started being more careful about when I switched mine on....:cool::mad:. At that point I realised the only way my house had achieved a background of not being that cold was because of my OWN heating and remembered that the neighbours' heating isnt up to much.....(I could understand why they hadnt dealt with that - even though they have the money to do so at that point...):cool:

Last winter was the first time I had noticed the neighbours using their sitting room fire much (glow showing through the window/my wall getting "warmer" at the back of it). I think it took them some weeks to realise that I wasnt paying towards their fuel bills anymore before they started using it...

northwest1965

gailey wrote: »

stepsons here partime so is mam gets maintainace and to control pocket money.

Hubbys already said never buying him another phone its up to his mam.

I sure hes been tested for dylexia and hes not got it.
I have tested his reading hes few years behind in reading age.

Hes getting lots of extra help and support in school.
The schools one of best more proudly academic in his town we thourght he would improve and the atmosphere would rub off on him.

Just frustrating as hes making no effort, no ambition and throwing his life away, suspect hes only got 4more years school left if leaves at 16.

Realised randomly wrote xmas instead of test earlier and ammended.
Its all you lot talking about xmas feeling bad I not started yet.

The baby seemed to love cows milk 1st was nightmare to wean so quite glad no fuss but unsure when to give up the breastfeeding not sure im ready yet but hopefully doing carboot with mate tommorow and wont have to express.

If it was my stepson, like others we wouldnt be getting a new one and i tunes would be out of the question. (see I said I was a stepmonster) How often does he come gailey? could you & hubby control the spending money?

As for the school, its difficult isnt it as to har far 'you' can get involved. Does hunny go to parents evenings with ex? He might get more of an insight into things. When my stepkids come they bring homework with them at weekends, thats good because OH can see exactly how they're progressing.

Back to the subject of loo rolls, I bought some from farmfoods. I must say I'm impressed.:T OH hasnt road tested them yet!

Nearly forgot, re i tunes, did you see that piece in Martins email this week about downloading albums etc, cheap prices?