It isn`t tough for us. We are OS and we COPE

charlies-aunt

Just thought that this website might be worth a look

American in content but lots of the hints and tips are UK-friendly too

Very focused on frugality

http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

kezlou

dizzybuff sorry to hear about your worries etc. It will be hard but you will get through this.
Were (me and my partner) currently going through the same thing, four days ago my partner lost his job, leaving us both unemployed.
What a phone call to get!

Thanks everyone for the advice regarding jumpers etc, think i'm going to have a go at body warmers instead. Will let you know how i get on. Its still freezing here at the mo.

going to have a go at knitting later on, found a ball of wool and two knitting needles. may try and make a hat for myself.
After the last ones i bought mysteriously went walkies courtesy of the Oh and boys.
We've been spending the last few days looking into websites, logo's insurance funding, the list is endless. didn't manage to go to the quilting class today as i was just far too tired.

Finally had a go at hand making bread. haven't made like this literally for years, last time we just gave up as hard work:o. We use the bread machine to make the dough then cook it in the oven. but hand made it turned out really well .
Going to make some more tomorrow, it was so soft and airy. Decided we needed to use open the two tins of allisons yeast we were given, may as well before it goes out of date. Saves using the fast action stuff.

So far we've been very frugal, OH has jumped head first into it, food wise. the freezer is slowly emptying, still got a bit in, hopefully we can last till the end of the week without going shopping. Now its just surviving till we decide what to do next.

hope your all well and coping. It will soon start warming up after all it didn't get dark till 5pm! A whole extra half hour of grey:D

ChocClare

A gloomy evening in Casa dei ChocClari as DD has gone to bed with a sore throat, DH turned the heating off this morning and forgot to turn it to come back on so we are sitting here wrapped in blankets and (DH at least) wearing sherpa hats. However, the fire is lit, and my feet are slowly warming up. The walls in our sitting room are over a metre thick, so once it's cold, it stays cold...

Anyway, the gloom is largely due to DH's reading articles online about possible fuel rationing. Admittedly, it's something reported in the Daily Fascist, so not normally anything I'd lend any credulity to, but I think mardatha mentioned something a while back about hauliers being balloted about rising petrol prices (am I making this up?), so he's just asking me whether I think he should stock up on biodiesel in case I can't get petrol to get myself to work.

To be honest, if there were fewer cars on the road, DD and I could both cycle to work/school, as we wouldn't be taking our lives in our hands. Perhaps the time has come to invest in a trap, then we could get 'Ermione the 'Orse to ferry us there for nowt!

In other news, DS has excelled himself by bringing home Seville oranges. These are simmering on the stove as we speak, though I may do the actual marmalade making tomorrow, as I've just noticed it's already twenty to ten.

I'm trying to use my list that I put up earlier (it was my New Year resolution to stick to it more closely) but the coriander is still lying unsown on the kitchen side. Another task for tomorrow.

Hugs to all that need them, particularly to those who are facing challenging circumstances with their health, wealth or personal life: reading this continues to be inspirational and very supportive. What could be more OS than nourishing our local (online) community? And mary-op, you are a shining light of positivity! You go, girl!

mardatha

It was posted on another forum that the tanker drivers are balloting for strike action for a pay rise that they've been trying to get for 2 years yes. But that's not to say they will strike. However it wouldn't go wrong to have some cans put by in the shed ...

Charis

mardatha wrote: »

It was posted on another forum that the tanker drivers are balloting for strike action for a pay rise that they've been trying to get for 2 years yes. But that's not to say they will strike. However it wouldn't go wrong to have some cans put by in the shed ...

I had a home fire inspection recently and one of the things they check for is fuel stored on domestic premises. You can store some but there is a strict limit on the amount and it has to be in properly designed containers:

1. What is the limit of the amount of petrol I can store for domestic use?
2. The Petroleum Spirit (Motor Vehicles etc.) Regulations 1929 and the Petroleum Spirit (Plastic Containers) Regulations 1982 limit the amount of petrol that can be kept in a domestic garage or within six metres of a building (e.g. most domestic driveways).
   

There are full details on the linked page above. Just so no one here goes and gets themself arrested

ChocClare

Thanks for this. We don't ever have more than two jerrycans of petrol (phew - we're legal!) but there isn't a limit on diesel, so we do store more than that.

Just wanted to add that EVERY TIME there is a film on where "diesel" bursts into flames I have to endure a long lecture from DH on why that doesn't happen. It's a bit like in the Simpsons where everything that crashes (deer, bicycles, wooden go-karts) go up in a mighty explosion whenever they crash We live in a thatched cottage so DH is our own little fire inspector about EVERYTHING. Mind you, our garage is several miles away from the house (or so it seems, when I slog out there early in the morning because the milk is in the fridge we keep out there)...

dizzybuff

Well nothing OS has happened for the last few days , Im still waiting for DD to put in an appearance and am expecting this in the next day or so due to pressure , swelling etc. Its getting hard to move so being OS is hard . Well thats my excuse anyway . I have to be in work tomorrow for my appeal for redundency so no doubt the baby will come tonight . I'm getting down thinking about it tbh. My main arguement is that i am being penalised for attemoting to better myself for the good of the Force. Sorry I need to rant . My appraisals were used as development tools and therefore scored low , leaving me in the pool for redundency great eh. Having gone through 2 restructures , the last meaning that several staff memebers who had nver been through the recruitment process were slotted into a job role they have never done before . Tell me how can a secatatital post be slotted into a project assistant role.

Sorry about the rant , I am just getting things straight in my head for tomorrow

Diz.

bellaquidsin

Had a good time with our friends yesterday, it made a change to step into a non OS world. He's retired but she still works PT. He's for ever extolling the virtues or retirement. He seems blissfully unaware of rising prices - so that conversation went nowhere! Must be nice, but I think he has a good pension, we don't and they wouldn't understand how my days are full of 'managing resources'. Thankfully we're not penniless and my heart goes out to kezlou and all who have it really tough at the moment.

My friend has commissioned me to make some cards for her, and she uses a LOT of cards so maybe I will have an outlet again. It won't make me rich but it gives me a purpose which is an important thing to have in our declining years.

Today our OS meals will be, homemade soup for lunch and chicken livers in tomato and onion sauce tonight, so a really cheap day. It's milder too so the heating can go down. I will keep the OS boat afloat, I will, I will.

Bella.

Pitlanepiglet

Dizzy, ring Acas or the CAB, I'm fairly sure that they can't require you to attend at this stage of your pregnancy. Do you have an employee advice scheme through work?

dizzybuff

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Dizzy, ring Acas or the CAB, I'm fairly sure that they can't require you to attend at this stage of your pregnancy. Do you have an employee advice scheme through work?

I have said I will attend , Its not compulsary but I have a few things I want to say to them . I am awaiting Unison to contact me as well. dont worry all in hand.