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

suzybloo

After reading these threads, we used to use the library lots when the kids were small, I have decided to go tomorrow at lunchtime and have a good browse round, it must have been twenty years since I was last there. The reason I used it before was because I couldnt afford books, especially as then the interst rates on our mortgage was incredible back in the eighties/early nineties. Unfortunately it looks like we are just about going to go back full circle and start doing the same things we did years ago - which includes I have just come off the phone from a small dairy that still does local deliveries. I am now to be getting milk and eggs delivered, slightly more expensive than Tesco but given the time and that I wouldnt just buy milk, its money well spent.
So in two respects today I am going back to old style that I first knew when I was married 25 years ago.

meritaten

I have doorstep milk deliveries - my current milkman has been doing the job for 26 years now! It may be a bit cheaper to buy from the supermarket, but he delivers to the doorstep three times a week (he is getting on a bit now and thinking of retiring) and its worth the extra as even during the harsh weather last year I had my milk delivered! I dont know how he managed it, but he did! others were complaining the supermarkets had no milk or bread - but supermilkman always delivered! and if I phoned and asked for eggs or cream they were always delivered too.

GreyQueen

Well, I finally got around to dye-ing my blouse, whose alterations were described further up the thread. This was about making a tired and knackered formal work blouse into a more casual shirt. The dye job had been held up for want of a sachet of Dylon Cold Fix (I got the dye for 10p in a c.s.). Belatedly realised I would need the Cold Fix and had to scour the shops as they don't make these little tubs of Dylon cold water dyes any more and presumably don't make the cold fix either.

Got a traditional hardware store nearby and found 17 sachets at 52p each and bought the lot and the rest will be stored against acquiring the Dylons at bootsales and c.s. (have several other people looking for them as they go about their business).

So, into the kitchen sink was Cafe au Lait on top of a faded but mint green cotton blouse. The resultant hue is subtle and strangely hard to describe.......sort of pinkish mushroomish......I like it.

Annoyingly, although I had been careful to sew my alterations in white cotton thread so they'd take the new colour, the original mint green stitching was obviously polyester and has retained its colour. I've found that before on pure cotton garments.

Blouse is now to be ironed and re-buttoned and may have some little addition from the trimming box, and then off it goes on my back to have a orn again existance.

FatVonD

ChocClare wrote: »

Admittedly, what she suggested was the then unheard-of Twilight - which I felt I had to vet for subject matter and ended up reading together with the sequel in two afternoons - as did DD :rotfl:We are, of course, vastly superior and snooty about the Twilight series now, especially now that they've totally destroyed the whole thing with all the films, but we both enjoyed the books at the time - and would certainly not have tried them had we seen them in a bookshop!

The young assistant in Waterstones warned us off them for my 11-year-old step daughter as she said they were a bit 'racy'

I wish my son loved reading but he doesn't (I read anything and everything as a child) but we've found the library invaluable on many an occasion for homework (the last time, photocopying vampire pictures for a collage.)

On the subject of milkmen, I started having it delivered a few months back but had to cancel as we had too much waste. For someone more organised than me though it's a fantastic service and washing and sending back your milk bottles has to be better even than recycling the plastic containers.

mardatha

Isn't it sad how fast we are losing all the OS things that were great ? The old fashioned ironmongers, the libraries, etc. The way things are going we'll end up with OS living standards but none of the OS comforts.

alec_eiffel

Another person who has been dabbling with dye! We dyed our bedroom curtains from very old-lady floral to beaustiful black. We have weird sized windows and finding curtains was difficult and expensive. So £8 did the job.

We have, for the time being, ditched the car for shopping purposes so I am venturing out on foot to buy fresh stuff. It works well as I have to stick to the list as I only have my rucksack and one shopping bag to fit everything into so it's good for saving money all the way round. I think DH worked it out to cost about 15p a mile at the minute to drive anywhere so if I can go to a smaller shop nearer the house then I get a good 4 mile walk as well as the financial savings.

The people at DH's workplace were told who was safe and who was "at risk" last week so morale is at an all time low. We're going to the leaving "do" of an ex-workmate from DH's old job next week as she has already been made redundant.

GreyQueen

mardatha wrote: »

Isn't it sad how fast we are losing all the OS things that were great ? The old fashioned ironmongers, the libraries, etc. The way things are going we'll end up with OS living standards but none of the OS comforts.

On side with you with that one, Mardatha. My hardware store is over 100 years a-trading, and is a multilevel warren taking up most of the block it stands in. I love it unconditionally.

Lavandula

I'm surprised the government/councils etc aren't doing more to encourage people to be more self sufficient in these hard times. In WWII, the government issued leaflets, radio programmes etc about 'make do and mend', 'growing your own', 'saving energy', etc etc....Why not do the same now?? How about supplying free seeds to households?

I suppose the government want us to keep spending to prop up the economy, but this is only a short term fix. People need to change their whole attitude to money, if we are to sustain the economy and our well-being for future generations. Cut consumerism and encourage people to live more simply. I reckon stress levels would be reduced and people would be healthier and happier...!

In terms of the recession, perhaps the closing of some shops is not such a bad thing!, for example, do we really need 3 shops on the high street selling tacky overpriced greetings cards. I went into town this morning and was very depressed at the sight of all the tacky Valentines stuff for sale (all cheap, nasty, impersonal, and made in China)...

I'll shut up now..:(

[Deleted User]

mardatha wrote: »

Isn't it sad how fast we are losing all the OS things that were great ? The old fashioned ironmongers, the libraries, etc. The way things are going we'll end up with OS living standards but none of the OS comforts.

and the public toilets are goiing :eek:

I heard that they are all closing in manchester bar one. They certainly want to keep us older ones at home, what with buses stopping as well. Many villages have only one bus a day and they are even shutting those down.

It`ll be like being abroad, when I was caught very short and there was no-where to go, so I had to ask in an estate agent and was allowed to use their hole in the ground. It`ll be long leads tied to the front door before long

alec_eiffel

kittie wrote: »

and the public toilets are goiing :eek:

I heard that they are all closing in manchester bar one. They certainly want to keep us older ones at home, what with buses stopping as well. Many villages have only one bus a day and they are even shutting those down.

It`ll be like being abroad, when I was caught very short and there was no-where to go, so I had to ask in an estate agent and was allowed to use their hole in the ground. It`ll be long leads tied to the front door before long

I personally think closing the public toilets is not a totally bad idea if things must be cut. Many people on a day out will nip into a pub, cafe, museum or whatever to use the facilities instead of public ones. Closing the public facilities will save money without hitting most people hard, many people won't even notice. If cuts have to be made then I'd rather it be the public loo than the library.