How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

rachbc

brandeberryj wrote: »

Sorry was not aware that everyone in the UK had 3 kids. I will go and look under the bed for mine!

PS Still cannot find those 3 children everyone should have. I will go look in the attic?

You made a comment to gailey that she 'wasn't trying hard enough' I merely pointed that with 2 children and another on the way one of your suggestions was, in my opinion impractical. I also feel it is not your place to judge whether someone is trying hard enough or not...I didn't realise that was what this thread was for!

Thanks for the info on economy 7.

ceridwen

Primrose wrote: »

However I did read in the paper today a report by the Chief Executive of the National Grid that "the days of permanently available electricity may be coming to an end and families would have to get used to only using power when it was available." If that happened it would turn everyday tasks like cooking and doing laundry into a nightmare, trying to fit things into periods when electricity was available. On the other hand, there are still large areas of the world where electricity supplies are unreliable due to conflict, or poor electricity infrastructure, so I suppose you just learn to cope with it. Our parents certainly had to, during the last war, when bombing often disrupted power supplies.

We could end up seeing a whole new generation of modern-day high-tech hayboxes for cooking!
I actually had to build a Hay Box and cook something in it as part of my Girl Guide's cookery badge many, many years ago, to demonstrate I understood the technique. I made a lentil & vegetable stew because I wanted to be sure that it was something that cooked relatively quickly but it did work, so if we really have to revert back to those dire times, I might just about be able to ferret around my ancient brain cells and remember how to do it again.

First thought "Oh....well according to this executive chappie - then single people and couples will be okay then will we? - as he only refers to 'families' :cool:". Long since inured to the fact that I have to translate the word "families" into "households"...:(:cool:

He is perfectly accurate - based on the trajectory we are heading on at present. Britain's power stations are aging rapidly and some of them will be decommissioned over the next few years - and then what?:eek: Scrabbles through brain..tries to remember just how many years ago the wife of the fuel cell inventor was there telling me this would happen and about this invention her husband had done...(25?30?). I didnt understand the technology - but I got the message...

Now - re those haybox cookers...and this is guilty admission time that I havent actually tried it out yet (though I must have had for a coupla years by now:o:o) - I got a couple of "cushions" filled with those white beany things made for me by a LETS member and duly decided that a small garden trug would be the ideal "holder" for them. Place cushion 1 in bottom of trug, put in casserole dish, place cushion 2 on top - job done.

So peeps might like to try experimenting with cut-down old duvets/old thick floppy cushions/etc. Big smile and 3 stars to the first person who comes back to tell us how the experiment went....errr...little clue...it probably still wont be me...:o

HariboJunkie

Can I just make the point that using your washing machine or dishwasher overnight is REALLY not recommended by the fire brigade. I used to do it but have stopped now as I reckoned the money saved wasn't worth the risk. Our Econ7 comes on at 11pm so I often put a quickwash on then as I'm rarely in bed before midnight.
I tend to mostly wash in cold now unless items are really soiled. I use a liquid detergent for cold washes and powder for 30/40% washes (usually whites.)

ceridwen

kittie wrote: »

Phew, I have some catch up posts: I have sown sweet cicely as it can be used as a sugar substitute eg in rhubarb to only use half the sugar. Got the seeds on ebay and did the deed yesterday. They are a bit tricky and may take months to germinate, need 18ish for a couple of weeks, then fridge then cooler room. They have a long root so will need considered planting but are perennials so good if sugar is ever in short supply

http://earthnotes.tripod.com/sweetcicely.htm

am now making a lot of dhal as its very useful to have in freezer and one pot so more economical

My stevia plants didnt do very well in the end. Must have another attempt. I finally managed to buy some stevia powder recently - here in Britain:D;). Think it might still not be quite "legal" to supply it here in this country - for some strange reason that eludes me (but is probably summat to do with sugar manufacturers not liking competition:(). So its marked as "not for human consumption" <ahem>;). Taste test coming up soon - to see whether I actually like this no calorie "healthy" sugar substitute...:)

kitschy

I know we were talking the other day about saving water/meters etc. Just popped into Sainsbury's to get milk on the way home with my 40p off coupon, and got a till spit for a free water saving kit, which I picked up on the way out. It has a sealable cistern water bag (to displace water and use less per flush, some people pop a brick in), and a gismo to reduce the water used by the shower. I already have an eco-shower, so will give mine to my Mum, but thought I'd give y'all the heads up!

SD-253

fedupfreda wrote: »

which can be supplied by a pint or two of strong cold black tea.

Never tried the tea bit. What proportion do you advise per demijohn?

fedupfreda wrote: »

I would also recommend making a drier cider then sweetening to taste at the time of serving - .

Have you tried cheap pasturised apple juice? Well worth trying it.

fedupfreda wrote: »

fermentation naturally stops when all the sugar is used up, which is a safe point to bottle. If you want a bit of fizz in your cider, add a little sugar syrup to each bottle at the time of bottling - you only need about half a teaspoon depending on the size of the bottle (we use standard shop bought pint cider bottles). Leave in a warmish place for a couple of days after bottling - the remaining yeast in the cider will start up again with the addition of sugar - and therefore produce bubbles. Then place somewhere cold to store and mature. You need a stable temperature - anywhere with temperature fluctuations will either cause fermentation to start up again, or the bottles will freeze - leading to broken bottles and wasted cider. Not good.

I add sugar before bottling but if I don't it still come out fizzy. I add it to be on the sure side but I assume if is still fizzy without adding sugar then fermetation must have still been going??
Next I have serious problem with your cold and stable temperture bit........where? I have 34 gallons and I live in small 2 bed bungallow. They are in the garage and thats where they are staying. Now not all are bottled due to a shortage of bottles AND if I use the bottled ones first before useing the 7 demijohns (final rack done and sugar added and then rubber bung gently tapped in with a hammer and marked all the way round with a pencil. The latter should tell me if fermtation has restarted??) then I should be okay. But I will definatly be putting some of the bottled ones in my small pantry as I think cider improves with age. This is based on my buying from a nearby small cider maker whose cider was in my opinion !!!!! but the same rubbish cider bought at the same time but a year older definatly had better taste ie it was less !!!!!!!

maryb

Please, both of you, don't let your hackles get raised. This is such a nice thread.

SD-253

HariboJunkie wrote: »

Can I just make the point that using your washing machine or dishwasher overnight is REALLY not recommended by the fire brigade. I used to do it but have stopped now as I reckoned the money saved wasn't worth the risk

Why? I have never heard of either catching fire......EVER. No doubt they must have done but risk should be measured proportionatly and what may I ask is the point of smoke alarm? So I can be on the safe side could you give me a place on the internet where it says this.
"not recommended by the fire brigade." What is? Chip pans were the biggest household fire hazard by long way they never said don't use them. By the way they are cutting fire stations/firemen because there are so few house fires (relatively) today. Oven chips have save 100s of lives! Central heating also (the wiring on those old electric blankets left a lot to be desired). Then we come to the smoke alarm an absolute nuisance in a small house but when the log I put in the wood burner was a little to large for the opening so I left it hanging out till it burned down a bit..........pity I fell asleep Oh well I never did like that hearth rug!! not that it was that damaged the smoke alarm saw to that.
So how are washing unsafe to use at night or is it when the everyone has gone to bed? And why?

mardatha

Just idley wondering whose conscience it should be on if people all start cycling to work and get hit by artics; all use cheap overnight elect and their houses burn down; all turn down the heating one degree too many and they catch bronchitis & pleurisy and end up in hospital...

kitschy

mardatha wrote: »

Just idley wondering whose conscience it should be on if people all start cycling to work and get hit by artics; all use cheap overnight elect and their houses burn down; all turn down the heating one degree too many and they catch bronchitis & pleurisy and end up in hospital...

:rotfl:I do all of these things :eek:

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