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

flowertotmum

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

Flowertotmum, why don't you put the willow bits up on Freecycle/Freegle I am sure someone will love them.

Aternitivly can y ou pile them in the corner of the garden so they become a naturel habitat for wildlife.

I think i will pile them in my wildlife bit in the garden thanks never thought of it..i left freecycle in disgust after being let down one to many times...
ftm

Margaret54

Hi everyone:) Welcome to anyone new. I love this wee community too. Sad things happening in the world, and I too feel for the people caught up in anything. Food is getting ridiculously expensive, but well stocked and use my bm and line dry the washing weather permitting. I have a washer/drier but don't use it.(the drier) I have a great clothes horse(Minky) which I use a lot and it is the best I have ever bought. Will be baking over the weekend too. Thank you for all the great tips everyone. Have a good weekend too. Gailey take it easy love and rest bless you.

joeck68

Its so nice to feel part of a community, even if I don't post very often. Sadly, living in the outskirts of London, we don't seem to have much of a community where I live, I know my close neighbours, and my next door neighbour is also my landlady, whom we get on really well with, but other than that, and despite living here 11 years, we are only really on nodding terms with the rest of our street.

I grew up in a small town in the midlands where everyone looked out for each other, but that feeling seems to have disappeared, certainly in my area anyway. I'm not sure if that's because its such a multi-cultural area, certainly, we do have a large asian community nearby and they are very family and community orientated. I did try to organise a street party to celebrate the Royal Wedding, but no-one seemed to want to join in and I'm told that our local neighbourhood watch scheme is also closing because of lack of interest. Such a shame.

I went to Mr T's today and was so shocked at the recent price rises - teabags in particular seem to have gone up quite a lot (we're big tea and coffee drinkers, but I'm lucky as DH flies for an airline, and always brings back coffee from abroad, where its cheaper).

And on that point - WHY are so many basic food stuffs so much cheaper abroad? He brings back huge bottles of olive oil which cost a fraction of what they retail for here, likewise coffee, and in the summer months he regularly brings back massive bags of cherries, which are gorgeous, and about a quarter of what our supermarkets sell them for. I suppose part of it must be the transportation costs, although he also brings back towels, bedding, glassware (packed carefully) and this is all cheaper.

I'm sure that however tough it gets we will all manage, and watching the Sky News reports on Japan makes me realise how lucky I am to have a home, however humble, and my lovely family.

Have a lovely day everyone
Jo

flowertotmum

Hi joeck..it is a lovely day..i think your right about feeling grateful for our homes and family..whats happened in japan is terrible..i would be scared to death..
One lady down our street wanted to do the party..so did i..but no-one was interested..so she has asked the local vicar if we can have a party in the church grounds for the day..he is thinking it over..hope he says yes..it would be lovely to have old and young generations together even if it is for one day...
I agree about the food prices..i add it up as i go around and am shocked that they can get away with it..the supermarkets i mean..thank god we got allotments to help us out...hows your allotment going by the way..are your spuds ready to go in?..growing anything exotic? hubby wants to grow a melon..that should be fun..
Right i got to go and get the tot from school..hope she is in a good mood..can't stand it when she is tired..coz that means she gets cross with her sister and won't play with her..miserable fern=miserable night...
take care
ftm

bertiebots

Gialey glad you're ok..I was sure you had gone into labour!! My youngest is 10 now but I remember being where you are well. My ds1 was 4 and dd 20 months when I had ds2! Please make sure that you have lots of easy meals and help arranged for when that baby arrives..do you have someone who can come round and help with the children so that you can relax a bit with the new baby? I didnt have anyone helping and xh was more interested in going back to work at the time and it was pretty tough. Which is why I ask about you..please be kind to yourself and dont overdo it!
After watching comic relief documentary last night and the terrible events in Japan today I am counting my blessings. Its a real reality check and I know that not many of us ,despite how tough things get ,will have to suffer the way these poor people do .

lostinrates

joeck68 wrote: »

And on that point - WHY are so many basic food stuffs so much cheaper abroad? He brings back huge bottles of olive oil which cost a fraction of what they retail for here, likewise coffee, and in the summer months he regularly brings back massive bags of cherries, which are gorgeous, and about a quarter of what our supermarkets sell them for. I suppose part of it must be the transportation costs, although he also brings back towels, bedding, glassware (packed carefully) and this is all cheaper.

I've lived abroad more of my life than I've lived here. Most recently we were in Italy. And tbh, it DOES even out across the board. Coffee and water might be cheaper, but no cheap supermarket clothes (I once saw a cheap pair of supermaket shoes for 40E, we'd not pay a £10 for aMr T equivalent.) Welfare standards often aren't as high for meat/milk products too.

de1amo

Maybe i can ask for suggestions here--its is time to prepare for our end of year production--it has been suggested we do musical Scenes in english for the kids of our college and also have an 'open mike' talent contest with a small entry fee to cover the prizes and theatre fees--the parents also pay for entry.--its a very big theatre with lots of production and lights etc!--prizes will be given for different ages with a significant prize for the overall winner--something like 2 weeks free rental of (my) home in the uk plus a free English course for kids--we will canvass various places here in turkey for catergory winners--like free piano lessons etc--anyone got a view or novel ideas for prizes suitable for kids-we will also have a raffle etc--we have 200 students in the school who will mostly take part and the cinema hold about 1000 audience--we have a professional producer and judges--just a brain storm

Hippeechiq

ChocClare wrote: »

I use eight for four of us with that quantity of liquid. It's a bit of a squish when you're zhuzhing it round in the marinade but, as I say, it produces a lot of gravy.

If you're making it for yourself and OH, then I'd still make it with eight, tbh, because it freezes and reheats so brilliantly, and you've then got another supper you only have to heat through.

Oh, and thank you for telling me where I'd seen Helen before. Memory like a sieve!

Thanks for that ChocClare - I think I may well do just that! I think my largest casserole dish will only hold 4 (without them sitting on top of each other) but I have 2 the same size, so could fit them in the oven at the same time, or :think: - would a roasting tin covered in foil be tight enough to stop the juice/gravy from evaporating do you think?

kidcat

Just had to tell someone - we have had our offer on a house accepted today!!! Now am waiting on mortgage adviser to call, with baited breath. Its so nerve racking.

flowertotmum

OOh kidcat...nervous for you...good luck hun
ftm