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

ceridwen

Re the petition Kittie put up against the Government's plans on allotments.

I've just had info. through from River Cottage and the Government ARE indeed trying to do this and opposition to this move has started.

See:

http://www.landshare.net/news/act-now-to-save-allotments

redlady_1

WC - for prickly heat I use Piriton. It is brilliant. And if you get sunburnt then just put loads of natural youghurt on you. It takes the sting out of it.

I have a whole 10 days off any kind of paid work!!! For once I am going to get a life and tomorrow am off to Bath for a girlie day out with some friends. However, I need to do lots of studying and the garden looks like the Afghan desert and Libya combined!

Good news is though that the carrots are coming through as are the onions. Not alot else is happening under the fleece though!

GreyQueen

Ceridwen I have just posted my two-pennorth on that website, thanks for the linkie. I'm horrified that I was unaware of this. Can these politicians not find something constructive to change rather than seeming to be hell-bent on destruction?! Grrrr, am cross!

I am away from my homestead and my allotment this weekend, spending time at my folks' and we will collectively go to the lottie on Monday for a sesh. Mum has been saving me lots of milk bottles and loo roll tubes (bet she thought that once I'd grown out of the Blue Peter Years she'd seen the end of all that.....:rotfl:) so lots of little irrigation points can be planted with the crops.

Know what redlady means about the desert, it's parched on mine and the dust is flying. Recalls to mind the old joke about a farmer on the border between 2 counties in a dry part of the country being asked which county his farm was in.....and his response; "Depends which way the wind was blowing!"

((Hugs to all and Happy Easter))

Hippeechiq

Thank you Hester
Thanks also lucielle for the suggestion of water retaining crystals. I wouldn't have thought of that, and I think the would be a big help with me being on a meter

Welshcamper Thanks also for the heads up about the C0-0p selling off black buckets. They are a bus ride away from me, but I may just give them a ring to see if my local one does the same

Re the Governments plan to review and possibly abolish the duty to provide allotments. I could understand if allotments were provided for free but they're not - everyone has to pay for their plot

They're big on talk about encouraging people to "grow their own" and become more "self sufficient", and yet they propose to remove the very means that enables plot owners to do just that!

I wouldn't be at all surprised though, if the bottom line is that the allotment land could (possibly) be developed to build houses on thus (obviously) creating more revenue than the allotments.

By 'eck if we don't live in a mean spirited country these days. It's all take! take! take!

ceridwen

Hippeechiq

- my exact first thought re the allotments was "Looks like developers have been doing some lobbying then...:(:mad:...they are hoping to grab our allotment land to make some more profit for themselves - ie by building something or other on it....:mad::mad::mad:".

Sorrees - will stop swearing now....as "developers" is a swearword on a par with "bankers" chez ceridwen.

***********************

Right - must hie me hence again to the springcleaning (sorrees - another swearword just used there...:rotfl:). Have made out a springcleaning rota for myself in an attempt to force myself to do a bit more housework. I thought that if I can get and keep this house immaculate I may feel marginally less unhappy with it than I do....well...you never know....I shall certainly never be happy with this particular house no matter what I do...but if I can feel even marginally better in it then that will be an improvement...

So - with 3 Bank Holidays in quick succession - its:
- kitchen - today
- bathroom - Monday
- main area (ie hall/stairs/landing) on next Friday.

gailey_2

Hi guys.

what I missed whats governemnet planning to do with allotments? theres huge waiting lists and they like gold dust here as it is.

Nice sunny day here need to go corner shopon milk run.
have no idea what todo for lunch/dinner.
cant get motivated to domuch today shattered been up most of night with baby hes 2weeks old now but still nocturnal.

made fairy cakes with 5year todistract me from my boredom and be os.
mighttry hot cross buns later as dads coming over tommorow.

with 20 empty wine bottles but dontthink elderflower comes out until july.
any ideas what to brew large quanties in?
or how to sterilise wasowndering about cold water sterilising huge plastic bin?

hes also expecting chutney

but my thourghtless hubby thinks hes binned my empty jam jars not amused.
hes lost my weighing scales bowl too!

Hubbysworking all weekend and every banks hols.
5year old oldis bored
just feeling bitfed upas everyones made plans with their families over easter.

Feeling a bit alone trying to occupy myself with cooking and decluttering.

did bbqother day anyidea why my hm burgers keep falling apart,
its ainsly recipie.says no egg but added beaten egg to bind it and still fallen apart.
any tips greatful aslove homemade burgers.

I shouldent be bored have long list to do.

just finding newborn plus 5year old off school fairly time consuming.

deep cleaned and decluttered lounge last nite just needs hoover,sofa and curtains need a clean.
did cupboard of doom few days ago.

Didour room last nite.
kids rooms desperatly need doing.

need to do stocktake of food in cupboards freezer and fridge,make new shoppinglist, meal plan and list of what we have.
doing roast chicken tommorow as brought some reduced last week.
will do pasties then on monday and try and stretcit.

so far been ok on food spent

£90 in lidls 3weeks ago
spent another £75 last week.
spent £40 at butchers
£30 at co-op but thats a mix of 2months asmy grocerychallange starts 15th every month as thats payday but findit hard some months spend more than others especially if see reductions.

Thinkwill goup co-op monday and see if any good reductions as they shut sunday orwondering if its worth going tommorow evening?
anyone else given any thourght into possible easter bargains?

Hope everyones doing ok? will try catch up later.

bertiebots

Hi everyone...gailey hope you are having a rest in between all that stuff you are doing!
I have no work today so have a massive 2 days off!!! Anyway I have made the most of it and started sorting the garden. I have managed to sew some lettuce, cucumbers and french beens so fingers crossed that they get going! My 2 water butts are nearly empty already and thats not fantastic as I am on a meter- so sorry folks but could do with a bit of that wet stuff. It was mentioned on the news last night about yorkshire having water shortages humph!
I am feeling very giddy at the mo as I have booked a camping trip for me and the kids at the end of july...we are going with my friend (who is my exh brothers ex!) so her kids and my kids cousins iyswim! I really cant wait as I really love camping ..getting away from the rat race to the dales for 5 nights will be heaven.
I am also hoping that by july the divorce will be sorted and I can move forward with my life..am a bit in limbo at the moment and everytime I think I have sorted something out -something else crops up. Had to redo my application for decree nisi and affidavit because the courts have changed the forms..so that has put me back by another 3 weeks. My idea of being officially single by my birthday (june) is looking less likely as the weeks go by! The financial rangling will start next week and I am dreading it..ex has told his solicitor he owns my car so here starts the fun grrrr . I wouldnt mind but he doesnt even drive!

Someone mentioned petrol price rises again and yup they have gone up round here too...saw £1.35.9 per ltr yesterday hmmm just in time for the bank holidays !!!???

kidcat

Gailey - any burgers I cook always seem to fall apart and usually the better quality they are the worse they fall apart. I bought a burger cage thingy that I put the burgers into, close it over and then flip the cage over when one side is done, that seems ok but takes up loads of space. The other thing I have found is that if I wait and do not try to turn the burger tillthe first side is cooked its less likely to fall apart - but if you are anything like me I like to keep checking and that makes them disintegrate

Bertiebots - well done on booking a holiday - the idea of a holiday is always so refreshing and invigorating I find.

We received our mortgage valuation yesterday and the value is way above what we are paying:j:jhopefully this means that I can attempt to re-mortgage next year and get a better LTV deal. Especially as we will have added a bedroom by them and floored all the loft too.

Yellow ball is out here and I have spent day getting rid of stuff from the garage - each item involved a major row with OH as he really hates letting anything go (even a grotty bin lid that we no longer own the bin to!!)

wrinkled_english_rose

I would like to thank Chocclare for her "chinese chicken" recipe, we had it for tea tonight & OH reckons it was one of the tastiest meals he's had for awhile. So THANK YOU CHOCCLARE.
WER

Mrs_Veg_Plot

We have saved up for a BBQ which we bought yesterday. We have both worked hard in the garden all day, OH lit the BBQ and whilst we were waiting for it to be ready to cook on it starts to thunder and the heavens have opened.

Not really complaining though because the garden desperately needs it and both water butts are empty.

Have popped the meat in the oven to cook. Oh well its the thought thaat counts.

Third raised bed arrived last night. Have filled it with soil/compost and now need to plan what to plant in it. The garden is really starting to come together now. I'm planning on doing more autumn/winter veg than last year.

I'm glad that OH is onboard with the grow your own. I think he understands this more than some of my other MSE ideas.