As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

cat_smith

Got a call from DH saying could I drop off his GPS to his unit before he caught a flight for a competition. Joy.

So decided to multi-task and save fuel. Now have cherry, beef and plum tomatoes, french beans, runner beans, yellow and green courgettes. Not quite as MS as I'd hoped as I bought plants not seeds, but I will do lettuce from scratch.

Now I have to clear the garden and plant everything. DH not back until a week on Sunday so should have plenty of time on my hands.

thriftmonster

Ventured down the allotment this afternoon - haven't been for a week - although the weeds weren't quite as bad as I was visualising. Will take ds2 up tomorrow to assist as dh has gone away till Wednesday. He's gone to Saudi so have told him that if his "minders" offer to buy me something to tell them I would like 1/2 kg of sumac. Last time I got a phone call asking me if I wanted a fur lined coat (I can't believe there's a big need for them in the desert!!) and dh was trying to persuade them that I really wouldn't. I didn't!

Really need to get my baking mojo back - but have moved bread machine back into kitchen and am going to find room for the Kenwood. Have been frantically cleaning all week as my parents were coming over but Mum is ill and they can't make it. Stena have been very good and told them they can reuse the tickets up to September - the joys of booking using Clubcard. But it has forced me to get back on top of everything which is a good feeling.

Going to plant lettuce and radish tomorrow at the lottie.

fuddled_2

Grow yourself something to eat everyday? I'll have to look into that one. I had my salad leaves in hanging basket and underestimated their constant need for watering. Think I've lost them.

You reminded me I need to plant my freebie (off mother in law) alpine strawberry seeds, not sure if thy're edible so have to do some reading into that. I have a motto in my garden at the minute.. if it can't be eaten it doesn't get planted. Have to, need the space for growing!

bluebag

smileyt wrote: »

Just popped on to see what everyone's up to. I feel really low today for some reason Oh well, maybe the day will improve as it goes along. (snip)

Sorry for the moan. I know a lot of you are in a worse position. I suffer from depression and I'm on my own, so I have no-one to help me when I'm feeling down and sometimes it's really, really hard. Today is one of those days.

Anyway, I'd better buck up because I have to go and see the vet and fight my dogs' corner.

Hope today is good for the rest of you. Just ignore this post, by the time I pop back on tonight I will probably be feeling better!

Hiya, I suffer from depression at times too, so you are not alone, some days are just not good days.
I do have family, but sometimes it's not all that helpful, they are pretty good but generally I don't think they understand the total lack of umph.
I just try to be as kind to myself as possible and put a lot of the 'should do's' on the back burner till a brighter day.
Take care.

oldtractor

FUDDLED alpine strawberries are edible and they are very tasty. Small tiny minute strawberries packed full of intense flavour. I have quite a lot of them in my garden grwoing under rosebushes,they look pretty and supress weeds,ut i sometime scratch myself on a rose thorn when picking them. oops.

jediteacher

Still no baby. Have a new consultant who has taken a different route to getting this baby out. My original consultant said that just before 40 weeks if I had not gone into natural labour they would give me a date to have my waters broken and get him out (complications due to too much amniotic fluid) as he said this would be more controlled. The new consultant said that she wants me to wait until I go into labour naturally and not have any intervention - all well and good but all along I have been told I need a managed labour due to the fluid and the blood loss I suffered with my first. :mad: Was not a happy bunny but insisted on another appointment next Wednesday if I hadn't had this one to make a proper decision about getting him out. I can barely walk I'm so big! Anyway rant over.

Bought a whole chicken last night which I was going to use for tonight as well. Had half last night and was just skinning the rest of the meat to make a gravy casserole when my little girl decided she wanted to eat it all - so it's all gone! :eek: Will have to rethink what me a hubby will be eating tonight. At least little girl is fed!

I still cannot believe we have no rain. Every morning and evening waddle out to the garden and water the veggies - not an easy task at the moment. Please, please can we have some rain here.

Families are great when you get on but I know what it's like when things fall apart. None of us get on with my mother and luckily she no longer lives in this country and she really is a horrid woman and I wouldn't wish her on my worst enemy. My in-laws are great though but at the moment a bit suffucating. I know I should be grateful but all I want at the moment is peace and quiet in my own home and not having to entertain guests. The issue is that they keep turning up and it is really tiring me out. I spoke to hubby last night and he rang them and told them in a nice way that I really needed my rest and if they want to come down could they ring first before they leave home. Today I got a call asking could they come down and I said no. I think they were a little upset but I need my time at home without anyone else.


I've rambled on enough. Hugs to all those who need them and I will say some prayers for those that are struggling.

fuddled_2

oldtractor wrote: »

FUDDLED alpine strawberries are edible and they are very tasty. Small tiny minute strawberries packed full of intense flavour. I have quite a lot of them in my garden grwoing under rosebushes,they look pretty and supress weeds,ut i sometime scratch myself on a rose thorn when picking them. oops.

Thank you, I've put them in a hanging basket but made a mental note for down by the drive in the front garden too.

ceridwen

GreyQueen

Re that horsetail up your lottie - off the top of my head - unless my memory is misleading me - peeps used to use horsetail in times gone by as a "natural" pot scourer when doing the dishes.

Waste not, want not and all that - and it might save a few pennies.

Go on - you know you want to....and I cant be the only one out here trying all sortsa experiments.

Which reminds me - whilst I am looking at my latest butternut squash and the seeds in it.....

Guess I could maybe plant up a few of those seeds and grow myself a butternut squash plant possibly?

Has anyone done so? How big does it get? What is the right time of year to start one off?

Will head downstairs meaningfully in a moment - with intentions of chopping up some more of that butternut and tomorrow will bring my first attempt at butternut squash soup. I'm a bit iffy on just which vegetable soups I like - but did have some recently and thought "That was nice - so I'll try it myself some time..."

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

CA, I am always going on about vitD. In this country all of us are low because we dont get enough sunshine. We take 2400iu a day, bought from Amazon. And I get my doc to test every 3 months to check that my levels aren't too high.

I think it depends - doesnt it - on how far north we are?

I think if someone is British and Down South - then half an hour a day outside with a noticeable amount of skin uncovered about does the trick???? (thats to the best of my - somewhat vague - remembrance). But the farther North one goes - then the greater the length of "exposure" one needs? Also I seem to recall that those with dark skin or who dress in non-Western clothing (ie in a much more "cover-up" sorta way than we do) have greater difficulty in getting their Vitamin D "ration" from just being out in the sun.

I know I came to the conclusion that as a British person and someone who dresses in a British way that I didnt have to bother myself too much - with the amount of time I spend outdoors.

Correct me if I'm wrong....

A lot does seem to depend on the individual persons circumstances from what I recall...

ceridwen

fuddled wrote: »

On a separate note had a falling out with my sister over money. She wants me to give her a fiver every time I go out in the car with her. My argument is 'I don't mind buying you your lunch or a treat for your little one as a thank you but I can't be beholden to giving you £5 every single time' Her argument is 'you need me to get about and a car would cost a damn sight more than £5a trip and so would bus fare' My argument was 'I don't need you to get about, I'm quite content in my own locality and go out with DH at the weekend if it's any further afield' She said 'well why do you come out with me then?' I replied' because you're my sister, you're going anyway so I'm tagging along. I don't ask you to take me anywhere, I don't want or need to go anywhere, I just come with you' She left saying 'fine, I won't take you any where again then'

I just don't know how it got to that but I had to stick my ground and not agree to the fiver thing. We just have not the money for it, that's why we haven't got a second car any way. I know she's struggling with the upkeep of her second car but what she needs to do is stop using as much. She doesn't need that car, she wants it. I won't be made to feel guilty for not agreeing to pay for her petrol every time. I just can't do it. I'd rather stay in!

Dont forget that bit on Googlemaps now where one asks for directions from A to B and the website doesnt just give directions - it also puts at the end of that set of directions how much petrol has cost for the journey.

Would it maybe be one way to think about this that you propose to your sister that you both add up the total cost of any joint trip out - ie the petrol and any lunch out and then divide the whole figure (ie both petrol and food) by 2 and you both pay 50%? I know paying for lunch or treats for her child is your current way of "paying" - but perhaps this might be more acceptable? (I am assuming here that you both have the same number of children - so a meal bill could be split 50/50. This would obviously need adapting if you have a different number of children - but the basic principle is the same).

I know I've had this sorta situation once or twice before and thought "But I pay my way in other ways....".

But maybe if it were put the way I suggest - then it would be more obvious to her that you are "paying your way" iyswim??