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

redlady_1

So it sounds as if I may have to get one of those eco fans then... It should heat the whole of the downstairs for me as I only have a small cottage and may also stop the OH shouting "I'm hot" every 5 mins!!!! I am the cold fish of the outfit and obviously FK just loves the fire!

bargainhunterss

westlothianlass wrote: »

Hi all, i have decided to stop lurking and introduce myself.
I am a mother, wife, keen gardener and lover of all things self sufficient and frugal and have learnt so much from you delightful people, so a big thank you from me. Since i now quote many of your uselful posts and ideas to anyone that will listen i felt the time had come to make the plunge and add my first post.
so hugs and hello from me x

welcome! :T theres always lots of useful hints and tips on here! its good to see more newbies! xxx

freudianslip

Welcome westlotianlass You'll probbly know everyone better than I do being a long time lurker

I've just dug even more of my lawn out to accommodate planting areas.More peas and onion (sets? seeds?) have gone in. I'm left with 3m x 3m circular lawn and it looks ok (enough for a swinging hammock when/if I'm flush! One has to dream)

I loved the quote yesterday that someone said I haven't felt this proud since the day I gave birth. Seems fitting I lterally can't wait until I can really plan what to grow next spring

Wet here but that is fine, everywhere needs a good soaking.

Looking into whether to get a compost bin or not. Running out of room really, it could go in the front garden though. Hmmmm. Yeah I will investigate. Do the council supply them?

mardatha

Our council gave us one each free, and you could have an extra one - also free if you asked for it.

Uniscots97

mardatha wrote: »

Having a horrible day here, grumpy and fedup and not in the mood for anything. Came on here to get motivated to do something !
Bleak and grey and cold here too, 9C. Summer been rubbish here so far. Probably better go and make some warming soup lol
Hi W Lothian, I'm up in the border hills

sending you a hig Mardatha, it sounds like you need it.

westlothianlass

Freudianslip I too have dug up most of my "lawn", had a eureka moment last year when i had run out of places to put pots and the veg area was full, can't believe it hadn't occurd to me before but sometimes the simplest solutions take a while to be unearthed, well thats my excuse anyway.
I am trying to look on the bright side with the weather as at least the garden has had a good soak.
cheers:)

ginnyknit

I know exactly how you feel Mardatha, we have just had thunder/lightening and hail :eek: Im freezing and this morning woke up with no voice (OH says its a blessing) and I can't lift my left arm. trying to be positive my right arm works fine :rotfl: Still fired up about the electric hike and planning everything I do. Am off to sort out a couple of bags for the Cs and put all my finished knitting and x stitch in a box instead of mixed in with my wool.

Corblimey you are planning it all out well - am impressed! A new start needs to be positive and you certainly are. I wish you much luck, do you have freecycle where you are?

Life seems to be turning into a military campaign nowadays doesnt it - commando tactics in the supermarket! But its a war we will all be prepared for and hopefully win :T I think I met that old lady in my supermarket, or are there a lot of them

Charis

freudianslip wrote: »

*I don't use a plastic basin in the sink to wash dishes. As of shopping tonight I will do, I'll save water and time the boiler is on for the water to fill it up.....

I've also turned the temperature of the hot water thermostat down so it's comfortable to wash my hands in, and I just top it up with boiling water from the kettle (or from a saucepan on the gas if there's one waiting to be cleaned) for the washing up. Saves heating the whole hot water cylinder to a high temp. I don't bother so much in the winter as the heat from the hot tank escapes into the house, where it's much appreciated and the cold tank is positioned directly above it, which prevents it freezing.

taurusgb

My lovely DH has just built me a raised bed and has promised to build another in the autumn when all the vegetables I'm growing in pots have been eaten (I'm being optimistic here and hoping they actually grown big enough to eat) and there is space to locate it.

Is there anything in the food line I could grow over winter to utilise the beds and help the housekeeping stretch? I've only grown easy summer vegetables, salads and fruit up till now.

Awful news about the hike in gas and electricity prices. I'm not with SP but I don't suppose it will be long before all the other companies do the same. The price of diesel is crippling us at the moment as we live in a rural area and have no choice but to have a car for DH to get to work. I work locally so can walk, but my youngest DS is starting college in September which will mean we have to find approx £700 per year for a bus pass. He can currently walk to school so this is a new outlay we have to include in our budget for the next 2 years.

Have just picked one small hand full of blackcurrants from my Ribena bush, (I grew the bush from a free cutting sent by the manufacturers of ribena on a special offer label my oldest DD gave me, and this is the first year it has fruited)...soooooooo, what pudding can I make using 22 blackcurrants and 3 strawberries? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Kimitatsu

FS - my boys were just the same at that age! I used to give them a packed lunch because then they could graze through the day. They both worked out that they would eat their biscuit/cake at breaktime, sandwich or whatever for lunch with a drink and then fruit for afternoon playtime. Lunch was for playing with friends not eating!! There have been several times when they have got into the car opened their lunchbox and then proceeded to have lunch :rotfl: ITs not the dinner ladies fault and if I were you I WOULD complain because thats how eating disorders start.

Have been like a whirlwind around the house today, the dogs are sat looking at me in fear I think! Weather is rubbish, its like the wizard of oz with sudden severe gusts of wind then a little squall, leaves flying everywhere again - bah!!

Welcome westlothianlass