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

cat_smith

ceridwen wrote: »

Thanks.

Just call me Dr Spock - I do like good, sound, articulate, researched stuff...:rotfl:I cannae be assed with "the outer fringes..."

That would be MR Spock Dr Spock was the guy who wrote the baby book (says she sitting watching Star Trek OS and flying in the advert breaks)

blackandwhitebunny

Once again life happened and I'm now desperately trying to catch up on the thread:)
IOIWE -thinking of you and your family

Both DH and I have been completely exhausted this weekend but put it down to various other happenings but weather and solar activity do make sense.

The last two weeks have been anything but moneysaving:( Our little old lady kitty went off her food the week before last. We took her to the vet on the Thurs and saw vet 1 who suggested it was an over active thyroid and took blood for a test £62. The test was negative so he asked DH if they should look at liver and kidney function, again negative but high Globbin (sp) count so did Feline HIV and leukemia tests. Sunday I wrestled her to the sofa and managed to look inside her mouth. (she's only tiny but doesn't take to having her mouth opened at all) The problem was obvious, a broken tooth and very infected swollen gums. Took her back and she saw vet 2 who immediately identified the tooth as the problem. We weren't charged a consultation fee the second time but still had to shell out £95 for the now obviously unnecessary blood tests, I'm a bit miffed about that and wondered if I should write and complain especially as vet 1 had looked in her mouth. We then had to pay £118 for an extraction and a scale and polish plus antibiotics. So one expensive kitty:eek:
Yesterday was a lovely day as my DH had his graduation ceremony after seven years of hard work with the OU.:D Fortunately we'd paid out for all the expenses for that a few months ago so only had to pay for the celebration meal with my PIL last night.

It very hot here but I need to go sort out a few bits in the garden. My toms have only just started flowering and the peppers are still sulking at 3 inches high. I do appear too have a bumper crop of tomatillos on the way this year. The pond is very overgrown and almost getting lost beneath various overhanging bits but I don't want to disturb anything too much as we have a huge number of little frogs, tadpoles with legs etc. I'm glad as we lost lots of frogs in the big freeze last year, one of my tasks for the summer hols is to investigate a little pond heater for winter to just keep if frost free and help the amphibian population a bit:D

GreyQueen

I've been graffiti-tagged. Some !!!!!! has spray painted their initials (I assume they're his initials) on my shed door.

Been fascinated by this talk of solar flares etc and have been googling and got the website below which is the USA Environmental Protection Agency. It has a daily solar weather forecast and lots and lots of graphs, for the nerd-y amongst us.

http://www.epa.gov/radtown/sun-activity.html and the space weather is on a linkie from that site to this one http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html

I work in a call centre and we notice an upsurge in crazy customers at both the new and full moon each month. Last Friday a colleague came off yet another wacky call, tore off her headset and demanded to know if it was the full moon or what. Told her definately not, but now I know that we had a lot of extra solar radiation, it does make me wonder....was that the cause?

Back off into the Radtown website to see what's what and just be glad you're not astronauts.............

smileyt_2

Kimitatsu wrote: »

The good news is that this will continue on for another few months and then we will all feel much better.....just to add as well that all the nonsense about 2012 is just that nonsense. There will NOT be cataclysmic earthquakes, tornadoes, ice ages etc etc but that doesnt make a very good film now does it. What the Mayans actually said was that we would enter a "golden age" where we would be concious of the world we live in, look after our resources and care for one another and that the old ways would be torn down in making way for this.

Oh that sounds fantastic! Let's hope!

Re sun and moon phases - I try to garden by phases of the moon but I don't know if it makes any difference. I do know that I am feeling much livlier today because the sun is shining :T It's too hot to go out, but I have walked the dogs, done the washing up, stripped and washed my bedding and made 3 jars of jam and we're still only halfway through the day! I intend to put another load in the washer tonight and go down to the allotment this evening when it's cooler. I think we (the dogs and I) are going to make like a Mexican and have a siesta this afternoon I love days like this!

The fledgling sparrows are cheeping away for all they're worth on my climbing rose (actually it's more like a jungle creeper lol) so it's not just humans who come alive when the sun shines.

blackandwhitebunny

Back again, just thought of a cooking tip I meant to put on here weeks ago but didn't get around to doing
I buy whoopsied bits of fish, no matter how small and throw in the freezer and then every now and again when I have a reasonable amount and a good mix (usually something white, some salmon and something smoked) I get them all out and make a huge batch of fishcakes and freeze them in portioned packs. I find Sainsbugs will often have very small pieces left on the fish counter which no-one buys as they aren't enough for a meal especially as most people need more than one portion so they go for pence. I expect you could do the same for fish pie.
I also added a packet of whoopsied basics smoked mackerel to the last batch and it really gave the taste a lift.:D The only thing is that you need to use the mackerel fresh as it isn't cooked like the other fish before freezing.

Reverbe

smileyt wrote: »

I :rotfl:


Out of curiosity, I went on Martin's Budget Planner and fiddled around with the sums as if I were on JSA long-term. I worked out that I would only just about be able to make ends meet if I never bought an item of clothing for myself or a Christmas or birthday present for anyone ever again. Also I would have to walk everywhere (I wouldn't be able to afford to get my bicycle fixed if it broke) and only have the heating on when it was below freezing. I'd not be able to have any pets. I would never be able to buy a newspaper or magazine, chocolate bar, go anywhere at all with friends, even for a cup of tea and a toasted teacake in a greasy spoon .... :eek:So .:(

Sometimes I actually thank god for the crappy life I have cos being unemployed (not by choice)I do much of the above. No offence to those who mentioned the dole diet earlier in the thread but there is no earthly way you can buy anything organic. I guilt myself considerably when I do buy eggs cos I am sorry but I had to go back to caged/value ones. Luckily I have no friends or family to buy gifts for and havent seen my partner in many years.Luckily we live near the town centre so have only to walk (which is a godsend eveyr day as we have to buy stuff such as milk daily due to not being able to afford to replace fridge) Laundry is a pain as it now costs about 10 plus to do a load factoring in 2 busfares, 5,6 or 7 in the washer and some in the drier instread of the 50-60p it costed at home in electric.Heating we dont need as due to living in flats with junkies etc beloew they tend to whack their heating on so high I dont think we have EVER had our radiators on:rotfl:

I do love MSE tho and have found loads of tips. So thanks to every lovely poster on the forums.:A:T

anguk

Reverbe - have you thought about one of those little tabletop washing machines?My MIL had one and it was quite an impressive little thing. Although there's still the problem of drying the clothes.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Washing-Machine-737-caravans-Balls/dp/B004L5BVXU/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kh_4
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TecTake-mini-washing-machine-Spin/dp/B002WTLJKM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kh_5

I know you've mentioned before that space is limited in your flat but my MIL's washer was quite compact.

Seakay

Grey Queen - thank you for the book suggestion - I've added it to the exercise book that I keep of titles to order at the library or to keep an eye out for at charity shops etc. Have to write everything down or it just slips from my brain when I really need it!

I'm still pages behind on this thread but would like to send out general sympathies and hugs to all those having a hard time, and thanks an gratitude to all of those (often the same people!) who take the time to share their experiences and advice for the benefit of all. This thread is really inspiring and a great antidote to the negatives which sometimes threaten to overwhelm me.

jackel

Old tractor thankyou so much for your PM.I am a computer idiot and couldn't work out how to send a P.reply.Can hear you all laughing! but thank again Jackel x

GreyQueen

jackel wrote: »

Old tractor thankyou so much for your PM.I am a computer idiot and couldn't work out how to send a P.reply.Can hear you all laughing! but thank again Jackel x

I wouldn't laugh at you because I spent my first few weeks on here trying to work out what the abbreviations meant, including "pm" and then felt left out because I hadn't been sent one!:o

BTW, I have had lots now so don't feel sorry for me! I just sussed that DFW meant Debt Free Wannabee recently..........:rotfl: