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

GreyQueen

valentina wrote: »

GreyQueen wrote: »

:

... a pair of Mum's Harvest Festival Pants ([as in "all is safely gathered in").


Love this :rotfl:

It's an oldie but a goodie, it originated from my late Gran who probably got it from a music hall. Gran once had an embarrassment when the elastic failed on her drawers (the knee-length kind of Harvest Festivals) and the pink unmentionables fell down into the public view. Bearing in mind that Gran was raised by Victorians, this was a shocking thing to endure. To the end of her days, she used to secure the top of her knickers to the bottom of her vest with a safety pin to prevent a reoccurance. She's been dead since the early 1970s but her sayings, recipes and values live on.

Gran's wisdom: "Virtues learned at Mother's knee, vices at some other joint!"

sammy_kaye18

GreyQueen wrote: »

Re prepping for winter, I think it's an excellent idea and would have been common practise years ago. Because most of us get our power at the press of a switch, we've got out of the habit. When I was the the mountains of northern Sloevenia (Julian Alps area) about 3 years ago, we were in lovely trad villages, alpine, steep-roofed wooden houses and barns and each house had a sort of staging around it's walls, about 3 feet high, and underneath it was stacked very very tidily with logs split into triangular logs and set to season (this was June). Plus they had woodsheds and outdoor woodpiles neatly stacked in oblong rows about 4 feet high with "roofs" of tarp or corrugated tin.

On that note, I better put the kettle on. My first brew-up at 5 ish went a bit wrong; I was so groggy I forgot the teabag! :rotfl:

RE PREPPING FOR WINTER - there are a lot of threads about about winter prep - will see if I can find a link if they haven't already been posted. That place sounds lovely too. I did a fair bit of prep work on our flat last winter but realize if we get a house it will be more work for us to re-do but worth it in the end hopefully - although I get a feeling it will be me doing the work and not bf as he cant really ever be bothered or see's it as pointless! well he would being that hes the one who doesn't pay the bills.

My first cuppa was also a fail too - I like my tea fairly weak - and realised as I got nearer the bottom of cup and thought god this is strong, only realised I'd left the tea bag in when it touched my lip and scared the proverbial out of me! cup of tea take 2....................

ceridwen

GreyQueen wrote: »

Ceridwen re tea towels......I have been known to sides-to-middle them as well as darn a hole in an otherwise good towel or teatowel with a maching darn like an (*). Sometimes, I think I do it just because I can........:rotfl:


I have heard that it is cheaper to keep a whole home to a modest temperature than to have one room hot and the heating off in the rest, plus it is better for your building and your belongings. It was a c.h engineer who told me that but I have also seen it in books on low carbon living etc.

Now THAT is being thrifty - ie re redoing teatowels:rotfl:. Howsomever - I'm working my way through a positive stash of teatowels - so probably won't have to buy one ever again anyway (teatowels being another thing my mother has passed on absolute hordes of to me). I've had absolutely stacks of teatowels/towels/bedding passed onto me over the years by my mother. The bedding is too small for my large bed - but kept for the guest bed. The teatowels are all kept because I figure I'll use my way through them over the years. The pillowcases are being winnowed down a bit (and no I'm too big to do like that young woman did on "Make Do and Mend" and make myself a top from any of them:cool: - so some will have to "find a good home" and I've kept 12 handtowels to "see me out" and still had a dozen or so that I've ferried over for the local animal shelter.

If my newest (bought by me) sheets ever start wearing in the middle then I might have them "sides to middled" by someone with a sewing machine. I bought "last a lifetime" quality ones - so they should be okay - but if they arent then they are wide enough to allow a bit spare for "sides to middling" if need be.

Re the heating - I'm not quite sure myself - though I am wondering whether a corner on a downstairs room has suffered a bit because of my trying to do more "specific" heating than overall central heating (as its gone from "mustnt place things too close to that wall - or it mottles them a bit yellow, after mottling itself TO "the woodchip wallpaper has gone a bit unsettled in the corner and it looks a bit off there generally"). I'm not quite sure what the problem is and whether it might be anything to do with the fact that B.H. (aka "Blimmin' House") doesnt have a damp course. It IS only that bit of one wall only in one room only that isnt quite right.
(yeh...woodchip...eek! I know...I know...but the walls are awful in B.H. as well - and the only way I was able to do "default decorating mode" that pretty much everyone I know does/has been doing for years of "walls are painted one shade or another of white" was to put up woodchip first on those walls. Cant afford to replaster B.H.).

sammy_kaye18

lilykins wrote: »

Great idea about preparing for winter, got my thinking cap on ready to make some lists!!
Have started making a winter quilt, its going to be a nice big, cosy one that we can snuggle under during the winter when watching TV.

I'd love a wood burner too. Shame Im in a flat!

I would love to make a quilt but haven't the foggiest idea where to get started but just an off note to anyone who's reading and needs something to cuddle in - we brought 3 chocolate brown fleece blankets for £1.99 in B&M last year to have on the sofa's and they are lovely and warm.

I start my winter prep in September when Ben goes back to school. All the fleeces are washed and dried, bedding is done, stock cupboard is double checked as everything here ground to a halt last year (I know all the regulars know but newbies dont - we live in a welsh valley with only 3 access roads and about 2500 people and we have 2 shops. one road is up a steep hill which is prone to mudslides/landslides and has been shut for 18 month due to them trying to stabilize it. The other road is prone to mud/landslides and does regularly and the only other road takes you 40 minutes in the wrong direction! ) so being prepared is a good idea fro us!

maryb

Girls, there's a huge thread (may even be onto version 2) about preparing for winter. It's probably fallen down the boards by now but it was so useful. A recommended read

EDIT: ooops, I really ought to refresh the page before I post - I see loads of people have already said the same thing

sammy_kaye18

maryb wrote: »

Girls, there's a huge thread (may even be onto version 2) about preparing for winter. It's probably fallen down the boards by now but it was so useful. A recommended read

Yeah I will see if I can find a link now for it - I know I posted regularly on it and it saved us a small fortune in heating bills!

This one is AVOID USING GAS AND ELECTRIC
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/247646

This is PREPARING FOR WINTER 2 - (with extra links in first post!)
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2714253

grandma247

GreyQueen wrote: »

valentina wrote: »

Gran's wisdom: "Virtues learned at Mother's knee, vices at some other joint!"

Wonderful! you made me laugh out loud. Good thing I wasn't actually drinking my coffee.

claudiac_2

Hi, This thread is great, so many useful tips which I will be using. Am going to read the threads Sammy has kindly put a link in for. I am sitting here looking out the window at my gazebo(put up for sunshade for baby GS) - it looks like it might take off any minute the wind is so strong. I am worried about going to work and leaving it cos I might come back and it has flown off!! Might brave the weather and see if I can find a way to anchor it down a bit
On the subject of wood burning stoves - I have a big load of logs which are well seasoned by now, but not managed to get a wood burning stove yet. It is definitely on my list to try and do before winter comes. Our chimneys were all taken away when the roof was replaced, so I need to investigate the pipe thing.
Anyway, have a good day everyone. C

grandma247

claudiac if you can't anchor it it may be best to take it down, I have seen a few completely destroyed by the wind.

scotsaver

Haven't posted since the new Thread was started but just wanted to pop my head round the door and say Hello and say thanks for all the tips, I love reading your Posts, I don't Post very often as I don't always feel I have something worthwhile to say:o but love reading what everyone up to.

I've been fairly busy trying to keep on top of things on the Allotment, mainly watering but also getting plenty of planting done, this is my first year with the full plot ready as it was quite overgrown when I first got it so only had about one third planted last year. Will soon have it all planted up and then I can look forward to some more money saving.;)