It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

Charis

I'm working my way through the archives of Spitalfields Life, a blog I can (and do) sit and read for hours. I have ancestral connections with the area and know some of the areas featured. I thought you'd be interested to see how the wearing of preloved clothing has been a big hit with young people in one of the now-trendy areas of London.

lizzyb1812

Redlady - "Thanks to you both....Lizzy, you dont need to be in a more than one person household for it to vanish! :whistle: "

Er, yes, I know, but I didn't want you to think I thought you were a greedy little piggie (like me) :rotfl:

Someone mentioned fish pie the other day and that got me wanting one. Made it today and it was lovely. One small portion each of cod, salmon and prawns stretched to make a 4 portion pie. Had a portion tonight and 3 are boxed and cooling to be frozen. Followed that with HM yoghurt and stewed windfall granny smith apple.

I've made soup and yet more bread to help fill the freezer. Used someone's tip and increased the milk from 1T powder to 1.5T - loaf came out a bit smaller but a lovely texture and will be perfect for slicing. And I used my electricity monitor to get the cost of a basic 4 hour bread cycle in my Panny. It took 0.3kwh which is about 2.7p for me. I've done quite a bit of elec testing stuff recently - I'm a bit nerdy - my under the counter larder fridge costs £12 a year to run and my old under the counter freezer cost £59 per year. Next I'll put the monitor on the new freezer to see how accurate the manufacturer's usage estimates are.

Otherwise it was gardening mostly with quite a few squash breaks as it was warm and sunny for most of the day.

Surfing and sipping wine now and thinking about my projects for next week - let's hope it's a good one.

toottifrootti

MOAM hi :hello: and thank you
3v3 thanks for that I didnt know you could get stiuff online from IKea

Igamogam

westcoastscot wrote: »

Hi,

I love the frontier stove! Would really love one - living as I do on the midgy west coast we bbq/cook outside often in winter - I use a chiminea with either wood or paper bricks on it for keeping a coffee pot warm and making baked potatoes, adding bbq coals for cooking meat if we want it - lovely to garden around also. If I didn't already have one I'd def invest in the frontier though.

I have a multi-fuel stove which heats my house/water - its on 24/7 year around. I'm going to look at ways to cook on it this winter - unfortunately its almost set totally into the chimney breast - around 6" out is all, which is enough to rise bread and keep the coffee hot. The top lifts off to give a hottish plate around 6" wide, about 18" long, but I haven't found anything yet that is the right shape to cook on it, apart from loaf tins - would like something enamel or pot ideally. Would also be interested if anyone has ideas for cooking in the stove - its quite a deep one, and you tend to lose your baked pots if you just pop them in foil!!! I think I need something to hook onto the basket, maybe to use with the doors open???

.

WCS

I cook on a solid fuel Aga - find cast iron the best - we have Le Creuset which was bought for us as a wedding present 22 years ago and still going strong - only had to replace spindle that held handle in place of large pot and Le Creuset sent us what we needed FREE. I presume by 'pot' you mean ceramic?? I have never tried but I know my ceramic oven dishes say not to put on direct heat.

ChocClare

westcoastscot wrote: »

Hi,

I have a multi-fuel stove which heats my house/water - its on 24/7 year around. I'm going to look at ways to cook on it this winter - unfortunately its almost set totally into the chimney breast - around 6" out is all, which is enough to rise bread and keep the coffee hot. The top lifts off to give a hottish plate around 6" wide, about 18" long, but I haven't found anything yet that is the right shape to cook on it, apart from loaf tins - would like something enamel or pot ideally. Would also be interested if anyone has ideas for cooking in the stove - its quite a deep one, and you tend to lose your baked pots if you just pop them in foil!!! I think I need something to hook onto the basket, maybe to use with the doors open???

What is your stove like inside, WCS? Do you mean like a (wood-burning) stove with a water heater on the back? I'm just trying to picture it, because I can't quite see what you mean by "the basket".

Our woodburner has a rack rather than a basket to put fuel on, with a tray underneath to catch ash and cinders. This means that we *could* put a dutch oven in there (I mean a cast-iron casserole) but obviously that would completely smirch up my orange Le Creuset, so the black cast iron ones would be better. You could then use it to cook anything that could go in a casserole dish. I've baked artisan bread in my casserole dish, though that was admittedly in the oven rather than the wood burning stove!

Do you find that things take forever to heat on the top? I often put a kettle on the top of ours to preheat it for extra washing up water and it will take all evening to get vaguely warm. I would have thought that the back boiler (if that's what you've got) would also dissipate the heat.

Anyway, ignore me if I've got the wrong end of the stick - just wondered if you could give a few more details and then maybe the brainios on here would be able to offer some sensible suggestions...

ceridwen

Charis wrote: »

I'm working my way through the archives of Spitalfields Life, a blog I can (and do) sit and read for hours. I have ancestral connections with the area and know some of the areas featured. I thought you'd be interested to see how the wearing of preloved clothing has been a big hit with young people in one of the now-trendy areas of London.

Thanks for that - saved to go and have a good read of.

HARD UP HESTER - Think this is one for you:) (in particular the post about the Pagan Pride March).

If there's any others you think might be of interest Charis do let us know:)

(Like the signature by the way - MSE OS = The cutting edge of Nanna Technology)
:rotfl:

mardatha

Choc clare, my stove is on all the time as well and it gets very hot on top, even allowing for the back boiler.. if mine was free-standing it would be terrific, but like WCS's one it's set right into the fireplace/chimney apart from 6". I burn coal (eggs) because we find wood a waste of time. Too much work! I only have to empty/clean out once every 24 hours. If they had built it free standing I would have no need for a cooker at all. But I suppose that's too much like using your head for the local HA...

SDG31000

Can I have some calming vibes please, if anyone has some to spare?
I'm in a bit of a panic this morning and it is mostly irrational. For the past few years I've been helping an old lady who lived over the road. At first it started out as helping her with forms and calling people on her behalf. Then as her dementia got worse it turned into shouting at drs, social services, nurses, so called carers and mental health teams, until they finally started talking to each other and stopped using me as a go between and she got the help she needed. She collapsed on our doorstep twice last year and I spent hours at the hospital with her and then days getting the hospital to take me seriously when I told them how bad her health and mental state was. It got to the stage where I was sinking back into clinical depression about it all. Eventually we got her into respite care over Christmas and she is now happy and settled in the care home and staying there.
Her solicitor called me this morning, as I have a key to the house, and said that my neighbour is coming back tomorrow to do a final visit to her house and to get things she wants to keep. I've just been in the house and cleaned it a little and done things like empty all the food out, which I didn't feel I was able to do before as I didn't know if she was coming home or not.
It sent me back into that panic I was in before Christmas, when I was having to give her meds that the carers weren't allowed to and was literally cleaning up her poo off her, the walls, the bathroom, her bed and myself. (Sorry for being so graphic, but that's how bad things had gotten).
I know that isn't going to happen again, but it was such a bad time. I'm also upset about what will happen to the things that she doesn't want/can't take with her. All those things she worked hard for. The only thing of any value is her TV, so I doubt anything will be sold and it will just end up in landfill. Do you think it would be ok if I offered to buy some of those things? Little things like crockery, so I remember her when I use them.
Sorry for waffling on.
I hope everyone is having a lovely, sunny, kale free day xxx

alice-mary

SDG31000, I'm sending you HUGS across the ether!!! Bless you for being such a thoughtful neighbour and caring so much about this! The world is definitely a better place because people like you are in it!

Mrs_Veg_Plot

SDG31000
Firstly it sounds like you did a great job caring for this lady and for speaking up for her through some difficult times. I have experience in this area and know just how difficult providing this care is and how frustrating it is dealing with all of the different agencies that are supposed to be there to help. You should be proud of yourself for the help you gave this lady.

Has the lady been deemed as having any capacity for making decisions? Having dementia and mental health problems does not automatically mean that she cannot make decisions. If this is the case you might be able to discuss this with her direct. Alternatively how about discussing it with her solicitor.

I cannot think of any other suggestions at the moment but will post again if I think of any more.