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

GreyQueen

OK, who's got the yellow ball? Can see from frugal-in-cornwall's most recent blog post that they've had it down there. Whovever else had hoarded it, can I wail that s'not fair and I want my turn now. :rotfl:

I cannot believe this weather. We had a little sunshine on Sunday and then that was IT. Feels like late September not almost-August, for goodness sake.

I spent a little time looking thru the simple living books on my premises and was frustrated to find that the diagram for the h.m. dehydrator (the heat source was a single ordinary incandescant lightbulb in the base) isn't in them; must've been in one from the library. Why-oh-why didn't I copy it when I had it etc etc but Ceridwen has come forward with some useful links so all will be well. But it did remind me of how fab is John Seymour's "The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency." This includes a very fancy solar outdoor dehydrator which would be a bit of a project to construct but perhaps worthwhile for those with small-holding sized undertakings......

I'm writing this with my long hair all over the place drying naturally after a cheapo wash with Tesco Basics shampoo and a vingear rinse. Despite not having been trimmed in months there's not a split end. The secret to a healthy barnet, ladies, is to do burger-all. * Actually, that product has tripled in price since I bought it so they won't be getting my custom again. Have enough shampoo on the premises to see me into 2012, I think.

* Info from the ongoing GQ project to cut out unnecessary faff.

I have made out like a bandit at the library lately and have got out on loan various books related to matters OS and have just got Colin Beavan's "No Impact Man" which will be my next treat. He has a website but I couldn't get on with it; my dial-up doesn't like some sites esp if they're heavy on the graphics and gets crabby and crawly and I get bored and wander off elsewhere on the web.

Glad to hear that you a feeling a bit better, redlady, don't want to be ill for your hols.

Hope everyone has a great day.

grandma247

GQ if you have a mr S you can get to theirs is still 22p a litre and baby bath and shampoo is 11-17p a bottle. I use the baby stuff for my 11 year old who gets excema if he uses most others.

jamanda

Agree it seems more like September. I've got "that feeling" that is making me want to forage, nest and snuggle down. I'm blooming sure I used to be a squirrel.

Spoilt my street cred yesterday. Looking respectable, complete with silly high heeled shoes, and spotted a hazel tree hanging over the car park. I said I was having 10 minutes of the hypothetical lunch break, and was later found in the middle of the tree, bouncing up and down with a carrier bag over my arm. Got a decent haul. I'm ripening them indoors, and then I'm going to take the frilly bit off the nut and store them in glass jars to munch through the winter. Promised to take grandkids at weekend to forage, so may get some more and possibly blackberries.

I know it is still supposed to be summer, but I love this autumny feeling. I must be a throwback - parents are complete opposites of me.

Gigervamp

I get *that feeling* too and in the spring, I swear I can feel the sap rising!

3v3

Have an award ceremony to go to next week, so I'm getting my roots done in town so I'll be £shop shopping today, then on to £stretcher for mealy worms for the chooks (it's the only way to bribe them back into their coops after free-ranging). Time allowing, I'll pop into Lidl. Lads have a mate staying over and they all eat like food is going out of fashion.

jamanda wrote: »

...
Spoilt my street cred yesterday. Looking respectable, complete with silly high heeled shoes, and spotted a hazel tree hanging over the car park. I said I was having 10 minutes of the hypothetical lunch break, and was later found in the middle of the tree, bouncing up and down with a carrier bag over my arm...

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Priceless!

Dee5565

Spoilt my street cred yesterday. Looking respectable, complete with silly high heeled shoes, and spotted a hazel tree hanging over the car park. I said I was having 10 minutes of the hypothetical lunch break, and was later found in the middle of the tree, bouncing up and down with a carrier bag over my arm.


I am sitting here in fits of laughter, the OH says what are you reading.
Couldnt tell him for laughing. Thank you had a bad start to the day but you have just brighten it up:rotfl:

silvermaid

Winchelsea wrote: »

Mrs Veg Plot - I remember that week in 1993 very well, but have to say it does not seem 18 years ago!

My granddaughter was 18 on Monday - and I was the midwife who delivered her! My DD3 was having her first baby, and when she was getting past just niggling I said "Don't go in yet - have nice relaxing bath first". So she did, and she and DSIL were up in the bathroom for ages, playing soothing music and topping up the hot water. Well, she relaxed so well that after a bit DSIL shouted down to tell me she wanted to push! I told him to ring the hospital, and they told him not to drive her in but to call an ambulance, which he did. By the time they arrived, she was pushing well, and it was obvious she wasn't going anywhere. The ambulance men looked very worried and got out their manual!

It was obvious they had no experience, so I told them I was an off-duty midwife, and they breathed huge sighs of relief and passed me a pair of gloves. Shortly afterwards I delivered our beautiful DGD, just as the community midwife walked in!

I had a visit from the Supervisor of Midwives, as she suspected we might have planned it, but realised all was as it should be. But because I was out of my own area I had to notify my intention to practise in that one, and my own Supervisor was notified. A bit of a palaver - but otherwise an amazing experience.

But where have those 18 years gone?! My DD made her a DVD out of lots of old videos of her as a baby, toddler and beyond, and it was quite a tear-jerker I have to say!

Happy Birthday to your DD!

What an amazing story. Wow
My DGS is about to turn 15 - those years just fly by don't they?

Reverbe

GreyQueen wrote: »

I have made out like a bandit at the library lately and have got out on loan various books related to matters OS and have just got Colin Beavan's "No Impact Man" which will be my next treat. He has a website but I couldn't get on with it; my dial-up doesn't like some sites esp if they're
Hope everyone has a great day.

Our library doesnt have that but Lovefilm does have the DVD. Rented it a few weeks ago has loads of helpful extras on it too.great film but would love to read the book as things dont get as glossed over as much..

Softstuff

Well, I cleaned up at the supermarket. S'funny but I hadn't realised how much 10kg of rice actually was.... :rotfl: And don't get me started on the pasta. The cupboard now looks a bit like a survivalists dream!

I amused a chap at the checkout who said he'd never seen a bag of rice that big. And the lady at the other supermarket was a little surprised at me buying the full wholesale pack of loo roll.

Seems like I'm actually getting the best of the supermarkets at the moment, thanks to a bit of preplanning, stocking up and visiting a couple of times a week. Hubby reckons they're just putting on a few good deals before more price hikes, but providing I can keep a step ahead, all should work out fine.

silvasava

Just tipped out my last two potato buckets - I had 8 reds from one and TWO whites from the other one! DH said - Ah well they didn't cost you anything (no? I was the one who planted, earthed up & watered for the last 4 months)
Win a few lose a few - I never seem to have much luck with container grown potatoes. Going off to forage in my favourite place for some blackberries & I'll drag DH down to where I saw some wild damsons growing - I love damson jam - nice & tart!

Did chuckle at your foraging Jamanda - there was a plot of waste ground near where I worked some years ago. I think it must have originally been someone's garden 'cos the blackberries there were HUGE. I didn't have a bag so nipped back to work and used part of a generator control housing to take my booty home