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

mardatha

My god Shegar, you must live on a different planet to me !! Up here its raining its blowing a gale and its NOT NICE!

Igamogam

Last decorated our bedroom when I as pregnant with DD1 who is now in final year at university:eek: We are not followers of fashion. Rest of house has been decorated on and off in the interveing years I have to add;) House is very old and our bedroom is in the roof IYSWIM. I shall describe bedroom as shabby chic with windows on 2 sides, original floorboards,open beams,cobwebs,slopey ceiling and wobbly walls - painted neutral so I guess that is why there has been no need to up date:D Curtains do need replacing though - During a recent declutter I found some lovely fabric obviously bought for a project long since passed that I will use but its a roundtoit job .......... no room for wardrobe due to ceiling height so have hanging space under one of the beams and a built in cupboard. Bedroom is over kitchen so is very warm winter due to constant aga and we have bats roosting above our heads - dont half make a noise shuffling around, even in winter:)

I do collect Hornsea cirrus tableware - buy when I can. Weirdly also collect stamps have done since childhood but as an adult it has mostly been FDC's I am a hoarder but I am not counting that as collecting! Dont go in for nicnacs - dust traps

pennib

Yes Becky, thanks for the advice about keeping a cucumber. I have 3 growing in the porch. At the mo about quarter of the size they should be!

Even further up than Mardatha the weather is holding on. A bit blowy (nothing unusual, so washing out) warmish, overcast. Was sunny early on. I think that Perth/Inverness areas seems to get hit quite badly with extremes of weather.

I also like white cotton on my bed it goes with my red/white/cream quilt that I made.

Keeping any eye on my apples ripening. The last week the blackberries have actually ripened after thinking there wasn't going to be many this year. Blackberry and apple pies....delicious!

The carrots are doing really well, but, I startled a rabbit in the middle of them. DD said to put a net over them which I think will do. Dont want Peter(rabbit) to get them all!! The oinions seem to be drying out OK in the shed. How long do they last for?

Went for a look in my favourite secondhand shop (where you can haggle!)and got a wooden tv stand for £2 (which needs a makeover) and a glass fronted thin cupboard which just fits in the space I had in mind. Was going to paint it but it looks OK as it is. Will be putting some curtaining on the front to hide the mess at some point.

pennib

Forgot to add I like collecting these jugs and have a few more since this photo was taken. They are scattered around the place. Got most of them from E*bay so some were bargains.
Even hubs likes them!

Igamogam

Ooooh nice jugs. I have jug envy now - sorry that doesnt sound right at all. Really like your ceramics - wish I had the space!:rotfl:

lora

Becky_2 wrote: »

Thank you to everyone who is posting on this thread. Yesterday this thread literally saved my day. Feeling a bit low at the moment since my contract is ending at the end of this month and every spare moment is spent filling in application forms or preparing for interviews. Yesterday I spent a few hours sitting in front of the computer and then lost my motivation. Thinking of this thread I decided to go out in our garden and spent half hour or so cutting lavender to hang and dry in our utility room, I have thought about that for weeks but have had no inspiration to do so. Afterwards I felt so much better and more motivated and the utility room now smells really lovely.

Like so many of you we are also facing a tough winter this year and every pence that we can save will make a difference to us. This is the first winter that we are having a wood burner. We have bought 60 straw logs for £49.99 to keep us warm this winter together with our paper logs and other free wood, I am hoping that will last us a few months. I will put the date in our diary when we start using it so that we can see how long it will last.

Have a nice weekend and keep those posts coming in since I enjoy reading them.

In Woodstock,Oxfordshire yesterday a bunch of dried lavender was £6.95---yep £6.95. :eek::eek::eek:

flowertotmum

Morning all..wow all your bedrooms sound lovely..mine is a lovely sand colour with very thick cream curtains,bed is pine and has white or cream linen..how ever due to the fact i have more pillow cases than i know what to do with i do mix and match those..bed is full of cushions in lovely pastel and floral fabrics..we have pine furniture apart from a mahogany armoire that is totally gorgeous and i got it from a lady up the road from me who was moving house and didn't want it...carpet is lovely thick cream..heaven..i have pictures of all my children and grandchildren on the wall..and a photo frame that i redid into a thingy and printed off our surname to go in it..sounds strange but looks good...have a nice glass lampshade and only one lamp..lots of books on bedside cabinets..that last year would have been full of thrillers..but is now full of gardening,knitting,sewing and self sufficiency books..how times change but for the better i think...

Well was up at the crack of dawn to go to a carboot sale..got plenty of bargains...a proper potatoe masher for 20p..was soo excited to find that..got some mixing bowls for 10p..lots of long sleeve tops for both tots and me..o and a picture of a couple skating..sounds odd but is really old and needs a bit of doing up but it will be smashing in my living room...

Hubby been to the lotties yesterday and dug up the rest of the spuds which are drying nicely in the greenhouse..picked more green beans,carrots not quite ready yet but getting there..got 2 more cabbages to do..harvested my tomatoes again..only 2 cucumbers left now..thanks becky for the tip on how to keep them...

I have been busy knitting..ferns school scarf is done. and looks good if i say so myself..have started another for her posh coat..have been making bread by hand and not in my machine..must admit its much easier and tastes nicer plus its a better shape..have made my own pasta sauce this week and bottled it up..very tasty...
Went into blanket box and got out the big wooly blankets for tots beds,big throw for son and the heavy quilted one for our bed...checked hot water bottles are ok and have no leaks,bought thick socks for everyone and tights for me and tots...
Think this at the moment is the calm before the storm,,very windy but warm..have put all toys away and anchored down patio table..its quite big and very heavy but you never know...have made sure that nothing can get blown about..hope everyone gets through it with no damage to life or property...got candles in just incase..i know i'm in south lincs and might not get it but it pays to be prepared...
Anyway you all take care..got to go chicken in oven and i'm starving...
love ftm

Margaret54

Hi everyone have enjoyed reading all your posts as always and jotting down the great tips too. I am wondering where gailey is? I do hope all is well with her and her little family.
First year growing tomatoes and there are loads but due to very little sunshine here have had to pick the biggest ones and bring them indoors, trying out a tip which I heard on here. Hope we all don't suffer too much with the weather due to get nasty.
Went to a food fare in Belfast yesterday with my ds. Lots of lovely free samples of Northern Irish produce and I got a Kingsmill pan loaf for £1 which was donated to an Alziemers charity and also got a 50p voucher off the next loaf for another time. Great atmosphere even on a wet and windy day:)

paidinchickens

I am now on day four of a bad back :mad: I have hardly done anything apart from watching carp films with an occasional hobble to the loo. I am so bored. I find reading difficult as I just can not get comfy and hold the book. grrrrrrrrrr I just keep thinking I need to clean up, mow the lawn, go to the lotty............etc etc etc

I am loving the descriptions of all your bedrooms!!!

Flowertotmum My dresser sounds the same. Last year I would have a good book next to my bed but this year it is moneysaving and gardening books :rotfl:

What is everyone's most helpful/interesting money saving book they have read???

thegoodolddays

Hello again
Thanks for the welcome

It's sunny and warm here today even if rather blustery but at least the washing is getting dried nicely on the line.

Made bread rolls this morning, not totally by hand I might add, made the dough in my breadmaker then made the rolls by hand. But still very nice all the same.

All your bedrooms sound soooo nice.. I do love the shabby chic/old cottagy look. My whole home needs an overhaul and is in bad need of being decorated but funds are very limited (hubby can't work because of health problems). It is also in need of a good de-clutter etc, which I'm doing slowly and listing anything not needed any more on ebay. Hopefully I'll make enough money to cover the cost of the decorating.

Shegar - We love watching the Spitfire too, it often flies around here, it comes from the old Amercian Airbase at Bentwaters, which is near here.

Well must dash as I have a pile of tomatoes, courgettes etc etc all waiting to made into chutney. To go with the hundreds of jars of jams, jellies and chutneys I've already made :rotfl:

Bye for now