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

[Deleted User]

Gigervamp wrote: »

Re the weather. Kittie, you must be a bit more west than us. We can see the Somerset coast from here on a clear day and yet we've only had a bit of a breeze today. We also had a few showers, but luckily I was still able to get some washing dry as one of my washing lines is under the trees in the garden and unless the rain is constant, it stays pretty dry under there.

The wind funnels up the bristol channel from the sea and is whipped up more as it goes over the somerset levels. It is always windy here esp in the afternoons on a warm day. (warm air rises and pulls in cooler air). It is ok now, just normal wind with gusts.

Did anyone watch the last of the proms on sunday? wasn`t it awesome? A real energy-lifting feel good moment

we appear to be looking forward to 2 more high energy weather events this month ie 19-21 (equinox and always v windy) and 30th -oct 1st both are ish dates. Looks like no indian summer this year

I watched the cycling tour of britain last night and it was awesome with an exciting finish. The cyclists will have terrible conditions today, kendal to blackpool

I must get back to using the remoska on a daily basis. I baked bisuits yesterday and switched the oven off to see the monitor fall by 2kw. The remoska is only 470w for the standard size and 670 for the big one. It all adds up. I know I have been using more electricity lately with all the chutney making, bottling and dehydrating

Lovely neighbours are off on a cruise today, rather them than me, give me my own bed any day

GreyQueen

ceridwen wrote: »

Hiya GreyQueen

...so it was a Bushcraft course then presumably?

I hope you managed to enjoy it - despite all mishaps.

Good to see ya' back lass - its been quiet here without you.:rotfl::D

Yup, it was Bushcraft.

They're blinking bonkers, these bushcrafters; I tell you, I feel lucky to have made it back with all my fingers still attached. Albeit rather cut about and blistered.

I have learned many useful skills which will equip me all the better for the rigours of office life. I can make fire using several different techniques, my personal favourite being matches.

I can also dismember a woodpigeon bare-handed to access the meat in less than a minute and if anyone would like to share this skill, just ask and all shall be revealed.

Hmmm, thinking on the rising price of groceries and the ample supply of woodpigeons on the lottie, all I need now is a foolproof way of getting them out of the sky and deaded and I shall have a very OS source of free protein.....thinking on, thinking on......

Oooff. Am utterly exhausted but the car is back at the depot and checked out OK so no loss of deposit. It's so rainy here that it's almost dark so I shall loiter indoors as am enjoying solid footing after 7 days in very deep mud 24/7 and access to my very own running water. Not to mention the WC, so we won't stoop so low.

Put the kettle on, I need tea!

Gigervamp

GreyQueen wrote: »

.
I can also dismember a woodpigeon bare-handed to access the meat in less than a minute and if anyone would like to share this skill, just ask and all shall be revealed.

Hmmm, thinking on the rising price of groceries and the ample supply of woodpigeons on the lottie, all I need now is a foolproof way of getting them out of the sky and deaded and I shall have a very OS source of free protein.....thinking on, thinking on......

A catapult?

jamanda

Talking of wood pigeons, we seem to have a baby one that DH found on the inside of the kitchen door, sitting on the doormat! Told him he can't keep it. I'm not having that on the sofa as well.

Got a nice surprise yesterday. Went to see my parents (took some baking for them because my mum can't stand long enough to faff about) and my dad, completely out of the blue, had bought me a present. It is a shiny stainless steel jam pan by Judge, and he has even bought a wooden stirrer upper with a thing to hang on the side of the pan so it doesn't slip in. This is unprecedented and I suspect it is a thank you for a bit of sorting out I've done recently for them. He couldn't have picked anything more exciting for me.

greent

Thanks for that, frugalista - a job for next week, I think - am away for a couple of days this week and must ensure everything and more is done so OH won't be stressed looking after the children by himself for one night!:rotfl:;):rotfl: How I coped when he worked away in the week for 6 months, heaven alone knows!!:p

Welcome back, GQ:D

We're not getting much of the weather here in Glos - yesterday was windy and dry enough to get three loads of washing dry - there were a couple of showers, but nothing heavy until the night. We have a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds this morning, too. It's a little bit windy, for sure, but nothing bad at all

DS3 (2) has chickenpox - woke up with it yesterday. I'm expecting DS2 (nrly 6) to get it towards the end of the week... another reason to ensure as much as possible around the house is done!!

Am itching to start sorting my CHr***mas lists... but will leave that until next week

[Deleted User]

whooo, wind has increased a lot and big squalls now. It is going from here up through the midlands. Kep safe up north.

we almost bought a house near penrith, 7 years ago and fate decided that it wasn`t to be, boy are we glad as it is so much warmer and drier in the south

dh said he would like an anemometer :j lol that will be his christmas present, sorted. He won`t know until he opens it. It pays to listen out for ideas

ifonlyitwaseasier

kittie wrote: »

whooo, wind has increased a lot and big squalls now. It is going from here up through the midlands. Kep safe up north.

we almost bought a house near penrith, 7 years ago and fate decided that it wasn`t to be, boy are we glad as it is so much warmer and drier in the south

dh said he would like an anemometer :j lol that will be his christmas present, sorted. He won`t know until he opens it. It pays to listen out for ideas

ok google reveals that it measures wind?







(no eating too many OS lentil packed meals then....)

Red_Doe

Gale's on it's way here, wind is picking up and lashing rain. Getting daughter to put poor drookit hens back in the barn. You'd think hens would have the common sense to go indoors themselves (door's open) but nope. There they stand..erm...lean..against the wind, dripping wet, looking miserable...
not nature's bright sparks sometimes, chickens....
Hope everyone stays safe, we've had ample time to prep for this stormy weather, so here's hoping it doesn't do too much damage.

paidinchickens

Just had three minutes of sunshine :j back to the gloom and rain:(

I hope everyone is looking after themselves in the stormy regions.

Mondays are always so quiet after the chaos of DH going to work and the boys going to school. I have decided I must be going slightly bonkers after giving up work as I find myself having conversations with the cats but I also have the same birds coming to feed in the garden everyday and I have stated naming them and talking to them as well

Mummy cat is back on form after having her babies and neuter, she obviously needed to have babies as she is still letting the babies feed off her even though she has had no milk for weeks. I have spent about £100 on flea stuff which is not working so I am now having to comb all five cats twice a day :mad: but I do laugh when I have done the kittens Mummy cat checks to make sure I have done it properly by giving each of the kitties a good five minute lick!

Everyone said I was mad when I kept three of the kittens and they are probably right as I now have to find the money for three lots of injections (we never did this years ago and all cats lived to over 20). They give me so much pleasure though and are sooooooo funny, the kids adore them. Joining two families is hard but helps having the kitties as they do not belong to anyone person they are ours as a family unit if that makes sense.

PIC xxx

GreyQueen

Gigervamp wrote: »

A catapult?

That's not fool-proof enough for this fool, I'm afraid.:o

Plus my lottie is between a street and a public footpath with a constant stream of children inc mums and kiddies in buggies, so using projectiles would be far too dangerous to passers-by.

Then there are the neighbours' greenhouses to consider.......

If it gets desperate I shall invest in some netting and capture them from ambush...they're very fat on the brassicas and downright insolent, but they'd quickly be re-educated the GQ way....:p

Must get back to Page 116 which is as far as I've caught up. Have promised myself a trip down Scruffy Street to poke into the charity shops and a visit to the Magic Greengrocer as the cupboard is bare and I have only 60-odd tins of tomatoes and several kilos of pasta between me and famine.

ETA Have now caught up on this thread, that just leaves the Preparing for Winter and 546 emails in my Yahoo account (it's where I do the Freecycling, I ain't that popular, believe me.......)

My bedroom is painted a soft warm yellow, same colour as the rest of the flat bar the kitchen. I'd really like white but the flat faces North and is also in the shadow of tall buildings so I feel that a warm yellow is best for me. Low-slung pine bedstead/ tinned goods larder and just enough room to open the door. If I told you that I managed to put 2 coats of emulsion on bedroom, hall, bathroom and living room and still have 0.5 litres left from a 2.5 litre can of paint, you'd get an idea of how small my gaff is.

House Beautiful not, but at least it's not a tent..........