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

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ceridwen wrote: »

Depends I guess on where one's "core values" lie - ie as to which comes first if its not possible to "cover all angles" - be it "diversity/mental stimulation" on the one hand OR being "away from crime/loadsa people around/impersonal set-up as no-one cares because no-one is "accountable" on the other hand. Horses for courses on that one...and whether one is used to a "home area" type way of thinking...

Obviously if one is used to a "home area" and has pretty much stayed in that area throughout - then one is much more likely to be a "conserver-type" temperament I would think...

Not necessarily. I live in Ireland and have lived in the same town for most of my life. It is a market town with very low levels of crime, fifteen miles from a very diverse city but very fortunately only four miles from the coast. We are lucky enough to live on the outskirts of the town with close neighbours yet in a green belt area surrounded by farmland and countryside. I know that things could well change by the time I am nearing retirement age, but I think in this particular area it is very unlikely to as little has changed in the last twenty years. I am very happy here and have no reason to think about moving to another area.

So I have lived in this home area all my life. In that time I have been, and continue to be, involved in my community (as one does with growing children) with friends and some but sadly not all of my family nearby. I don't believe that those things alone necessarily define someone as a conserver-type temperment.

Thankfully we are all different.

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lutzi1

suzid wrote: »

I was in true Victoria Meldrew mode yesterday - I do not belieeeeeve it!

Why oh why can't peeps do as they say or not expect others to be mind readers? The saga goes thus: Back in May I phoned DS's Uni to enquire whether it would be possible for DS to have a freezer in his room and a seperate toaster so that he could have all his gluten free food separate, quite expecting to have to buy them. 'Oh that's fine, we will provide them they said', once his accomodation is confirmed just phone and arrange.

In July phoned to confirm and was told they would supply the items and that no we could not provide our own - fire risk, and to put it in writing by email which I duly did. Didn't hear a dicky bird after that so phoned three weeks ago and was told they needed a doctors letter as confirmation. It took two weeks to get the letter out of the doctor and sent it off with another email. Nothing again, so phoned uni and couldn't get through. The next thing was I phoned Student Suport telling them of sage. Got a very nice email saying they had sorted out a fridge for DS but that he couldn't have a toaster in his room. Sent another email back saying we didn't want a fridge, needs a freezer and that he didn't want a toaster in his room, just a seperate one in the kitchen. Another email came back saying they don't provide freezers but that we could provide our own new so long as they are PAT tested (even though their own handbook says items under guarentee don't require PAT testing). Give me strength.:mad:

So now we have to buy a freezer as their's no time to source one on freecycle. DH and I will have to make a second trip with his food the weekend after and I felt like spitting feathers.

I won't bore you with the doctors saga, but why does everything have to be so difficult? Boy needs food - gluten free- to buy very expensive- OS mother makes for scratch saving small fortune. Prescription bread monthly needs storing. Seven other students sharing so strong possibility of GF food being nicked if in main freezer, plus taking up alot of room. Needs separate freezer - Simples!!!!

So off to deposit DS on Friday and reserve small chest freezer tomorrow for us to collect in Uni town. He'll take a weeks worth of food as it will take hours for the new freezer to settle and get down to temperature. On the plus side, if he's forgotten anything we can take it down with us the next weekend when we do the food drop, and DH and I will have a nice, if expensive day out.

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Welcome Jen:wave:

Hope all went well at the hospital Taurusgb , thinking of you.

Mardatha you make me giggle, you're a real tonic. How are the chickens socks coming on ?

Suzid, we have just sent our Coeliac daughter off to Uni, and we bought her a brilliant little fridge freezer for Argos to go in her room, so she can have some stuff frozen, but also so no-one is messing up her butter with crumbs etc. Uni were fine with it and will just electrically test. I hadn't seen them before, but basically it is the size of an undercounter fridge, so not too big,but with a separate freezer compartment - ideal for one person. It's here http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4866680/Trail/searchtext%3EFRIDGE+FREEZER.htm and I see it's currently reduced!

Good luck and HTH. If you have any problems just point them in the direction of the disability legislation which requires them to make reasonable adjustments. Also consider making a DSA claim for costs.

PS I wouldn't be happy at all with her toaster in the communal kitchen, ( I'm Coeliac too), bound to be used by someone else and contaminated. Hers is in her room.

ceridwen

"little changed in the last twenty years" Pink-winged??

Sits back and tries - and fails - not to feel acutely envious at that....

In my area one HECK of a lot has changed in that time. There is quite a lot of the area that I literally would not recognise if I had been "picked up by hand 20 years ago and plonked back down in the same area now". I've got lost before now in areas that I once knew well - because they have changed so much.

There is a HUGE HUGE amount of development that has happened in this area over that period of time - and its still continuing at a furious pace..:mad::(:mad::(:eek:.

I cant even begin to imagine what it is like to live in an area that is changing very slowly...if at all...

So - a "conservER" type temperament is one that is entirely understandable in a "fast change" type area like I live in. In my area - if we let them - developers would positively run riot and they are certainly doing their darndest to do so despite our opposition:(. As for crime - I'm trying not to think about the increasing levels...

I suspect I live in one of the worst possible areas of the country from the POV of being very aware of just how much our Society is changing - because we see the evidence of it hereabouts literally every single day:(

Back-a-beyond sounds more appealing by the minute...I do contemplate at times whether to move to elsewhere in the country (but still within Britain....) - just tossing up as to whether to make it Scotland, Ireland, Wales ....just not very sure whether I'd be accepted outside-a-England (even if 'twas still Britain).

rachbc

maratha - can you knit my hennies some socks too please - and little bobble hats to match

Softstuff

GreenNinja wrote: »

oldtractor wrote: »

God, thats so true oldtractor! If I even mention the "e" word can see the corners of OHs mouth turning down in disgust! LOL

I just tried the phrase "I'm going to be economising on food next month" on my hubby, and he giggled. I think his attitude to tight budgeting and economy is based on knowing he gets what he really wants as a result. We haven't always *had* to be as frugal as we are now, but we were anyway and as a result there's only 1/3 of our mortgage left 5 years into it. And now when we're down to 1 wage only we're very happy and used to living as we are and he sees that as being due to frugality and ingenuity.

Having a nice home with a few nice things makes him feel well paid and makes us both feel pretty rich, I think we value that more than we would spending more on groceries.

I tried a pizza base the other day that worked out rather well, I think it was from the "Down-to-earth" forum. I was surprised it worked out too, given how simple it was - 1 cup of SR flour, 1 cup of greek yoghurt (full fat), mix, roll out, top and bake (I got best results rolling out very thin and baking at the highest temp of my oven for 10 minutes). If you make your own yoghurt, you'd just need to strain yourself a thick cupful. Normally I make yeasty dough, but this works well for a quick one.

ginnyknit

paidinchickens wrote: »

I am sure there is a green fingered / grow your own forum :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I would like to add I do not partake as I am paranoid enough :eek:

Yes there are many places online that give advice on growing your own, which I found whilst wandering the web, but they are all so laid back they don't post much :rotfl: Apparently its easy to grow like many herbs :whistle: Maybe you should give a rollup to your chickens Mardatha then they wouldn't bother about the rain, they would all be sat inside clucking gently away to each other , but they may break in your kitchen at 3 am looking for your sweeties

Pink.

ceridwen wrote: »

Back-a-beyond sounds more appealing by the minute...I do contemplate at times whether to move to elsewhere in the country (but still within Britain....) - just tossing up as to whether to make it Scotland, Ireland, Wales ....just not very sure whether I'd be accepted outside-a-England (even if 'twas still Britain).

I am sure that if you make an effort to fit in with your local community you would be accepted anywhere in the UK.

My husband came here from England just over thirty one years ago, during the times often referred to as 'the troubles''. And they were very troubled times. His family needed to move back about four years later for work reasons but he stayed because we we were young and in love (I don't think his mum has ever completely forgiven me ) He never had any problems being accepted despite being considered an outsider as at that time the English were not particularly popular with one half of the community. Thankfully that has all changed now. :j

Your life is what you make it. If it's your dream to settle elsewhere, then go for it, but prepare to be open minded and fit in with your new community rather than expecting them to fit in with your way of thinking. I think if someone is prepared to do that then there is a good chance that it will work.

I still stand by my own preference of staying close to family and friends towards old age but appreciate that not everyone will feel that way. On the other hand if all my children were to move to mainland Britain and my Dad and Stepmum were no longer here I might seriously consider moving there to be closer to them and be able to help them with their own families. Who knows what the future will bring and in some ways I find that quite exciting.

Oh goodness I'm thinking out loud again and getting very deep for this time on a Wednesday night! Apologies.

The tough times element in my post is that I'm exhausted from supervising homework and I have to be up at 6.30 am to make the boy's breakfasts and packed lunches, get them to the bus station for 7.30 and then get myself out to work at 8.00. I'm shattered from the back to school routine, especially with our youngest just starting grammar school and trying his best to cope with a whole new routine and having an hour of travel to and from school. I would say roll on the Friday but unfortunately it's my weekend on at work.

Sorry for posting so much on the thread tonight, I hope I haven't bored you all to tears (if you even manage to get to the end of this post), but it's helped me to relax and chill for an hour. Thankyou.

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smileyt_2

Blee, I hate the smell of those thin roll-ups bleurgh bleurgh bleurgh! I had a hard time in Amsterdam trying to get away from the smell. Next time I go I will take a peg for my nose :rotfl:

Rowan9

Early early for me today.
Interesting posts re where we all choose to live + thoughts on where to live as people get older. I moved to England with ex husband and kids 20 years ago and was very careful about doing what I could to fit in and help in the community. Coming from near Aberdeen and having lived there early 80s and listened to complaints from people being posted there (back of beyond!!) gave me the chance to see 'in-comers' from a different angle. I think you have to/ it's good to be respectful when you move to an area and are an 'in-comer' yourself. Respect the way things are done, don't complain about overcrowding, lack of buses, whatever it might be. I had good friends in and near Aberdeen who moved there and got involved locally.
Well, weather today is a cold wind. I went out with the dogs last night, turned the corner at the park entrance and was blasted with the wind. It had become that bitter wintry wind and tore right through me. I haven't looked at a forecast for today but seem to remember it was to be getting warmer again. Looking forward to that.
Your post on 'down-sizing' to one salary was heart-warming Softstuff. We did that when I left my lecturing job to study fulltime. That was over 2 years ago and we have both enjoyed having more time together, spending less and planning more. I've stopped the fulltime study but haven't made the move back to work (yet - this may change!). In the meantime I've been grateful to have had the chance to do it (leave hectic job). I see one of my friends burning herself out in her job, eating ready meals as she is too tired to cook, crawling into her bed at 8.30 exhausted then up again the next day for more of the same. They go on hols 2/ 3 times a year as their way to recharge the batteries. If nothing more, then the break has let me develop some new interests and regain strength for entering the workforce again! Things may change for us so am tightening the purse strings just in case.
Well I'm determined to have a go with my yoghurt maker today. Bought it a few months ago and have managed to take it out of the box! I know there is a thread on it so I might have a look after another cup of tea. I've been prompted by the thought of that pizza base softstuff - sounds lovely and easy. I get through loads of nat yoghurt as I like it with muesli and a chopped apple. Nearly porridge weather though - I have been having that now and again, not with chopped apple and yog though.
Have a good day folks. I hope that things ease for those amongst us who are having tough financial times, for those with health worries and for those who are anxious or sad.
W

ed to add - good luck to your DS with his new school Pink! It takes time to adjust to the extra travelling but he'll soon get used to it. In no time he'll be doing his homework on the way home!

ceridwen

WMF

Mardatha would tell you "All weather is porridge weather - surely you wouldnt have anything ELSE for breakfast now would you?:eek::rotfl:".

Sorrees Mardatha - I will admit to having muesli sometimes instead:rotfl: