The Tougher Thread continues.....

GreyQueen

Edinburghlass wrote: »

I've removed my off-topic post, sorry for intruding

Don't be daft and put it back, please, hun.:) You're not intruding, you're on a public forum. No one has any more (or less) right to be here than anyone else.

Lots of good stuff isn't on topic in any strict sense; Mardatha's kale aversion, the Fat Knacker's antics (Redlady's cat) and a 1001 other delightful things which get mentioned in passing. To me, it's ALL interesting, entertaining, valuable, laugh-til-I-choke funny, tear-to-the-eye sad and blood-boiling-on-behalf-of-others enraging, often all in the course of one day. Where else would I find all that in one place?!

Yes, we won't always see eye-to-eye with each and every poster, but that's because its Real People, albeit in a virtual room having our chat. The only way to have everyone in total agreement is to bite one's tongue and keep chat to a level of the weather.......:rotfl:

I'm just one person and therefore can only speak for myself, but I love the randomness of the "conversation" we have up here.

Now, I've got a cuppa and a few mins before the folks arrive and I disappear for the day.....decisions decisions....MSE or wash the dishes.......tough call.;)

PS jackieglasgow if you go I shall post my rolling pin to Mardatha so she can come and skelp* you with extra vigour. Don't even think about it.

* Ermm, not exactly sure what skelping is in standard English, musta missed that one when living in Scotlandshire for a few years. Does it mean the same as a smack upside the head?:o

Red_Doe

Skelping is smacking.

I try to keep a reasonably decent first aid kit to hand, nearest hospital being an hours drive away...and of course I have the armageddon cupboard, which I think would last us a good few weeks...we might have to eat pickle out of the jar with a spoon eventually, but a good while

I LOVE that term...armageddon cupboard.

katieowl_2

GreyQueen wrote: »

* Ermm, not exactly sure what skelping is in standard English, musta missed that one when living in Scotlandshire for a few years. Does it mean the same as a smack upside the head?:o

Oh I thought it was an extreme haircut (you know like scalping? )

Difficult to know what is and what isn't 'on topic' though isn't it? Pretty much everything I do through my day is affected by my financial situation, hence me talking about if I should spend £40 on 'myself' or that we had leftover leftovers for dinner?

Kate

katieowl_2

Red_Doe wrote: »

I LOVE that term...armageddon cupboard.

DD christened it that...the other DD calls it mum's shop, but that's probably why she decided to raid it before she went back to uni.

Star item for getting snowed in and all the power going off at the moment is a huge tin of Butoni ravioli from Bookers - 2.5kg IIRC

Kate

ceridwen

I think "skelping" would be Scots for scalping at a guess..:rotfl:

Can I suggest Jackie that you just put me on "Ignore" if you wish? That way you dont even get to read any posts I put up.

I've had to put a couple of posters on this thread on "Ignore" myself - which has led to a bit of a "disjointed read" for me (as up comes the info they've made the post - but not the post itself) - but it saves my blood pressure..

TudorRose

I have succumbed.
Have been feeling chilly the last couple of days so this morning I have given in & put on the central heating for an hour & it's all lovely & warm now.
Had a new boiler this summer - replaced a G rated one, 25 years old - so this was a chance to try it out.
Hoping for lot lower bills this winter to help offset a small part of the cost. Have already fixed the gas & elec until summer 2013 & am in credit already so not feeling guilty yet.
Love reading this thread as I think it helps to realise how other people are coping with life as we all try to make the best of what is happening in the country.
There are some things we cannot change in this world however hard we try but there are also many we can & a thread like this helps bring together all sorts of ideas. These ideas will never be right for everybody but if an idea helps even one person save money etc it must be worth it.

I'll get back to my listing on Ebay now & catch up later.
Have a good day everybody

Mrs_Chip

Morning Everyone

When I joined MSE and started reading the various long-running threads in the OS board, I came to this one because I enjoyed the mix of information and chat, and everyone seems so friendly and supportive (not saying others are not like that, but I just found this one was more 'me').

I know my posts have probably been more OT than some of the original 'toughers', but that's me, can't help it, I like a giggle, I think it helps us get though difficult personal and economic times.

I dont want to leave here, but I do think Squeaky's post is going to make me think twice about posting, which I personally would find sad as I only have OH and the cat to speak to most of the time, and I only get sense out of one of them .

Can we find a 'middle way' which means we can keep the lovely mix of information, support and chat that keeps so many of us going in tough times?

HariboJunkie

I'm so sorry to see this issue raise its head again. I don't think we can legislate for on topic posts on a thread like this. Some people's idea of off topic will be me discussing what I'm making for tea while my idea of off topic could be people discussing their views on what happens pre and post death. I wouldn't presume to tell them they can't post though.

Andrea had cause to post this the last time this subject was raised (i.e. reported by someone who was not happy with the thread)

MSE_Andrea wrote: »

They don't have to be strictly on topic in every single post though. Many of the non-Pure Money boards on MSE have meandered away from that in recent years and we don't want to be so strict on people posting exactly on topic that they're put off the forums altogether so I think a little give and take on this is a good idea.

Let's see how it goes.

Andrea

Which seems clear enough to me. The thread has always attracted many new posters to MSE and we can again thank Kittie for starting the series. This present incarnation of the thread has brought new posters onto the actual board, something which is bound to delight MSE. We have seen this morning that 2 regulkar posters don't want to post anymore. God knows how newbies will feel if they are worried that what they post is irrelevant and I think what Andrea says about people being put off posting on the forums altogether will come to pass.

I also feel that mentioning that you have posters on ignore (even if it is blatently untrue) is very bad form and doesn't add to the welcoming, supportive thread we have here.

So please don't anyone stop posting. And I am not having a go a squeaky here:A just throwing my tuppence in.

Edited to add... Taurus if you are around and feel up to posting, we'd love to know you're ok. xxxx

TudorRose

katieowl wrote: »

DD christened it that...the other DD calls it mum's shop, but that's probably why she decided to raid it before she went back to uni.

Star item for getting snowed in and all the power going off at the moment is a huge tin of Butoni ravioli from Bookers - 2.5kg IIRC

Kate

Just seen this post. Love the description 'Armageddon cupboard'.
I have some items that are to be used as a 'last resort'. They are a huge tin of rhubarb courtesy of Approved foods (have a good stock of loo rolls!), a 2kilo & a 1kilo tin of tuna (also have stock of normal size tins)
There is only me but I share meals etc a few days a week with a friend. They hate tuna so I've said when push comes to shove & things are really bad I'll have the tuna & they can live off my baked beans stash.

Red_Doe

Got visions of many of us now scaring the bejaysus out of the OH's by saying "Guess what we've got honey? An Armaggedon cupboard!" *big grin*
I think it's a great term, much more fun than plain storecupboard.
As for relevance to the thread, I think HJ hit the nail on the head...what is relevant to some isn't to others but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be discussed.
For me, the small things... finding a bargain, gathering veg in and preserving it, etc, they are just as relevant to the wider picture of the struggling economy as anything else. I would think that'd be the case for all of us, really.
We can rarely change the politics and global crises that affect our economy on a national level but by learning to cope in our own small ways doesn't that tie into the wider picture? It should, we're all subject to and part of the bigger economic picture after all.
I like the banter and chat too, it makes this such a friendly thread and I speak as someone with experience of other threads on MSE that weren't so friendly and where it was like entering a shark tank.
Long live the Tougher threads, however many incarnations they get. They give us a real sense of community in uncertain times.