No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

scottishminnie

I can't believe it's bedtime on Sunday already - seems like it was Friday evening just 2 minutes ago - what happened to my weekend???

Been a bit odd here as we've had snow showers followed by a drop to minus 4 which made the roads treacherous and my garden "crispy" as hubby described it, then it was nice this afternoon although a bit chilly. Good old scottish weather I guess.

I made the scones which were in the main ok although 5 were black on the bottom. I didn't have them anywhere near the base of the oven - they were on the lower of the 2 trays though. Looks like I will need to do a tray at a time in future. I really hate my oven, it has to be the most pathetic offering ever. I bought a thermometer for inside after several disasters and learned it takes almost 20 minutes to heat up, the temperature stated outside can vary up to 40degrees from the thermometer and the thermostat light on the outside can't be trusted. It also now appears that anything on the lowest shelf will burn in the same way it would if I put it directly on the oven floor:mad::mad:

I also made a massive amount of macaroni cheese, most for the freezer and some for hubby's dinner tomorrow night. I'm off South for the day on business so another 3am start and won't be back before 10pm so need to make sure he is fed and watered while I'm away. My friends are appalled that I make food in advance for him but it's kind of how I was brought up and anyway I'm a bit precious about "my" kitchen. I prefer to control what goes on in there and really don't like the idea of anyone else using it. He's allowed to make cups of tea and empty the dishwasher but that's about it. May be odd but it works for both of us.

I think we may need to fill our oil tank in the next few weeks - I'm not looking forward to that, expecting a bill of £1000+:eek: and the car is due for a service this week, had to buy road tax last week and the motor insurance is due within the next few weeks too. It's going to be a few weeks of haemorraging money I think. May be beans on toast for a few weeks!

I'm itching to get sowing things, I'm envious of you all with things already underway. I don't have a greenhouse though and my window ledges are narrow so I struggle with anywhere to start things. I can manage one propogator at a time but that's pretty much it. I think I'll start keeping an eye on the competitions board to see if there are any chances to win a greenhouse. I did buy 2 little plastic ones in the Lakeland sale last autumn but I think we are a few months away from using them this far north. Our house is rural and pretty exposed so it has to be really good weather befoer I can get things underway.

Anyway I'm off to bed since it's less than 5 hours till I'm up again. I won't sleep anyway though, I'm always terrified I miss my flight. One thing is certain - I will sleep no bother tomorrow night:)

[Deleted User]

I`m going to get our collapsIble water butt set up today, we set up a row of 100 litre water butts last year and now have 9 working water butts and that will make 10, with 2 being big ones. We had a drought here for the last two years so all the hype about the forthcoming major drought is very scary. We had 2 small children during the big drought 40 years ago and we lived in an isolated cottage with our water coming from a tank on a hill, the tank dried up and I collected water by spreading polythene and funnelling drips into a bucket, dh also brought some water back from work. It was dire, it really was and it went on and on for weeks. People had to collect water from stand pipes in the road and there were no water carriers to be had anywhere. I have just ordered a 25 litre container that I can barrow if that happens and I do have several 5 litre containers for wine (ex water from supermarkets). Our rainwater harvester is only 7/10 full and that is a pretty good indicator as it would normally be overflowing. So, forget winter now and prepare for drought and that includes mulch for garden plants and also fruit bushes

Does anyone have any really good way of getting rid of tea stains in a sink? We always rinse the sink but end up having to use bar keepers friend, although in view of what I have just said, I may well water the garden with tea. I have just had a reality check as well

rachbc

I was out in the garden at the weekend - just clearing leaves and other stuff I should have done before winter but it was lovely to be out in the sun/ fresh air and not be totally freezing - obviously did dd good too as she crashed out at 7!

We have a water butt but its not attached to anything - must must get oh to sort that, plus another for the front too. Though just thinking - if everyone starts storing rain water on a larger scale would this not effect the amount of water getting back into the system and cause more problems? I think the REAL answer is looking at using less - aerators in taps, water sving flush, no hosepipes/ sprinklers, turning the shower off whilst you wash/ wash you hair, better designed appliances etc

Kitty I use 'pink paste' on our sink - its a tub of slightly abrasive paste. My sink is ceramic through so no idea if it woudl work on steel

VJsmum

Dishwasher liquid is one of the best things i've used to clean a sink - a squirt in and some really hot water and leave as long as poss.

I couldn't believe the talk of drought this morning on the news. I shouldn't think it currently applies to us, but i really should rig up a water butt somewhere.

Hobsons_Choice

I use biological washing powder and hot water, leave to soak. Our "smaller" (of one-and-a-half sinks) seems to get all the tea stains.

jackel

Hi All- So glad to have found this thread. Started at the beging and quckly read through. Lots of really interesting posts with helpful tips and points of interest(to me) so I hope you don't mind if I join the fun. So exciting that you are starting to garden for the season -we have a large veg plot which more or less keeps us going all year through. We are retired so have more time than we used to but unfortunately less energy. On the water front we have been filling all our plastic(pop and milk) bottles with water from the overflowing tubs which catch water from our house and buildings roofs and stacking them up. Nit picking maybe but we think they are light and transportable and even small amounts will be useful in the summer if it is hot, also it is free ! Thanks Kitty for the sourdough recipe - shall give it a go. I remember you last year making saurkraut. I should like to try some this time hope you will put me right please. best wishes to all Jac x

villagelife

The water situation is scary. We normally have a "stream" running down the road all year which no amount of roadworks seem to fix and its reduced to a trickle at the moment which generally only happens at the end of dry summers.

I need to start planting seeds - only done sweet peas so far - no good for eating must do my veg.

[Deleted User]

The sauerkraut has worked really well Jac and in fact we put some more in the fermenter only last week. Taste is lovely, much much nicer than the stuff you can buy in jars. I have a special crock by harsch, it is a 5 litre one and I have seen them on sale by an ebay seller, otherwise it is a bit tricky re keeping the cabbage covered and the air out. The recipe is just finely shredded cabbage (plus other veg if you like) and a quartered apple with seeds and a bit of sea salt with no additives. Dh cut the end of my granite rolling pin and that is ideal for pounding it. There are lots of recipes and videos on you tube. The sauerkraut I made last summer is keeping extremely well in kilner jars but the special crockpot makes it easy

Thanks for tea stain tips. I`ll do the biological one next but today I have been throwing the tea on the soil

another edit re weather in march a few small showers due early march where I live (sw ish) and DRY all through 2nd half of march. Scary stuff so my spare water butt will be up ready for any shower asap. Some gardening hints and tips on the gardening thread

flowertotmum

Morning all...its lovely here today..bright but windy..had to dash to doctors first thing..poor iris has a chest infection,she is so croaky and coughs for hours..my poor little flower.She is currently laid on sofa watching disney channel..not something we normally do but she is poorly so just this once.Good news is she is potty trained and it took 2 days,3 accidents and lots of patience but she is done.I find it so much easier to leave them til they are a little bigger.

The water situation is very worrying..we are on drought as we live in Anglian Water region..we have a few barrels in the garden and more at the lotties so fingers crossed with careful management we will get through it...i have also got some bottled water put aside for us..but will stock that up.

I spent all day yesterday doing the beds and bedrooms plus bathroom..windows open and a breeze blowing through ..blooming lovely...got my washing out got it almost dry and then it rained...never mind it only took 20 mins on radiator last night to finish them.
I am spending today with iris on sofa..will watch some of HFW and superscrimpers..when she is having a nap..which might be any minute now as she looks so tired and her eyes are starting to shut..o poor little flower..
Good job i have plenty of leftovers in fridge and a few meals stored in the freezer..it will be a help yourself few days i think.
right i'm going to sort iris out and maybe have a cuppa..
love to you all
ftm
p.s. hi to the new ladies..lovely thread on here.
ftm

[Deleted User]

OOh FTM I empathise re getting the jobs done, It`s lovely to get through a mountain and to keep a song in your heart as you do so, it is most definitely the weather

If you are interested in (and new to) preserving, then it might be worthwhile ploughing through the last `tougher` thread covering august/september 2011 as I went through a long phase of all sorts of experimenting. I have come to some conclusions this year ie brining certain veg works brilliantly well and you get pretty normal crunchy veg after washing the brine off. Brining tomatoes wasn`t worth the space, I have just used 2 jars and they chop up into a much smaller space, so next year it will be prepared passata type sauces either frozen (if space) or bottled in a bath.

I did too many chutneys from green tomatoes and marrow and in reality am prefering the beetroot chutneys, although the others do taste good. Next year will be red tomato chutney and beetroot chutmey. Dehydrating has worked the best with all the veg and herbs I did and is especially economical if you have PV solar

I did far too many frozen green beans so will be planting fewer next year as they took up a whole freezer drawer

I made a lasagne this morning with all preserved stuff ie a sauce made with frozen shallots, frozen garlic in oil (very quickly chopped and frozen as garlic in oil is dangerous as a method of preservation, good frozen though) 2 kilner jars of brined and rinsed tomatoes, herbs etc and then I added some green tomato chutney as an experiment, layered with lasagne and topped with cheese sauce made with frozen grated cheddar

All sorts veg soup is ready to cook for tea. No cooking tomorrow as I always cook for two days if I can

New mixer also used to make beetroot and chocolate cake with frozen pureed beetroot. Lol, it came yesterday, I had some explaining to do but not much. I gulped when I saw dh carrying the box in as I thought I had until wednesday to soft talk it. Also sourdough bread now rising in the bm

Big collapsible water butt is up and filled from the one that gets the rain so I am ready and waiting for rain, maybe tomorrow fingers crossed

Cor, it sounds a lot but it hasn`t been hard and the radio has been enjoyable. I tend to do booger all from lunch onwards as my energy levels are highest in the morning, so reading and lots of cups of tea all afternoon