make do and mend for tougher times

meanmarie

So sorry for anybody affected by rain....its been bad enough here but we are on fairly high ground so escape flooding.

Good luck to all with harvest....OH and I are off to Australia on Tuesday until 8th August...visiting DD3 who emigrated last year....getting excited now. May not get on until I come back

Marie

Byatt

Have a fab time Marie, I am sure you will, how exciting! Are you stopping off anywhere on the way?

smileyt_2

Sister (and brother) dog lovers - has anyone been following the story of Lennox, the not-pit-bull? His death sentence is set for today but there is a last minute push to plead for mercy for him. This article has the email addresses of the two Northern Irish ministers who have the power to save him so please if you can spare a minute, please send emails. http://www.examiner.com/article/one-last-push-of-urgent-e-mails-needed-for-a-lennox-miracle
Here's the text of my emails, feel free to copy:

'I am writing on behalf of Lennox the dog to ask that you set him free. I have been following his story for the last two years and have been horrified at the way he has been treated. I understand that many people have offered him a home, including dog lovers in the USA. Please grant him his life and allow him to be adopted. It would also lessen the heartache of his family if they knew he had been given a chance to live. Ideally, of course, they would be allowed to have him back.

You have the power to do this - please help.'

meme30

fuddle wrote: »

Byatt I never understand rainfall. It bounces down for half an hour and then weather says something like 1mm :cool: Surely it takes more than 1mm to get my hair in that state :eek:

I have to share with you that DH has put the curtain pole up at at the dining room patio window. 3 years I tell you, 3 years it's all been sat in the cupboard waiting. Well my wait is over and I'm thrilled. The curtains I have up there are Next lined and are 7 year old. I say lined, they are not very thick at all and I dare not tell you what I paid for them years ago. I'm a bit sad as they were my living room curtains from my house, the house that I lost, but I'm trying to not think like that.

On the patio door the seal doesn't meet properly and I can see daylight down the bottom half of the door. I use that door to get my stuff out of the garage freezer so would like to avoid cellotaping it up (I have done this previously though, and will do it again if push comes to shove) Any ideas? Something that will do the job re: draughts but still allow me to open the door. :cool: I'm stumped.

What about making a draught excluder to cover the gap, then you can just kick it out of the way when you want to use the door. I have used old curtains rolled up and covered them nicer material before. They tend to be heavier than kapok filled ones, so they don't move when in place. I sew the outer cover around them and just wash the whole thing when it gets dirty. I dry it on the top of the radiator so I do that on a day when the CH will be on. A heavy one will lie across the bottom or stand on end if it's the side that's gaping

GreyQueen

Byatt wrote: »

I don't know how much a mm is...:o I'm old school, feet and inches :rotfl:

Enjoy your curtains and well done on using them. I got rid of everything when ex went, which was rather stupid, but seemed logical at the time. Had some lovely stuff, but couldn't move on from what they represented, so well done. :T

There are 25 mm in one inch, Byatt.

:mad:I'm a bit grrr! with a fellow freecycler this morning. Yesterday he responded to something I offered. So I told him I could have it. Then he responded he was busy and couldn't come and get it and I should re-advertise it. The item was stashed outside so he could collect at his convenience. Why are some people such pl0nkers?! If you're too darned busy, sweetheart, don't respond to offers. Another of the group has been messing me about for weeks. Another name for the *hit list, I'm afraid.

My July resolution is that if it can be donated to a c.s. it will be donated, rather than given thru Freecycle.........grrrrr!!!!!


Yesterday was a blizzard of domesticity with laundry, roasting, baking bread and various other of the Dark Arts of Housewifery being practicised. Well, with the rain I didn't feel like going up to the lottie but I want to go today as there is fruit to harvest (strawbs and blackcurrants). Peas are just starting to fill out and the first broad beans will be ready in a few more days.

Blimey, I still have about half a pound of last year's BBs in the freezer, must chomp on them. I usually end up freezer large quantities of broad beans as their habit of all coming ready at once isn't compatible with a single person household.

Shegar, bad luck with the flooding to your garage. Hope stuff can be dried out and isn't permanantly ruined.

OK, enough chit-chat, breakfast calls and I need to find my brolly. Errm, not that I'm eating the brolly for breakfast, y'unnerstand. Perhaps taking my meds RIGHT NOW would be a good idea...............:rotfl:

Laters GQ x

[Deleted User]

Lovely sunny day all day yesterday and such a rarity so we appreciated every minute of it, was busy though pricking and planting. Doh, left the outside storage box wide open all night, I was tired and forgot. Lucky for me only damp got in so will put it all out to dry today,I don`t want stuff going mouldy. Same make as the storage cupboards

I got two large `outdoor` cupboards from a place in liverpool, mail order. Lots of shelves and slot together and held a lot of stuff. Bloomin things got full of water as soon as it rained. Told them and they said `did you put it together properly` I politely told them that dh is fully qualified. Anyway still on their site as `outdoor` last time I looked. I bought a big tarp and dh made a rain cover overhanging it, so not as convenient now but still good storage for gardening stuff. Very strangely £2100 was defrauded out of my visa account two weeks later and was to a big paper seller in liverpool. Luckily my bank refunded straight away and I told them that the only shopping contact in liverpool was the storage boxes, costing a £150. Smile banking is fab, been with coop/smile 35 years, don`t save with them though as carp rates

Stove service is postponed as poor man was flooded. Had to carry stuff upstairs. So sorry for any flood victims

Fingers crossed now for a couple more dryish days before all hell breaks loose again. I bet the slugs are just re-grouping for the next massive attack

Cleared `early` peas from raised bed and tbh not worth growing them for just a few meals.Followed by 5 starbor (small) kale under butterfly net, winter carrots pricked out in 2nd raised bed and lettuces and calendula growing in third, which will be followed by garlic to overwinter. Quite a few cabbages and small nemo caulies in planters all over the place. I found them so very useful autumn/winter last year when weather gets bad. Great being able to pop out back and get a few leaves for dinner

bonnie_bumpkins

Hello toughies

I find a shiny new thread..... and a gentleman posting :T hello Popperwell

kittie it is lovely to see your posts again x

All the best to people suffering from too much water where it shouldn't be; I hope things are back to normal very soon and please stay safe - that includes you, byatt)

Frustrating news here, the paid job I am up for has been reduced to 7 hours per week only. I would still love to do it but will have to combine with other paid work - if anyone will have me! Ginny sorry I've not been in touch again as things keep changing and what I have to ask you becomes invalid! Your comments were hugely helpful and I do keep your advice in mind all the time. Thanks again. So today's job is to re-do my household budget, tightening even further. DS is going to uni in Sept so some expenses will reduce, but so will some income and I'm not sure by how much so it's all balls in the air really.

bonnie xx

Byatt

smileyt wrote: »

Sister (and brother) dog lovers - has anyone been following the story of Lennox, the not-pit-bull? His death sentence is set for today but there is a last minute push to plead for mercy for him. This article has the email addresses of the two Northern Irish ministers who have the power to save him so please if you can spare a minute, please send emails. http://www.examiner.com/article/one-last-push-of-urgent-e-mails-needed-for-a-lennox-miracle
Here's the text of my emails, feel free to copy:

'I am writing on behalf of Lennox the dog to ask that you set him free. I have been following his story for the last two years and have been horrified at the way he has been treated. I understand that many people have offered him a home, including dog lovers in the USA. Please grant him his life and allow him to be adopted. It would also lessen the heartache of his family if they knew he had been given a chance to live. Ideally, of course, they would be allowed to have him back.

You have the power to do this - please help.'

Smiley, just sent 2 emails. Bless his heart, how sad. I'd be broken hearted.

fuddle

Pops it was very insensitive me posting that quote about homes and love. I do believe though, that love and dreams means memories too.

I do hope Lennox is granted a stay of execution and that they investigate fully whether he is a pitbull before they end his life. Would you let us know how it goes. It's my puppy's birthday tomorrow so I hope for good news. It's actually not certain whether it's his birthday as was found at about a week old by the side of the road. Judging by his development they guessed it was July 10th.

Chilli and wedges for tea tonight. I have never made hm wedges so need to go investigate how to do it. Again, I've always bought frozen. Shouldn't admit this stuff should I?!:o

Good idea about the draught excluder standing up. I had thought last night, while lying in bed trying to get to sleep, that I could tape a strip of bubble wrap down the door, so when it closed it would get wedged in between the gap. Worth a try. It might look a bit unsightly but no worse than duct tape I used last year

Off to go fly round the house on a major tidy. I must study tomorrow so I need it all done today.

bonnie_bumpkins

smileyt I've sent the 2 emails. Really hope we can make a difference x

fuddle wedges are the same as roast potatoes only cut into a different shape (well they are in my house anyway)! So cut each potato in half lengthways, put the flat side down and halve again, continue cutting lengthways until you have a pile of wedge shapes. Cook for 5-10 mins whilst heating oil in the oven, drain then shake the potatoes in the saucepan with the lid on (this roughens them up and will make them crispy) then put onto the tray in the heated oil and roast for 30-40 mins. Spicy wedges can be made by adding chilli powder to the oil.

Hope this helps!