make do and mend for tougher times

jpscloud

mardatha wrote: »

Ludlow is very much ex-forces, women are delegated to make tea/wash dishes pretty much and you have to post useful info or they chuck you out
Try UKPreppers - I'm a mod in there. (which means they are really sane sensible normal people, doesnt it) :rotfl::rotfl:

Or people who want to secure a decent sweetie supply should the worst happen!

I always smile and think of you Mar when I buy my sugar mice from pick n mix

Popperwell

Brought some chocolate from Aldi's too . They will help on quite a few items but some things were priced similar to Tesco's...I did buy some more tinned sliced and button mushrooms...but also found a big glass bottle of mixed mushrooms for 99p but they are ok until late 2015...If my budget became very tight I suspect some items I would refrain from buying. I only saw 3 staff but they were very friendly and willing to have the time to talk.

prepareathome

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

MAR - I was asked the other day if I was a secret prepper - I didn't think I was but having had the discussions we have had on the thread over the past few weeks I'm beginning to think I am! Is there a Preppers Thread? If not would any of you who are be prepared to start one to help us beginners along, I know PAH also has vast experience along those lines. I think it would be a real asset, if it wouldn't be too much of an imposition for you to do it.

Me vast experience :rotfl: well might know the odd thing or two.

Love the idea of a thread for prepping - its not just about wearing combats, eating insects and standing around in pouring rain looking lovingly at your shelter made of branches and leaves. Most preppers only want to ensure if power goes down or food shortages they can keep going, preferably in their own home,but if they have to leave know enough about sorting out shelter, clean water etc., to make it an liveable option. Unfortunately mainstream depict them as nutters.

Over the years running my group( barely alive these days) I have met all sorts of people. Some find it and come on and tell us we are nutters as they have never had a power cut or food every going short and we never hear from them again, but some slink back with their tails between their legs a few months, maybe a few years later saying how they want to learn all they can as they suddenly started having power cuts and lost freezers full of food, had no money to check into hotels or relatives to stay with and had a really miserable time till power came back on.

To many people are to sure everything is going to be the same as it always has been - flick on a switch and light, go to shops for food, money out of cash machines. Up till now if an emergency has hit most have been able to check into a hotel, go and stay with relatives, borrow money from them and food.

Preppers think what if there was a big power cut, something yes unlikely but possible that lasted quite a few days for most of the country - no cash machines, most shops would have to close as their tills run on electric, hotels would have no power either and many now couldn't let you check in as pcs down and rooms would be not usable as card keys wouldn't work. If it was wide spread that everyone you know will be affected and even if you had cash in your pocket where would you spend it to buy food( odd newsagents/mini-markets only and they would soon sell out). Petrol pumps would stop working so unless you already had enough petrol to get you somewhere where there was power or to family who had prepped you will find yourself stranded. Even the water out of your taps rely on electric pumps at some point.

To most people this is daft, its never going to happen so why waste money and time on it. To preppers its sensible. We are belt and braces type of people.

So if anyone wants to learn how to live off grid(living without mainstream power/gas/water) for a short while or even longer I am happy to help them learn - I am no expert I assure you, but happy to share any knowledge I have. You don't have to spend a fortune it can all be done very cheaply, obviously if you spend more you can be more comfortable but sometimes more expensive can mean more likely to break down, very often simple is best, especially for the short term.

Right lecture over:rotfl: will not mention prepping on this thread again........

Forgot who it was said they were having lamb casserole, my mouth started watering when I read it, so I now have a lamb casserole cooking in Scarlett. I have put her own for 60mins on 180c in a glass casserole dish with lid in - not sure if I should or not but last night cooked mince without a lid and top burnt yet plenty of gravy below...I have dish on low stand. I am so hopeless getting the hang of new equipment these days. I know could throw everything in the bowl of oven but trying not to have to wash it fully every time I use it as I don't trust my hands, I just use the wash function, wipe it down and rinse - its bigger than my sink.

Just checked on internet and casseroles do take around 1hr 45 mins - usually I do these type of meals in sc, not done them in oven for years, but up to late to put it on today and wanting to try Scarlett for all sorts of things.

Hugs and love

smileyt_2

OK I'll help with the prepping thread. Going to have a look to see if Mar has started one yet ....

A crap day here - set off on my bike to go out but it started to rain so I came home, and slept all afternoon :eek:. Oh well, I must have needed it ...

Popperwell

smileyt wrote: »

OK I'll help with the prepping thread. Going to have a look to see if Mar has started one yet ....

A crap day here - set off on my bike to go out but it started to rain so I came home, and slept all afternoon :eek:. Oh well, I must have needed it ...

I can sleep anytime:p

Bought myself some frying pans and woks(one to use and spares for my store room...)two saucepans and a two hob hot plate just in case the rings on the oven pack up. So one day I may be able to do stir fry...

prepareathome

SDG sending you lots of hugs. Its horrible when you do the best for your family yet all seems to be taken for granted or told they don't want this or that.

You need to give yourself some me time - a nice bath with smellies in it and lots of bubbles with maybe a drinky and some chocolate. Grab a book or put some music on and light some candles and lie back an imagine you are on some wonderful beach lying in the warm water. Anyone speaks to you tell them to go away, ask their dad or sort it out themselves....or if its nice go into garden and just sit and relax out there with everyone banned from going out there once any little ones are in bed - sorry cannot remember if you have little ones.

If you start to do this on a regular basis they will learn to respect mums time out and you will be amazed at what they can do for themselves as they know mum will not feed them or do this or that during that time.

Hugs and Lovexxxx

ginnyknit

I looking forward to the preppers thread. After the recent chaos with the banks cocking up its obvious things could go wrong and you only need 2 things to wrong at once - say no cash in banks and the electric down and you are stuck. I worry about the 3 reservoirs at the end of my street as we are down hill from them and theres a handy pair of tunnels leading down from them to our street. I am finding the canisters for our little hot plate are getting very expensive and now OH has bartered for free food at his fishing venue they are in my emergency cupboard permanently but I only have 3 canisters left.

Just been blackberrying whilst OH was asleep and Ds home as I cannot leave him alone when he is asleep. There should be a long season by the look of the bushes as there are a good range of ripeness to the berries. I dont know if Im going to have the strength to keep going picking as my arthritis has flared up and Im basically pooped. Think I need a walking stick for treks, the one I took for pulling the bushes wasn't quite right for me, its more ornamental.

thanks to the thread on dried versus tinned beans I now have 2 packets soaking, butter beans and kidney beans ready for tomorrow. However the butter beans seem to be triffids as they are almost overflowing the jug:rotfl:

[Deleted User]

MAR - I've got a coal scuttle you could use as a cauldron!!!! - If you're going in and need covering will that be in milk or plain - assuming you mean covering with chocolate here !!!!!!!! Seriously if you and PAH and SMILEY are considering a preppers thread I think it would be of immense help to a lot of us who have a little knowledge but not enough to cope with exactly those situations PAH describes in her post. I do so hope that in suggesting this as a topic for a thread I am not setting you in line for a lot of abuse from the bad mannered beings who sometimes find their way in. Should that happen please have a huge apology in advance. I think enough of us will be very grateful for your kind and wise input. Many thanks ladies Lyn xxx.

elona

PAH

I was the one cooking lamb casserole which me and DH thoroughly enjoyed.

Do not think it was the casserole as DH is fine and I felt a bit odd earlier but have just been sick :eek:

Decided to pack myself off to bed and keep out of the way for the rest of today in case it is a virus. Or I could just have eaten too much




Mardatha

Thanks for the information about UK preppers and will have a look at it later. LS did seem a bit male dominated but could not find anything else at the time. DH and dds think it is sweet that I worry, sigh. DH is more on board if I explain how it can save money and time and how I will not have to keep asking him to drive me to go shopping so often. Have not told him about the Kelly kettle, tealights and boxes of matches but he does know about the storecupboard and is quite keen on buying stuff like toilet rolls when there is an offer on.

mardatha

We're happy to help to help pet and I will try bravely to cope with criticism ...me and my machete together against the world
I have started it, bear with me as I wasnt sure how to start but once we all jump in then it will be fine. I dono how to put a link though, just look in O/S.:D:D:D