make do and mend for tougher times

Malfiore

Hello all again Sweltering here again and I am using a hot water bottle as I have pain :eek:

I have today made blackberry gin from foraged blackberries last night and this is sitting nicely alongside my plum vodka Some for us and some for pressies!

I also stole the spray painting wine and beer bottles idea from superscrimpers and for a few pounds have a lovely new 'fireplace'

GreyQueen

prepareathome wrote: »

Someone on another thread said they knew of ration books being printed here last year, but firm was not told what country they were for but were printed in English. The firm only printed tens of thousands certainly not enough for the UK, but this was at a small printing firm so it they gave the same order to lots of small firms they could have enough. Speculation I know but gets me wondering.

Oh yes does anyone know of any decent programme that lets you speak and your pc types - I have the one with windows 7 but it cannot get on with my scottish accent and drives me nuts getting the words wrong. So looking at maybe saving up a buying a decent one for times like now when typing hurts rather badly.

Hugs and Lovexxx

Yeah, when I read about that, I wondered if lots of mini orders were being put thru smaller companies to diguise exactly what was going on. Previous Brit governments had to get the paperwork in place before the rationing was announced, as they knew the mere rumour of it would trigger panic buying.

Re voice activated software, I once had had a chat with a woman who was a civilian office worker with the Police. She has to use one of these programs (don't know which) but it was idiosyncratic; it insisted that every F word be capitalised. And as she was typing up statements, they tended to be peppered with expletives..........:rotfl:The program would also pick up random words from the background and bung them in. That said, this was about 15 years ago and I imagine that things have improved since then.

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Could be Mar, this is an old cottage, lots of previous inhabitants to choose from. Found no physical cause so will consider spiritual, although they could have picked a more sociable time to start haunting!

Just been up to pick some runner beans - now this is not boasting, simply astonished at how big this one is! That is a 14 inch rule...



Sorry GQ!

:mad::p:mad: It's NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, enjoy that bean, it's a meal in it's own right. Wanders off, reminding myself that envy is an unworthy emotion and possibly even a sin.....

Hot and clammy here today and no such luxuries as air-con in the public sector. Can't find a cheap biro most days, never mind forced air. I'm feeling a bit lurgy and ughh, just tired.

I did go to T0sco and buy some tinned stuff and use a discount voucher. Got to focus in the basics (or even the Basics ) and keep on keeping on.

Alter, my lovelies, and happy hols to the Fuddle Family if she's reading this, make sure you rest yourself, hun.

Popperwell

monnagran wrote: »

Popperwell: I think fuddle has a point. You are probably immersing yourself in shopping and preparing for whatever might be coming, to keep yourself busy. Nothing wrong with that, we all have different ways of dealing with great changes in our lives.

Eventually you will probably find other activities that you enjoy and that will take up your time. We all have a great support group here and you have done so much to help other people that I know you have a lot to give and a lot of understanding about vulnerable people. You might find that your journey takes unexpected and possibly joyous turns if you you make yourself open to opportunities when they arise. Does that make sense? It's a bit deep. even for me, and I wrote it!

Talking of the Drop- in, we had a man in last night who literally had just the clothes he stood up in. He had been to the council last week and had asked the little Hitler at the reception desk where he could get some help. the short answer was 'nowhere'. He asked what he was to do and shoulders were shrugged. He told the receptionist which town he had walked from, 10 miles away, and asked where he should go. He was told to walk back where he'd come from, and so he did - 10 miles back in the searing heat. We were appalled. He only had water to drink from public toilets.

We looked after him and one of the other clients offered him a bed on his sofa for a couple of nights until he managed to get something sorted. So we sent him off with a bag of food, a sleeping bag, some spare clothes, soap and razors, toothbrush and toothpaste and he couldn't get over people's kindness. I didn't ask him what had happened to get him in this state - we make it a policy not to ask questions - but I really wanted to take him home and mother him. If I did it just once though I'd want to do it for them all.

I'd like 10 minutes alone with the pen-pusher though.

OK. Type slower will you or I may never catch up again.

It makes a lot of sense. I have always been on the edges of helping others(we did have a lot of contact with the church for many years)we've done voluntary work with those who need help...

I've done hospital radio work but the important bit was the work on the wards where you gave comfort and support to many who were alone and did not have any visitors and were often lonely and frightened. Others were more into it for the DJing hoping it would open doors in the media...

Maybe even though I have health problems I can offer something as long as I can keep a roof over my head and I don't mind being on a tight budget.

We were a caring family...

I can quite understand your reaction to what that man went through when he came to you for help. Many of the food banks require official documents from authorities, you seem to believe in trusting thoe that approach you for help...good on you!!!

SpikyHedgehog

Pooky wrote: »

Thick fog here this morning so everything feels humid, dank and quiet. So warm over night though, managed a few hours sleep but was woken continuously by cats/husbands/seagulls. I shall be cranky later.

Spiky - one of our cats has a flea allergy so we have to treat all 6 with the vets prescribed stuff - cost me £86 for 2 months supply! I normally get away with making that last at least three months though.

Got our budgets all worked out for the next 6 months and have moved money around accordingly so that DHs lump sum pay off is being used wisely. Brought some premium bonds too, had a lot of luck with them in the past. Not going to do anything major with the money for 6 months and will then look at how/what/where/when life is taking us.

It's a fortune we have to pay for our pets! Paid £52 - 6 months of Frontline Combi, spray for the house, the visit & 2 crocodile shape dog chews for the hamsters, chosen by DS2... Got the hamsters registered, hadn't taken them yet so hadn't bothered. They'll know who they are when I need to now.

Caterina wrote: »

SpikyHedgehog re. Cats fleas, we used to use Frontline but our vet told us that Advantage is much better, apparently cheaper too. HTH

Oh cool, I got Frontline this time, but will ask about Advantage next time.

Popperwell wrote: »

I'd love a pet again but I suspect the Housing Association aren't keen, I'd have to be committed to looking after one, if on a low income it might be seen as wrong and difficult to afford and you need to be there for them so I'll probably have to do without.

I'd ask them Pops - if they say ' No', you're where you are now, but if they say yes, go for it. I had to put it in writing that we wanted the cat, but they'd already said yes, just needed it in writing for their records. I never asked them about the snail, but should have have asked them before saying Errant Husband could get DS2 the first hamster. Oops!

Popperwell

Got a kettle, small hot water bottle in a cover, one of those warmers you put in the microwave and a couple of hand warmers that warm up automatically by squeezing them and stay warm for 40 mins and then you do it again...

Got two shirts in the CS(£2)some cooking bacon pieces, some pasta and sauce meals in a packet...Paid for my shoes(they arrived today)and as I said I had signed up with NPower, it was all sorted nothing more to do but British Gas hs talked me back to being with them, hope I did the right thing...

As I said earlier, they are giving me £125 for coming back to BG(I have only been away a few days)£120 for going Duel Fuel, £100 at the end of the year and he's got rid of the standing charges(£72 over the year)The electric is 11% cheaper than NPower but the gas is slightly more expensive but it evens out and I use more electric than gas anyhow...

So it seems ok...in the end they are probably all the same...

It has got out rather nice weather wise but I don't need to go out any more, i'm tired so am having a rest and then I'll tidy up later...and vacumn in the morning.

Someone is coming in the afternoon to check the helpline that is there in case there is an emergency, I'll keep it whilst I don't pay for the service but when I come into Mum's money and pay for the service, I'll get rid of it and just use my internet, mobile and landline if/when I need help.

prepareathome

Oh got to, got to tell you about our haunting in this house.

About a month after moving in Hubby had gone to London, can't remember what for now and so the three children me and our one dog Judy were here. I went to bed around midnight, all the children were asleep and I am just dropping off when an almighty crash brings me up right, then crash again and again. Judy is beside me shaking and I creep out of room to check on children who stayed fast asleep. I peered downstairs but no sign of anyone but realise noise is coming from kitchen and door closed from hall so think burglar got in through back.

Call police - was I glad we had extension upstairs then as no mobiles then - and whispering told them what was happening, operator could hear the crashes herself over the phone. She told me get downstairs and open front door when I heard a car horn beep once outside. So I creep downstairs when I hear it and let police in they have their truncheons in their hands and they tell me officers have gone over side wall into back garden. We look towards kitchen and its all lit up(glass door) and noise is deafening. Police walk down hall and pull open door and immediately light vanishes and silence. Kitchen was as neat and tidy as I had left it and everything was fine in garden.

It was Police more than me that needed a cup of tea after that. I was just glad they had heard it, it wasn't just me.

One of our previous houses every night at 11pm you would hear footsteps go up stairs and walk across hall to front bedroom and go in. Everyone who came to the house heard them.

SpikyHedgehog

dragonette wrote: »

SpikyHedgehog wrote: »

Supermarket frontline has one active ingredient, frontline from the vets has two - the extra one is perscrription only. Might be worth asking about the injection as it prevents the next generations of fleas from hatching. Good luck

Yes, that's what they said... Have the combi with the extra ingredient & will give the rest of the supermarket packet to Errant Husband as the girlfriend's cats aren't flea'd at all.

SDG31000 wrote: »

Morning Everyone

fuddle I hope you have a wonderful time I used to have to go to school and top up my monsters sun block as well as DS2 is blond and burns easily. In the end his teachers just told me to put the sun block in his bag and they would deal with it. They had known me a few years by then and knew that I wouldn't complain about it.

It is grey and dark and wet in Leicester this morning. The weekend was incredibly hot and I'm glad it has cooled down. DH and I went shopping for my birthday present yesterday and got caught in a downpour. The humidity was so high afterwards that it was like breathing in soup. I didn't managed to find a jewelley box that fitted my requirements, but I did order a posh Birthday cake I'm having one of these http://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/p144_Cortina-Gateau.aspx I know it's expensive, but I'm tired of making great tasting cakes for everyone and then getting a Tesco one that tastes like the box it comes in. I doubt that the rest of the family will complain about having to eat it either.

The copy of The Hairy Biker's diet book I reserved has come into the library so I'm watching their Mississipi Adventure lol. Definitely no low fat recipes involved.

I was planning on doing lots of laundry today, but the weather has put pay to that. I think I'll have to tackle the Cupboard of DOOM!!! instead.

Wish me luck and send search parties in if I'm not back later xxxx

I always end up doing the cakes, Younger Sister says she hasn't got recipes for vegan cakes that mum could eat... Despite having been vegan herself, having all the ingredients she'd need & having the internet to find recipes. So I was really annoyed last year when she complained I'd made a chocolate cake for my birthday when she had given up chocolate but not told anyone...

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Morning Toughies, cooler here this morning but only due to cloud cover, when it burns off it's predicted to be hot again.

BLUEBAG - Both DD1 and myself have had to run a service wash in respective washing machines recently because of the sour smell - think it's because we both tend to use the ecowash programme with eco cleaning products. Seems to have fixed it though and the book recommends leaving the dispenser tray and the door open when not in use.

SPIKY - We had a flea problem earlier on this year with the dog despite using Frontline regularly. I wonder if fleas are becoming slightly resistant as so many people use the same product? We now use Stronghold every other treatment and that seems to have sorted it out. The vet did say that this last year has been a particularly bad one regarding flea infestations though.

MRS C - We had a scrunch happen one night and couldn't find anything visible until I opened the glasses cupboard the next morning and found that a shelf had collapsed inside and everything was smashed, check inside cupboards too.

FUDDLE and CO - Have a lovely holiday and a relaxez vous if possible too - ENJOY!!!!!!!

Cheers Lyn xxx.

I'd not heard of Stronghold, will try to get that & Advantage, & as you say, alternate them.

Mrs_Chip

Ooooh PAH - how scary! I'd be quite happy to have a 'ghost', spirit, whatever, as long as it wasn't being horrible (or annoying :rotfl:).

That story is dreadful Monnagran, what a terrible way to treat another human being - I hope that council person feels bad about it now, but I expect not. I am afraid that that is a tip-of-the-iceberg example and things will only get worse.

GreyQueen

:eek: Oooh PAH, that would have given me the wibblies!

Funny how the subject of cats and flea treatments came up today; the parentals have just managed the annual palaver of getting "the girls" (their 2 sister cats) down to the vet for their shots, their worming and some more Frontline. £126 for both! Quelle horreur. This was the first time in three years that they managed to get them both at once. The Siamese-y mongel one (queen of the dirty look and very clever) is always the hardest to fool and the least forgiving and has been sulking over it since 9 am when they got them back home again.

Her cute-but-dumb fluffball of a sister is far more forgiving.

Ladies and gentleman, I have reached a decision just now. I felt a Rubicon has been crossed, a venturing into a bourne from which no woman may return etcetera and ad infinitum.

Yup, I'm gonna get a wally trolley. I'm pushing 50 and I'm blinking well allowed to have a trolley. It's probably enshrined in the human rights act somewhere. Being a feminine fluff-brain, I'm musing on colours and patterns but I really ought to apply myself to the important stuff like strength and durability.

Sooo, is there an OS wally trolley thread? Does anyone have insider knowledge of the best 2-wheelers around? I shan't be going miles with it, just up and down from the city centre to the flat. Once I've got it, I shall seek your input on the truly important part...........her name.:rotfl:

Right, now I shall need tea. Nurrrrrrrrssssssssseeeeeeeeeee!

Popperwell

I have one GQ... This is mine...

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9011825/Trail/searchtext%3ESHOPPING+TROLLY.htm

but there are many to choose from...