make do and mend for tougher times

Sunshine4

Katieowl, The last I heard here was that the First minister Peter Robinson had made a last- minute intervention for Lennox. But no word yet the court date runs out ay midnight tonight.So fingers crossed for Lennox.

Popperwell

SDG31000 wrote: »

Popperwell I lost my darling Dad when I was 11 and still miss him. It's a normal human reaction to miss someone that you have loved. Never feel guilty about it. P.S The song that gets to me is "The Living Years" by Mike and Mechanics. I blub like a baby everytime I hear it.

I've often thought that song talks a lot of sense and it is very touching.

fuddle wrote: »

Deacon Blue "Dignity" gets me as Dad liked boats but he also took his lunch in a Sunblest bag.

Interesting how the song not only connects with you because of his love of boats but that nice little memory that probably makes you smile...

[Deleted User]

apologies first for not thanking people enough, so many posts and so many poignant ones,as I am reading I am thinking replies in my head as if we were sitting in a group. I am sure you`ll understand, I feel what you are feeling but don`t mark it the way many of you do and often read when I am logged off

I still want to post on the T thread so I`ll be vanishing from time to time and I want to say a big thanks for the lovely welcome back

Right: I made gorgeous chocolate plums yesterday. Dried plums just rolled in melted choc chips. Put on non stick paper in a cool place to dry. Amazing and really fab for presents. Both were costco

Yet another blight warning this afternoon, its no joke. All haulms cut down and bagged and we have already lifted over half the spuds. 9 trays are now dehydrating and will do more tomorrow. Also my onion crop, rescued from the wet and filled 9 trays so dehydrated overnight. The rest will be gently sauteed in butter and frozen, ready for french onion soup

Am getting ready for the horrendous month ahead. I can see two wheat fields from the bedroom and they are looking ill, yellow but not ripe. There has to be a miracle to rescue the crop, already locally they cannot get the combines onto the fields and they need to harvest rapeseed soon. Local grower has a ruined potato crop, £25000 down the drain. I set to and have sown more cabbage seeds as really not much else will do well.

The weather we had last week was an R2 and we are due for R3, R4 and really bad R5. 13-19th ish Caused by solar/lunar activity which is upsetting the solar system. Forget global warming, it is a myth to get more money out of people. I am a physicist and can totally understand where piers c is coming from, his forecasts are long term and he says to look at the met very short term only but multiply what they say by the R factor. More R4 and R5 towards the end of the month. He says it is ok to pass info on as long as I say who it is from ie piers corbyn at weather action.

bonnie_bumpkins

fuddle wrote: »

Oh, friend called me a right old battle axe when she saw my thrifty cook book, knitting book and asked what Hannah Hauxwell was. Not in the slightest bit bothered

That's the spirit!!

SDG31000 wrote: »

fuddle Now I'm rapidly heading downhill to 40, I'd take being called a battleaxe as a compliment. I've been called much, much worse. A battleaxe is at least powerful and confident if nothing else (((((((hug)))))))

:eek: intriguing.... :rotfl:

I have been told unofficially that I may have some sort of interview tomorrow :huh: It's at the CS where I currently volunteer. Not sure if it will come to anything as the days & hours... and even the existence of a paid role... have changed over the weeks, but I'll be prepared anyway.

Possession

Those chocolate plums sound fantastic Kitty. I'm not sure what to do this year...last year I spent some time making lovely chocolate discs with scrummy centres, but after about a week they all had that terrible bloom because I didn't temper the chocolate. I don't think I can go through all that again so I've avoided doing anything with chocolate since.
The weather and crop situation sounds horrendous. And I hope the poor farmers can get insurance for this kind of event.

ginnyknit

Hi Kittie, so nice to see you posting. So you dehydrate your spuds? I guess they act like all other veggies then, hmmm must try them next


Have decided I am trying too hard with all this pennypinching and need to relax more. I think its a reaction to struggling with OH's illness's. I have been to Mr T and got some long life milk, tins of rice pud (12p) and a couple of pounds of whoopsied lamb/ mutton mince which is in roasty bags in sc as we speak. I am getting too stressed with it all and have enough stocks now for emergencies. We spent a pleasant hour wandering round a local art gallery then had a coffee but all I was focused on was getting to the shops - this has to stop.

[Deleted User]

Ahh I know nothing about tempering. Maybe thats why mine get a bloom after a bit. Must look it up

re the farmers, no they don`t have insurance as the cost is far too much :eek:
we had the stove serviced today and he said he was flooded out at the weekend and there were lots of floods on the way to us.So no spare soaking capacity anywhere. I had thoughts just now after I heard about the 1968 floods, what would I do in limited time? well toilet and plughole stopping is a priority, then taking stuff upstairs and figuring out that it would be easier to claim for solid furniture so would be best to concentrate on moving small stuff, rugs cushions wool and books etc horrendous thought

Possession

These chocs were for Xmas hampers and they really were much too discoloured for presents sadly. So I had to eat them. Even sadder.

Poor farmers. : (

Mrs_Chip

The proper method of tempering is a faff with heating and cooling the chocolate using a thermometer, but here is an easy way I have seen used on TV, seems to work fine!

MrsRogers

Evening all

I can not believe how quickly this thread moves. Not a great day for me today had to come home from works as felt rotten. Think i have caught this stomach bug going round and because I suffer with IBS it always tends to hit me that much harder. Had a sleep and some toast so feeling a little better. May take tomorrow off if not 100% absence policy in work is very strict so not going back until better.

Funny how when you are poorly it actually makes you stop and think about things. Life is so busy and hectic sometimes we dont stop and evaluate. Both DH & I have good jobs and decent salaries but that does come at a cost to our stress level and health at times too

We are working so hard at the moment to try and save.. we desperatly want a family and have paid off all our debt and saving every single penny so if/when we do finally get pregnant I can be a stay at home mum/ very least part time.

Little worried about the outlook on the food front.. wasn't until it was mentioned here the risk of price hikes with all this bad weather.. Note to self stock up on bread flour and veg oil

spk soon hugs to all xx