make do and mend for tougher times

prepareathome

Can just imagine you grabbing jiffy back and saying 'shes mine, mine I tell you' I know you are far to ladylike and polite and would have really said yes thank you.

Mention of slugs reminds me that the other day I came down stairs to find one on the woodwork half way up the stairs - did someone tell them I have all my stores and freecycle freezer up there with my vegetables in it, has word got out among the gastropod population that its worth the trek for all that food:eek: First time I have ever seen one indoors. They didn't get much of my crops this year, basically because weather saw to it that there were hardly any so they are coming indoors for it instead.

Jeepers there is definitely a chill appeared. Am still sitting here in towelling robe with nothing on my feet and one bedroom window open, one of the small ones about 15ins wide and have top part open about 3 ins and suddenly wind must have changed direction and the air that is being blown in is definitely more in keeping with what I would expect in early November not Sept 1st.

When my lot where young I used to spend all summer hand knitting their winter woollies - if it could be made in wool I made it everything from head to toe and all real wool. I would have everything ready for Nov 5th as it was a tradition that hubby would take those over 2 to a firework display then home to a bonfire, some fireworks, sparklers and hot chocolate and home made cakes.

I would spend the time lying on couch reading and having a tipple with whatever dog or cat we had at the time keeping them comforted with all the bangs going off(my 3 now are first ones that don't turn a hair after first bang but still stay close). it was only thing hubby did on his own with the children so I had a few hours off. I might be exaggerating but I am sure I never needed to put any of the woollies on them before then. It was part of the family tradition out would come nice jumpers, hats, mitts and they could chose what ones they would wear and off they would go wrapped up so much they waddled and littlest in buggy as wasn't worth driving.

As they got older and MacDonalds became the in place hubby would take them into the city as none nearer to one there after the display so I had quite a few hours of peace. Its so much a tradition that hubby has to go with son and his children, he says doesn't feel right going without him. Sadly as I did everything else with them there is no tradition with me, but hubby literally did not go anywhere on his own with them any other time it was either we went as a family or me and children.

Cannot see anyone lasting out till Nov 5th this year to bundle up their little ones far to chilly unless we suddenly have an Indian Summer, wouldn't that be nice to match those two lovely weeks in March.

I promised to knit some new hats for DG3 for the winter I think I had better check to see what if anything is suitable in my stash and get knitting.

Hugs and Love to all xxx

GreyQueen

:eek: PAH, slugs indoors and coming upstairs! The horror, the horror! They've decided no more raw veggies they'll come indoors for the good stuff.

I dove into Little Mr T on the way back from the library and the cheapest sweetcorn was 59p for the same size tin as Lidl have for 34p. It's the Super Sweet one. I expect the bigger stores have more Basics than the little ones. 25p per can cheaper and I bought 8 cans (meant to buy 10 but got distracted and lost count and didn't realise until putting them on the conveyor, duh). So that alone saved £2. Baby steps, baby steps.

Still haven't made my chili but will do it in a while. It's mild here and very still, grey all day with not a hint of sunshine. By the state of the roads this morning it'd rained all last night. Lottie was wringing wet, thus the slugs have a field day, damn their hides.

They're cannibals, you know? Squash one and often others gather around to feed on its carcase. Have seen this with my own eyes, the 'orrible burgering things.

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE - I know which one out of you and your sis I think is the more sensible, and it isn't the one who says 8 hours what's the point! You can feel superior in every way as, if you had money to waste, you wouldn't! Plus you now will have a nice warm room that looks nice with a blind in the window all for nothing, sounds sense to me! Just wait until she has two littlies to cope with and life isn't quite so comfy, she might just need your thrifty inventiveness and OS ideas to keep things that way. I'm sure you'll do the noble thing and help out without laughing too much - at least not until afterwards!!!!!!!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

fuddle

I don't know. The frightening thing is I would be exactly like her had I not had that spectacular topple off the financial ladder. I love who I am now I'm content pretty much.

I have been watching the paralympics and been overwhelmed by individuals' determination to overcome.

There's just this little bit of self doubt where my family are concerened, everything else I have managed to shake off pretty much. It's annoying me because I don't want to look into things - doesn't help that they are the way they are though, they use their determination in a different way, kind of like knock everyone to make them feel better.

Going to go get my paint brush out, twiddling my thumbs right now. DH watching a programme about cycling and I'm bored.

[Deleted User]

PAH - I think it was you asking about planting seed potatoes now? He who knows has just looked through all the potato related papers we have and if you grow in growbags or pots in a cold greenhouse August is the time to put seed potatoes in to be ready for christmas, it's a bit hit and miss, we had a couple of really good harvests of 7lbs ish but some pots had only 2 or 3 little spuds. a Dobies leaflet says Early varieties of potatoes can be planted in late summer (July - end of August) and are grown in exactly the same way as potatoes planted in spring, either in the ground or in containers. Soil conditions are warmer at this time of year and therefore potatoes can be planted straightway without chitting.

When the weather turns colder in October, start to protect the plants at night with cloches or fleece. Plants should be left uncovered on milder days. Straw or extra soil placed around the plants in November will give additional protection in severe weather. Hope this helps and if it wasn't you I hope who did ask reads this too !!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE - you grew up the hard way through the School of Hard Knocks! They can be as critical as they want without knowing how that feels. If they are ever in the same situation, you'll be there holding out the hand to pull them out of the mire won't you? Someone once said it's easy to be brave if you've never been really scared- there's some truth in that isn't there? Cheers Lyn x.

kidcat

Thanks mrs LW was wondering about this myself, I have a very small greenhouse now that will need attaching to wall before the winds start but will get OH to work on cleaning the potato bags out and then throw some potatoes in and cross my fingers.

[Deleted User]

KIDCAT - He who knows has just hollered tell them they need a good depth of compost in the bags, so there you go - consider yourselves told!!!!!!! He he he Lyn xx.

Possession

Fuddle it sounds like you have such a good handle on things generally, don't let the family niggles get you down. In any case they are going to HAVE to become more like you, as sadly I think by next spring it's going to become apparent to all how bad the harvests have been and how that's going to affect us all. I don't need to worry about my parents as they are pretty OS and my dad will know exactly what's going on - plus it's him I got my *ahem* hoarding tendancies from anyway. They will take care of my sister and grandma who live quite near them (I'm 3 hrs away). But DH's parents live day to day, not because they don't have any money but because this is how they shop. If you opened their cupboards you wouldn't find more than 4 tins. Their freezer is virtually empty. Because they have to go to the SM every day for their catering business, they buy food for that day's dinner only. And FIL in particular will NOT change. He is the most very stubborn person I know.

fuddle

It's easy to be brave if you've never really been scared. Something to ponder over.

We'll be leaving for t'wall soon. I'll try to take pics but might just be from the car. Alfie is coming too. He likes a drive out, daft dog

Didn't get my blackberries picked or got to see if the elderberries are ready so a bit miffed but I can't do everything. I have some frozen summer fruits (sainsburys basics) If I defrost it and add some of my frozen foraged blackberries would it make an ok wine? Fancy doing that tomorrow.