make do and mend for tougher times

Possession

I got a moped when I lived in Japan. There was no need for a test there. about 3 weeks later I skidded on a patch of wet gravel in the road and came to a few minutes later, thankfully nobody had run over me. I presume I must have flown over the handlebars but I have no recollection of it. I was in such shock I'd forgotten how to speak Japanese I think, so it took a while to figure out what to do with me. Its the damage to my knee from that accident which led to such bad arthritis and eventually needing knee replacements. It has made me very paranoid about bikes I must say, even though it was probably my own stupid fault. But if you get a moped, definitely do some training.

bupster

Twelve per cent gradient? Yikes!

Just read this:

Once you exceed 10%, you're either climbing a mountain or wishing that the road crew could have eliminated this hill during construction. This is where gravity takes over and you're struggling to move forward.

Perhaps you could invest in a goat? and a harness, and a skateboard

shegar

mardatha wrote: »

I passed my bike test at 40 and got a Yamaha 125, was over the high moor roads for 2 years summer and winter, low-flying jets would streak down the valley lower than me lol. Finally had enough when the snow was piled 6ft high each side of the road and I got halfway over then found the road closed and had to go back and detour for bloody miles. But I loved it in summer, used to travel miles away just for fun. I cleaned farmhouses then, was self employed and had more work than I could handle.

Phew me , have I been busy today.........I turned my wardbrobes out, seems like we are all at it.:T...
I got 3 black bin bags full of decent stuff, so I took it to the clothing bank at the dump and it goes to the third world, so thats good........

I cant believe how much I seem to collect, Ive just put tee shirts away, I actually only wore them for a few weeks this year, I love shirts best..........
Its a beautiful sunny day and the washing is up to date now and dried and irioned too, wow havent I been busy.........:)

I passed my bike test 18 yr back and bought a Honda 400RR luvly little bike.......
The CBT now costs £120 in this area......

That earlier talk of gravy what grandma use to make reminded me of my gran too, she also used the cabbage water etc.etc.....Im feeling kinda hungry now, so I will now go and get something sorted for tea tonight..........
Dam tumble dryer is only blowing cold air,:mad::mad:, just wanted to finish few bits off so that idea will now go on hold, spec I need a new one........
Nothing is going right at all this week, well I should say year really.....:mad:..........Take care all.......

smileyt_2

Ginnyknit, I have pm'd you - I am in town tomorrow so could pick up some tape for you.

Mrs Lurcherwalker, the tablets are kicking in so I am starting to feel better. I'll have to be careful not to overdo it and stress myself, though. I have put a note in my diary for next summer not to try and come off the medication because it always ends in tears.

Now, who wants a giggle at my expense? Found what I thought was a lump on Bruno's tummy today. A very small lump, but he has been scratching it a lot for the last couple of days. Bear in mind that Bruno will be 15 in February so he's getting to a dangerous age where lumps are concerned. So I took him to the vet. First of all it took me a looooooong time to find it to show the vet, with me saying, "It is there, honestly. I'm not a neurotic mother." Once I found it, the vet looked at it. I noticed that his lips were twitching .... as he said, "It's a nipple!" Cue one very red-faced, embarrassed Smileyt saying, "I take it back, I am a neurotic mother!" Thankfully he didn't charge me. "We don't charge for nipples," he quipped. Luckily I can laugh at myself although I did have my face buried in Bruno's fur as I was utterly mortified :rotfl:. Vet thinks Bruno's had a slight reaction to a flea bite, but since I Frontlined the dogs the other night, there's nothing else to do but wait for the irritation to subside.

Pity me, for I will have to go back there again in the future ....

So. With regards to my earlier post, perhaps that woman should have said I'm cute BUT DUMB!!! :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Hello SMILEY and BRUNO and TESS we are both glad you are starting to enjoy life again, Docky sez wud BRUNO likes anuvva flee tew kepe his wun kumpny cos Mumi haz jest sendid Dadi tooa vetty persons plase to getta nuver flee killa cos ize a ichey boy tew - I cud posts hym wun ifen he duz - lotsa slurps an waggiytaerls frum yer frend DOCKY xxx.

ginnyknit

In true MSE style I found an entire roll of tape stashed away for just such an occasion, thank you Smileyt, kind cute and not that dumb :rotfl:

Cabbage and ribs simmering away for tea, not such a cheap meal nowadays but when OH actually asks for something for tea I jump at the chance. I love cabbage when its cooked to mush.

Got myself 2 lovely lacy thermal vests from a CS the other day £2 each and am sat here nice and snug.

2tonsils

Fuddle, do you have a full car driving license? I just saw this when I looked up the rules in the UK:
50cc – You need to be at least 16 to drive a 50cc scooter and have a provisional UK licence. Once you’ve taken your CBT, you can ride a 50cc scooter with ‘L’ plates. You can't take passengers or drive on motorways until you have a full UK motorcycle licence.

If you have a full UK driving licence taken before Feb 2001 no further tests are needed. Holders of a full UK driving licence also do not need to have 'L' plates

The rules are different here in Greece....I ride a 50cc peugot v click without L plates on my full driving license. I can actually ride up to a 125 here as long as its below a certain power level (KW) without having to take a test.

My husband taught me to ride the scooter safely. We had an old scooter then and we went onto the marina spare land. He taught me how to stop and how to start and I set off....half way along I popped a wheelie by putting on too many revs and stayed up there. It took me ages to realise it would come down to earth if I took the power off a bit. I got a huge round of applause from the Greek fishermen who were all ready to fish me out of the water along with the bike LOL

My husband told me that I would make a great scooter rider because it didn't panic me.....

I only pay 45 euros a year for full insurance including personal injury etc..I guess that is one thing that is much cheaper here in Greece. On the way home from town I have to go up two mountains with a flat stretch of road in the middle for a bit of welcome relief. It sails up them....

Had a good day today. Went to help at the gym for the morning and took a lovely lunch of ham and mozarella salad with me. went shopping on the way home to save petrol....and walked out of the store because they had put all the prices up to ridiculous levels. I told the manager I would be back when they came to their senses....

Did the main shop at Lidl's and got lots of bargains, fruit and veg were really cheap (new grapes at 80 cents a kilo, nectarines 99 cents a kilo, local plums 1 euro ) so stocked up on them. Went to my local butcher (who is much cheaper than the supermarket!) and got free range fresh chicken wings and thighs for 2 euros a kilo. I got 3kg as I wanted to put some in the freezer. I got four steaks for 10 euros and two lamb's kidneys and suet for free because he didn't believe I was going to eat them lol (the Greeks give kidney to the animals and don't eat it themselves). I am trying to convince him to save them for me every week but that may take a bit more work.

Made some gluten free apple and cinnamon buns on the bottom shelf while I was roasting some of the chicken wings. I only have a table top oven and its really cheap to run, much better than wasting fuel in my old full size cooker that I used to have. We use a gas hob that runs on calor gas, as most do here. There is no natural gas in the islands.

Our local store is running a free draw to win a voucher for 3000 euros worth of diesel so going to have a go at winning that next month. You get one prize draw ticket for each 10 euros you spend there. Good idea!

Still very hot here, it was 35 in the shade today so put off buying the fire wood for the winter till it goes down a bit.

[Deleted User]

ginnyknit wrote: »

Just been wandering the web, looking for 1" wide cotton tape. Im amazed it varies from 49p a metre to 14p . T

We have a real os haberdashers in the nearest shopping area, run by two lovely older people who are obviously well past retirement. I hope to goodness that the shop stays as it is, its a real cluttered gem

The thread is making me smile today, the mood seems to have turned a bit, either that or its just that everyone is making the best of things as always. I don`t know fuddle re doing this `autumn` sorting every year, maybe I do and it always starts with outside first. lol,I just want to be able to knit with an uncluttered state of mind ie guilt free

I love your posts 2 tonsils, keep them coming. So interesting to hear about real life in another country

Anyone else love black pudding? I got an enormous roll from costco and it cost less than £3 and that is 4 meals for two. Lovely fried with just a tiny bit of oil and also sliced bramleys in the same pan

I had a moped shortly after I got married and needed transport to work. Was good and cheap to run but not a big container on the back for shopping. I rode a scooter before that and never liked it. Now have two bikes and my best one is electric, I use that for long (20-40 miles) with dh who is a lycra cyclist but he goes on an ordinary bike in ordinary clothes when with me. I can carry 2 big panniers and used to do all my shopping on this bike in s wales as the road was safe enough. The main road is too dangerous here and the other way is along a quiet canal, so I get the bus instead. I could carry loads in the panniers and the pedelec was great, sensed when I struggled and then kicked in like being pushed. I rode up trebanog hill once on a previous day out, lol had so many laughs seeing driver`s faces at this plump granny cycling effortlessly up such a long steep hill

[Deleted User]

Oh yes we do KITTIE in fact we had Black Pudding Hot Pot out of the Victory Cook Book for supper last night, that was with all our home grown veg, Just love the stuff. It took me a long time to try it, had it first when DD1 and I had a holiday in the Orkneys and it was standard fare at breakfast every day, now we buy whenever we can. The one I used yesterday was from the local Co-Op and about 3" across with Pearl Barley in it, was delicious. Cheers Lyn x.

kidcat

Evening toughies, have managed to read but not post, am still laid up with tummy bug, although am feeling slightly better so am hoping its on the way out.
The scaffolding for the roof went up today and the work begins tomorrow, the guy has been really good and when I said I was sending OH up the scaff to fit gutter guard and clear out the gutters he said he would do it instead. The bill is only a quarter of the payout from the housebuilder too so a big chunk of car paid off.

Ds14 was hit with bug last night too but is looking much better tonight and even DD17 is looking much better today. Although am still worried, she is on her fourth set of AB for a water/kidney infection and still suffering. GP has booked an ultrasound for her, but I think itsthe anti nausea pills that have really picked her up. Not feeling constantly ill has perked her right up.

Its been a very money saving couple of days as I have not spent a penny, better still OH hasnt asked for money to pay for any presents for my birthday (he usually takes £50 and spends less than £20 pocketing the rest) so no rubbish bought and no upset for me to think what I could have spent the money on

Fuddle - good luck for Monday, as 2tonsils says worth checking your licence re scooters, I discovered this week I can drive allsorts on my licence.

Kittie - I am going to have a big clear out of wardrobes next week, we have a newly opened store in town which pays £5 per kg for clothes. Have already got three bags to go and am hoping to make it up to six. I am hoping that each bag will weigh a couple of Kg each.