make do and mend for tougher times

stiltwalker

Hey GQ - I did aikido too (many years ago now), got as far as my blue before I got to that age where the pub is more attractive than the dojo!

OH has been given a pass out and has gone to the pub with our mate for a pint or 3 so I'm sitting here perusing the t'interweb and sipping a nice pinot grigio. I have done all my prep for tomorrow - our community group are having a silk paper and cardmaking workshop and I'm running the silk paper making bit of it. I'm going to get them making a straightforward bit of silkpaper, a quick and clean version with gummed silk using a spray bottle and an iron and a pretty little bowl to put trinkets in. Really looking forward to it - we did a feltmaking workshop a bit back and it was really popular. Got plans for bath bombs, melt and pour soaps, homemade cleaning/remedies etc and a Christmas crafts towards the end of the year. It's so good to get a really mixed bunch of folk together from my little DD at 3 through to some of the older people from the village and just do 'stuff' - very rewarding to see everyone working together in the village hall.

Lost track of this week as OH been off so it's felt like the weekend all week but now Friday evening is finally upon us hope everyone has a good weekend.

fuddle

mardatha wrote: »

If you live on only rabbit then you will get malnutrition and die !

I'm up the creek then because I thought cow parsely was elderflower :rotfl:

I feel the need to stick some Ray Mears on

Oh edit: DH was paid today, guess what I'm getting tomorrow...

living room bay window curtains! :j :j :j

unlined but I can sort that out with fleeces. It will just be nice to draw them, candles on and hole up with my family (and natter to you all )

prepareathome

Forgot to mention got a letter today from WTC to say they have looked again at our accounts and it seems they made a bit of an error - computor error of course and we do not owe the orginal £6.5k they were asking for by a mere, MERE:eek: £859.23

It seems we were over paid the year before last and although they had been taking £5 a week off us last year, they 'forgot' to inform us they were doing so - no wonder Raise the charity who helped me with ESA forms said they felt I should be getting a bit more WTC - the £859.23 is what is still left so would I please start paying the £50 a month as agreed - well agreed to start in August as they could not get it set up in less than 6 weeks they told me.

This time they have given me figures and I can see how hubby did earn a bit more than the figures I had given the year before - the assumed earnings, as he did have a five large bonuses paid to him that year, if it wasn't for them his earnings were as I said they would be.

I am going to try and throw more than that at it to get it paid off quickly.

Oh they also told me we are entitled to £14.62 pw WTC this year as again the computer made an error when they imputed the figures I had given them for assumed earnings for the year 2012/13.


Not sure what to do, as hubby this month actually earned a couple of hundred more than we expected as he has had so much extra overtime and worked all the bank holidays so that bumps his earnings up......

Do they pay you in arrears? If I was to give them a figure we think he might earn now that is higher than the one I originally gave, based on him hopefully still doing extra overtime ( he is actually going into work tomorrow morning as they are so short of staff, so he will still have that days holiday to take now later) and next year when we renew again if he has earned less would they give us the difference.

If we get the WTC then I do not have to pay the £50 a month they will just continue to take money from what we should get now each month.

I don't want to put in a claim and find next year he has earned to much and we have to pay back again an overpayment, would rather just not get the money in the first place.

One thing i will do is see if we can claim towards costs for prescription and dentists as I buy the prepayment cert now and I need so much doing to my teeth since I stopped smoking its cost a fortune so far and still a lot more to do. Don't know if it varies around the country but here its £17.40 for a check up and £47.90 for work - but for that you do get up to three fillings or teeth out. I have phoned round and all dentists charge the same NHS rate so no point in changing.

The woman Lydia organising everything is a lovely, lovely person. For me handing over things out my stocks did not seem like doing anything as its all sitting there in cupboard and freezer, to me once something is paid for I never think of it in monetary terms again.

I have ordered my dehydrators - two so can do what you do grandma47? put all the trays in one, so fingers crossed they will be here next week. When I told hubby son had paid us, he said all of it in a totally disbelieving voice, as he knows our son to well, usually he always has a reason why he cannot repay this or that all at once. I got two free gifts as well a rose pruner and a multifunction knife ( cheapo version on a swiss army knife) I have a few of the good ones but another never goes wrong.

For bugging out I have a fishing gilet I picked up in the old pet shop in the village years ago for 50p - the sun had faded part of the green to a paler shade so they were just selling them off. It has many, many pockets and I have all sorts stuffed in them. Not actually looked at it in years, was handy when we used to go camping. So your mention of similar GQ has reminded me so must dig it out of study and see what needs replacing and add bits and bobs and then hang it somewhere I can get to it if needed quickly.

Now what halogen oven is recommended as I do think that would be good to have - I know people did mention what ones they had pages back but when I skimmed through found the dehydrator link but not about the ovens and to lazy to read every page again unless I must.


I have had a email offering free delivery from MR S, never had one before so will do a bit of a shop tonight and replace the tinned stuff and get some other bits and bobs - heavy stuff which will please hubby as he then doesn't have to carry it.

Hugs, Love and healing to all xxxxxxxxxxxx

smileyt_2

Thanks especially to GQ and Bonnie-bumpkins for the sympathy about the interview. I haven't heard so am assuming I haven't got the job but hey, I'm philosophical about it. I have developed a relationship (no, not that kind of relationship!) with one of my referees a bit further as she has been very supportive, so that's a good thing to come out of the experience.

I'm also on uk-preppers and my name is also Mad Arthur :rotfl:. We're not as crazy as you think (and most definitely not as crazy as the American sites). I do have wobbles from time to time thinking about all the things that could go wrong that I'm not prepared for, but any preps are better than none. And most of you on here are basic preppers anyway, with store cupboards and growing your own and what-not.

I've been promising myself a long, hot bath all week so I'm going for it right now! As my nerves and tension have now calmed down after the interview I can start to focus on normality again - unfortunately this means I will be cleaning the house tomorrow as it is a tip :rotfl:.

Couldn't find my phone earlier. Turns out it was on the sofa - underneath Bruno! He was lying on it and had managed to ring someone back. I'm expecting the police any moment for a complaint about heavy breathing .... Bruno's snoring :rotfl:!

prepareathome

I am on the uk preppers board although admit I hardly post but name is just the same, apart from MSE believe it or not I tend to lurk on the web - I know, I know hard to believe when here you cannot shut me up.........

Byatt

Winchelsea wrote: »

I've been MIA for quite a while (for various reasons). It's good to be back, especially as I've found this nice new thread, and have already seen some familiar "faces".

May be only lurking for a while though. Will do more when I get my energy back!

I have wondered where you were. I hope you're okish? Have you been ill?
Take care. xx:)

ginnyknit

HI smileyt, glad you got through the interview ok, shame they dropped the full time bit in though It won't be long till blackberry time, you must come over and help me pick some and we can have a jam making session - Im saving jars as we speak.

GQ you made my day I havent laughed so much in ages, the thought of you calling the police cos you have folded some one up will stay with me now :rotfl:

Made a boring chicken into a yummy one with lemon sauce from the recipe collection. Cooked off a load more onions from my small sack from Mr T (1.99) so I have lots frozen and dehydrated, think i will dry the rest cos Im sick of the sight of them now must have been 5 kg at least. Roasted a bag of spuds too and froze them. Have plenty of pasta,rice, instant mash in stock. Also got a few tins of mushy peas for 6p a tin (Mr A) instant pea soup! just add a bit of ham or bacon and Bob's your auntie.

Have been a busy ginny today painted some wooden plaques I got cheap years ago to make 'c' word presents and am off to Hobbycraft tomorrow for some bits to finish them.

Winchelsea

Thanks for asking Byatt - yes, I have been less well than usual. Am waiting for an angiogram, and am probably going to have some stents put in. Should help to bring back my lost energy. Hope so anyway.

Also, to add to my woes, one of my very best friends (more like family) dropped dead last week, so have been in a state of shock.

But, all is not bad. Thanks to you guys I ordered some wool from Kemps!! I've been doing quite a bit of knitting, as it stops me from trying to rush around. I am another one who has more wool than she knows what to do with, especially sock wool, but when it's CHEAP and SO easy to order (AND it's pension day today!) then it has to be done! Thanks to whoever pointed us in that direction.

ginnyknit

Winchelsea, you have had a rough time. Im sure the stents wil help, they can do amazing things now can't they. Sorry for your loss. Kemps is tempting Im waiting for my dosh to go in the bank cos I cant resist the lucky bags!

prepareathome

Winchelsea my brother-in-law when he was 42 had stents put in and he has never looked back - he is 50 now and has been so much healthier than he has been for years thankfully since then. He leads a full normal life working full time and is kept on his toes with an 11 year old son.

I am so sorry for your loss, for you its so hard but for your friend it was a blessing to go like that no lingering on in pain.

Oh am so tempted with the kemps lucky bags, but do I really need more yarn I have a stash of it, but oh its such a bargain, but where to put it, but prices will go up then I will be sorry........to buy or not to buy that is the question