make do and mend for tougher times

prepareathome

5pm and postman has just been and he brought my little usb keyboard:D so its plugged in and sitting across laptop keyboard and is working :

These past few weeks I have felt as if I was talking with hands tied behind my back as its amazing how many words contain t and even y. I had to write down what I wanted to type then type it as all the type then stop to use on-screen keyboard would make me forget what I was typing, my mind is no where near as agile as it was and this was sheer torture. I had given up sending emails or posting almost completely.

Laptop is failing even more -clock keeps going wrong but hopefully now this keyboard will keep it going until I can pick up a cheap one or get lucky on freecycle. Most likely will be simple to fix but its never worked properly since I bought it last year, I was asked to take it back but hubby had to many bowls matches to fit in taking me for over a month and they would only do a swap in first 28 days so I have nursed it ever since, lost track of how many times I have had to reformat and reinstall windows 7 oh well at least it makes sure I have everything backed up:rotfl:. Software I understand but not hardware.

One thing have discovered under the insurance they come and collect it and bring it back but still saying could be gone 3 months or so and not quite sure could live that long just using phone or kindle.

We have actually had 3 days with sunshine in a week - last Friday, Tuesday and today which has been lovely as we have had so few days when its not rained this year and even if not been overcast. Apart from those freak weeks in March? we have not had two dry sunny days together. So three days sunny during most of day a real boost, although has rained later on each day so far and looks as if its going to do so again.

Right annoyed you all for the moment and had a break from sorting out things to be either thrown or given away as I have far to much for my future life, mainly its books that have to be parted with, that is not easy.

Oh sadly not got to our new Aldi unfortunately, be about 2 weeks before can afford to go, looking forward to it and sorry I missed the special offers they had for opening day.


Hugs and Love to allxxx

Pooky

There was an OSer from Hitchen
Her energy supply she was switching
She went to the forum
For advice and decorum
And got told "phone them up and get ditching"

Popperwell

Just back from the local Tescos on town. I haven't the money to spend and am worrying again about the future and how my income will be and whether I will end up in a home.

They are my two greatest worries in life which I have little or no control it over so I try to live in the day and put them out of mind...most of the time I can and I do feel quite positive honestly I do, it is strange though and may coincidence but when I feel like this something happens almost as though I can sense it. And I did receive a phone call that has been a little upsetting made me reflective.

Doing my small shop today I was amazed that they have increased the variety of what is on sale but so much of what are branded and quality products(Birds Eye as an example)are being sold at half price or many items are better than half price. In fact many items today were being sold uniformly at a £1.

As I came home I thought...why? Then the penny dropped. It is only my opinion and I cannot prove it but Aldi's new SM is virtually just over the road from Tesco's and it opens in November so it's a fair bet they are trying to stop customers from going there but will it be temporary? Will it affect Aldi's? If Aldi's decide to leave will Tesco's increase their prices again?

Or if they can sell goods at these prices what a pity they've waited until now...hopefully the customer will benefit.

Now on the other hand I don't know if these items are available nationwide but for the preppers amongst you...they have some boxes of AA Reflective vests(they were approx £15)at present i think they are approx £3.80...in the box they have 2 adult vests and 2 child vests.

There seems to be a lot of items like torches reduced and a section where all kind of things like room thermometers, rain ponchos, spectacle repair kits, sewing kits, some kind of gadget to unscrew caps and lids if you have difficulty with strength in you hands, a rope that looked a bit like paracord to me...so much more. And nothing is more than 97p and many items are only 48p.

to you PAH...

Byatt

tryingtobethrifty wrote: »

I looked in to this a couple of months ago when trying to explain to my kids about 'stranger danger' and came up with this website http://safelyeverafter.com/tenrules.html

It explains that since it's more likely someone known to the family will harm your child you shouldn't teach stranger danger but about 'tricky people'. If you look on the menu on the left a click on PREVENTION TIPS and read through those. If you search Pattie Fitzgerald you will come up with some of her other articles. I thought it all seemed sensible and not too scarey for the kids. I don't want them thinking ever adult is a danger but to be aware.

Byatt - posted at the same time, I'm sorry you had to go through that time and think you're doing wonderfully trying not to pass that fear on to your DD, which must be so hard.

Excellent post and information. Really like the idea of the term "tricky people". Just an add on where my DD was concerned, one "tricky person" was a teacher in primary school and another was a swimming instructor at local baths. Teacher was sacked, only knew as I was a reading helper and have no idea whether he was just sacked or investigated. Swimming instructor was a gut instinct kind of thing as he was the only one who actually went into the pool with the children. I watched him like a hawk.

Yes, it's been hard not to pass on the fear. It's also very hard to realise it still goes on, breaks my heart to see young girls, (I only saw/see girls/women) going through the same thing.

Byatt

Love the limericks. Are they limericks? You are all so clever!

Glad you got your keyboard PAH, nice to see you back.

VJsmum

There was a young girl from Nantucket
Gave her granny an egg and said "suck it"
She said "Gran, there's a trend
Called, let's make do and mend"
So Gran gave her a hen and said "Pluck it"

I'll get me coat.

Re stranger danger - Mrs LW's post sums it up I think. I know Machynlleth reasonably well and it isn't a little village - it is a small town and a through route.

I have always been more worried about traffic than abduction as abduction is still, relatively, rare. I am in a position now where my kids are getting more independent (16 and 13) but DD (16) still isn't allowed to walk anywhere on her own in the dark.. We will shortly be in a situation where she will be walking back a mile, from the train station in the dark - albeit at 5 o'clock - and haven't yet decided what to do about that. I think it may be time to let that happen as she does have to get used to it.

It is easing out the rope a little at a time.

shegar

Popperwell, You will have to wait and see what happens, we really are all in the same boat..........You say you may end up in a home , how does that work?....

Maybe we have different worries, but at the end of the day its "money" that gets to us all........Because we cant do with out it.....
Can you not get a few hours a week working,?shelf filling at local shops,odd gardening job.........

Can you get a lodger if you have a spare bedroom?..Or perhaps if you have too many rooms, move to a smaller place.....

Have you got a mortgage?, sell up and release some equity, if you still cant do anything about your finances go speak to CAB and see what they come up with...........

Since my hubby as been too unwell to work ive got the lot on my shoulders and all the financial worries that go with it, Im his 24/7 carer and he needs it, yet ive had to take on part time cleaning job so that we can pay our way, yes its only a few hours per week but when we need extra heating etc someone as to pay for it............

My neighbour comes and sit with him for the few hours that I go to work, and in return I give them free supply of eggs from the hens and I always get her some flowers once a fortnight for helping me out........

Cheapskate

Evening all

Nice to have you back PAH, must be great to be able to type properly again!

Just went for lunch at work and school 'phoned, DS5 had been sick and I had to collect him. Work ok about it, but by bedtime he was ok (obviously!). He said that 5 or 6 other kids got sent home today, plus his teacher went home after throwing up, friends tell me that a few schools across town are closed as there are so many kids and staff throwing up - must be that time of year again! Our kids don't usually get ill, so must be a nastier bug than usual.

DH gone to Mead**hell looking for new work clothes, a friend of his has a wife who works at N*xt so DH can get a bit of discount, makes things a bit cheaper, need all the help we can get right now.

Traffic round here is also more troublesome than the risk of "funny men" as my great-aunt used to call them, often get numpties roaring up and down the main road (30mph) doing 40+ mph!

Sis lost her cat to a car yesterday, 2nd in 2 years, her son really cut up about it, different part of town, same problem.

Hugs and kisses to you all, brain fog really bad so forgotten half of what I've read today, look after yourselves.

A xo

Byatt

VJ, I'm not trying to be funny, but at what age will your DD be ready to walk home in the dark? I don't mean late, just the fact that it's dark. I'm from a generation where children left school at 15 and started work, so depending on the job and bearing in mind there was no flexi time, being out in the dark was normal. What is the problem with walking about after dark?

My parents were very strict, but I was not aware of them worrying about me being out, I lived in a big city, mostly lived in pretty rough areas, but I do think it's important to be street savvy, and look confident when out and about. I can't think of anyone of my peers at 16 who didn't go out after dark.

Of course if your DD is nervous in herself I understand that. I just feel as if I'm on a different planet to everyone else. :rotfl:I'm not saying I haven't (don't worry)worried about my DD, but that's me...I've always tried to give her the skills to cope with things, particularly as she's autistic, so end up in a repeat, repeat, repeat cycle! I'm guessing it's going to be harder for you than your DD. being a parent is so hard. I must admit I found the mobile phone a great asset. So my DD would text or call. On first outings she would call me when she arrived somewhere, then when she left and so on. She had instructions to call if she was worried about anything or felt unsafe, and also, she was to call me, no matter the time or place if she needed someone (me) to go and get her. That's been my rule to myself, never to let her think she couldn't call me if she needed me.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. :rotfl::o

craigywv

Hi, just been reading POPPERWELL post i too have noticed such a dramatic price fluctuation in past few months 1 day mi wadi 2 for 1.50 next day its 99p following week its 75p a bottle what is going on also the tescos cheap curry in a jar was 20p on saturaday now its 27p wish we had Aldi over here:mad: