Preparedness for when

Frugalsod

siegemode wrote: »

I have met and known many scroats and unfortunates, but never judge a book by it's cover. Many of those shunned as the dregs of society have reasons why they have become as they are and it is not just their fault, I think society and the system is in part to blame. We have had some very dodgey neighbours on our nice ordinary estate. All sorts have gone on next door both sides from death threats, arson and robbery. We have lived in fear of the aggressors picking our house or car or letter box by mistake:eek: Thankfully we are enjoying a quiet period. When presented with lemons we make lemonade iykwim.

Yes I agree. I never look down on anyone. I always take people at face value no matter who or what they are. Personally I am a quiet neighbour and will do things to help if asked. I have been lucky with neighbours but I have a simple rule and that is to treat people how I would want to be treated.

Butterfly_Brain

sorryImoved wrote: »

If we refuse a smartmeter we have to pay a $95 enrollment fee plus $13 a month more on our electric.

That is disgraceful :mad:
I thought it was bad here with forced labour aka workfare and forced medication which is the plan to fluorodise our water :mad: And plans to ban heritage seeds by the EU :mad:

sorryImoved

Thank you GQ for the explanations. I really do appreciate your help. We are having 80 degree weather here. I think it's 26C? Air conditioning on already as humidity is up. Tomato, pepper and eggplant (aubergines?) plants growing well. Usual weather from April to September is 80-90 degrees here. This year has been unusual as we had a lot of cold rainy days this winter.

I know it's not money saving but do any of you have long term (30year) commercially freeze dried food in storage? Not sure if I need to stock up on that or not.

siegemode

I find myself still awake at silly o clock still and have been thinking about all sorts of things including this thread. I'm finding it even more difficult to sleep than normal since the cat and rat episode frightened another will appear.

Managed to prep 4 large choccy cakes tonight. Two have been cut in half and frozen, 1 has been quality tested twice:D just to be sure and the other I shall take round to my Polish neighbours. Last night I also had a sort through our can and jar stores and did a stock check writing down all best before dates. I'm ashamed to say there were quite a few out of dates. Up to a year on some items I'm ok with, but not sure about fray bentos pies and tinned chicken curry. About a year ago our eating and shopping habits changed and we started avoiding processed food and converted to eating organic and the stores were neglected a bit. Now on my to do list is to stock up on long life stuff we would be able to eat and rotate more easily. We appear to have about 30 cans of tomatoes and 25 tins of various beans but I need to add a little variety to the stores now.

Something that often bothers OH because of his health limitations is how he would manage if something were to happen to me. Although some things are difficult for him equally there are things that he can do that I can't or have problems with. He has his strengths and I have mine. We are a bit chalk and cheese in many respects, but best friends and a great team. I deal with people when ever needed and all the finances and admin. He drives and sees to practical stuff. We are together 24/7 and so can always ask where stuff is or how to do something if needed. So should something happen to either of us we need to make sure the one left to cope alone can do so. Oh is amazed at how I shop and budget so I'm showing him more instead of just getting on with it. He is also taking more note of how I deal with the finances. I have to confess though that the paperwork side of the admin can best be described as organised chaos:o I know where to find everything when needed, but anyone else would have a nightmare. I've taught him breadmaking and we cook together sometimes. I prep whilst he makes Bolognese, chilli or curry, but I've started to teach him other stuff and general baking.
If and when he does any diy stuff or making or fixing things then I take more interest. I'm also contemplating learning to drive although cost of lessons might be too much of an obstacle. I rule out OH teaching me as it would drive both of us nuts and our car is too big to learn in.
Has anyone else thought of how they would cope without their OH ? What provisions have you made should that situation arise ? It seems to worry OH more than me, but I'm more of an optimist than him.

Si_Clist

Interesting article on the Biased Broadcasting Corporation News site this morning ...

[URL="httphttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26735000://"]Fracking[/URL]

And ref smart meters, from the Daily Mash only a week or so ago ...

NEW British Gas ‘smart meters’ wait until you go out and then switch on all your appliances.

The meters have been programmed to waste as much electricity as possible at the most expensive time of the day.

Consumer expert, Martin Bishop, said: “If you were to sneak back into your house you would find the telly and the stereo on full blast, the kettle boiling, the oven on and an empty washing machine on a repeating spin cycle.

“But you wouldn’t be able to sneak back because the smart meter knows exactly where you are and switches everything off just before you come home.

We have been warned

GreyQueen

katep23 wrote: »

Lord, you admit to not liking babies, you might as well say you like slaughtering goat kids as a sacrifice to the Lord Beelzebub as that is what parents hear

Lol, if you think I admit to not liking babies IRL, you're mistaken; you don't know how many Beezebub looks I've gathered in previous decades, before I learned that some preferences are just totally unacceptable. It's such a taboo. I've learned to say Ohhh cute! with the best of them, just don't offer me the chance to hold the infant as if it's a big treat or I'll recoil. Someone dumped their baby on my lap at a BBQ (without warning or I'd've taken evasive action) and she piddled on me. Nasty.

jk0, don't know where the hoppers are coming from, but the window in the kitchen was open on all occasions and one hopper and the locust were spotted in exactly the same place; just inside the doorway which links the living room to the kitchen. I'm not at liberty to unpeel the boxing-in around the soil pipe and seal it up due to being a tenant not a property owner. I have emailed the housing officer to say, if you know who keeps exotic pets, please have a quiet word with them about the live food escaping.

Have had an appalling night and feeling very rough. Went to bed at 9.45 pm as very tired and woke up two hours later with a thumping headache after some of the weirdest dreams of my life. Not surprising really; my flat was reeking of cannabis, presumably from upstairs via the soil pipe. And then the barstewards rattled around til back of 3 am. Head is pounding with tiredness.

I'm as grumpy as a grumpy thing, which is a bit rubbish as I'd had a lovely weekend and was very happy. And it's raining atm. Those weeds will be getting the jump on me up at the allotment.

SorryImoved, peeps of my generation are bi-lingual in faranheit and celcius temperature readings as its only relatively recently that the UK has started to use celcius exclusively. I know what 70 F feels like in our climate (pleasant summer's day) and the rare 80 F (too hot) but have only encountered 90 and 100F abroad, where it's drier and doesn't feel so dehabitating as it does in our humidity. 0 C is freezing point and getting into the negative readings is nippy but doesn't often happen in southern England. We've had a very mild winter just past with few frosts. It's preferable to have some good sharp cold weather as it cuts down on pests and diseases in the environment.

After all, if the slugs aren't cut down by the cold, they can easily live 5 years and then have to be cut down by the Grim Reaper (me, with a spade) and it's all extra work in a busy life, hey?

Gah, I need more tea, trying to stimulate my poor brain into action. Bliddy neighbours. :mad:

mardatha

Well I started out not wanting them but now have 3 children and lost 3 more late in preg, but I can't say I like children. I like mine but I won't go out of my way to coo and cluck over anybody elses. I do prefer cats now so mad old witch+cat is def the new image for moi.
I strongly believe people are all different and should be allowed to get on with their lives without a posse of gossips following them around.
Yes siegmode, we're in our 60s and we're planning for when one of us falls off their perch. I'm showing him how to use the washing machine and do the shopping and he's arranging things around the house to be easier for me.

Si_Clist

GreyQueen wrote: »

It's preferable to have some good sharp cold weather as it cuts down on pests and diseases in the environment.

To say nothing of your rhubarb tasting decidedly insipid if it hasn't had a fortnight's frost :cool:

GreyQueen

Si_Clist wrote: »

To say nothing of your rhubarb tasting decidedly insipid if it hasn't had a fortnight's frost :cool:

Not to mention the parsnips. They're so much sweeter after a few frosts, aren't they?

I like to see a good frost, particularly if it's all over the trees as well. Mild and wet winters are unhealthy IMO.

jk0

GreyQueen wrote: »

jk0, don't know where the hoppers are coming from, but the window in the kitchen was open on all occasions and one hopper and the locust were spotted in exactly the same place; just inside the doorway which links the living room to the kitchen. I'm not at liberty to unpeel the boxing-in around the soil pipe and seal it up due to being a tenant not a property owner. I have emailed the housing officer to say, if you know who keeps exotic pets, please have a quiet word with them about the live food escaping.

:mad:

Oh, you don't need to unpeel the boxing GQ. If there isn't an inspection hole, you only need to carefully drill a couple of 7mm holes holding the drill bit in your hand, and pump the stuff in. Then fill holes with polyfiller.

I understand your reluctance to do this, but if the smells are affecting your health, how about mentioning my advice to the housing officer, and see if they give you permission?