Preparedness for when

Margaret54

Hi Doveling I am only just noticing your post as I haven't been on in a while here so am trying to catch up again. I paid for two online open university courses quite a few years ago when I could afford them. I recently received an email from them about FutureLearn courses which are free and so I went and looked them up. I have finished my first online course with them and started my second one on Monday of this week and am loving them. I am at home quite a lot these days. I know there will be lots more on here who will keep you informed about what they know so all the best to you and hope you are able to find something of interest. Margaret

the_cake

Huge thanks to you all - your warm support has made me quite tearful! I foresee many many boring hours writing cross emails, consulting solicitors and filing the blizzards of paperwork. None of this is fun, and I SO don't want to be doing it, but do it I will to ensure we survive. Thanks again, xxxx
PS If we could live on damsons and garlic we would be fine ... mountains of both!

[Deleted User]

CAKE really sorry that Mr Cake has been treated so badly and hope you are able to redress the unfairness and sort things out. You are an experienced OSer and even though this has come bolt out of the blue style, when you've had some time to assimilate the situation you'll be feet back on the ground and will manage just fine because you have the mindset, the skills and the drive. It's amazing what you can achieve on very little if you have the knowledge that grandma had and you can stretch most things with a little padding and ingenuity which we know you have by the shedload. We're here to help whenever the need arises and also her to listen and help when it all gets heavy going so use us because you're our friend and we care about your wellbeing!!! Lyn xxx.

[Deleted User]

MAR I do so agree that life was far less complicated and much more straightforward many years ago. I grew up in a little terraced house with a cast iron range in the living room, a brick copper built in to the corner of the kitchen, only cold water and an outside loo in the yard. Mind you all the other rooms in the house had those tiny victorian grates with the back flap that you can close to keep the warmth in so we could light a fire in any of them if it was needed, even in the bedrooms if we were deemed ill enough. The range was a wonderful thing with a cooking plate over the fire box, an oven beside it on one side and a water tank with a tap on the other and my mum would NEVER use it because she said it was old fashioned and she would only use the gas stove!!! as soon as she could she had it removed and a tiled surround put in with the result that the downstairs was never properly warm again.

I did a very useful victorian cleaning course at the weald and downland open air museum and learned just what can be achieved with very simple resources, we even cleaned the range there with stove black made from its own soot and lard and it came up an absolute treat. What grandma did have that most of us don't was time and that is good as most old fashioned ways are harder work and more time consuming than instant fixes that we're used to these days, grandma didn't have transport either so was limited to what she could get within walking range or have delivered or grow or forage for so life I suspect was a much simpler affair and peoples expectations were very much less than they are now. We didn't have that much by way of posessions or entertainment either but neither did anyone else and I was certainly expected as a child to do my share of all the chores and child minding when my little brother arrived. It's one thing to grow up with that and another to find that it happens some time in the future when you've had a modern lifestyle and all the conveniences we've got today. I suspect there will be huge discontent and rebellion if prople can't have what they're used to central heating, ping meals, constant stimulation etc. but I think folks are more adaptable than they realise and not entirely without the capacity to learn and cope with what is available. Not going to be easy but as they say neccessity is the mother of invention and if there was no alternative I reckon folks would eventually just get on with it as best they could.

GreyQueen

jk0 wrote: »

Afternoon all.

Being half way through clipping my holly hedge, and having to either take clippings to the tip, or pay £1 a bag for the dustmen to take them, I am very interested in this trench composting.

However, holly doesn't really compost at the best of times. It just seems to dry up.

Would it compost if buried? Isn't there a danger of producing a trench of holly saplings?

Dunno about holly regenerating from clippings as where I've dealt with it it has been bird-sown by either beak wiping or, shall we be delicate? - going in one end and out the other. You'd be drawing your pension before that blinking stuff decayed.

Firstly, I'd think laterally. Someone might be happy to take it away as either a decor object or to put among their plants to discourage cats. Could you in the first instance offer it on freecycle and see if anyone bites?

If not, I'd let it dry out for several months and then burn it, perhaps on Nov 5th, with a small libation to hand? Then the ashes can be dumped under trees or dug into veggie beds, not sure if you grow veggies? HTH.

daz378

Cake best of luck in your forthcoming battle.... hope you win through.......... back in work tomorrow morning after a week off... been a good rest recharged my personal batteries ... so to speak......added prepps to my set up.....have a good weekend

Margaret54

Great post Lyn Yes Mardatha I feel life was much easier back in the day. I grew up the eldest of three and had to do a lot of housework even when I was young, but again it stood me in good stead. My sister did not have to do a thing as my Mother said" with her wearing glasses it wasn't right" ????????????????? Moving on, the shops closed at a certain time and we bought what was needed and food was plain but filled you up. I remember lovely times spent with my dear Granny when the school holidays came around and she would send me to the local shop at the end of the street, while she put two eggs on to softly boil, and I had to buy a crusty Belfast bap for pennies When you ran back to her wee two up two down house, she was just pouring out tea from the teapot and then she would slice the bap and spread lovely butter on it and we would enjoy the breakfast. She had a very hard life (marriage) and very little money but she was spotless and took great pride in her little home, and I learned a lot from her. I remember she kept herself to herself and carried herself well, had no time for nosy people who gossiped and I miss her so much. I personally believe we have far too much and we rely far too much on gadgets etc. I do not believe the younger people today would be able to make do and mend and cut back and do without their mobiles etc. Everything has to be instant for them. Of course there will be younger ones with families of their own as are on here who are oldstyle and could show them a thing or do

Butterfly_Brain

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

BBC news this morning was talking about electricity capacity being depleted due to the closure of 2 nuclear reactors with problems, they said this winter would see the energy companies having to use the available slack in the system to keep our lights on, not very reassuring as a thought. I think part of my prepping from now on will be making sure that we always have in a supply of stored foods that can be consumed cold and without needing to be warmed or cooked in any way. Most likely oatcakes, crispbreads, spready things like peanut butter, jars of pate, jams I already make, and I'm going to get some cartons of various fruit juices and extra dried fruit and nuts and chocolate. I'm also going to top up on small cans of ham/pork loaf/luncheon meat type things that we can use up in one go thus not having to worry about the fridge being off. I'll also be getting in fair amounts of cuppasoups and cappuccino sachets and instant mash as we'll be able to use the kelly kettle for hot water if we need to. Uncertain times make for thinking don't they???

I heard that they were going to cut business premises first and instigate another three day week.
In the 70's the miners and power workers were crucified for allowing the power to go off, and it has since been learned that there was actually no need for power cuts it was Ted Heath being a t*s**r to try to turn everyone against the miners.

I remember my Dad saying that Heath was a slimy little fatherless son, he always hated the Tory party, his Mum died because they couldn't afford the medicine for her pre NHS.

Now it is the energy cartels greed and their failure to invest in infrastructure that is going to bring this country to its knees :mad::mad: Germany has built 12 brand new coal fired plants this year, why haven't we?

I strongly believe that our sensitive infrastructure such as energy, water and rail should all be in public hands not in the hands of other governments around the world :mad::mad: such as France, Germany, China etc

We were actually talking about this yesterday and DH is going to re-season the dutch ovens on Sunday, he has also said that we are definitely going to get an outside pizza oven :D
We are lucky that we now have the multifuel stove and some good stocks of coal and wood, because remember that central heating will not work without electricity.

I think that Hay boxes should be a consideration now especially in the winter when we live on stews. We also have a toasting fork and I might get another couple so we can do toast in front of the stove or over the firepit.

We love our Kelly kettle and I think it will be in use quite a bit if the power goes off, plus we have a camping stove and bottles of gas, a barbecue

As a child of the 70's I remember the power cuts well and we used to keep the freezer closed when the cuts were on and covered it with lots of newspaper and blankets to keep it insulated, this will keep stuff frozen for at least eight hours.

MIL gave me 2 carrier bags of newspapers yesterday so I soaked them overnight and have made 12 briquettes this afternoon, they are happily drying away in the greenhouse

Aldi have stove accessories this week so we got another axe, the briqutte maker, fire gloves, a club hammer and a log splitter. I know more money spent but it will pay for itself in the long run.

We are very fortunate that we have very good neighbours and we are all of thesame mindset. One has followed us and had a stove put in, another has started to build up their store cupboard and has put money away for a rainy day, mainly because their job looks unsafe and this grubbyment want everyone to wait 5 weeks for the benefits that they have paid into and are entitled to :mad::mad:

TBQH I think that we should all become as self sufficient and pay off as many debts as we can to offset the predicted economic crash.

Margaret54

cake love sorry to not have posted this first so sorry you and your husband are having such a time of it I send you a big hug x

Butterfly_Brain

jk0 wrote: »

Afternoon all.

Being half way through clipping my holly hedge, and having to either take clippings to the tip, or pay £1 a bag for the dustmen to take them, I am very interested in this trench composting.

However, holly doesn't really compost at the best of times. It just seems to dry up.

Would it compost if buried? Isn't there a danger of producing a trench of holly saplings?

:eek: We have a green wheelie bin and all garden waste goes into it, we do not get charged to take the excess to the local tip either.

Could you not just burn it?