Preparedness for when

vanoonoo

ginnyknit wrote: »

Could do with chains on OH's wheelchair though thats my main problem, he cant stay in the car if we get to a supermarket so I have to struggle.

could you swap them out for some bmx type wheels which might be more grippy

mardatha

It's been down to -21 here and I agree collie with the nostril thing We have to batter hell out of the coal to thaw it enough to get it into the house, that's our biggest problem in intense cold. Before we got heating, the water in the toilet once froze and milk left in the kitchen froze solid. One year the bath waste froze and my son lit a fire with a firelighter and some sticks outside at the outpipe :eek: I didn't know at the time but it worked anyway and the pipe didnt crack. And your duvet top surface gets wet with your breath condensing on it if you have no heating in extreme cold. But the sky and the stars are unbelievably beautiful in that kind of weather.

twofishes

Thanks to everyone for your lovely advice - I was at church and then having lunch which is why I didn't reply! Student Welfare have given me a bridging loan, I have a counselling session on Tuesday and I'm going to hopefully see my doctor on Friday. Staying with family midweek on my days off for a bit of a break. Basically I've applied for a maintenance grant (the means-tested bit) as a self-supporting student but being under 25 I have to provide income evidence. Fine, got DWP to send a letter with details of my Income Support/JSA. Apparently though this comes under the minimum income of £7000-odd that I need to be able to claim that I was living independently! Despite the fact that the government expected me to live on JSA...

I have lots of pasta in the cupboards, depression has meant I haven't been bothered to cook and have had *whisper* ready meals but I really enjoy cooking so will have to get back into it. I fancy a really good curry actually!

vanoonoo

Helen2k8 wrote: »

There's a point. Can you get winter tyres for a wheelchair like you could for a car? If not, someone needs to invent them!

you are onto something there!

I've just made mrs lurcherwalkers apple crumble - i cant remember which thread it was but this is it:

1 lb any fruit of yourchoice, I have used rhubarb, apple, plum,blackberry and gooseberry.
2 tablespoons golden syrup

Crumble
4 oz plain flour
1 and a half oz margarine
3 tablespoons sugar

prepare fruit, put in ovenproof dish pour over golden syrup.
rub marge into flour, add sugar, mix well, top fruit.
Cook oven temp 180 degC/160 deg fan/gas 4/5 for25 - 30 mins.

I've made about 4 times that qty tho LOL!

also roasting a chicken and 4 chicken quarters and I am gonna make a soup with the carcass using soup mix for the first time eeep! if I get on ok with the soup mix I think that might be a new addition to the prep stores as it's pretty inexpensive but has a good variety of stuff in it.

re the cold - we went to Iowa a few years ago, we flew out on boxing day and were there until mid jan and the walk from the front door to the car froze your nose hair!

westlothianlass

Hi all
Ive been sitting with a cuppa catching up on all the news and mewsing's so thought i better get round to saying hi as work has been a bit hectic of late and ive been a bit too snoozy at night:o.
All the talk of cold weather has prompted me to look out all the winter bits and bobs as its feeling quite icy again this morning.

I need to get a pair of decent winter shoes that will go with suit trousers etc though i think i may just give up looking for smartish ones and get some comfy walking shoes and to hang with how it looks:D (my tootises are worth it).
Got given some pears from a lovely colleague so made some pear and plum chutney today, so the house smells all lush.
Noo i think i need a bug out bra as I can't seem to get comfy in any of mine at the moment (every bit of me is aching) maybe i should make one in cammo colours:rotfl: with added padding.
Really enjoying reading and catching up guys and gals so keep it coming, as i luuuurve this thread.
Hugs WLL x

vanoonoo

oh WLL you have my sympathies, I am really achey too at the moment and not sure why as the weather isnt too bad here which is often the trigger for me - you say you've been busy at work, well I have too so I wonder if we are both getting a bit tensed up which is causing the aches?

ridiculously I am suffering with my thumbs the most at the moment which seems to cause problems right up into my neck and shoulders and then down into my lower back which in turn starts the twinges in my hips thighs and knees. I have a feeling I have been spending too much time on my iphone and on various computers (home, work, some with mouse, laptop, netbook), also surfing tv channels so using the remote control too much and it's all taking its toll!

the lovely smells coming from my kitchen are making me feel very happy

the job for this afternoon is to check all the airbeds and patch or ditch and go thru the camping equipment to see what needs to be moved to the go bags, also get next months meds ordered.

I am loving the camo bug out bra idea - should we request pictures or is that a different thread completely LOL! I found a trolley token in mine last night heehee x

craigywv

hello folks not really shtf but need a bit of help here keep being given windfall apples and vanoonoo post has just reminded me about them (keep forgetting they in my shed) i dont have the room in my freezer for to make up crumbles and freeze them just yet but deffo need to get them prepped and frozen down even in containers , so question is ..... can i slice and freeze without cooking, if i stew them in sugar should i not put all in one container , i want to leave some for applecakes for halloween party so think i can bake and freeze those what else can i do answers on a postcard please:) also twofish i hope your ok xxx

vanoonoo

I would imagine you can slice and open freeze on baking sheets and then bag the apple slices craigvw - would that help? I would just imagine that you will need to cook with them after and not expect them to be lovely crisp fresh apple slices thats the only down side

my question is - why on earth does this soup mix need to be soaked and then boiled and simmered?! grrrrrrrr I didnt realise and wanted to get the soup going this evening but it'll have to wait til tomorrow now *sulk*, I suppose I can at least get the stock done and soup sorted in the main and just add the pulses tomorrow. hmpfh.

craigywv

vanoonoo wrote: »

I would imagine you can slice and open freeze on baking sheets and then bag the apple slices craigvw - would that help? I would just imagine that you will need to cook with them after and not expect them to be lovely crisp fresh apple slices thats the only down side

my question is - why on earth does this soup mix need to be soaked and then boiled and simmered?! grrrrrrrr I didnt realise and wanted to get the soup going this evening but it'll have to wait til tomorrow now *sulk*, I suppose I can at least get the stock done and soup sorted in the main and just add the pulses tomorrow. hmpfh.

Thats great thanks for your reply regarding soup mix i think its the peas and barley need to burst open a bit or something, if i doing it in slowcooker i dont bother soaking the broth mix , also thankyou in advance anyone who replies to my post about apples i cant thank u as i now going out to friends and wont be back till late .:)

[Deleted User]

CRAIGYWV - I stew apples and them pack them, unsweetened, in freezer zip lock bags in the amounts I want and flatten them out before freezing so they stack well in the freezer. I make sure and label them as unsweetened then I can use with pork in a casserole if I want to. It means you can do a big batch and save some fuel in the cooking.

VANOONOO - Soup Mix, if you soak it for a couple of hours in boiling water it softens down the pearl barley and split peas enough for you to be able to use it right away. If you cook the soup in a pressure cooker you only need to soak for 1 hour (as you do with pulses) in boiling water. Hope that helps, Cheers Lyn xxx p.s Hope you enjoy the crumble!!!