Preparedness for when

oldtractor

why did you buy your ex a present?

[Deleted User]

BB - Kelly Kettles are truly amazing. We've had ours for years and use it right through the summer months to make tea in the garden in the afternoons. They run on twigs and dry stalks and bits of bark and leaves and they boil the water so quickly it's unbelievable. I am lucky enough to have half a dozen very large birch trees than run the boundary of my neighbours garden and go and pick up twigs that have blown down after a high wind. We always have enough fuel for the kettle. A really good investment, Cheers Lyn xxx.

2tonsils

We have just bought a new electric kettle. I have a camping one but it seems to take ages on the Gas hob to boil and that seems wasteful of energy since we have to go and collect gas bottles for the hob when they run out. I will keep the camping one for emergencies though, or boiling on the open fire. Problem is that it gets covered in soot on the fire.

Just been to take the rubbish to the bins which they have moved outside the village due to the strike of the binmen and the resulting increase in rats around all the rubbish. It is a fair walk to take them halfway down the mountain and then walk back up again. I also went to collect spring water in the containers and the taps on the springs have been removed in the next village..no idea why, and if its because its not fit to drink they put a notice up, so it can't be that. Perhaps they have diverted it to the house taps (mains) now like they said they were going to.

I was worried as we had no water bill for over a year, but it came last week and the price was well down on previous years. It is now only 40 euros a year for us, even though we are metered. Surprising really as everything else has gone up in price.

Home alone tonight as my OH has just been summoned to a meeting...why can't people give you more warning if they know something is planned? It annoys me to death...the meeting is talking about getting a new building for the lodge but if it means more subs to pay I suggested he votes against it. People just do not have the money these days, its hard enough to keep up with all the bills and taxes..... still, it means I can get on with the ironing and sort out my blonde Marilyn Monroe wig for the fancy dress tomorrow night. It has been stashed in a box for over a year so its going to need some major brushing and spraying to bring it back to life.

Looking forward to a much better year next year, despite everything I feel very optimistic about 2013. I wish you all the very best for the New year xxxxxx

westlothianlass

Hi all
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas for thermals :j
Thought we were in for some snow a minute ago, it got very dark and hail arrived but sadly no snow.
We have a kelly kettle, its a wonderful invention when out and about, love the feeling of camping even if we are just out in the garden or a picnic .
I also worry that too many people have too few skills, but i'm trying not to get down about it so am planning to focus on learning some new stuff this coming year. My knitting skills are to say the least basic, so need to work harder at that. I would also like to find a localish bushcraft course for me and DH, (something tells me the giant mancub may decline an invite:rotfl:).
Hope everyone has a lovely day
WLL x

ginnyknit

I have the pan part of a pressure cooker which I use for absolutely everything and it must be 30 years old. Le crueset would be good for us as it carries on cooking after the heat is switched off. I had a set of them bought after a tv company sold them off - they used them in demo's - but I always burned everything in them, now I would use them differently. I think the le crueset kettle would be a good investment if you like it.

Rosetta92

2tonsils wrote: »

I will keep the camping one for emergencies though, or boiling on the open fire. Problem is that it gets covered in soot on the fire.

Looking forward to a much better year next year, despite everything I feel very optimistic about 2013. I wish you all the very best for the New year xxxxxx

Just popping out of lurkdom to suggest you coat the outside of your kettle with washing up liquid before putting it on the fire. Black stuff will then wipe off easily. Also works for pots.

Thanks to everyone for your posts - I learn so much here.

R

[Deleted User]

Thanks ROSETTA - now that's just the sort of useful information that we should all share to make our lives easier. Does anyone else have a tip to save drudgery when it isn't needed? If so this would be a very good place to share it, where it will be used and passed on to others in the future.

bluebag

Talking of kettles, there are a few things I do to save energy. One is to fill my vegetable pot with water in the morning, this helps at at dinner preperation time as the water is now room temperature I need less to bring the water to the boil.

I always put any spare water from the kettle into a flask for later use. I then refill the kettle, ( just to the minimum mark) this again brings the water to room temperature or warmer if the element is still quite hot and takes less energy to boil.

None of these things are going to reduce my energy bill in a sigmificant way, but all the llittle bits do add up.

katieclampet

I always find a hot water bottle invaluable for keeping me warm.
Am going to look for a spare one in the sales, since they often seem to be quite expensive when Ive seen them out and about.

katie

siegemode

Hi, have been catching up on the last 10 days and there is so much interesting info it's taken ages. I've been trying to resist the sales but did get a bargain in Sainsbobs. A lovely hotwater bottle with knitted cover reduced from £10 to £5 in store. Online they have nice cosy socks and mini hw bottles reduced from £12 to £3.60 and £8 to £2.40
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop/home_and_garden/gifts/forher/list.html?sort=price_asc&hnav=4294939524&showAll=true&totalResults=41

I got my Christmas present early and I'm so glad I didn't rely on the sales because I saved about £40 thanks to discounts. A pair of boots with inbuilt snow grips that can be flipped over when needed. They are incredibly warm and comfortable and all I need is snow and ice to test them, however a mate has had a pair for 2 yrs and swears by them. Here they are
http://www.peglers.co.uk/mammal-oribi-oc/
:D:D

Thanks for all the info on the plant pot lamps and the tip not to use galvanised metal, can't wait to try them. My oh is excited about outdoor cooking and has been researching and designing stoves. I like the idea of the small brick one, but he's got all creative and now we are talking outside kitchen
Well I'm off to look for cheap thermals.
Happy New Year All:beer::beer::beer: