Preparedness for when

RAS

We were lucky as the normal flashpoint was covered. Lads managed to set a couple of cars alight and try and push them into the main road so they could stop the traffic (and presumably rob people) but the bizzies arrived en force and nicked several of them. The rest ran. There were tit for tat arson attacks on a house mosque and caribbean community project but community leaders managed to prevent anything further kicking off.

What people in areas like Tottenham may find is that this has a long term effect on local services. This area still has no national or international provider at all on its high street other than Western Union; no financial service provider and only recently acquired a cashpoint, 20 years after rioting wrecked many businesses. The petrol station as closed somewhat later when they got fed up of being held up every month or two.

They do have an independent supermarket but most people have to travel 2 miles in either direction to access basic shopping and services.

the_cake

From the sublime to the ridiculous: I came downstairs this morning and it looked like a blizzard: the now-not-so-new kitten Jeeves had caught a pigeon. There were feathers absolutely everywhere, bottom of the stairs, sitting room, kitchen - how could one bird have so many? Thank goodness for Henry!
I love Jeeves to bits but he is extremely naughty; so far, he has broken two light bulbs and a lamp. He catches voles and lays them lovingly at my feet - how do I explain to him that it's mice (dead ones, please) which would make me happy? Such a waste of the poor little voles ....
Sorry, rather off topic, but the feathers had certainly HTF today. I realise in retrospect that I should certainly have cooked and eaten the remains of the pigeon instead of chucking it into the garden for the cats (innocent and guilty) to finish off. Mea culpa ... would have been good practice, wouldn't it?

BitterAndTwisted

RAS wrote: »

What people in areas like Tottenham may find is that this has a long term effect on local services. This area still has no national or international provider at all on its high street other than Western Union; no financial service provider and only recently acquired a cashpoint, 20 years after rioting wrecked many businesses.

Fortunately, that hasn't happened here. There are no empty shops on Tottenham High Road, banks and Post Office still there and the Aldi has recently re-opened as a bigger and better store after being totally re-built from the ground up. It's a busy place and still worth visiting for normal, every-day shopping. Some of the businesses are Turkish-owned and they are not the type to stand for any nonsense. Or so I've heard.....

Shazzadouglas

There was a free book available on the Internet a while ago called Lights Out by David Crawford

Product Description
Downloaded from the internet over three million times, this exciting, action-packed, survival story is finally available in book form. Lights Out chronicles the challenges of Mark “Karate Man” Turner when the lights go out over most of the free world. He must find in himself the ability to unite his family, friends, and neighbors if any of them are to survive the harsh reality that everyday life becomes when the veneer of civilization is stripped away.

I managed to download a copy, it's a fab read about survival, if you pm me your email address I can email you a copy in PDF

Cheapskate

On the topic of books, I managed to find a copy of Food For Free in a CS today, not the old pocket one, but still carry size, good photos etc, £3.99 instead of the original £16.99, not bad as it was brand new - even creaked when I opened it! Also got Delia's new book, used Waterstones points I had and only paid 19 pence, not bad!

Mum has loads of old cookery books (going back to the 50s), plus some of grandparents' notebooks from when they ran a bakery, with recipes, costings etc., which I'm going to borrow for some fresh ideas.

A xo

tina_malteser

Ras i saw this guys home on a George Clarke program, Amazing

RAS

I love the way that the bed slides under the terrace!

To understand why city dwellers in big cities in the states seem to inhabit street corners, bars and cafes see this which is not as famous as the 96 sq ft one but.......... 78 sq ft http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m94dizzZqxE

Also look here Manhattan folding apartment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RbxkrmuQ5E

Attic with bath http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWnFgpiCrQo

2tonsils

We had the really weird wind blowing above the village last night again. It sounds like a freight train going past for hours. I thought it might have brought heavy rain but all we seemed to have was a couple of rumbles of thunder and it was dry when I got up.

The builder/plasterer arrived on time ( bit of a shock that happening when you are used to Greek time keeping!). He worked really hard and even cleared up the old plaster as he worked and left it spotless. Well pleased with the job he is doing and even more pleased to see that the 300 year old wall under the plaster is absolutely sound. They don't make houses like that these days do they? He will be in for the next three days to complete the job but he was no hassle at all. I even offered him a bacon butty and he refused one...blimey!

Went to renew our permits but of course we have to find one more paper and go back next week...and my husband printed our photos passport size and they want them bigger. But at least the policeman was helpful and told us just to ask for a quick appointment next time as he had checked most of the papers we had with us.

Its now raining and the wind is getting up again, hope it doesn't start making the funny noise again, I find it most disturbing when I am trying to sleep.

The session back at the gym went really well and my arm has felt a lot easier ever since. I will be going again on Saturday when the plastering/hall wrecking has finished. All problems caused by someone using paint that cannot breathe in the past....I kid you not....

Stay warm everyone, my sources say there may be a lot more cold/snowy/icy days to come for you yet and the european weather models are showing the same. We are down to 13 at the weekend (its been 20 today) but then going up to around 23 next week. I still haven't put my seeds in the window boxes but my orchids are sprouting flower spikes and the tall one like bamboo has two baby plants on it.

Might go to town to find a summer jacket tomorrow while I do my shopping ...why is it so hard to find something colourful that its lightweight for the summer when the wind gets cool or I need to stop my arms burning?

elaine241

Hi all, still searching out SHTF books and prep books, OH thinks I am "maudlin" as I was watching a documentary Doomsday Prophecies re oil running out.

I came across a blog, written mainly for the US, written by a mum and therefore a womans perspective. SHe has a blog

http://thesurvivalmom.com/category/instant-survival-tips/

and also a book available on Amazon and for Kindle. I havent had a good look round the blog site but it seems informative.

I am hoping After light will be delivered tomorrow although I am supposed to be doing the accounts and decluttering , Oh well always tomorrow or maybe not if there is a SHTF!!!:rotfl:

GreyQueen

That Barcelona appartment is the same square meterage as my flat. But mine isn't groovy............sigh. Mind you, it isn't up all those bliddy stairs either.:D

Spent a little time this afternoon poking around shops giving thought to price comparions for disinfectants. Some are suitable for cleaning and some are suitable for people as well as other surfaces are a a wee bit pricier.

I was in a Sav.ers and noticed that they have the Z0fl0ra brand of concentrated disinfectants at £1 with an extra 25%. Better than Poondland with the stuff for £1 but without the extra. The bigger quantity is sufficient to make 6 litres of disinfectant and is a tiny size. This is seductive to a tiny household like mine as it won't take up much room under the sink.

I found several things (branded things) much cheaper in Sav.ers than Poondland which is something to be aware of. They're not the shop they once were and didn't have any bleach tablets, although I looked hard.

I've heard from several sources that the Buy Gold type of places want stuff without stones in it and even that some jewellers have sent manufactured stuff to be melted down because it's more valuable like that.

We live in interesting times, do we not?

2tonsils, the cottage I was born in (400+ years old) contains timbers much older than it is, clearly repurposed and bearing marks from being shaped by an adze. It's as sound as a bell and will be standing, bar bizarre accidents, long after these new built ticky-tacky boxes have been turned into matchwood. I'm glad youe 300 year old village house is still in great condition.

Gosh, have gone a whole 24 hours without buying a candle, getting a wee bit twitchy, hope to do better tomorrow. Oh, and my copy of Last Light is on the move, according to my library's website. Hope it's moved as far as my branch by tomorrow.

Right, time for a brew-up and maybe something degenerate like a pack of cheesy oatcakes (Liddly had them at 99p last weekend, I never pay full price).

Keep warm and keep well, GQ xx