Preparedness for when

bluebag

RAS wrote: »

Another lover of compact kit here; one of my favourite was my (sadly deceased) folding washing up bowl. Tiny but functional; I used it to wash me, my hair, clothes and any greasy pans (basic washing up was a cold water job). I am a bit nesh so a tiny bit of hot water made all the difference to my ablutions.

I also love things that nest or stack well. Oh well.............

One folding things - this is a not tiny but it is interesting

Barcelona laundry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juWaO5TJS00

That place is so, so cool but 100 steps... nah, I'd need a oxygen cylinder and full on paramedic services at the top. I'm like an old dray horse after one flight.

All that cool stuff up there and no lift? What are they thinking?

BigMummaF

GreyQueen wrote: »

....

I adore hardware stores, camping stores, army surplus places and any charity shop which is suitably disorganised and random to offer exciting folding options.

Of course, it could be that we're both off our trollies.........

Speaking of which, I was recalling a trolley that I saw years ago when I helped someone move. It could be used vertically as a sack trolley but could also fold to be a 4 wheeled trolley. It was yellow and black and very sturdy and I wants one. Think a visit to a big box hardware store may be on the cards....

Another fan of foldy-uppy stuff & pokey-rounder of hardware stores usually to get the bits to build summink that said bits were not originally inteneded! I see something or 'design' what I need, then try to recreate in a cheaper way that usually turns out to be much stronger than a purpose built model would have been. Admittedly some of my ingeniusness will backfire, but it doesn't take a lot to put right


The trolley used to be available in @rgo$ if that is of any help; we had one at work to shift crates from the "storage area" (aka shed) into the room every day, so quite sturdy providing you don't overload it.


My kiddies are all growed now, but when they began exploring the big wide world I would impart pearls of wisdom gained from my own intrepid adventures. Back in the 70s we used to be able to go to the closest city with our mates, firstly as schookids on wild shopping sprees then as "refined adults" (sorry..just sprayed my own tea at the thought :rotfl:Me? Refined? ) to try out the hostelries that tempted us in with glowing lights & beautiful mystic rythms.
Thing was, we knew where the safe places were, & stayed well away from the unsavoury. Now, there are no safe places with every pub & nightclub housing potential dealers, idiots who think it funny to spike your drink, or worse
I feel sorry for our young. They may have technology that we can't operate & a world easy to travel but we had cinemas pubs & post offices in every town, bobbies you could trust & JOBS to pay our way.

pineapple

BigMummaF wrote: »

but we had cinemas pubs & post offices in every town, bobbies you could trust & JOBS to pay our way.

My parents were loathe to spend money and my mother was particularly 'frugal' but we still had the occasional outing in the car to the bright lights of Newcastle to see epics like El Cid and Ben Hur. Of course those were the days when the world and his wife didn't have a big flat screen with surround sound and movies you could access at the click of a button. But that made the experience all the more magical.
I know we tend to look at the past with rose coloured glasses but I think I chose the perfect time to be born. Missed the war and arrived at the tail end of rationing, Had an education where you actually learnt to read, write and add up (;)) and got a free further education - in fact I remember buying the occasional lamb chop as a student. Lamb chops? Such a luxury now! :eek: I entered the jobs market when jobs were more plentiful and was barely impacted by the 3 day week or inflation. Possibly because I was married and we were a double income household. In the early 80s we would decide to go on holiday on a whim. Not having a bean in savings we would nip into the bank, get an impromptu loan and be on a plane a couple of days later. We both had ultra secure jobs and it was comparatively risk free.
I already had the good times and now we are getting 'the interesting times'

[Deleted User]

Morning all, PINEAPPLE I totally agree with you, even though we all had far less in material terms when we were younger, I am certain that we had a better deal than most young folks have available to them these days. I am biased, as I went through the system then but I feel that pre Comprehensive education did really cater more for wide ability bands and gave each of us a level of education that enabled us all to make the best of our strengths. I know that is a contraversial statement but I have a daughter who teaches now and am aware of the pitfalls (and some strengths!) of the comprehensive system. We had few of the modern conveniences that everyone has these days, I can remember getting my first transistor radio when I was 14 and hiding under the pillow with it at night listening to Radio Luxemburg illicitly!!!!!!! and I don't think we were poor in those days. I loved the occasional trip to the cinema or the theatre for the Panto at Christmas and if we didn't have 24 hour electronic entertainment we had books, and the magic of being able to make the words in them come alive in our own imaginations, I remember the wonder of finding the C.S. Lewis 'Lion Witch and the Wardrobe' books and Tolkiens 'Lord of The Rings' Triology and nothing I've ever seen on the screen matches my own vision when reading them. I can't remember feeling the need for all the gadgets as they came available either or the need to be a clone of all the other youngsters in looks and attitude, in fact I think the richest gift of all in those days was the freedom to be an individual which seems not to be the case these days, certainly we weren't looked down on and stigmatised for not having the latest version of anything!!!! Really shows my age doesn't it ?

bluebag

elaine241 wrote: »

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.

My whole family thought I was insane when I saw the credit crunch coming four years before it happened. I cut our budget to the squeaky bone to pay off everything we owed and I mean to the bone!

This made them want to have me committed.

Now we are able to keep our head above water and have a small safety net, they think I am very wise and clairvoyant.

westcoastscot

Mrs LW totally agree with you - I think part of the problem for those children who would have gone onto secondary education outwith grammar schools is that there aren't the skilled manual labour jobs around to the same extent. Here we have fishing and fish-farming for guys - and we have way more young men than jobs. Apprenticeship opportunities are starting to come along, but we have many more young men than opportunities. It's most service industry now, and whilst it pays minimum wages and lower wages even for managers then how can you be expected to gain independence and the self respect that comes along with that? My daughter works for a large store chain in a scottish city - electrical goods - she's done all the training up to the tier just below store manager, and she's still only on £7 and a bit and she's 22!

At work there are rumblings of disquiet from clients about the forthcoming universal credit - our welfare rights workers have had initial training but even they aren't convinced it's going to be doable. The biggest issue for most people appears to be having to claim by computer - not the easiest of tasks when you have no computer skills and a mental health issue which leaves you with little capacity to concentrate for any length of time.

I really feel we're going to have a drastic change in outlook - back to a more simple life when things that we thought of as luxuries in the 60's/70's go back to being so. I think those of us that can embrace that change will do fine, but others who have a more entrenched sense of entitlement will really struggle.

WCS

[Deleted User]

WCS I don't want to be alarmist in this statement, but I feel that times are fast returning to a place where people will be needed for the workforce in larger numbers as without a reliable and constantly available source of power the machinery that has now replaced the current need for manpower will be a bit of a white elephant. I was watching the news a couple of days ago and they were in a fully automated (i.e No visible people in the area) biscuit factory. If we want biscuits in the future we are going to need bakers to make them, packers to pack them and further down the line from that farmers to grow the ingredients. Fuel prices will maybe limit the use of machinery used in farming and distribution of goods as well, I think in the long term PEOPLE will be the power of our economy and not machines. I'll miss some modern conveniences though my hoover, my washing machine and my internet access will leave big gaps if I'm honest but we'll manage, there will be no alternative, yes?

Cheapskate

MRSLW, I had a conversation with DH the other day (or rather, I lectured him! :rotfl:) on how I think things are changing, along the very lines you mention. He seemed dismissive until I pointed out some of the info 2tonsils has given us, and evidence from people we know - think it's given him summat to think about!

If we do end up with no leccy, does anyone think it might be prudent to print out some online info as and when, before there are any rumblings of such?

My circle of family and friends includes bakers, gardeners, medical people, plumbers, carpenters, inventors, herbalists,etc., in fact, most of the trades you may need if it all goes down.

A xo

pineapple

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I'll miss some modern conveniences though my hoover, my washing machine and my internet access will leave big gaps if I'm honest but we'll manage, there will be no alternative, yes?

Heck I hope it doesn't come to that
But could this be the return of the Ewbank?
Edit: I just found it's still in production!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ewbank-Products-Ltd-Carpet-Sweeper/dp/B000K4X7D8
Perhaps add it to the prep list....;)

mardatha

Either print things off the net or or buy second hand books. And practice doing things. And cut expectations.