Preparedness for when

bluebag

Cheapskate wrote: »

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

I don't think we will ever be without electricity in our lifetime, I do think however it will be rationed. To an extent it already is, we choose 'A' rated appliances, discard energy hungry appliances and generally watch what we are doing with the stuff.

There has been much talk about smart meters and the ability of such to peak price electricity/gas as it is used. This may mean that cooking your dinner at 6pm will cost twice as much as cooking it at 3pm. This is rationing by price.

Helen2k8

mardatha wrote: »

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

I don't know if it's been mentioned upstream somewhere, but if you want to grow your own veg and save seed etc, you need to remember that a lot of the starchy/higher calorie roots (think carrots) are biennial - so it will be TWO years from sowing that you get any of your own seeds to save.
And that's after the slugs eat them, the dog tramples them, you forget to water them, etc etc

RAS

I thought this was interesting. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-21753854

One the one hand "we need to generate more power" on the other hand when we do so, the infrastructure is not there to distribute it!

westcoastscot

Mrs LW well I hadn't thought of that - for me that would be a good thing. I know a lot of folks who would love to work but there aren't the jobs for them anymore - between health and safety and automation - so that's possibly a good thing?

Mar I agree - to be honest the only thing I would really miss (i've lived a low impact/self sufficientish life on the croft and know as a family we can do it) would be the internet.

I've been thinking about a carpet sweeper for a while now, does anyone use one? I'm wondering how efficient they are? we're a pretty messy household - no pets but its a small house and we tend to walk in leaves etc from the back garden, plus the stove creates its own mess. I'm finding the hoover really heavy some days - i swapped to an upright one but it wasn't very effective so went back to henry.

WCS

Cheapskate

If gas/electricity wasn't gone, but instead heavily rationed, I think I'd manage with that. We'd go back to sharing bathwater (our littlies still do now), using candles or other light sources if we hadn't gone to bed when it was dark, clean house/wash clothes when power was on or cheaper - that would be slightly inconvenient compared with now, but easy to get used to.

My mum has a carpet sweeper, plus a hoover, but the latter we tend to use for her as it's getting a bit hard for her to manage now. She had one when we were kids, still remember using it - 70s orange colour - lovely!

A xo

thriftwizard

WCS, I've used a carpet sweeper for years quite happily most of the time & the hoovers quite rarely. It's fine for surface sweeping but obviously doesn't extract dirt from deep down. But now I've gone the whole hog & got rid of nearly all our carpet - the stair carpet is the last bit left. Much easier just to sweep daily & mop from time to time. However, we're at the warmer end of things down here!

[Deleted User]

I don't have a BOB, I have a BOP instead.

bluebag

Cheapskate wrote: »

If gas/electricity wasn't gone, but instead heavily rationed, I think I'd manage with that. We'd go back to sharing bathwater (our littlies still do now), using candles or other light sources if we hadn't gone to bed when it was dark, clean house/wash clothes when power was on or cheaper - that would be slightly inconvenient compared with now, but easy to get used to.


A xo

I think this is what mardatha means by cutting expectations.

When I was a child I had 3 sets of clothes, they would all fit in one drawer.
Sunday best, playing out stuff (last years Sunday best) and school uniform.

My dad had 2 shirts and 7 removable collars, so you didn't have to wash the whole shirt.

Think how different it would be if we all reverted to that.

bluebag

thriftwizard wrote: »

WCS, I've used a carpet sweeper for years quite happily most of the time & the hoovers quite rarely. It's fine for surface sweeping but obviously doesn't extract dirt from deep down. But now I've gone the whole hog & got rid of nearly all our carpet - the stair carpet is the last bit left. Much easier just to sweep daily & mop from time to time. However, we're at the warmer end of things down here!

Ah, man, we used to have lino and a rug in the front room .....flippin' freezin'!! You didn't hang about long in your bare feet in that.

The kitchen had flag stones. My mum used to do them on her hands and knees and god help you if you 'stood on her good floor'

[Deleted User]

We replaced all the carpets downstairs with cushion floor lino when we had the building alterations done a few years ago, we have a big carpet square in the lounge that goes under the three piece and up to the hearth to keep our tootsies warm when we sit down in the evening. It is so much easier to look after and much easier to clean up after your four legged friend has danced the light fandango over it with muddy paws, I much prefer it.

MAR I think you are right in saying curb your expectations too, I like everyone else like some of the conveniences of modern living but you are quite right, we don't NEED any of them, we could manage perfectly without the aids and shortcuts if we had to, my loss would be the ease of communication the computer gives and chatting to you lot, I think it might be a lonely life for us all if we couldn't share lifes little happenings as easily, Cheers Lyn xxx.