Preparedness for when

Shropshirelass

Just to add to conversation on staple foods - barley is good, like most contents of old-style soup mix, can be added to stew or soup, brought to boil and then heat turned off. Lid on pan, and leave for a while - have left for 30 mins, also over night. Stretches meat content, and thickens. Makes lovely milk pudding too.

maryb

Nothing in that list of capital controls suggests it doesn't apply to the deposits under Eur100,000, even if the money is supposedly safe.

Plunged into wretchedness in the space of a week. It's hard to see how Cyprus can avoid disaster. Do they think Italy will be cowed into line? More likely to get out while they can. Apparently the Italian president is going to make some announcement shortly since Beppo Grillo has confirmed he will not support either of the other parties. Presumably that will mean new elections. Italy could well see a push to leave the Euro building up a head of steam

7_week_wonder

boultdj wrote: »

Humm, intresting to know how easy cous-cous & bulgar wheat are to cook, must add it on my to try list.

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I recommend adding either a crumbled stock cube or a teaspoon of cumin to the bulgar wheat or couscous just before you add the boiling water. Just gives it a wee bit extra flavour, but other than that it really is very quick, easy and low energy.

westcoastscot

GQ very jealous of your library service – I ordered the Alex Scarrow book two weeks ago and it still isn’t here – it can take months sometimes, and when I’ve asked they don’t know why. Our library catalogue is not that great anyway, and our physical library is tiny.

I make pasta by bringing it to to the boil and then leaving it for 15 – 20 mins and its cooked. I have the stove, but am wondering for tea if I can use my ghillie kettle inside? Shall have to do a bit of research – otherwise by on the front porch. I wish the stove was not set so far into the wall – may have to look at that at some point. I used to cook on a Rayburn, and often ponder about replacing the existing stove with one in the sitting room – expensive though.

The problem with money and life is that you need money for most things don’t you??? Sounds odd but when I moved from the island ten years ago (cannot believe its that long, or that I’ve stayed on the mainland) I was stunned at how much money you physically need just to get by – everything is stupidly expensive, and with all the rules of life that we ignored on the hill it’s really difficult to do anything to help yourself without spending money, for instance when I wanted to put up a shed I needed permission, and I wasn’t allowed to build one out of bits and pieces I had to buy a real one – it was expensive and is the worst shed I’ve ever had. I’d like to build on a wee porch at the back door, just for storing waterproofs and wellies and the coal buckets etc, but I can’t just pop something up (safely) I have to get planning permission and build something substantial which I can’t afford to do. I own my own home, but because it is an ex LA house from long ago it has clauses added to it – which I think are unfair –as I paid good money for it and I should be able to do what I want to it so long as I do it safely and with consideration for my neighbours. It seems to me we’re regulated to within an inch of our lives – folks around here who have LA houses are having to have their open fires taken away and are discouraged from having stoves – don’t understand it as we get a lot of power cuts!
anyway off to bake before the power goes off - it's flickering again
WCS

JayneC

2tonsils wrote: »

I have to admit, I think the banks are already empty and the money long gone to God only knows where....and I think that may be true of the Greek banks as well.......only time will tell.

The money never existed in the first place it was gambled away before it was even deposited on the strength of the fact it would be deposited!!


The Cypriot govenment wanted to take all the pension/health funds but Merkel said no.......the only time I have ever agreed with the awful woman! I have no idea how this is going to end, but I hope for the people a solution can be found. There is also the scramble to take the oil,gold and gas from Cyprus of course.....

Pension funds and health funds are required to keep the charade going. They can 'invest' these 'assets', but of course the money in those doesn't really exist either

Good point wcs and I think that's entirely the point. It's a case of finding things to charge money for because money moving around = 'growth'. Student Finance is IMO another money making charade. It doesn't matter that most students won't ever pay it all back, the fact that those students are supposed to repay it means that money is created on the back of that promise to repay. It isn't lent to the students, it didn't exist until they agreed to pay it back. Thereby magically creating pots of theoretical money for the Govt. What a scam! and everyone falls for it...

Ooh I'm being very political today.

Today I've taken out a chunk of money from my account as I'm expecting to have to pay for some work on the house in a couple of weeks and... well you never know, if there's a run on banks in Europe I don't think we'll escape unscathed!! I shall be keeping in just enough to cover DDs in future, makes me sort of glad I have no savings:rotfl:

Got my logs in and the snow hasn't shown itself yet but the wind is getting up and is blooming icy cold. Will have to go and walk crazy doggie in a sec. Methinks it'll be quick one:p

2tonsils

JayneC that is mostly what I have spent the euros on...have paid the plumber for fixing leaks on sink, pipe and central heating and paid the plasterer to finish the job he is doing replastering the hall and bedroom after the damage done by all the water this winter. It left enough to pay for my acupuncture to kill the pain in my arm and to cover a new washer if I need one.

The repair man came and took the washer away to see if he can repair it (no charge to come and look or collect it). If not then we will buy a new one from their shop. Unfortunately there is a 3 day holiday here now so won't get a washer till at least Tuesday! It's sod's law that the weather is lovely drying weather and I have a basket full to be done. Can't do it by hand due to my injured shoulder and arm.

This 3 day holiday is making me feel nervous......its a chance for them to shut our banks down till further notice as well.....

[Deleted User]

GQ I aquired one of the tealight heaters just after christmas in Robert Dyas reduced to £5. I haven't used it to actually heat anything up but what I did get to go with it were a couple of those oval serving dishes that are used in indian restaurants about 8" long by 4"wide and 1"deep. When I use them over the tealights, things from the stove boil in the dishes and keep simmering along as long as the dishes are in use. I think it would work very well but not with a big heavy deep pan. The dishes were £1 each from the pound shop, quite thin but sturdy and just the job for thier intended usage. I would second getting a stock of instant potato in store, the nicest I have found is Mr Mash available for £1 from Iceland and that makes 4 x 4 portion servings, they come in sealed foil bags containing 1 x 4 portion serving each and store very well. You can crumble in an oxo cube before rehydrating and that is nice. If you have some of the pre grated parmesan cheese you can add that in and that is nice and savoury. You can top either one with a made up cuppasoup and it makes a good hot meal. I always keep cuppasoups in store He Who Knows loves Tomato and Minestrone ones, cheapest source of supply is currently B & M where you can get them for 29p. They even have a reasonable use by date, but as they are sealed in sachets we tend to ignore those, Cheers Lyn xxx.

daz378

in the light of risks to depositers money , as anyone heard of bitcoin, im not advocating it as there are issues around fraud , but still proving popular
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21601608

Butterfly_Brain

I really feel for the poor souls in Cyprus and Greece they are being royally shafted by corrupt bankers and even more corrupt politicians.

I read about the gas situation as well and I am sorry it is just another excuse to put prices up again :mad: and don't forget that includes the price of electricity as well :mad: we have been sold down the river by politicians of all flavours for the past 45 years

ALIBOBSY

I agree its just excuse after excuse to put up prices. I so want a log burner, but OH, whilst he loves open fires and would like the actual burner itself is worried about the costs up front. This makes me want one even more.

I suppose each time prices go up the log burner looks a more attractive proposition to OH lol. We have a gas BBQ for backup if the power is off and OH can build a fire in the back if needs be on the gravel.

Ali x