Preparedness for when

mardatha

Oooooo somewhere's got snow that isn't me!
I haven't got the knees to howff buckets and buckets through the house, too many steps involved. I only managed 3 yesterday and stopped. My knees are like loose hinges - they move sideways as well as properly and it's a horrible feeling waiting for them to snap :eek: lol
I miss kittie and tonsils and Mrs L - it's awful when you don't know what's happened and people just vanish.
I use the back step for knives as well.
Have decided to watch the sales for warm clothes - we haven't got a lot of jumpers or indoor warm stuff, just good coats and boots. This house is mostly really warm - but what if coal got dearer or scarce? eeeek.

BigMummaF

Morning..the sun's out but only adding colour unless you're behind glass Luckily I'm on sewing duty today, so at least the right-hand side of me will be warm as muvva's machine will only stand on the table by the balcony :T

It's weird knife sharpening has been mentioned, cuz I tried using pinking shears yesterday & wondered if they could be given an overhaul; any ideas? I had a bash at cutting through tin foil but didn't go too mad in case that wasn't the right thing to do, only I've got some damned awkward fabric to hem & would really prefer to pink it.
I'm getting a bit quicker on the knife steel--Dad was a butcher's boy in his youth & used to make it look so easy --but my chef envy really comes out when I see how easily they glide through hunks of meat & cannonballs of root veg

boultdj

If it's any help Mar, a firm called Yeomans Outdoors has got it's clearence sale on, I got a lovely fleece top for a fiver instead of being £20. Let's see if I can do a link www.yeomansoutdoors.co.uk :jit worked:j I did a link at last.

sb44

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

When I was a child, in the 60s, we had a coal fire, so the only room that was properly heated was the living room.

We heated the kitchen with a paraffin heater.

It was a rectangular, tapered, metal box.

Imagine a wedge of cheese, standing on its widest end, with the sloping side (the front cover) facing into the room.

The front cover was a sheet of steel, with slots near the bottom and top, and a horizontal handle about 2/3rds of the way up.

When you took the front cover off, there was a rectangular paraffin tank, with a wick running almost the full width, rather like a gas burner on a back boiler.

Above that was a heat exchanger.

To use it, you filled the tank, fitted it under the heat exchanger, lit the wick, and put the front cover back on.

Cold air was drawn in through the bottom slots, and warm air came out of the top ones.

I haven't seen one in decades, and I can't remember the make, so if anyone remembers the make and model, or has any pictures, I'd be grateful.

Like this?

http://solargreenways.tripod.com/my_paraffin_collection/index.album/valor-valcan-heater-l210?i=25&s=1

You may have to refresh the page as the pic may not be showing at first, just a Tripod image hosting icon.

GreyQueen

Morning all.

BigMummaF, I don't think pinking shears are sharpenable at all, which is why I guard mine like a mad thing in case anyone wants to advance on a piece of paper with them in hand. If they're totally rubbish and you're prepared to risk it, you could try cutting into sandpaper with them. It works on straight scissors, but I would only do it with cheaper ones myself.

I have a cigar shaped carborundum stone on the lottie which I use for giving a quick rub up to tools after cleaning and before a wipe with an oily rag when they get put away. Dad was on the lottie with me on Good Friday and remarked that he could've shaved with the hoe.:p

Hoes, spades, shears, hand sickles, all benefit from a few strokes with a sharpening stone after use. Or, if doing a lot of hoeing, even during use. You'll be amazed at how much more easily you cut thru the weeds if you do this. Carborundum stones are very cheap and last for decades. One of the tricks that the old farmboys used when working in gangs with scythes, was to slyly run a penny down someone's freshly-sharpened scythe blade whilst their back was turned and then when they were baffled by its bluntness, go all superstitious and mutter something about how the divil must've dun it.

You had to make your own entertainment, back in those days.

Was on the lottie for hours yesterday in the SUN. Oh, the deep deep joy of solar radiation and what was pushing towards double-digit temperatures. Another clear and sunny day outside but I'm going up later this morning to let the frost go over. It was bitter last night.

Today's plants involve planting the onions. I bought them at the beginning of Jan and stored them in a meat safe in the lottie shed. Heaven knows how they're doing. And then I shall go up a few days later and replants about a dozen of them. Rinse and repeat - bliddy birds.

I couldn't stop smiling yesterday (and even today) so happy does the sun make me. Hope you're all getting a share.

sb44

BigMummaF wrote: »

Morning..the sun's out but only adding colour unless you're behind glass Luckily I'm on sewing duty today, so at least the right-hand side of me will be warm as muvva's machine will only stand on the table by the balcony :T

It's weird knife sharpening has been mentioned, cuz I tried using pinking shears yesterday & wondered if they could be given an overhaul; any ideas? I had a bash at cutting through tin foil but didn't go too mad in case that wasn't the right thing to do, only I've got some damned awkward fabric to hem & would really prefer to pink it.
I'm getting a bit quicker on the knife steel--Dad was a butcher's boy in his youth & used to make it look so easy --but my chef envy really comes out when I see how easily they glide through hunks of meat & cannonballs of root veg

Not sure how much your scissors cost but you can get them sharpened here for £6 but they charge about a fiver for delivery, probably cheaper to buy a new pair.

https://www.prosharp.co.uk/services.asp?c=c2

[Deleted User]

sb44 wrote: »

Like this?

http://solargreenways.tripod.com/my_paraffin_collection/index.album/valor-valcan-heater-l210?i=25&s=1

No.

Ours was rectangular, rather than tapered.

It was also flat across the front, rather than bowed.

mysterywoman10

Productive day yesterday, cleared out caravan made an inventory of tea light lanterns I have 10 good ones, two wind up lamps and a brilliant light that requires batteries. Need to get some more tea lights.

Early first potatoes now planted :T:T

We have a lot of manure on bit where broad beans are going in today as it keeps the ground warm.

We have a steel and a knife sharpener block and DH knows how to use it, he's always sharpening knifes (I'm a lucky woman he's an ex chef!) he knows how to skin animals and kill them as well.

I remember when we were young we only had the coal fire in the lounge, it was common in the winter to wake up to ice on the inside of windows. You just got dressed in bed and we didn't have a shower, just bathes maybe once/twice a week. We have all become so used to central heating,

Time to put the washing on the line :laugh:

[Deleted User]

mysterywoman10 wrote: »

he knows how to skin animals and kill them as well.

It's much easier, if you do it in reverse order.

mrs_lds

So many folk got hit y the banks but there s ome good in that some Russian !!!!! people have been flushed out like those asking for protection money from small businesses. Cyprus will rise again like a pheonix