'supporting each other through really tough times'

[Deleted User]

JUMBLEJACK nice to have you with us here, I know I've seen your posts on the Foraging thread and it's sooooo lovely to see your enthusiasm for this subject area. I'm like a kiddie in a toyshop at this time of year, anyone coming walkies is used to me plunging off into the undergrowth to shouts of Oh My God It's a ........ and coming back with armfuls of what most of the rest of the world consider to be weeds with a look of complete satisfaction on my face, it's nice to find a kindred spirit!!!

SQ how very lovely that you have found a couple of 'course' friends, nice that it's not just you that finds the particular group on your course hard going. Nice too that someone else took the initiative to talk to you about it, hopefully it will make your 'course' days a lot nicer and friendlier and you'll now have a couple of friends to sit with at coffee and lunchtimes. Hope you and MrSQ had a lovely day yesterday, Happy Anniversary little one, Cheers Lyn xxx.

GreyQueen

Morning all.

Yet another grey day in Englandshire. Goodness, I spoke to soon about the sun yesterday morning (the first since Saturday) as it greyed-out again by midmorning.

I feel that I'm living under a clammy grey blanket. Flaming June, eh?

Still, every cloud has a silver lining (sorry) and at least I can be gardening without wearing my sunhat and getting burned on any millimeter of flesh which escapes my clothing.

MrsLW, enjoy your travels, come back to us next week with your news.

I had a happy haul of YS bargains yesterday on my way home from work, the first really good lot for many weeks. I got meat and fish reduced from £22.50 in total to £7.50 inc things like twinpacks of salmon. I opened the packs and portioned everything for one person, bagged and then froze. It means that the meat/fish component of those meals will be 85p each.

That's pleased me a lot as I do like to eat meat/ fish a few times a week but the full prices are giving me cold sweats.

I think a lot of life is easier if you're not on the ropes financially; such as having even a tiny countertop freezer such as mine. I've had it 7.5 years and it cost me £150 (very energy efficient, I could have got a less efficient one for £100) so that means the capital cost is £20/ year and getting less the longer it lasts. The running cost is a small part of the 2.1 kWh I use in every 24 hours. But of course, if you can't get the purchasing price together in the first place, you can't take advantage of the YS bargains in the same way.

My work, paid and voluntary, over the years had brought me into contact with a lot of people whose economic situations mean they're in the bottom 10% of household income. With a poor background, chronic illnesses and a salary of £11k a year, I'm not exactly on easy street myself, but mercifully not raising children on that budget.

What has always made me sad and angry is how disadvantage piles on top of disadvantage, and how financial practices specifically make life much harder for the people at the bottom.

I'm thinking of not being able to pay for a thing up front, such as an insurance once a year, or a service such as your line rental once a year instead of monthly. Of being on a prepayment meter for your gas and electricity rather than continuous meters. About being one of the un-banked, or having a shot credit rating and getting all the worst deals.........

Yes, some people do daft things, I don't deny it. Who amongst us hasn't done something daft, financially, and later thought OMG what was I thinking?! But there are plenty of sharks out there taking advantage of the vulnerable. I've known people with severe learning difficulties to be taken to the cleaners by financial institutions and I'd like to get a hold of the salespeople responsible and.............give them a good talking to.

Actually, I'd like to do a lot worse than that, but better not say.

Ah well, am on a late today, so time for another cuppa and possibly even a load of ironing (two blouses and a hanky, VJsMum, the horror of it). Or maybe just some more tea......

Oh, and buying kelp tablets is on my to-do list for today. I want some of that energy Mar's got, hope they work for me.

Laters, GQ xx

fuddle

Isn't it true that real OS toughies would offer their doorstop to their fellow female neighbours, complete with cuppa, to offload their woes? Isn't what we do here exactly the same?

My generation have nothing of that sort now, at least I've never seen it in any of the places I have lived. I'm lucky if some of my neighbours acknowledge I'm there!

Maybe we should distance ourselves from the tough 'brand' and have a thread called OS support for modern living or something. That way we can continue to support and someone else can take over the tough threads, stipulating its for tips only. Personally I don't think it's needed and since we all congregated here for over a year we haven't been blocked or took offline but if we annoy so many people...

alfsmum

fuddle wrote: »

Isn't it true that real OS toughies would offer their doorstop to their fellow female neighbours, complete with cuppa, to offload their woes? Isn't what we do here exactly the same?

My generation have nothing of that sort now, at least I've never seen it in any of the places I have lived. I'm lucky if some of my neighbours acknowledge I'm there!

Maybe we should distance ourselves from the tough 'brand' and have a thread called OS support for modern living or something. That way we can continue to support and someone else can take over the tough threads, stipulating its for tips only. Personally I don't think it's needed and since we all congregated here for over a year we haven't been blocked or took offline but if we annoy so many people...

Have I missed something? Are we annoying people? I love the idea of a virtual doorstep (and a real cup of tea while we sit on it)...

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE that is a really sensible suggestion, and well thought through. I also think it is the neighbourly chat equivalent to share goods and bads and experiences here, maybe a separate thread just to chat would not attract the scathing criticisms we get here occasionally thankfully only very occasionally. I suspect though that there are some people who only look for and find threads that are going along peacefully and post deliberately to stir things up and ferment discord, so they would be likely to do so on any thread set up too. I and all of us have more interesting things to do than deliberately be obnoxious to other people, but the posters all have equal posting rights and can say what they want to it's how democracy works. Keep smiling, Lyn xxx.

The_Dragon

This thread is sort of "Tips and Support for those going through Tough Times"!!

Mrs_Chip

Well that was a big let-down - the cafe was shut! So back home for OS breakfast of dripping toast!

I think this is just the right sort of 'Tough' thread - anyone who reads is under no illusions of what it is about, and expecting it to just be a list of hints and tips is missing the point. There are plenty of other threads for that. This is a thread that provides emotional support for those that need it, and laughs and tears to get everyone through their day.

That there might be some readers who don't like the tone, or think we are a clique is sad, but honestly, I think it says more about them than the posters here.

Thanks everyone for getting me through the bad days - I know we are very lucky compared to some here, and marvel at how you all manage to rise above the tribulations that life chucks at you.

GreyQueen

That's how I like to see it, a virtual doorstep. It's bringing us in touch with people we otherwise wouldn't have "met" with issues, expertise, experience and fantastic recipes.

For instance, I feel that reading about the issues that people have with children/ spouses on the autism spectrum has enhanced my knowledge and empathy as a lay person with my brother who is (most likely) a high-functioning but undisanosed middle-aged Asperger's person.

And there are many many other examples of things which users have chosen to share which have been amazing, heartening, desperately sad or delieriously silly and have made me laugh like a loon.

I don't see that it could ever be deemed a clique. If people read but don't choose to post, how can we know they're there? If they do post, they get welcomed and some become regulars. Whilst other regulars dip in and out, according to what else is going on in their lives. They're welcomed back - and where is the lovely SoftStuff, I want to know?

If poeple aren't posting but are reading, they're presumably enjoying themselves as it's a personal choice what and where you read. If the subject/ tenor of a particular thread isn't to an individual's liking, they could choose to join in and try shaping it to their tastes, join another thread which is more sympatico, or start a new thread altogether.

I personally hang on three threads only (toughies, SHFT and Hoarding) as I find three to be the max I can keep up with on a regular basis. I may occasionally pop up on another thread from time to time. This doesn't mean that the posters or subjects on those threads have anything wrong with them, it's just a reflection of limited time being spent elsewhere.

I mean, have you seen the level of output on one of my other fave sites, ZeroHedge? That's a lot of reading time in its own right.

Gotta go to work, love GQ xx

VJsmum

OH didn't do the ironing.
I didn't do it either

And I got into trouble for going out and leaving the kitchen in a mess. Well, not really, but a point was made. Have to admit, I thought I'd be back ages before him yesterday but then my meeting went on for bleeding years so I was much later. On the upside - he cleaned the kitchen! :T

I'm an intermittant poster but usually read along. IF something is put up that i'm not interested in, then I skim over it - I'm sure we all do. I hate it when things get personal - thought all that had gone with the departure of a particular person Anyhow, if I want to moan about OH not doing the ironing, then I will - so ner!

Day off today - last "at home" day for a while - well without children anyway, I do have sunday. Off to visit dad tomorrow and will do some work on the train, which is always handy. I am doing a special teaching session at a local major tourist attraction on Monday for which I am being paid privately - a little more to add to the holiday fund, and which will both be interesting and a challenge. Tuesday, DD and I are off to LIPA (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts) to find out about their acting courses, Wednesday work and Thursday GLASTO (just in case you hadn't realised ). SO busy, busy times.

I am going to Mr S in a min to stock up on Glasto food, can't get much as I have to carry it all but will get some porridge pots, and cereal bars and tinned ham, pots and corn.

THis is my Glasto menu plan

Thurs - sausages noodles and corn, cooked on Kelly Kettle (tho I am thinking of also taking a little hexamine stove)
Fri - Tinned ham, spuds and peas
Sat - pasta and sauce in a packet
Sun - probably buy out

I am taking pots of porridge and some Aldi chocolate brioche for breakfasts, tea bags and hot chocolate sachets, powdered milk and a bottle of squash. With crisps and cereal bars for snacks. I reckon all that will fit into one sturdy bag for life. Having one day to buy out will aid flexibility as, apart from the sausages, everything else will survive without a fridge.

It's a bit :eek: for someone who always cooks from scratch but you've got to live within your abilities. I am sure DS will end up with a full english one day and maybe pizza and burgers at lunch but, hey, we may never go again.

RIght, this won't get the baby a new bonnet as me muvver used to say. S'laters peeps

PRINCESSX87

Morning all.
I hope your all having a good day, Hugs to anyone who needs them. X

I just wanted to add to the conversation about the thread being “clique”
I personally joined the thread around a week ago, And to say it was a great choice for me is an understatement.

Sometimes, Not everyone has people that they can express their feelings to on the outside. Therefore this thread has been a lifeline for many, Including me.

I asked if I could join & was welcomed by all.

I have flooded the thread with all my worries and drama’s and have never been looked down on.

This entire website is based on moneysaving, Surely one thread offering a shoulder to cry on, Or to offer support or a virtual cuppa - Isn’t a lot to ask for?

What is a shame, Is that people of this thread is now having to defend themselves over a stupid common that has no real reason to be posted. Maybe if you find it rather clique - create your own thread?