The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies lovely day here again but the sky is milky and we have a nice coastal breeze which is drying my washing very nicely in the garden. I'm going to spend as much of the day as I can outside as the forecast looks uncertain from tomorrow onwards and I'm enjoying being warm!!!

The transfer of the cider was very successful IVYLEAF although he who knows was sitting outside the mini barn on a log with hissing bottles venting slowly all round him for a considerable amount of yesterday afternoon, doing a real 'Hissing Sid' impression and the lurcher didn't like the noise. Honours of the day go to the dog however, as He Who Knows saved a couple of bottles to drink in the evening and I'd just gone up for a bath when there was pandemonium from downstairs. I shot down again and found the sofa and floor where He Who Knows sits covered in cider and him with an almost empty glass as the hooligan hound had just flung one of his toys with a gigantic wallop and it had landed right on the glass, poor old boy and I do mean both of them!!! Never mind, he had enough to make him happy and is going to vax everything today!!!

FUDDLE glad you had such a lovely time over the weekend, your National Trust membership is a very sound investment and has more than justified the outlay already hasn't it pet?

FPK do come over to the preppers thread, it's a little addicitive but no more so than this one and very friendly in the main. Lots of useful advice that can be dipped in to and used at a practical level. Water I think is quite affordable from the supermarkets if you buy the basic stuff. I don't store bottled water but I do have about 19 gallons of tap water stored away in containers from previous camping years and also that I've collected from buying vinegar for pickling. I think it's better for us doing it this way as I change the water every 3 months and refill them from the tap. I also always have in bottles of MILTON LIQUID which you'll find in the baby department of most stores and if we needed to use the water to drink I'd make sure it was safe by adding half a teaspoonful of the milton to every 5 litres of water and waiting 15 minutes, which would completely sterilize it and make it safe. I think the minimum reccomended amout for each person is a minimum of 5 litres a day so 70 litres stored for the two of you. You can use your own empty 2 litre bottles from cola/lemonade/any carbonated drink you buy and the water will store perfectly safely if you keep it in a cool dry area and not in direct sunlight. Hope that helps.

NUTTY hope all goes well for you today at the meeting and that you can pick up lots of useful information about the new job from your friend over coffee afterwards.

Have a good one everyone, Lyn xxx.

FairyPrincessk

Thanks Mrs LW. I buy soda water in the summer to make lavender lemonade, so I refill those bottles with tap and then rotate quarterly. We don't buy any other soft drinks, which is why I start to think about it again when the weather is warm. I shall endeavour to keep on top of it and work my way up to 70L, although finding discrete places to store it is increasingly becoming a bother. I'll probably pop into the other thread in the summer when things are a bit less hectic. Working from home I try to limit which distractions I'm permitted!

[Deleted User]

FPK do any other family members buy carbonated drinks/bottled water on a regular basis? they might save the bottles for you and then you'd just be able to fill them at home without having to spend cash? just a thought as I always work on the basis that if you ask and the answer is no you'll be no worse off than if you hadn't asked???

FairyPrincessk

Good idea Mrs. LW. I know OH's parents buy squash, will see if they have any going. Not sure about SIL and BIL, but will certainly ask when I see them Saturday. They've no interest in OS so they will think I'm batty, but they already think we're batty anyway;)

[Deleted User]

There's a lot of us Battys about petal, it's OK you're amongst pals!!!

Possession

What a gorgeous weekend that was, weather wise. Unfortunately we were doing chores during most of it, and getting the house presentable for visitors this weekend coming. DH didn't feel at all rested and has a very heavy work week coming up which is making him rather anxious. Hopefully he'll be OK and get through it.
Gradually de-cluttering the house and it's amazing how empowering it is! I aspire to clear surfaces. We're not there yet by any means but it has become a distant dream at least!

gailey_2

Apologies after long absence im back been stressful few months have some catching up to do.

we moved house end of feb was complete nightmare eve with moving over a few days.

we did rush into 1st house that was within budget and reasonable area. there literlly was not much about in jan and landlord gave us 8weeks notice.

The new house love having more space.

tried be ruthless with delutter and pick up as much cheap or free furniture to upcycle result is new dining room cost us 50quid for 2bookcases, cupboard dining table and sideboard.

We still very much a frugal house. old landlord dident sell in end he rented it for 150quid extra month and withheld most of our deposit taking £500 off us leaving us very tight but we getting back on feet slowly cost private rental can be high and case has gone to independent party so only good thing is landlords not actually got the money yet and free of old annoying letting agents.

New agents seem very chilled out and gave persmission for flower beds and 1 rabbit.

Our new back garden is small hubby hates it but has enough space for kids toys , enough space play and sit down its quite private and not stupidly small.im sure in time can make some improvements.

Old landlord cheeky put pictures of old garedn on right move with picket fence he insisted we leave there and roses even though we paid for them.

But met old neighbour in supermarket yesterday she says new tennants not great and let the garden go to pot.

At new house we have front garden which would be perfect for beds,pots and hanging baskets.

But then in march something wonderful and unexpected happened by chance one of brownie mums has allotment and said put your name down as this is time year people give them up as too much work so that very week put our name dwon hubby thinking nothing come of it. few weeks later went up to check where exactly we were the man who took our details hadent filed it with main boss main boss found ours and said lots on list he would go through what date order everyone was.

next day get phonecall saying we were now no 1 and 2small plots came up .

went up see him said needed lot of work and could have free rent for 1st year and then 29quid a year. had to pay £4 for key and £2.50 for water. hubbys made up we now have a veg patch.

so far we planted onios , potatoes, tomato cucumbers and pumkins.

everyones been so freindly real sense community got given few thinsg for free its lush we have branble bushes , rasberries, rubard and green gage tree in our plot plan to gift as many family and freinds with produce and chutney this year.

My dads so super exited when took him up there and hubbys amde many elderly freinds giving him advice. its about 10-15min walk from our house, hubbys been working loads hours so not been up there as much as he would like.

But hes running behind on garden as consequence we need few token pots /hanging baskets at front do think we get much else done this year.

I have gifted as many freinds and people I know with free kids clothes as trying be ruthless.

An aquaintance of mine admitted she was in financial trouble and had no food in the house easter holidays she has 2kids so made surprise delivery of food to her enough for 7days meals basics few treats and gave some stuff to foodbank.

determined to give back as had such kindness on here when hubby lost his job.

Hubbys new job going well the pay changes every month due commision and summer could be very slow which made it trickier budegt but stockpiling on basics and ensuring meal plan, do sensible shops and get as much as can ie kids clothes 2nd hand as well as supporting local charity shops is good thing.

we have a new addition to family a rabbit. we actually fostering through local charity so they provided free huthc, run, starter pack bedding, food pay vets bills be good for kids have a pet.

we pay for food and bedding but we have such a fab cheap fruit and veg shop which has 20p item reduced section so got him big bag of kale and carrots for 40p this morning we also have small independent pet food store on high street.

I love my new high street as its rare mostly indendent traders has iceland and tesco metro. but 2green grocers, chemsts, 3butchers, hardware store and lots other things and is 5mins walk old house on new build estate where shops were a distance.

neighbours seem freindly,

have 3great parks and leisure centre nearby.
school run easier , safer and quicker.

we started doing 2local toddler groups and going church so much less hibernation mode and socialising still have my occasional down days but stay busy and positive.

small boy finally had speech therapy through and now has refferal to childrens hospital to test autism.

small girl suppost to start school sept as is 5 got none of 3school places including 1 that eldest attends and infant school 5mins walk.

we have decided despite cost to home educate until jan as cost childimnder as cant be 2places distance apart at one time and small boy starts preschool 5mins from eldest school.

we made links with local home ed group and hoping goes well. brought lots 2nd hand educational resources plan to do lots nature walks, gardening, cookery , parks im sure we will have huge fun just bit nerveacking as now everyone thinks im a deranged hippy.

made a few new freinds.

paying off debts very slowly does get me down but then think majority of nation in debt one sort or another. its not like it was accrued through being reckless.

other than that no other news.

silvasava

Hi All - hope you managed to enjoy some of the lovely weather this weekend.
DH finally had his V5 form back from the DVLA on Monday after converting a motorbike to a trike - all boxes ticked & OK so he's one happy bunny. I taxed it the same day so he could go for a ride on it ( honest - its like having a 7 year old sometimes!) & yesterday out of the goodness of my heart I accompanied him on a Sunday Rideout with the local club. We were partly round your area Mrs L - Denmead, Corhampton, West Meon, up to Froxfield & Steep then on to Petersfield, Midhurst & down to Goodwood. I was somewhat saddle sore BUT the countryside was absolutely MAJESTIC - lambs, calves, field crops just bursting though, Mayflower along the hedges, litttle hamlets & cottages nestling in the sunlight. It was so stunningly beautiful it made me feel quite emotional. There may be a lot of problems in our country but when you see it like this there is nowhere else I'd want to be - and its on our doorsteps.

boultdj

Floss wrote: »

DH has just gone off to deepest Derbyshire for 4 nights, then to Yorkshire & home on Friday

I also need to deep-clean my baking kitchen - have got my EHO inspection on Tuesday...fingers crossed please!

We don't bite to hard in Derbyshire, pity you can't come and join him for the week end, it's our welldressing this one coming up[ we're the 3rd of the season] and most of the village has been out gardening this last couple of day's to make sure we look our best, I will be going down to help[hinder more like] with the board's after work on wensday + thursday[drat! to the course tomorrow]

And finger's crossed ready for your inspection.

paidinchickens

Nutty Your first Managers meeting :T getting the low down is a good idea, can't wait to hear how you get on

Kidcat I've never had hayfever in my life but I seem to be suffering or I've just had a cold for three weeks that only comes out in the day.

Gailey You haven't been up to much then Well done on the allotment it's our first year on the plot so I'm going to be loving the allotment stories

Lyn I wish I'd seen it :rotfl:



I've just popped on to say I rang to see if they had any cancellations for DD and I've got her in tomorrow, I then got her an emergency appointment at the doctors this morning and sent her in to get something to calm her nerves.

Our Drs have two surgeries and we turned up at the wrong one so had 10 minutes to run in flip flops across town but it took the edge of a little.

All this and she'd already had a hospital appointment this morning for her other stuff.

At least we haven't got to wait weeks so hopefully her anxiety levels will drop a little.

PiC x