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

ivyleaf

I bet your daughter will get the hugest hug EVER Lyn! Glad she's had such a wonderful time. Was she on holiday, or working?

Hi margaret54, glad you're feeling a bit better. Re the lady having the MOT!

How are you getting on mar? Sorry to hear about the monsoon.

nuttyp - Buddy sounds so cute. I'm not on FB so can't see your pic, but I can sort of imagine what he looks like.

kidcat Hope DS is continuing to do well with his recovery x

pooky - I hope you find a solution (in both senses) for the rug. We have a runner in the hall we got cheap in the orange DIY store about 10 years ago - thankfully it fits in the washing machine and can even be tumble-dried at a push. I'd like a new one but haven't seen any just like that one!

Hope everyone has a good day. At least it's not so hot It was exhausting. I've slept under the duvet the last 2 nights and it's been really nice!

[Deleted User]

Hi IVYLEAF she teaches and this was a World Challenge Trip with some of the pupils from the 6th form and some who leave this summer to go on to uni. So really a bit of both work and not quite holiday as it's quite hard work as one of the expedition leaders. I've just spoken to her as she's back and waiting at the airport for her Pa to arrive to pick her up and take her back home. Yes, she will get a very big hug though, I've missed her very much!!!

Docky and I are on our own for a couple of days so I'm going to use the time to do some more preserving. Today I'm making a batch of rhubarb chutney and perhaps some rhubarb and ginger jam if there is enough in the bag He Who Knows picked for me yesterday. Then I've got another huge picking of blackberries ready on the back fence so I'll most likely make a batch of Bramble Jelly with those this afternoon too. My shelves for preserves in the storeroom are groaning already and I think I'm going to have to clear another shelf to use but that can only be a good thing!!! I've got quite a lot of courgettes in a drawer in the fridge too so I think maybe a courgette chutney might be on the books too but probably tomorrow.

Hope you're all more comfy now it's cooler, certainly sleeping is easier and I even had to pull on a light fleece blanket last night as I got chilly in the early hours, Ohhhh Bliss!!!

silvasava

Oh Mrs L - even my little patch has produced more than I can keep up with. Climbing beans blanching nearly every day for the freezer. We have a 'Cherry Plum' (Mirabelle??) that makes lovely jam so I've done about 6lb - it'll last us easily to next year. I've also got a lovely golden plum my Mum bought me - doesn't crop heavily but they are soooo tasty - like honey. Apple tree is laden although they're not so big this year as we were away in June so I didn't get chance to thin them out. I think I'll put some on freecycle as there's more than enough for us. Managed to get some raspberry canes for DS through FC on Saturday & my chilli pepper has lovely long green pods. Trouble is I've never used fresh chillies before so I'm at a bit of a loss. I always grow mini cucumbers as they are just right for the 2 of us but given away loads of those too this year. I think I'm becoming the neighbourhood greengrocer!!

[Deleted User]

Hi SILVASAVA how's your son doing? hope he's made a really good recovery and is well on the way to being fit and healthy again. If I have an apple glut or lots of windfalls and I've made enough chutney I sometimes make a big batch of apple jelly and flavour it with cloves for sweet things or sage/mint/basil to make a savoury jelly for having with cold meats of various sorts. The other and most useful thing I do is make some huge batches of apple puree and freeze it unsweetened in 2 person portions for instant crumbles through the winter. I mix in other fruits when I'm making the crumble and sweeten it then and it's also useful for apple sauce with pork or stewed apple to go on breakfast porridge. I've even been known to put a layer of apple between two layers of sausagemeat for an up market pie t christmas. It means the fruit doesn't rot in storeage too. I think it's a good apple year but we really need some rain to make them swell and fatten don't we?

silvasava

Oh Mrs L - you're a star!

DS2 is recovering well - ribs still sore but mending & the hosp have now assesed the damage to his heart as moderate (!!) I think that is totally due to him being in the right place at the right time & the speed at which the team worked on him.

I must admit I havn't worked through my apple stash from last year yet but I will add a little more to it 'just in case' lol. DH is not a chutney lover ( I am ) so I don't tend to make it much. I've also used it in a layer in large sausagemeat roll. Good with some chutney spread over it too - makes a good picnic pie cold with salad.
There's a black cloud lurking & I'm hoping for a shower but yesterday they all just sailed by.

I bet you're glad DD is home safe & sound too - we know they're all grown up but they will always be our children - enjoy that huge hug.

paidinchickens

Aww Lyn I wish I'd of had a Mum like you, don't squidge DD too hard.

Nutty All the pooch pictures are fabulous, life's so much better with a pooch or two (four in my case )

My backs gone again so not much going on round here apart from I have watched a pretty good programme on sheds which was on C4 catchup. I'm probably the last person in the world to see it but hey I enjoyed it.

PiC x

[Deleted User]

Oh No you're not we recorded the shed programme and watched the first one last night, some smashing ideas in it including the roof garden shed and the wood sculptors giant green teapot!!! wasn't it good?

Irisis

Hi all! Not been a frequent visitor around these parts for very long but could really do with some moral support if there's any going spare.

Just as we were really beginning to make headway on our (modest, thankfully) debts and start some savings, we discover thanks to a heavy rainshower that we need some urgent work doing to the roof which is rotted in places. Currently waiting on a quote from a roofer and sweating when I wonder how on earth we're going to afford this essential work. Most of our savings were just spent on a car (also an essential spend).

How do you stay cheerful when things really hit the fan?

silvasava

Irisis - Any chance that your insurance may cover it?? Worth a punt - worst they can say is no.
Have a look on the other forums - they may be able to give you some advice on raising the dosh. Is there any chance that your OH would be able to do some of the work to minimise expense?
I'm sure you'll get many other suggestions too - welcome to the 'gang'

paidinchickens

What about ringing round some roofers and asking if they have any trainees or colleges with a builders dept. Have you an architect school who need a project?

Can you do any of the work yourself?

Can you trade a trade for some roofing work? doing tax returns or babysitting, dog sitting etc.

Can you ask family for early xmas, birthday money?

Otherwise it's the usual, Eb*y, FB selling, weighing in clothes/scrap, second job, selling your Mother to the highest bidder (well we can dream )

PiC x