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

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  • short_bird wrote: »
    Am I the only one to remember family putting money in gas and leccy meters and getting cash rebates when the chap came to empty them?

    Oh, and on the subject of net curtains: I remember my Mum saying about her neighbour: "she doesn't iron her nets" with a tone of shock and disgust. A bridge too far:D

    I remember the guy coming to empty our meter when I was a kid :rotfl:
    The net curtains not being ironed was very frowned upon by my Mum!!

    I actually bought a tin of Brasso today, (to polish a brass helmet!) I remember using it to polish our letter slot in the door when I was little, they don't have them over here in Australia, they all have little boxes out the front in the garden.
    Trying to be debt free by the end of 2016 :j
  • Another one in their mid 40's who can remember puttting money in the leccy meter, insurance man, pools man and the grocery van. I remember my grandad's cold pantry with the meat safe (no fridge). My mum had a twin tub for years, my wedding dress went in it after the wedding and came out pristine, this was followed by a top loader with rollers. I remember my grandad's dolly tub and posher. We used to fill the dolly tub with water and play in it on hot days.

    I wonder what our childrens memories will be? I am sure one of my girls will be that we did not have TV's in their bedrooms like their friends have.
    I am playing all of the right notes just not necessarily in the right order :D.
  • twiglet98
    twiglet98 Posts: 886 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for the new thread Fuddle, subscription added. I read it daily, rarely post and know that I gain far, far more from this - and other - OS threads than I will ever feel able to contribute. From practical tips on cooking, growing and storing food, to refreshing and perceptive insights on personal, health or emotional issues that may parallel those faced by myself or someone I love... this is a unique resource, welcomed, appreciated and valued more highly than I can articulate, obviously by the regular posters but also, be assured, by those of us who rarely have the confidence to write anything but drivel that is deleted before posting!

    Love and heartfelt thanks to you all.
  • peony40
    peony40 Posts: 692 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Nymphadora wrote: »
    Hi Peony40

    Sorry to hear you have Fibro. I think I have had Fibro for 21 years but only diagnosed 6 years ago. It is easier not working (can go to my bed when I need to) but I am bored stupid at home. I am really hoping it doesn't flare up too much when I am back working.

    It is just a horrible condition, on the outside I look really well but inside I am a mess. Problem is I don't let it show when I am in company. Plus the weather can make me feel awful :(

    DH thinks it's mad that there isn't a day goes by when I am not in pain somewhere in my body but I have so long being in pain I sort of got used to it.


    I know how you feel. I sometimes get so fed up as I want to be up doing things but the body/mind often won't operate. I guess it's the randomness of it all, sometimes I am razor sharp and could cope with doing OU, and then another day I can't even remember my name! Very embarrassing when you are standing at the front door with the courier waiting for my signature!! (I had to give up driving lessons, College course and OU degree because of fibro.) Sometimes I feel like I exist rather than live, but this board really helps and if I manage to bake a cake or even hoover the sitting room I feel that I am living. Don't know if this makes sense???

    However, I know that I am very fortunate and that there are people with so much worse to deal with.

    January 2025 Grocery Challenge: £220.00/£59.47
    January 2025 NSD: 0/30 (unplanned spending)
    2025 Frugal Living Challenge

  • Nymphadora
    Nymphadora Posts: 469 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    peony40 wrote: »
    I know how you feel. I sometimes get so fed up as I want to be up doing things but the body/mind often won't operate. I guess it's the randomness of it all, sometimes I am razor sharp and could cope with doing OU, and then another day I can't even remember my name! Very embarrassing when you are standing at the front door with the courier waiting for my signature!! (I had to give up driving lessons, College course and OU degree because of fibro.) Sometimes I feel like I exist rather than live, but this board really helps and if I manage to bake a cake or even hoover the sitting room I feel that I am living. Don't know if this makes sense???

    However, I know that I am very fortunate and that there are people with so much worse to deal with.

    I agree with you 100%.
  • Nymphadora
    Nymphadora Posts: 469 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Has anyone tried to paint cheap furniture before?

    DD (11) is going on about wanting her room done a bit more grown up. Now although we are in rented we have permission to do as we wish to the house i.e decorate, put up pictures change carpets etc.

    I don't want to spend much money and luckily this house is smaller than the one we sold so in the loft I have lots of spare light fittings and curtains. So the plan is to put up duck egg blue curtains and chandelier I had in the spare room in the last house.

    What I will need to buy is paint, bedding (seen some at a reasonable price) and a small rug.

    Now her furniture is a bit of a mix match of pine. Cheap stuff from argos/b&q. But it is still in good condition so I was thinking could I paint this furniture white? I think I would need to put a primer on first but has anyone tried doing this?
  • Possession
    Possession Posts: 3,262 Forumite
    edited 22 June 2013 at 1:21PM
    Nymphadora I'm sure I've pinned something on Pinterest about doing up old furniture. I'll have a look. We've done it before and sanded, primed and painted but there might be something more special that I pinned.

    Edit: This site has instructions for painting without sanding, but it will be a lot cheaper to do the hard work and sand. The other site linked on there has loads of furniture paint projects.
    http://www.blessthismessplease.com/2012/05/how-to-paint-furniture.html

    While I was looking I thought someone might find some of these pins useful, particularly the crochet digger and tractor patterns cos everyone wants one of those.
    http://pinterest.com/possession/tips-for-an-old-style-home/
  • Popperwell
    Popperwell Posts: 5,088 Forumite
    I'm still trying to understand pininterest. I fear my real name may be on show though I did pick a screen name and I could never get the first account to work and get my issues corrected by those in charge.

    Trying to understand it again...I mainly post recipes, health tips.
    "A government afraid of its citizens is a Democracy. Citizens afraid of government is tyranny!" ~Thomas Jefferson

    "Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in" ~ Alan Alda
  • Popperwell
    Popperwell Posts: 5,088 Forumite
    peony40 wrote: »
    I know how you feel. I sometimes get so fed up as I want to be up doing things but the body/mind often won't operate. I guess it's the randomness of it all, Sometimes I feel like I exist rather than live, but this board really helps and if I manage to bake a cake or even hoover the sitting room I feel that I am living. Don't know if this makes sense???

    However, I know that I am very fortunate and that there are people with so much worse to deal with.

    I agree so much with your post. Its how many manage day to day. Especially the points I have reposted in the quote above. The tell tale sign is that many just get on with it,often play down their own troubles and realise someone else is often dealing with worse but each situation is our own and we have to find our way through it.
    "A government afraid of its citizens is a Democracy. Citizens afraid of government is tyranny!" ~Thomas Jefferson

    "Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in" ~ Alan Alda
  • Nymphadora
    Nymphadora Posts: 469 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Possession wrote: »
    Nymphadora I'm sure I've pinned something on Pinterest about doing up old furniture. I'll have a look. We've done it before and sanded, primed and painted but there might be something more special that I pinned.

    Edit: This site has instructions for painting without sanding, but it will be a lot cheaper to do the hard work and sand. The other site linked on there has loads of furniture paint projects.
    http://www.blessthismessplease.com/2012/05/how-to-paint-furniture.html

    While I was looking I thought someone might find some of these pins useful, particularly the crochet digger and tractor patterns cos everyone wants one of those.
    http://pinterest.com/possession/tips-for-an-old-style-home/

    Many thanks for this, will have a look. Will get DH to do the sanding though as it wont get done if I have to do it.:)

    Hopefully we can get this done in the next few weeks as DH has time off work soon.
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