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

EstherH

My mum has told me that her grandma who was widowed with a young child - my grandma, only had the clothes she stood up in. She and my gran lived in a room in a house with her aunt and cousin. my great grandmother would wash her clothes overnight and dry them in front of the fire ready for the next day. Esther x

Popperwell

I still donate to food banks etc...my local FB's usually have a list of what they like to have donated.

My town now has two.

Got a little bit of a surprise as I boarded my bus today on my way to a free brass band concert...who should be on it? The person I told you about when I ended up being told fantasies and was given the run around.

I think he may have moved on from me. I did not recognise him, he's dyed his hair chestnut brown, grown a large beard, has a fancy walking stick and when he got off two missionaries from the Church of Latter Day Saints were waiting to meet him.

Make of that what you will...who is using who?

Whilst in the penny sale today in a certain health shop, I purchased my final item today, Gensing, that was costly:eek:

But I will only take one daily not three as they suggest so they'll last me 200 days...So I probably need nothing until next year. Works out approx 12p per day.

I take ginger, garlic, omega 3, glucosamine, kelp and a general vitamin/mineral tablet.

I hope tomorrow is good to everyone...

Bigjenny

Kidcat apparently only 200 Asda stores were collecting for the foodbank yesterday, my local one wasn't.

shegar

Hardup_Hester_Mk2 wrote: »

Thank you all so much for your comments, I really appreciate your kindness.
Fuddle, I have pm'd you the link, though it's not very interesting at the moment as I'm not up to posting much.
Hospital was all very exciting, you know you aren't well when the triage nurse sends you straight to a cubical! I've lost 3 & a half stone in a couple of weeks, effective, but I wouldn't recommend it as a diet of choice.
Hugs Hester

Wow HH MK2 , thats some helluver weight to lose in a short period, you must feel slightly weak to say the least, hope you soon get a pick up.......

Sorry to hear a few posters have been in and out of hospital......

GINNYKNIT.....I remember having to " wear " plastic shop bags in my wellies cos the !!!!!!s leaked, I think alot of us remember those terrible hard times back then , there wasnt even child benefit 30 odd year ago, when you think of it these days at least mums do have that pay day to look forward to, knowing it will get them a little bit of grub to keep the children from starving...........

School uniforms are now cheaper ( I think) than they were back then cos you can now go into a supermarket and buy them, I couldnt believe in tescos other day just how cheap they are , £2 for a white shirt , theres no need to send the children to schools dirty........

I use to go to jumble sales and dress my boys, every saturday afternoon, come back with a huge bag full for a few quid, give them a wash , watch them drying on the line and chuffed with yourself.........

FUDDLE......The sea kelp ive got is 600 mg, so I only take one aday, it do pay to check the mg s on the tub, cos not taken enough you wont feel the benefit and over dosing isnt good.........

Its such a beautiful morning here , ive already got one load on the line , and waiting for the next to finish and that will be out.......

Yesterday I said I was just going to potter inside and out, well I ended up jet washing all the paths in the back garden several dam feet I must add, and the patio , took me 3 hours , it dried up so clean it was worth doing, then I went out to a disco last night, my boy runs his own, got home 1.30 this morning, had a drink or 3..:eek:.....then got up at 6 , why I feel refreshed I havent got a clue, I should be dead ..:eek::eek:....Enjoy this beautiful weather all of you...Sheila...

mardatha

I haven't touched a sweetie since the 15th of June Ginny :D
Low carbing ! Tried Atkins/Paleo but hated it, people telling me I had to eat more to make it work and I'm not a big eater ever. And all the sodding green stuff -YEUGH!
So now I'm doing the Carb Addicts diet (CAD) and can happily go all day with an oatcake or two then have a normal meal at night. I suppose its a mix of fasting and low carbing. But I've lost just over a stone already and like this way of eating.
Re food banks - are there any in Scotland? I've never heard of any. I don't think there will be many up in my area - people would starve quietly to death here rather than make a fuss.
I'm another one who wore cardboard soles lol and poly bags inside boots. And we had many soup & pudding nights, pudding being home made cake with custard. School uniform you had to get from one local shop and of course it was always the dearest one.

fuddle

Thank you Sheila, that gives me a ball park amount to work from. I think 300mg is a good starting point for us. I suspect DH will need more but we'll see.

Child benefit is an unbelievable help. For us it comes around a week before DH is paid so helps with the grocery shopping for the last week when funds are low. Us mums these days really are looked after I guess. You all make me realise how lucky I am bringing my children up these days. They never, ever do without the ultimate basics and live a life of comfort. So what if I have to think of different free ways of getting them some life experience. Life isn't all about £40 farm/adventure park entries or soft play and it's taken me a long time to realise that just because they can't access these expensive days out that they aren't missing out. Again, love National Trust 50 things list. It makes for outdoor adventures that are free and character building.

Sheila. We are so lucky with school uniform. 4sda I find are the best/cheapest. They are incredibly cheap and would you believe they wash perfectly. My DD's pack of 2 white polo shirts for £2.50 have lasted the whole year. Youngest needs trainers and PE plimsoles for Sept. At £2.50 and £5 I need not worry about it.

Very lucky indeed to be mothering in these times. I guess growing up in the era that I have I'm used to expecting being looked after, expecting or thinking it's my right to have surplus cash. When that doesn't happen it's easy to get down and torment yourself (myself) with it's not fair. I read what other children get the opportunity to do and I get upset that I can't give my kids the same but...

It doesn't matter whether they're swinging from a tree or twirling on a roller coaster huh?

I awoke quite miserable but I'm alright now. Appreciate my lot

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies the most magnificent concert last night, the Dream of Gerontius with some excellent soloists and the overture from Wagners Parsifal, such a joyous noise!!! That was the last performance by the choir and this evening DD and I have tickets to see a newly written opera called The Bargees Wife and Barbara Dickson is singing in the title role, so looking forward to it.

I can so remember the cardboard in the shoes way back when, and ketchup sandwiches and dripping sandwiches when times were really hard, it didn't do us any harm did it? I am in total agreement with you FUDDLE you don't need to spend money to give children a rich childhood, you just need to open their eyes to the riches around them, you are doing that with your trips out to the nature area, showing them how to use their eyes, ears and brains to see what is really there. Teaching them to appreciate their world locally and understand the diversity of nature. I remember teaching the girls to climb trees, books from the library on clouds and watching the sky for identification, books on the night sky and learning the constellations outside wrapped up like eskimos in the winter frost, teaching them about plant seed distribution and books showing how, your library is your anchor. We are never going to be your average conventional people on here are we, we have enquiring and inquisitive minds and will rear youngsters with the skills they need to be useful and contented adults, you're doing a great job all of you, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Pooky

I think one of the best things you can do for a child is talk to them, explain why/how/where/when and listen....proper full on attention listening. So many parents forget that.

When my DDs were little and I'd left their father I was seriously broke, luckily I had a good friend network and we'd all get together to feed the kids (we were mostly as broke as each other), when I met my now DH I was still in the same position and didn't have evening meals as I just couldn't afford to, I saved the odd £1 here and there in order to be able to feed DH when he came to visit at weekends (he lived 150 miles away). He arrived one time with a bottle of wine that cost £25 I broke down and finally told him just how many meals that would have provided. He just hadn't realised.

Before family creidts (now tax credits) came in I had £19 a week that wasnt allocated for bills, that had to do all grocery shopping, clothes, pressies etc. baby milk was £9 a tin from the clinic, nappies were £4.99 from Lldl so there was very little left. I used to do a friends ironing and she'd pay me in a tin of baby milk a month. That was quite a bleak time but I'm still here and it made me stronger.

floss2

kezlou wrote: »

...Aw thanks flossy, were due to arrive on friday 25 th till monday , so its a long weekend. Any help or recommendations would be amazing.....

Is that in October? The Lights will still be on for a start, so there's one evening sorted!

savingqueen

Hello everyone,

We are just back from our fortnight's holiday in Northumbria! We had a wonderful, magical time, the best bits were the abundance of places to visit with the most beautiful scenery, coast and countryside and nature/wildlife. Even better spending proper time as a family, you can't put a price on that. The cottage was, as we had expected for the very cheap price, no frills and had a pretty horrible mouldy bathroom, however the downs outweighed by the log fire, friendly farm horses and sheep that the boys made huge friends with and the views. DS9 declared he wants to live there when he is old enough, after he has saved up enough of course mum!

A weird thing happenned the day before we left. 2 postcards came from my parents and my sister and new husband from the very place we went on holiday. As we have had no contact with each other in a long time, there is no way they could have known our plans. I did feel a bit freaked the first couple of days we would bump into them epecially as the wedding was the week before. It seems my sister couldn't even manage a honeymoon without my parents - am being catty I know but really taking your parents .........

Well back to mountains of washing and all the untidyness we left behind before we went as I was too busy to sort. Luckily we have glorious sunshine so 3 loads of laundry done already. I have put on a little weight and am the heaviest I have ever been (other than during pregancy) so I have to face facts and shift some. I have had a couple of weeks of indulgence and have to get back into the groove - budgeting, careful shopping, housework, baking and cooking properly and sorting out social life and doing stuff with kids for next four weeks. Hoping to do some DIY too and our dishwasher packed up just before we left so need to see if it can be fixed. In a way I am looking forward to getting organised but am sad that our relaxed fortnight has come to an end with DH back to work tomorrow.

It will take me a while to catch up on here too - Any big news I've missed? Hope you are all ok. I missed coming on here lots.

I need to go out and get some food in, stalling as just feel like being at home today but needs must, haven't even got any milk in.

take care
sq:)