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

twofishes

Fairyprincess, you can mash chickpeas with a potato masher or a fork for falafel since it doesn't have to be totally smooth - you can always add an egg to make sure it holds together (not sure what your recipe says, some use egg and some don't).

floss2

SQ, my cholesterol is quite high but as my bp is on the lower side of "normal" for my 49 years, I don't fall into a category where my GP has to take action. Maybe your DH is the same?

Also, if i were you i would make an appointment for an "mot" health check, and take a little list of those things you have noted so you can get them checked out.

Well, my first chutney & jam making session of this summer has just finished - blackcurrant jam, gooseberry jam & courgette relish. The first & last will be entered into my allotment show over the BH weekend...fingers crossed!

ginnyknit

Rosanna fleece is a manmade fabric and doesnt fray when you cut it so can be used for almost anything you fancy. I lay my curtains on the floor or bed as best I can and just tack the fleece to the edge of curtain tape. Im sure it would make perfectly good curtains on its own.

I have spent months searching for a new coat, I am a tad large and like something loose but not heavy. My last coat did me well for about 5 years and cost £4 at a CS but is really worn now so I decided to take it apart and use it as a pattern for a new one but longer as this is really a jacket. Ive nothing to lose and suppose I am reasonably good at dress making though I havent made my self much the last few years. Next I need to tackle a dressing gown and a couple of nighties. So cross your fingers

fuddle

Really good idea ginny. You'll make it a success!

I've a little IBS and I'm lucky it isn't all the time and isn't severe. It comes with serious periods of stress. I take peppermint tea as soon as I'm having a difficult period an it seems to ease it a little. But like I say, mine is very weak.

I would love, love, love an MOT check. I'm 34 next month so doubt I'd be able to get anything at the doctors but it would be really interesting to see if In going wrong anywhere. I caught up with Long Live Britain the other day. I'm keen to give myself the best chance possible of a good life but when I saw that fat around your tummy can actually poison and attack your organs I was shocked. Been on multivits, evening primrose, cod liver oil, magnesium, b vitamins and now sea kelp for about 6 weeks now an I can see my facial skin is much improved, I actually think I look fresh faced and not bogged down with life.

Magnesium and b vitamins for anxiety and depression: wow. I was PM'd about mag a little while ago, remember when I went back on the Anti-d's and lasted a week to try these? I am coping just fine. Some days aren't great but that's life. I had a particular bad period with mam a week or so back and came through it fine.

Sorry. Too early for waffle!

I have news in that DH's boss has suggested we visit Dorset to make sure the move is something we really want promising first start! So I'm getting a holiday!!!!! We're taking the tent down for a few days.

We were looking through our stuff last night and remembered we didn't have a camping stove anymore. I was resigning myself to having to buy one when DH chirped up 'oh I have a pocket rocket (preppers will know ) that will do' 1st thing ... Grrrrrrrreat! 2nd thing that man has watched me collect sticks these last few months to light on the BBQ if we lost power over winter and didn't think to mention he had a pocket rocket?! 4 house moves together and I've never seen it!

GreyQueen

Morning all.

Fuddle, what exciting news! Dorset is supposed to be lovely. Mum's "people" came from Dorset to Lunnon Town in the late Victorian era and she was then exported to our county where she met Dad and the rest, as they say, is history.

I want to go there for a mosey-around myself, must get a list of names and villages from Dad where the family lived, was thinking mebbe hiring a car next summer, can't afford it this year as already went away. The ancestral s0d, and all that.

Lots of blacksmiths in the family prior to moving to Lunnon. Probably helps to explain the height, heavy bones and love of hardware stores that Mum and I share.........:rotfl:

SQ, can I just ask you to check with your GP/ pharmacist if any meds you are on/ conditions you have, are contra-indicated for OTC antacids? My Mum has a medical condition which means she can't take these, or the famous liquid one which begins with G --- for her hiatus hernia and must have a prescription version.

Re little worrying things on your skin, please get them checked out. Mum had something on her face; it was a basal cell carcinoma, popularly called rodent ulcer. They don't run riot and kill you like malignant melanoma can, but they can cause a lot of localised damage to the tissues. She ended up having a skin graft.

I'm very wary of moles etc as am a redhead and at very high risk, and lived in Scotland in the 1980s when there was a major campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of skin cancer. So, imagine me at an evening class when I spotted a text-book example of a malignant melanoma on the forearm of one of my fellow-students.

Just about had a cow. Asked if she'd ever shown that to a doctor and she said no, and I told her I really REALLY thought she should do so without delay (didn't mention the C-word, I'm not medically-qualified, but it had all the warning signs in abundance).

Anyroad, that was at term end. When I saw her next, she showed me a deep wound where the blighter had been. She'd thought about what I'd said for a couple of weeks then shown it to the GP. He'd sent her straight to hospital. They'd taken a big cut around it, cone-shaped down thru her flesh, and were going back to take out a rectangular chunk of tissue in a second op. It was MM, advanced.

I wasn't in touch with her other than as a fellow student, but I hope that she made a full recovery.

Right, time to get that porridge pot on the stove. Have a good day, people. GQ xx

Valli

Well done for speaking up GQ - probably saving her life!

My family also have Lunnon connections. Both Grandfathers came from the East End and were transplanted to two different towns up north where my parents met! I always feel very 'at home' in London!
I'm off 'dahn sarf' today - well Northampton. Visiting my youngest sister for a few days which comprises my holiday! I am leaving the Vallikids here :eek: but at 17-and-a-half and almost 20 they'll be fine and someone's got to feed the cats! DD is feeling a bit 'off' no temperature though - she's been to a music festival and I think the lack of veggies may have had an impact;)

fuddle

I completely and utter echo GQ's sentiments of getting it checked out and ASAP. GQ's example is one side and a worrying one but my experience is worth mentioning to elevate worries. I had a lump grow out of no-where on the underside of my lip. The dentist told me to go to my GP, my GP referred me to hospital and within weeks that growth was removed and tested. Completely and utterly free from anything sinister but my point being that until it was tested, no one know if it was malignant or not, not even the experts.

No one want to worry you but with growths and masses we all have to act, even though it's scary. It could be something and it could be nothing... But if its something it is best to know ASAP.

Hope we've not worried you, but just gave that little nudge into getting it seen, today? Even with the kiddies? 5 mins just to get the ball rolling wih an ID? Whaddaya say?

Cheapskate

Morning all

What an adventure, fuddle - have a good trip and hope you find it's going to be what you both want!

Have booked a long weekend away for us, scary amount of money as it's abroad so we'll be eating out of the pantry/freezer for the foreseeable! We need a little break, DH works almost 6 days a week, only has a proper weekend when it's a bank hol, and hasn't had time off since Christmas (works for himself). Had to pay online with my regular bank card (not CC), and it wouldn't go through, then at the same time got a text from the bank, automated from the fraud dept. Waded through all the nice computerised voice's instructions, then re-sent and it worked - bit of a pain, but very glad my bank takes out-of-character payments seriously!!

Our GP hasn't sent out letters to me and DH for 40+ health check yet, and he's 50 soon (DH, that is!), think they may be starting with the oldest patients and working younger. When I worked at a surgery earlier this year, they sent out letters to all 40+ patients simultaneously, expecting a huge response, but appt requests came in as a trickle. Might ask next time I ring and see what our GP's approach is - would like to have one, might answer a few niggles I have!

A xo

grandma247

I have been trawling through some of my older unread emails and found this :eek: what kind of message is this sending out?

Ginny it is a great idea to copy your coat.
I have done it loads of times with different things. Just lately I needed some camisole tops to go under some thin blouses and copied one I had in bright yellow ( not suitable for under a white blouse) without taking it apart. I got three out of 1 meter of material, £2 from the cheap material place I told you about. I also copied a nightie I got from Mr A a couple of years ago without taking it apart and made it up in fleece along with some pj bottoms from a pattern I had.

Fuddle I am glad you mention your skin is better with the kelp. I have also noticed changes even though I have only been on kelp for nearly three weeks. I did not get those changes with cod liver oil which I expected to so I eventually stopped taking it. It did not do a lot for my arthritis either. I also take a magnesium,calcium and vit D supplement for my bones as well as a multivitamin, I take breaks from this and am considering taking this one every other day now I am back on top of my diet, I also take brewers yeast and a large vit c. I have always needed a lot of vit b and c for some reason. I have almost no pain whatsoever in my joints now which is a massive change. Only a few weeks ago I sat crying because I was so sick of being in constant pain. It was like permanent toothache in my joints.

PRINCESSX87

Morning all.

Haven’t been on for a while. So will be spending some spare time today trying to catch up.

Today I’m also making my list of all things winter prep. Will need to nip to the prepare thread for some extra tips, But hopefully today should prove I’m at least a third through which is much better than last few years.

OH had an accident at work last week which really scared me. Its made me relies just how close to the picket line we are without OH working his fingers to the bone. Lucky it wasn’t anything too serious although - He’s damaged his arm. He is refusing to take time off work because he’s got to take three weeks off as from next week because his employer (His brother) is jetting to Turkey for a 3 week in the sun holiday which OH doesn’t get paid for.

When OH does finally get to the doctors, I will asking them why they are not checking his medical complaints seriously. I sick of OH coming away feeling like nothing has changed and that neither of the doctors he’s previously seen has taken note of the issues.

He’s had a verruca on his foot for the past 7 years. Starting off small like they do, We’ve tried everything over the counter and herbal nothing has shifted it. Its now the size of 2 10p’s and bleeds daily. To the point where OH has to take 3 spare pair of socks to work every day. All the doctors have suggested that other half should cut a hole into his shoe. Which angers me because we haven’t got the money to replace his work boots or normal footwear. He’s in so much pain with it its unreal.

Anyways off to walk the doggers. Speak Soon. TC ALL