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

Popperwell

shegar wrote: »

POPS....On to painful feet , I cant let my heels touch anything, when im a bed I have to have both feet out of the bed and not touching anything, its far too painful, sounds like a few other posters also have it..........Ive also got those pads to put in shoes , they arnt too bad , but im living in crocs , so dont need pads in them............

Yes, I've been sticking my foot out of the bed too or finding a way to stop putting pressure on it. Tonight to go to the music club I would catch a bus and walk the short distance from the stop...I called for a taxi...no way could I walk it.

All the advice is welcome...I was talking about it tonight and another couple are sufferers...

fuddle

Jem I wanted to put your mind at rest about the insurance on your lovely new making life easier bit of equipment.

I pay £33 per month for my old micra but with 'free' breakdown cover. It was less than my very old saxo. I have 9 years no claims too. I looked around and that really was the cheapest for me so I think you've done alright with finding the policy.

Enjoy your wheels!

carlymummy

Happy Wednesday to all,
Chilly but the sun is trying to make an appearance so will get a load of washing on a.s.a.p., to make the most of the dry weather, in fact that reminds me I must buy some airers for autumn/winter, don't suppose anyone has seen any reasonably priced? My tumble dryer that was ancient given to me by my Gran blew up in February this year so am coping without as we can't afford a new one and haven't really got the space for one anyway, plus keeps the elec bill down.
Pork casserole to make and pop in the slow cooker and got to make some homemade bread to go with it, although might rope DS12 into kneading it for me, my arthritis is not great today and had a terrible nights sleep with DS4 he was awake most oft he night although still fast off now! goodness knows why, have just sent DH off to work looking as though he needs matchsticks to keep his eyes open :0
On the plus side we are another day closer to DH payday next thurs, since he has been moved onto monthly from weekly we have had a bit of a nightmare trying to cope and there was a particularly scary moment when the mortgage payment looked like it might bounce, thankfully there was just enough in to cover it in time!
Visit from elderly relatives went well and bless 'em they also bought lots of goodies for the boys (biscuits/crisps etc) that will help to keep them full up as my freezer supplies of banana muffins and cheese scones are almost gone!
Hugs to those that are in need of them, and positive vibes for all, have a good day x

Rowan9

All the talk about school uniforms and costs reminds me of my 2, boy and girl, different schools for teenage years. It does pass - mine are 28 and 26 now! Definitely worth finding out uniform costs for possible schools in advance. Maybe start a savings jar for them? It's surprising how quickly one particular coin adds up. I've done 20p jars and 50p jars at different times. It all helps.

Lovely day again here. My sister and DH are down for the (Edinburgh) Festival for a few days and that has coincided with a few days' hols for me so I'm enjoying spending time with them.

On 2nd cup of tea and have had some lovely crusty bread toasting. Been up since 6.30. Why don't I leap out of bed like this on work days?!

Working our way through fridge for teas for the next few days as we are off on hols to York & area next week.

Have a good day folks
W

ps cross-posting - hope the arthritis eases for you carlymummy

Cheapskate

Morning toughies

Summer V winter debate, I enjoy all 4 seasons, especially as we seem to have had a proper summer this year, but autumn is definitely my favourite, always has been. I think there's something caveman-like about getting in from school and it getting dark by 4, into pjs before tea time (including me! ), and all that snuggliness and warm cooking/baking smells - fair looking forward to it this year as we've been blessed with a good summer! :rotfl:

Just found 2 big tubs of sloes in the freezer, and have plenty nectar points, so think I might get some cheap gin and get cracking on the sloe gin, ditto with some bramble vodka! Free winter booze, space in the freezer for something else - win/win situation.

I've a tumble drier but also one of those concertina-style wooden airers (Lakeland I think) that lurks upstairs - next to an open window stuff dries really fast, even if it's raining outside. Think I'll get another, or look in a CS for an old wooden horse that can go next to the hallway radiator.

Where do you knitters/crocheters buy wool cheaply? Have bought some knitting needles from a CS and have a couple of crochet hooks, and want to get cracking before September.

A xo

fuddle

Wilkos do wool at £1.30 ish if memory serves. Stylecraft acrylic is quite good quality for a little more per ball and washes ok (if not a bit squeaky) Boyes do this. I'm using the ranges wool at the minute. £1.97 per ball but I like the thickness of it for 4mm hook. Getting some nice granny squares out of that.

I've used kemps online for cheapy wool and deremores for something that bit special but factor in postage and it gets expensive.

Hth cheapskate x

Pooky

Cheaps - Wilkos yarn is ok, it's cheap and cheerful. Look out in @ldis too, they often do wools, their Arron is lovely and around £5 for a huge ball.

Lovely fresh morning and a gorgeous sunrise here this morning, waiting for DDs to finish their beauty routines and changing their clothes 10 times before we head off for the train to London. Inlaws are popping in to check on DH at lunch time, I've made his lunch and tea so he's just got to open the fridge and "ping" his dinner.

I got rid of my tumble drier when I did the kitchen refit, I'd not used it for over a year so figured I could do without. I leave the airer in front of the fire overnight and it's all lovely and dry in the morning (when we have a fire that is) otherwise if it's sunny I stand the airer in the conservatory.

Right best go round up the troops, don't think the train will wait for us!

Possession

How bizarre, the leaves on my little potted maple have turned red literally overnight. It must be officially Autumn (in August).
Edit: I should add I've had this maple for about 20 years now and it's the only thing I haven't managed to kill so it's like the Holy Grail of plants.

VJsmum

Thank you for the "why I love autumn /winter" replies, I really want to come to terms with this. I can't go on feeling anxious and low for three seasons a year. I used to not mind so much but it has definitely got worse as I've got older. Please keep them coming.

I use Kemps for wool, I find them the most reasonable. In fact I am hoping for a delivery today of pattern and Aran yarn to start my jumper.

I barely use my tumble drier, I have a rotary line with a cover that I use summer and winter. In the winter stuff is obviously still damp but I use 5 slats of my airing cupboard and I can dry 20 items a time on that (undies hang off a peg ring slung underneath). It will then dry fully in a matter of hours, if I have more than that, then I use an airier in the conservatory. My tumble drier has dried less than 20 full loads in over two years, but I sometimes use it for 20 minutes or so to finish something off required in a hurry.

I am having a time off in lieu day today and taking DS shopping. I think I will have a soak in the bath first to build up the energy for the arguments . DD has gone into town with her friend, last year she spent pretty well 3 months in the house watching DVDs, this year she is out a lot, it's so nice to see.

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies, lovely sunny day here but needed to put my dressing gown on and woke at 5 this morning very chilly so had to pull on a blanket as we have been running with just the quilt cover, no quilt inside. I think we're turning the corner into the beginning of autumn!!! Made lovely fresh muesli for breakfast with home grown blackberries and raspberries, such a luxury to be able to use as many as you want and not count the cost. Fruit from the shops seems to have become expensive and I've got used to counting 10 blueberries and half a banana each over the past 18 months so flinging in home grown produce with gay abandon felt rather profligate, I liked it!!! Today will be dehydrating day for the tomatoes from the greenhouse, there are pounds of them ripe and ready to go and we're running out of freezer space so I'll go pick in a bit and get them going, makes the kitchen smell lovely.

The very sensible idea of a school uniform pot in advance is positively inspired thinking, and if you can pop in just a couple of pounds a week that's a substantial amount towards future expenditure, whoever threw that in as an idea is a genius.

POPS hope your heel gets better quickly, I think it would really be a good idea to get it checked, the problem with taking a guess at what it might be is that if it's not that, the problem continues to grow and the treatment you are giving it might even be making it worse, still, you're an adult m'dear and perfectly capable of running your own life so I won't nag!

MOLLY morning pet, my Docky was so pleased to see me yesterday, he even managed to jump on me at the station and not the lady behind me coming through the turnstile, which was what he did last time I was away, much to the amusement of a whole waiting room of people!!! It's lovely to be home again, blackberry picking on the common yesterday was easy, loads of big juicy ripe king berries to pick, and the paths had been recently mown on the common so no wading into the nettles to pick, lovely. Have a good day lovie, docky sends Molly Dog a SSSLLUURRRRPPPPP!!!! and says hello.

I like autumn, I love the colours of the turning leaves, the fruits ripening, the autumn flowers dahlias, chrysanthemums, asters, michaelmas daisies, the smell of bonfires lingering in the morning air, the gradual return of the garden and allotment to freshly turned earth. I love that feeling of a job well done when I look at the preserves and frozen and dehydrated produce we have grown, I love the fact that the evenings draw in and it is still dark when I wake in the morning, coming back from the dog walk in the afternoon feeling chilled to a nice hot cuppa and in the fullness of time coming back to a lit woodstove and a cosy home, and Christmas, magic time if you play by your own rules and not by consumer rules, everything home made if possible, nice but sensible presents,some from boot fairs and charity shops, things you know will be appreciated and not fashion, but actually needed. Then on to real winter with its stews and mittens and fur hats, dashing back because it's bitter outside but the odd day with sun to warm you in a sheltered spot, planning what to grow next year and the thought of spring ahead to lift your spirits. Autumn is sad because of the loss of the beautiful summer weather and summer activities but I suspect I'm not entirely alone in feeling that the turn of the seasons is a rightness and that autumn is welcome? Cheers Lyn xxx.