Preparedness - the continuation thread

maryb

Not forgetting of course, for the less than perfect housekeepers among us, spiders:rotfl:

In my defence our kitchen has a conservatory attached and Spiddy lurks in an inaccessible join between the glass roof and the top window. It's amazing how fast they can spin a web which looks straight out of Miss Havisham's sitting room

pipkin71

I don't mind spiders in the house. My girls run a mile if they see one though

Softstuff

Greenbee, I think it was you I saw mentioning taping for plantar fasciitis a bit back, but I was reading fast and couldn't post. There is a handy alternative to the taping (I tried it for something else):
http://m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?path=%2Fen%2FFS6-Compression-Foot-Sleeve-L-XL-sizes-9-13-_1285251%2F&unCountry=uk
They emulate the taping but are easier to use. Not sure if that helps anyone.

maryb

Oops cross posted. Leaving conkers around in the autumn is supposed to deter spiders. I've given up trying to dislodge Spiddy. Even sticking the vacuum cleaner narrow nozzle into the gaps round the conservatory cornice makes no difference, he comes straight back out again and I swear he's laughing at me

moneyistooshorttomention

maryb wrote: »

Oops cross posted. Leaving conkers around in the autumn is supposed to deter spiders. I've given up trying to dislodge Spiddy. Even sticking the vacuum cleaner narrow nozzle into the gaps round the conservatory cornice makes no difference, he comes straight back out again and I swear he's laughing at me

Would it be an idea to fill one of those little spray bottles with water (and possibly something a bit "stronger") and spray it into those gaps? Would Spiddy then come running out looking for cover and you could nab her? Don't know how spiders feel about getting wet..

mrs-moneypenny

I read putting conkers on your window ledges was supposed to deter spiders and that bay leaves left near where ants come in puts them off. Ants aren't supposed to like walking over chalk either, oh the hours I spend as a child drawing little mazes and watching fascinated as the ants I'd put in tried to navigate their way to the entrance. To think kids these day claim boredom with all their gadgets and gizmos LOL


I don't mind spiders apart from the one that walked across my back while I was laying in bed reading and having my early morning cuppa yesterday! I was propped on one arm drinking and reading so put my cup down and rolled onto my back rubbing on the sheet to ease the 'itch' when I got up there was a big squidged spider behind me! Eugh (sorry spidy)

maryb

Our lawn is infested with ant hills and although I like to live and let live with other creatures where possible, it had got to the stage where we had to do something so I bought some ant powder. I thought when I was sprinkling it that it looked like powdered chalk.

VJsmum

GreyQueen wrote: »

Morning all.

Was catching up at speed and grinning at the idea of greenbee and family having to drink wine and then misread VJs Mum as writing a thesis on Chilcott and the footie, which struck me as a tad unusual. GQ xx

Might be easier.......:rotfl:

maryb

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Would it be an idea to fill one of those little spray bottles with water (and possibly something a bit "stronger") and spray it into those gaps? Would Spiddy then come running out looking for cover and you could nab her? Don't know how spiders feel about getting wet..

Spiddy doesn't actually do any harm -indeed he catches flies- other than showing me up as a slattern

FairyPrincessk

Useful plants is something I find fascinating. At the moment I have rosemary, lavender, mint, oregano, thyme, chives, a very sickly basil and a very tough and woody parsley. I'd love to have some of those mentioned above, although for now everything must be mobile so that I can take it with me when I buy a forever home. At the moment I have a few guides to foraging and I'm focusing on being able to recognize things in the wild.

I've used bay to repel insects before, and I've read it is also effective against pantry moths, but I don't know if this is true. Elderberries have been much lauded on the previous thread and the prepping for winter thread. I made elderflower cordial earlier this summer and plan to make elderberry syrup when the berries are ready. I dry the herbs that I grow, and I'm gradually learning to bottle (can for Mila, bit of a wave--my passport is American but I've lived in the UK for ten years). My mum grows garlic in a climate similar to the UK. Of course garlic and ginger make frequent appearances in different traditions of herbal medicine. I'll be trying my hand at both of those as well as attempting a hothouse lemon tree when I have more commodious accommodation to offer it.

Not something I think any of use could readily produce in the UK, but ground cinnamon is very effective against ants. I used it once to tame and rid a flat of a very bad infestation. The ants cannot walk through it as it suffocates them. It also doesn't smell half bad!

Of course as a fan of Agatha Christie, I also like knowing which plants can be put to nefarious uses--more to avoid accidental poisoning than Ms. Christie's reprobate's uses. My current attempts to learn preserving and foraging focus a bit more on this. This spring I learned which plants are commonly mistaken for elderflower and that elder tree wood shouldn't be consumed.