THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

GreyQueen

jaybee wrote: »

Not all lavender is edible - maybe best to check first.

:eek: I never knew that, have you links to any info about which kinds aren't edible, please?

I have the common-as-dirt English lavender (angustifolia). One advantage of a bought plant is that it comes with a label:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavandula

Have decided that I won't go gardening until this evening as the day is already very hot and I felt a bit poorly yesterday when out in the afternoon on the lottie. Wasn't sunny but grey and windless and the heat was stifling. I must be mindful that, although my hair is turning white, it used to be copper-coloured and I have the true redheads adversion to strong sunlight.

Doveling

Apple crumble with lavender cream is scrummy.

I put some leftover rosemary from a Tosspots packet in a little jug of water to keep it fresh. Changed the water this morning and it has made roots Will plant out later as the rain has decided to stop at last.

Made MrD a cup of tea last night and casually mentioned I might need a new kettle as I handed it to him. Order one you'd like came the reply
Yep, Kelly kettle ordered :rotfl:

After moaning about all the rain, I'm now worried about the possible high temperatures! Air temperature affects my breathing
Have managed to stash three months of meds as sometimes I don't need them as often as others.

Has anyone heard from 1/2 Tonsils? Not sure whether she's come back to England or is still in Greece

boddy

I was stewarding at a large event in Newcastle yesterday. It happens every year. For the first time I saw armed police both on the March and at the field afterwards. This was because of Orlando. There were twelve and a half thousand on the March and 38,00 on the field.

Because of prepping I knew what to keep on me if I had to make a quick exit. Plenty of zipped pockets. Where exits etc were. Mainly being switched on with eyes and ears while stewarding on the field. I felt sad that armed police were needed but better to be safe.

GreyQueen

Sorry to hear that the temperature affects your breathing, Doveling. I'm OK to potter around in temps about 90 F as long as it is pottering, such as on holiday, and I'm well protected against the sun. But not good for working on the lottie, which is essentially a large field with zero shade.

Managing of heat is as important to health as managing cold and that severe heatwave in Europe a few years ago actually killed people. One trick is to keep curtains drawn on windows which catch the sun and another is to wet cloth and hang it over windows which are ajar so that it evaporates and cools the air. Re-wet as necessary.

I'm going to potter about town doing some errands. Would you believe my can-opener has had the insolence to blunt?! Why, I've only had that Br@bantia for about 25 years, and it wasn't new then. It has been struggling with tinnery all of a sudden. I shall replace it with another one of the same brand today and get the old one into metal recycling.

Blunt can-openers can be a menace, as can blunt knives. And in an emergency situation when you're relying on canned foods, you don't want to be struggling to open them. I do have several of those little army can openers, including one worked into a dinky handmade fob which lives on my keyring, but a proper one for the house is needed.

Doveling

GQ - could you get one of those pop up gazebo things to work under then stash it in your shed? Or a table parasol and stand that you could keep shifting round? I've seen them on freecycle.
Or not worth it to you? More stuff.

We keep all blinds closed and windows shut on hot days to keep the house cool. We have desk fans as well.

Karmacat

Sounds like the lavender thing is a question of sweetness/flavour: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-food-grade-lavender-45199.html
so I shall go ahead and snip a few flowers

I've given up trying to make myself go into the garden - I'm off for a walk, trying to straighten up and breathe deeply have a lovely afternoon all.

machasraven

My lemonbalm wine is bubbling away nicely and I now have peaches steeping for the next wine attempt.

GreyQueen

Good ideas for gardens, Doveling, but not practicable for my allotment as I'm busily sowing/ weeding/ digging rather than resting under a sunshade.

I don't like to have too much cash value tied up at the lottie due to the ever-present risk of shed break-ins and even shed arsons. Anything in there is an uninsured loss, unfortunately.

I'm currently lurking indoors starting work on a new craft project and managing a string of offers on freegle. Not exactly light-the-world-afire exciting but a welcome break from a busy time. Once you stop hurtling around, you realise how tired you are, have you noticed?

:beer: Your wine sounds exciting, machasraven. How long will you have to keep it before you can start drinking it?

moneyistooshorttomention

Lemonbalm wine - thats a new one on me.

Now wondering what else can be done with lemon balm. I sometimes make a drink of tea with it and I've thrown the odd few leaves into salad. That's about as far as I've gone so far.

Nonnadiluca

Re getting OHs on board with prepping: I've come to the conclusion that it's all down to me otherwise we'll be up the creek and he'd have forgotten the paddle! We've just got back from holiday - I sorted the money,travel insurance,everything for the dogs,packed my clothes and the toiletries and he had to pack his stuff. He forgot his deodorant so had to use mine, took about ten pairs of underwear for a week then told me this morning that he left half of his shirts and t-shirts behind in the wardrobe of a bedroom we weren't using. I didn't know he'd put them there!!!
He is wonderful in many ways, but when it comes to preparing for anything I think I 'd better do it myself!