THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

[Deleted User]

Do you think animals sense the onset of old age, and the approach of their own demise?

GreyQueen

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Do you think animals sense the onset of old age, and the approach of their own demise?

Old age, no, because that requires the understanding of the passage of time, which I don't think animals have. And are probably happier for not fretting about the future. See a cat with a full belly sunning itself and it's not worrying about whether there will be sun (or food) the next day. There will be what there will be, and the animal will react accordingly.

In my family, that will mean the pushier of the two cats (Wild Thing) will sit at the kitchen door, oozing maximal cuteness and yowling occasionally. The Queen of Sheba is more direct; fail to give up part of the protein element of your meal voluntarily and experience her claws in your leg until you remember your duties.......:rotfl:

But imminent death? Definately. Many poorly animals, even domestic cats, will take themselves off and hide away when they feel their time has come.

Went to a HB today and looked at those insulated steel bottles. Pretty surprised at the price range; £2.99 for the 500 ml and £6.99 for the 750 ml. Didn't feel the urge to splurge.

Nargleblast

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Do you think animals sense the onset of old age, and the approach of their own demise?

Are you worried about Buggalugs?

DigForVictory

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

to make it a safe and nurturing place for the coming generations to inhabit?

A wonderful aim. Ashamed to admit that my first concrete steps towards that would be to visit various branches of the family with a silenced machine gun & a very robust alibi. I do not expect world leaders to behave better than siblings - although I continue to hope. So my start on world peace includes bulk homicide, which is rather depressing.

That said, one son was scything the back garden oats this morning & we've trebled the seed stash despite being away at ideal harvest time. Indeed we'll probably have more oats there next year, but at least we'll know what to expect.

I've been given a pear, one Beure Hardy. How best to convert fruit to seedling to young tree other than diligent patience? And when/how to try to coax seed to germinate?

As my other steps towards world peace include edible gardening. For which I have some moderately successful form, even if I do yearn to commit sororicide from time to time.

GreyQueen

All I know about growing pears can be summarised in the old legend plant pears for heirs.

I think they're slow to mature, don't you?:rotfl:

Other options could be nut-bearing trees, if you have the space.

Bathed with (along with some hot) the contents of one of my two 25 litre water containers yesterday and will re-fill that and put it back in its niche. I dfind I need to diarise water changeovers as it's one of those things which is easy to forget. I am also hoping that next Sunday's bootsale might turn up another carrier or two, particularly the 10 litre size, which are both easy to handle and easy to store in small flats like mine.

moneyistooshorttomention

My theory on planting any perennial type food-bearing plants (eg shrubs that just happen to have edible berries, etc) is to get the biggest ones I can possibly get in the first place.

That way they will be mature specimens asap. To me it's worth it - even though the bigger ones cost more.

Dual purpose = get the food sooner and have the garden looking mature sooner.

Though part of that is feeling that at my age (ie 60's) I can't hang around and wait for things to develop the same way a younger person could. Someone in their 20's (for instance) would have around 60 years of getting the benefit of a permanent type plant - unless they moved. Someone in their 60's is only going to get around 20 years worth of benefit - so had better take shortcuts and start getting that benefit asap.

Makes sense to me:rotfl:

[Deleted User]

I felt in a contemplative mood last night, in spite of watching `far from the madding crowd` deep down I know it is because next birthday is 70. I remember always thinking that 70 marks the decline, yet I feel strong and have energy but there are signs, like aches and eye floaters and shrinking height. I have snapped out of it, there are older people in my village in rambling houses with rambling ramshackle gardens but I will be keeping up with maintenance, that is prepping for the inevitable

I can`t use the car for two weeks and am stuck in the village, don`t mind but I have ordered online sika 5* preserver for wood and the upside is that I have saved £5 over going to screwfix and buying it there, would not have known that. I did spend a long time on outside wood retaining walls a couple or less years ago and I want to spray another coat this autumn. Also ordered garden shades cuprinol as it preserves for four years and that is due in spring, so will paint that on the shed when it arrives. Doing all this while I am hale and hearty

I still look on rightmove from time to time but nothing at all, nothing better than where I am now. There would be movement in the housing market if they built more classy 2 bed small houses for the over 50s, with a bit of an allotment and a shed across the road and then of course stamp duty needs to be removed for all. I remember when we all moved because it was so cheap, we moved when we fancied a change in those days

Inside house maintenance too, repaired a short circuit on a solar lighting system in my shed, knew what to do as I installed it 4 years ago, just a wire worked slightly loose. Bathroom curved shower screen, with a difficult to find on the net, roller, bought 8 rollers, just in case a couple of months ago. Replaced two on the topside of a screen, spanners and screwdriver in pinny pocket and standing secure on steps on a towel. What I hate is if a man talks down to me, when I am probably more knowledgeable about what needs doing but that happens, the older I look, the worse it gets

Money, I very much agree about getting the benefit quicker

[Deleted User]

KITTIE getting old is for other folks NOT US! I too make the statutory 'Three score years and ten' in January but everything still works just fine, nothing has fallen off that I've noticed and I think I'm in better shape now than I have been for most of my adult life. Life is for LIVING whatever number it says on your birth certificate! We can both still do all that needs to be done and enjoy doing it, enjoy the physical labour element to the full, all I do notice nowadays is that when all is done and we've gone indoors for a cuppa and a sit down is that I tend to drop off in my armchair and have half an hours snoozette time, that's not entirely a bad thing either! xxx.

elona

I have another four years to go for the biblical age.

Need to take myself in hand and lose some weight. Maybe it is coincidence but making bone broth seems to have been helping my sore knees. Have an online order of groceries for tomorrow with lots of fruit and veg and basics for healthy meals.

Washing is on the line outside, dishwasher has been emptied and reloaded and hob has been cleaned. Some tops I ordered in the sales have arrived and seem a good buy except for one that is a bit garish and might be put in a charity bag.

Will need to nerve myself to stand on the scales later and get myself in the right frame of mind and remind myself round may be a shape but not one I want to stay as.

elona

:eek:

Just weighed myself and I am the heaviest I have ever been.

Will double check later with a different set of scales but need to get myself sorted out.

Noted the weight in my diary so I can't ignore the facts. and mentally kicking myself.