The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

thriftwizard

Yes. And a bottle-opener - absolutely essential!

GreyQueen

thriftwizard wrote: »

Yes. And a bottle-opener - absolutely essential!

I was camping three weeks ago and was able to save the evening off a nice middle-aged couple who'd left their corkscrew behind, all thanks to my trusty SAK.


*wanders off singing Be Prepared by Tom Lehrer*

DigForVictory

GreyQueen wrote: »

*wanders off singing Be Prepared by Tom Lehrer*

I love the Tomfoolery stage lyrics too:
Be prepared, if you harbor any qualms
Be prepared, for this foolery of Tom's
Our theatrical integrity we've totally disgraced
And we think that you will find it all in questionable taste
Every possible expense was clearly spared, Be Prepared...

Oh gods, the family are on for an evening of Lehrer's greatest hits, as hummed by me, now.

Mind you, to hear him on Scouts has me absolutely weak with laughter "those noble little bas-tions of decency whose internationally famous motto might well serve as a warning to you all..."

I must also check where my Swiss Army Knife is. (Tin opener, bottle opener & solid blade lest I have to make my own meals.)

jk0

Is anyone else being plagued with moths this year?


For about two months, I've had tiny 1cm moths bugging me every day, then for the last week I've had two or three big moths sitting on doorframes to greet me every morning.


I've been through all my linen to disturb any grubs, but they still seem to be appearing somehow.


Any thoughts?

GreyQueen

Hi, jk0, have you tried googling them to get an ID? The little ones might not be clothes moths, they might be pantry pests (check dried goods inc flours carefully). The big ones will have just blundered in from outdoors and would ideally be gently ushered out again, if possible.


Also worth double-checking absolutely everywhere you have textiles, including carpets and rugs, unless the same are 100% petroleum by-products and this will involve moving furniture. There has been a very recent Gu@rdian article about this very matter. HTH.

PipneyJane

jk0 wrote: »

Is anyone else being plagued with moths this year?


For about two months, I've had tiny 1cm moths bugging me every day, then for the last week I've had two or three big moths sitting on doorframes to greet me every morning.


I've been through all my linen to disturb any grubs, but they still seem to be appearing somehow.


Any thoughts?

May I second what GQ just posted? I had an infestation of clothes moths two years ago and it turned out they were breeding in an old piece of carpet that a previous owner of our house had used to line a wardrobe (and then promptly built shelving on/through, so it can't be removed). I doused it with Moth Stop from Lakeland. If there is a next time, I'll attack with my steamer first

In the meantime, and as a preventative measure, we have a moth trap in the bedroom. I change the sticky pad every April because they're only effective in the spring/breeding season.

Like you, though, I've noticed more small moths downstairs than usual, so I've added another moth trap in the lounge. It doesn't appear to have caught anything, unlike the bedroom trap.

I'm taking precautions, too. I am a knitter with a big stash. All my yarn is stored in zip-lock bags and those are then placed in lidded plastic boxes. Our bed linen is stored in a large lidded plastic box and the towels are in an old cedar lined cupboard. I make sure that the lids are on tight and the cupboard doors are closed. I've got cedar rings over the hooks on all the coat hangers in the wardrobe - bought from Lidl IIRC - and cedar blocks scattered through the knitwear drawers.

HTH

- Pip (Begone Enemy of Wool!)

DigForVictory

Mrs LW you are happily guiding my parents footsteps astray! I made the Rhubarb Cordial & took a bottle down to see them. They tried it with soda & approved, but had never heard of a Rhubarb Bellini.
Baby sis (who was most peeved at missing out) has offered to bring the Prosecco if she can try a Rhubarb Bellini, so I'm hoping today will include new and exciting times, once the sun's over the yardarm.

<ambles off to croon the the rhubarb plant which should produce the stalks for batch #3 for which I am gradually acquiring bottles to wax seal>

Pausing briefly to covet PipneyJane's cedar lined cupboard...

PipneyJane

DigForVictory wrote: »

Pausing briefly to covet PipneyJane's cedar lined cupboard...

I think it's cedar lined, based on the smell but I could be wrong. It's a 1940's Utility-style dresser, with two drawers and a cupboard underneath, that cost £10 in a charity shop. It was perfect for what we needed, a cupboard to sit in the bathroom and hold towels. My husband refinished it - it was varnished - and painted it white. The original handles were beyond repair so we swapped them for wooden knobs.

I will swear it has CC41 markings on the back but it hasn't been moved for years.


- Pip

DigForVictory

CC41’s Utility alright - what a find!

Little prepping reminder - don’t forget your packed lunch & if you do, buy something & eat Anyway. As I have had a car bump that I might have avoided had I eaten in the previous 10 hours.
So, next time that shop sandwich looks stupid expensive & not very lovely - think of your car damaged in a stupid expensive & not very lovely way...

I’m fine, but my ego is dented!

GreyQueen

The mothership has one of those cupboards and I also had one in my room where I lived as a lodger. Most useful and I find their clean and plain design pleasing, too.


Have now developed moth-paranoia and think I will have my good wool & cashmere coat and good jacket out of their calico storage bags and refresh the over-hanger cedar rings with a little light sanding and recharge the lavender bags with a splash of lavender essential oil.


I have lived through a major moth infestation at a previous home, caused by my landlord's slovenly storage of his old clothes in a cupboard in the area of the house I rented, and it is shuddersome,