The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

Floss

-taff said:

I greatly admire !!!!!! and Angela Strawbridge for example, because they both have a work ethic that just doesn't stop. Yes, they have definitely capitalised on their life now, and  have trinkets and so forth on their websites for people who want to feel involved in some way but good on them too. He made himself how he is, so did she. No one came up to either of them and handed them a life on plate. They had interests they developed, that they pushed, that they combined and came up with TV [and life] gold. Would you tell them they were fortunate, or would you congratulate them on their work? If I didn't want a fat lip I wouldn't do the former.

Obviously the TV career of Lt.Col. Strawbridge MBE & his wife Angela have nothing to do with her business, his 20+ year military career or his previous 17+ years of being on TV before buying the chateau. He's been lucky enough to be financially secure enough to go & live their dream life, and was funded by C4 to document that journey.

-taff

How did she get her business? Did someone give it to her or did dhe do it herself? How did he get his military career? Did he get given his rank for free? Did someone tell him he'd better be interested in engineering?  Yes, the lucky break may well have been whoever was in his circle at the time to suggest him for a TV program initially. That kind of luck I don't dispute. Although, there again, people have to like you or think you would be suitable to suggest you in the first place. The rest of it though looks like hard work to me. No one gave them the money to buy that chateau or gave them hundreds of workmen to rebuild it. They were clever. They probably sold the idea ot C4 themselves to generate an income. They captured something that people want to watch. There was a series on years ago about people moving abroad to start new lives running businesses that ran into a few seasons. People like to watch something apsirational. The chateau DIY programme is another case in point. That's spreading the love to other owners. Well done to them and to anyone else who has achieved the life they want.

pollyanna_26

Nargleblast said:

I totally agree that we are all ultimately responsible for our own lives, making our own decisions  and how things turn out. I do think it is important though  that when expressing gratitude and pleasure about how good our own lives are, we should never lose sight of the fact that others are not so fortunate. Having awareness, compassion and appreciation for the difficulties others may be having is what makes us better human beings. And let's not forget that any one of us may, due to a twist of fate, suddenly find ourselves in very different and not so pleasant circumstances. If we have been thoughtful and caring about others, I like to think we would all receive kindness when we need it. 

In these dreadful times (sorry, playing Boris's BS Bingo here) I am encouraged to find many people being kind and supportive when others are struggling. Look at what happened recently when a poster announced she had tested positive for Covid. Lots of posters, some who may have never interacted with her before, immediately came on to give her their very best wishes and offer support or advice.  That's what I like about this thread, and OS posters, they show kindness and caring. That's humanity for you.

Incidentally, I too enjoy watching the odd programme in the Escape to the Chateau series. I am full of admiration for their hard graft, and what they have done to that crumbling old ruin.

I've been trawling through the replies since yesterday. I'm so pleased a real discussion started on many different aspects of life and how we try to cope in the current challenging times. This post by Nargle really helps put things in perspective. I'm not one for hash tag this that and the other but being kind,having empathy and an awareness of just how many are suffering mentally, physiclally and emotionally now is what makes us human.

When I first discovered the Tougher Threads I was struck by.the support and understanding offered there to many different posters. Yes there were times threads were pulled when someone had a hissy fit or the trolls arrived but over many years the caring community carried on. It's been quite quiet lately on the Fence especially since Mar left the hill and the secrets of the patio but I pop in to check if anyone is around. Lately it's been burtha who made an amazing change in her life.

I imagine all of us have cornishchick in our thoughts and are sending positive vibes her way.

Someone mentioned the Witterer yesterday. That may be me a self confessed whitterer who may whtter a bit today.

There were so many posts to respond to I'll have to work my way through.

Meanwhile welcome back to Calicocat. I was watching our wonerful GP doing a you tube thing a few days ago for our local hospital trust . We haven't seen him since the end of last February when he phoned to order dd to stay at home to keep safe. He looks exhausted and drained . Calicocat so many of us understand how fortunate we have been in our lives to have the NHS there when we need it . I haven't been clapping, banging saucepans or ringing bells. I have been doing everything possible to get people to understand that every selfish cos I'm worth it act impacts others, threatens lives and is unacceptable when so many are unable to see thier loved ones but for the greater good and the sake of all on the frontline do the right thing.

Take care

pollyx

patentgirl

@-taff there is a programme on channel 4" a new life in the sun "on at the moment think you can get previous series too based on how they coped with Covid last year with their businesses abroad.

elaine241

boazu said:

It's muddy M'dear, it contains huge amounts of compost, manure, sweat and cut fingers when I do the chopping up but on the other side it contains jams and jellies, chutneys and pickles that I've known from seeds in a packet, it contains lovely home made cider, it contains sometimes altogether too many courgettes, runner beans and butternut squash but it's fun and rewarding and when the grandpickles are involved eating ripe fruit straight from the bushes on the plot it's heaven! We wouldn't swap what we've got and had for anything you could offer us, both a bit alternative y'see!

Well I must be alternative but not actually know it! LOL I too grow a lot of vegetables from seed, fruit, home produce lamb, freezer has rabbits, pheasant and partridge. Living on a farm affords me the privilege of space which has taken on a whole new meaning in the last year. Space for three freezers helps!! My pantry is full of chutneys, jellies, pickles, bottled tomatoes and home produced tomato sauce made entirely from home grown ingredients. One major hit with the teenagers is rose hip syrup?!! who would have thought it! I made a few bottles of it to see the reaction if I left it in the pantry. Its virtually all gone, on top of ice-cream. 
I missed my friends during lockdown as I attend riding club and compete but my OH maintains apart from that I thrived in lockdown. I was always busy, never bored, and we ate lovely home produced food. I am aiming to continue this and have already organised my seeds, noted the holes that need replacements and looking forward to spring. I have sown some early chillies, aubergine and peppers indoors as I couldn't help myself! 
I too do not have huge debts, things on credit etc and don't have flashy new designer things as this is just not me. I do have some lovely items that I have picked up at charity shops or boot sales ( remember them?). I seem to be programmed to look for quality items second hand rather than buy cheaper new versions.
TBH I love the idea of being alternative, who wants to be ordinary and average? Not me for certain!! 

-taff

Thanks @patentgirl , I might give them a whirl when I'm sitting aorund doing nothing these days No Going Back was the programme I was thinking about. I haven't seen any of those programmes I don't think.

This pandemic sure teaches you that no one is having a good time. I'm not working but friends are, so they have the worry of catching it at work, or worries about childcare and income, and are envious of those who can be furloughed, the furloughed ones I know want to get back to work for the interaction, I speak to no one but OH regularly and miss having a social life and an income, and agree with Nargle pretty much completely.

pollyanna_26

calicocat you aren't ranting. Many of us are feeling frustrated , concerned and many different emotions in a situation that arrived out of the blue and has been mismanaged by the powers that be. There've been times I've felt like hurling something heavy at the tv and many share those emotions.

I've never played bingo in my life but perhaps a once a week Preppers BS Bingo might enable us all to let off some steam.

Watching Staged has kept me semi sane recently so it would be a terrible waste to throw something at the tv. David Tennant and Michael Sheen are a match made in heaven and it's good to head to bed still laughing.

pollyx

[Deleted User]

We have what we have because of the choices we've made in life, they haven't been handed to us on a plate, we've worked hard and long to have them and chose not to have all the extras other people have decided were necessary for happiness and that is their right. We're not materialistic and have never wanted 'things' most of what  we have with a very few exceptions has belonged to someone else before we got it and we're dreadful at holidays wanting to be back home after a few days away so now we don't do them. We've made life decisions together all the time we've known each other we've worked hard together and learned how to do most things for ourselves, we're certainly not rich but we do have old fashioned learned skills which enable both of us to provide quite a lot of our day to day needs.  I have the stocks because I've put in the hours and made them myself after they've been grown on the plot, here in the garden or foraged for in the area round about, I have storage space because we've adapted the house to make it and if anyone I know needs what we have plenty of I give willingly and always have, always will.  If that's seen as lucky all I can say is that it's been a choice open to most people who are now in their mid 70s and we made it because we have our own values and needs and our lifestyle choices fill us with satisfaction when we open a jar of jam in midwinter made from our own homegrown fruit or have a jacket potato from the sack we grew last summer. It's who we are and who we always will be and life is what we make it.

VJsmum

Wow what fab posts - thanks all.  Much food for thought therein (pardon the pun).

we have a tesco click and collect on Saturday and are making what's left from the previous one last until then - trying to visit shops as little as possible.  Tesco limits the order to 95 items so you have to be a bit canny - a pack of 4 pears for example, instead of 4 individual pears.  I need some store cupboard stuff too which will take up some of the allocation.

Have to admit that we're cheating tomorrow though with a pizza takeaway from a local restaurant that we went to a fair amount before lockdown.  A bonus is that MiL is paying as a 'thank you' to OH for the support he has given her over the last year, even though we live a fair way away.

Shropshirelass

Thrifty When my son was small, a bit older than yours at 10, he played at preparing a vegetable bed, as he had seen his dad and grandad do. He asked me for some seeds, and not wanting to waste, I gave him some popcorn, brown beans, and dried whole peas, which he duly planted. amazingly many sprouted an soon we had a mixed veg bed, (which I ended up watering) but it was well worth while. Magic from the pantry!

DH and I have been isolating for nearly a year now, don't see many people, children/grandchildren live far away. at over 80 he is waiting for the vaccine, but no letter yet. All I'm able to do is look after DH, try to make sure further family keep their spirits up, and give what I can to food bank collection when I go to local SM. I try not to judge the sensational media stories, remembering that it's not a good story if they don't get us emotionally involved. I just have great respect for people struggling, not perhaps so fortunate as we have been, no matter what their circumstance s.