The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

MingVase

Lovely post Shropshirelass, we are sitting tight here as well. I hope Cornishchick is ok, wish she could come in for a sec and let us know if she is.

mothernerd

I have children's tools. They are easier to use from a chair (was thinking of mum when I bought them - they are basically hand tools with a longer wooden handle). The weight they will hold is also good for those whose strength or grip is going. About 3 years ago mum wanted the potted plant in her front garden taking out of it's pot, a deeper hole digging and then it putting in the ground. I did use the proper spade (a lighter weight straight bladed one - I originally had my dad's, possibly grandad's which had sides and was roughly a foot square) but I had to have a garden chair beside me to balance and held onto that before raising my foot to push the spade into the heavy clay (mixed with old mine workings - the 'topsoil' is only an inch deep in fields near here) and I worked slowly in a circle around the existing hole. Sometimes sticking a fork in first to loosen the soil helps - well I ruined a fork doing that job (another ancient rusty relic that had been mum's partner's). I was a source of endless entertainment to all the passing white van man (they did mostly shout that was doing a good job).

The child size tools are also good when decorating. Strapping a roller onto the end (with masking tape as we had rolls which were useless for their intended purpose) gives you a longer reach than the roller alone. Stick the roller on a broomstick for big jobs like the stairs wall if it's one long drop from two stories high (or doing it from the landing and trying not to lean too far over the bannister rail). The child size version is excellent for stairs and other areas with lots of angles or hard to reach bits. You can reach further but because it's lightweight it's much easier to wield it in different directions (even one handed) and you can paint for longer before your arms give out).

On luck and hard work, I think some people work hard and thrive, others can work hard all their lives but still struggle to get anywhere. In my case it's partly because I've always been the 'sensible' one, the reliable one, the one who sorts everything out and I'm prone to putting other people's needs before my own (long training as my family assumed I could and would help out as required, mother's little helper at 3 yo and her confidante/ counsellor by the age of 8). I eventually left home at 24 (bought my own house at 23 and finished paying for it at 25 - it was a wreck but a solid shell and I think I've rebuilt it twice ie big jobs like rewiring have been done again at least twice) after years of failing to persuade my mother to leave my dad. Some things you can't do for other people - she did leave less than a year after I did. In a lot of ways, despite having been married and having 3 children of my own, I'm treated as the 'spinster' daughter, no life of my own and therefore available to drop everything if anyone needs anything. 

The hospital visit (for mum's blood tests) went well but she refused to take her clothes off for me to wash when we got home and I'm not going to wrestle her to get them.

Rowan9

You look after your mum so well mothernerd. 

mothernerd

wmf said:

You look after your mum so well mothernerd. 

Thanks, I'm picking my battles. She made cupcakes and wrote a birthday card for a friend when the snow and ice were covering  the ground. One of the extended family grand-daughters volunteered to come across the fields (just either side of the canal, much shorter than going all round by road) with 5 children (her one and her twin's four, twin has them all when she is working) and a sled. I didn't think she would be able to take the cupcakes but I waited and let her tell mum.

Well I'm am putting my own needs first, slimmed down the cleaning schedule (may go back to town to put money in the bank - counting this morning as going to work) and prioritising making my own little space into a nest. Will make up the bed with multiple sheets (did this for the recuperation period after my hip replacement) then each week I can peel back the top covers (put them outside to freshen if weather is good) and take off the top sheet to wash. My upper arm and shoulder are still aching from hauling one of the covers (double layer of merino wool) outside on Monday. Will fill my fridge freezer with easy to eat stuff (fruit, jellies, cheese and crackers), and stack my drinks (have been leaving them outside to keep cool) and I may drag an armchair in their (garden chairs are comfy if I can't manage that). Would like a surface for jigsaws and sewing (I have the bed table I bought the day before I went to have my operation). I've put a couple or ready prepared veg on the food order (coming Sunday). The casserole mix will be eaten raw with a drizzle of salad dressing as a chunky coleslaw and the Mediterranean veg can be bulked out with carrots and other mundane stuff to make another batch of veggie pasta bake (mum loved it and it only takes 3 minutes to reheat in the microwave).

I also plan on bringing as many mushroom boxes as I can find, fill them with compost and clean up one of the shelves I used in the greenhouse (pieces of leftover bath panelling) to put across the window on top of a row of books. The mushroom boxes are good for seed starting (tiny ones for herbs) and I can start more varieties in the space than using seed trays. Exercise will include doing all the digging on the back bed (scrape stones off, dig down below the level of the paving, level it with a layer of stones then put together the new raised beds (roughly 8' long and 50cm wide) if I can set up a dry spot to paint them first. Reading, gardening, jigsaws and sewing (closed my business early last year so no pressure, just using up all the scraps to make bags for the remainder of my hg lavender) are all good for my mental health. I'm also enjoying 'Staged', watched the Motherland Festive special after seeing a clip (so many familiar things especially the husband going to buy present at the last minute whilst you do cooking/ cleaning and deal with hyped up children) and have watched the Death of Stalin 3 times (love it but then I have a very dark sense of humour - it's a wonderful survival tool)

If I get up at 7 am I will have an hour and a half to do some cleaning, washing and cooking/ prep before mum wakes up and I can do a bit after she goes to bed (about 10 pm). Will try to stay in my room as much as possible and spend some time in the yard. Also plan on doing as much clutter clearing as possible.

MingVase

I'm steaing your idea re mushroom tubs for seeds MN - good idea! I'm desperate to start my garden in this new house.

pollyanna_26

mothernerd said:

wmf said:

You look after your mum so well mothernerd. 

Thanks, I'm picking my battles. She made cupcakes and wrote a birthday card for a friend when the snow and ice were covering  the ground. One of the extended family grand-daughters volunteered to come across the fields (just either side of the canal, much shorter than going all round by road) with 5 children (her one and her twin's four, twin has them all when she is working) and a sled. I didn't think she would be able to take the cupcakes but I waited and let her tell mum.

Well I'm am putting my own needs first, slimmed down the cleaning schedule (may go back to town to put money in the bank - counting this morning as going to work) and prioritising making my own little space into a nest. Will make up the bed with multiple sheets (did this for the recuperation period after my hip replacement) then each week I can peel back the top covers (put them outside to freshen if weather is good) and take off the top sheet to wash. My upper arm and shoulder are still aching from hauling one of the covers (double layer of merino wool) outside on Monday. Will fill my fridge freezer with easy to eat stuff (fruit, jellies, cheese and crackers), and stack my drinks (have been leaving them outside to keep cool) and I may drag an armchair in their (garden chairs are comfy if I can't manage that). Would like a surface for jigsaws and sewing (I have the bed table I bought the day before I went to have my operation). I've put a couple or ready prepared veg on the food order (coming Sunday). The casserole mix will be eaten raw with a drizzle of salad dressing as a chunky coleslaw and the Mediterranean veg can be bulked out with carrots and other mundane stuff to make another batch of veggie pasta bake (mum loved it and it only takes 3 minutes to reheat in the microwave).

I also plan on bringing as many mushroom boxes as I can find, fill them with compost and clean up one of the shelves I used in the greenhouse (pieces of leftover bath panelling) to put across the window on top of a row of books. The mushroom boxes are good for seed starting (tiny ones for herbs) and I can start more varieties in the space than using seed trays. Exercise will include doing all the digging on the back bed (scrape stones off, dig down below the level of the paving, level it with a layer of stones then put together the new raised beds (roughly 8' long and 50cm wide) if I can set up a dry spot to paint them first. Reading, gardening, jigsaws and sewing (closed my business early last year so no pressure, just using up all the scraps to make bags for the remainder of my hg lavender) are all good for my mental health. I'm also enjoying 'Staged', watched the Motherland Festive special after seeing a clip (so many familiar things especially the husband going to buy present at the last minute whilst you do cooking/ cleaning and deal with hyped up children) and have watched the Death of Stalin 3 times (love it but then I have a very dark sense of humour - it's a wonderful survival tool)

If I get up at 7 am I will have an hour and a half to do some cleaning, washing and cooking/ prep before mum wakes up and I can do a bit after she goes to bed (about 10 pm). Will try to stay in my room as much as possible and spend some time in the yard. Also plan on doing as much clutter clearing as possible.

Good kuck with picking your battles. I always enjoy your posts you write with such good humour an awareness of others struggles through your own experience and much patience with mum.

I still laugh when when I think of how inch by inch you have made a very productive growing space and outdoor escape despite mum who didn't want it. She's enjoying the fruits of your labour so job done. Think we should call it inch by inch sneaky gardening.

I must admit I wouldn't dare hang out top covers or anything else at the moment . I'm at risk of being eaten alive by all the seabirds screaming for food. The brave robins and little wren out up a heck of a fight as do the blackbirds but it's lie dodge city out there in Winter.

Did you ever watch Good Omens? That was a blast MS as the good angel and DT as the bad angel I have an enduring image of DT driving a car covered in flames and screaming with laughter.

Some Pratchett fans didn't like it but we thought Neil Gaiman did a very good job of celebrating Terry and his work.. Not very MSE but I discovered a few weeks ago both Staged series will be out on DVD next month. I spent a lot less than normal times so will probably buy that.

Take care and keep digging secretly oh and don't forget to PACE!

ETA just spotted at least two typos in my post. How do you manage such long posts mothernerd without typos?

polly

pollyanna_26

Spotted two more typos. Think I'll leave them I've managed to send a post into oblivion after editing a few times in the past.

polly

pollyanna_26

I hesitate to ask this Mar because it does involve some Green things but do you eat much salad? There are small salad things and microgreens you could grow indoors on a window ledge or something at the moment.other things you could start off if you're using seeds.. I start various things off in various wooden outdoor boxes with cover. Some things are ok in a sheltered spot. Your weather isn't going to be so extreme now you've moved down. Some of the small nurseries here are doing starter plants and selling via safe pick ups.

Does anyone else miss the emojis and colours? DD tracked them down not long after the migration to Vanilla. That was a couple of temporary laptops ago though and I have no idea how to get them back.

Once upon a time the word Green would have been in dark green. I miss the days I could type KALE KALE KALE across the screen. indark green. Mind you a certain wee wummin is probably very relieved.

pollyx

Nargleblast

I've made a start at sowing seeds today, cress and rocket. They are in pots on the dining room windowsill. My daughter gave me some packets of seeds in my Christmas parcel, cress rocket and various herbs. It's a start!

[Deleted User]

On  our afternoon walk today we found wide open snowdrops, admittedly in a sheltered spot at the bottom of a farm entrance bank and a bit further on the green funnel leaves of Cuckoo Pint/Lords and Ladies are showing in the roadside verges and the willows are opening their furry buds along with masses of hazel catkins in the hedgerows.  Signs that spring isn't all that far away and hopefully as the weather warms and the covid vaccination programme is further rolled out life might be a little better all round for all of us.