The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

VJsmum

Ours too - we have a supply of free logs (because of voluntary work we do) but that supply is in Wales and we are not!  We have had to buy some in to see us through the rest of the winter (hopefully).

We have no snow but the wind is gusty and i think we're about to have weather of some sort as it's gone awfully dark.

annieb64

Snow on the hills here but not settled down in the valley. Very cold with a bitter wind and snow flurries. 

[Deleted User]

Just been for my morning walk and the wind was bitter blowing into my face as I walked out, little brittle snow flakes being twirled around every now and then but much nicer on the way home as it was at my back.  Nice hot drink now and feeling much improved.

euronorris

No snow here, and not holding out much hope for our area. We had some heavy snow last Sunday, but it didn't settle. This didn't stop DD and I running outside like a pair of excited children to walk in it though 😂

DD more and more keen to help with food prep and cooking. I try to involve her where I can, but she's 4, and clumsy (like me), so avoiding sharp knives and the like at the moment. I tried the standard knives we eat with, but then she finds it too tough to cut through any of the fruit or veg. Any safe suggestions? I want to encourage it, but in a safe way. She can already make herself jam on toast (even if I do get anxious watching her take the jam jar out of the fridge! Lol).

greenbee

@euronorris - I had kids kitchen knives. I can't remember where they came from, but a quick google came up with a review page which might be useful... https://www.howwemontessori.com/how-we-montessori/2019/12/we-road-test-ten-childrens-kitchen-and-chef-knives.html

mothernerd

When I was doing my environmental degree, one of our tutors was asked to help out with teacher training and the following year became head of that department. he still taught us for one session a week. one day he came in having spent some time overseeing a trainee teacher doing work experience at the local young offenders institute. He was trying to teach cooking but the prisoners weren't allowed knives and they were trying to cut thick pieces of meat with plastic cutlery with limited success.

pollyanna_26

3secondmemory said:

@pollyanna_26

I was dreading going out today for my jab. It’s much harder walking in the cold, let alone when it’s slippery but thankfully it was an astonishing 3° here when I woke up. 

Separate to that, I’ve got mask face and eczema on the back of my hands, one elbow and both my main pressure points. I’ve never had eczema before so this is a new one. I’m using hydrocortisone sparingly twice a day but contemplating using a dressing soaked in coconut oil once that is totally absorbed- or is that a big no-no? Obviously I can’t keep using hydrocortisone forever

Lots of good advice from mothernerd. Youngest has Psoriasis and Dermatitis. She's tried different ways of dealing with it over the years but three years ago was prescribed Dermol 500 lotion which is for controlling exzema and dermatitis outbreaks. It also calms down the Psoriasis most of the time.. As well as applying to the skin it's a soap substitute and she uses it for both washing and showering. Dr has it on repeat prescription. It comes in a 500ml  pump dispenser but there are smaller sizes.

She also has Doublebase gel which helps too. I'm not sure if either are available over the counter as hers are on prescription. I'll check what's in both but Dr avoids giving her hydrocortisone etc.

pollyx

littlegreenparrot

3secondmemory said:

@pollyanna_26

I was dreading going out today for my jab. It’s much harder walking in the cold, let alone when it’s slippery but thankfully it was an astonishing 3° here when I woke up. 

Separate to that, I’ve got mask face and eczema on the back of my hands, one elbow and both my main pressure points. I’ve never had eczema before so this is a new one. I’m using hydrocortisone sparingly twice a day but contemplating using a dressing soaked in coconut oil once that is totally absorbed- or is that a big no-no? Obviously I can’t keep using hydrocortisone forever

You have had a lot of good advice already, but I am just popping out of lurkdom to recommend Body Shop Hemp cream for the eczema. 
Once I discovered it I was able to stop using the steroid cream from the Dr, wondrous stuff. 
It's very individual though so is worth working your way through some moisturisers until you find what works. 

elaine241

However my Iron Age Horse Beans have just started coming up in trays in the greenhouse, which is tiny & unheated. I may need to find some space for them indoors; wasn't it slightly warmer in the Iron Age?

Please elaborate on what an Iron age horse bean is? I have never heard of them. Unfortunately horse beans when you keep horses and have a gelding mean entirely a different thing!! I will leave it to the braver ones to google horse beans + gelding + cleaning!
I was feeling pretty down yesterday so in good gardener style I went to the poly tunnel and sowed seeds. I have salad leaves x 2, all yr round lettuce and parsley sown in the borders of the tunnel. Along with red/white onion seed, leeks early and winter variety, summer cabbage, early beetroot, yr round cauliflower and celeriac which is in the propagator. 
Today the wind here goes straight through you, a lazy wind, one that won't go round! I quickly fed the dogs and hens wrapped up warm, dug some potatoes and beetroot for dinner and scuttled back to the fire. Not before I had spotted "my robin" watching me , so I managed to find a handful of worms and call him over. I always leave feed out for him in the feed room but worms were a welcome treat. No snow here, almost feels too cold for snow!!
I am hoping to get chilli, early toms, and aubergines sown and put in the propagator once the celeriac has germinated. I think I need to invest in a grow light. I have been looking for second hand one on line but the only once come with their own grow tents and extra equipment. I do not need to grow marijuana so a plain led light will do! 

C_J

I am also popping in to recommend turmeric as an incredibly effective treatment for eczema. I use the capsules which I buy in bulk when on offer from Holland and Barrett - two capsules in the morning if there is the threat of a flare up, otherwise one capsule a day as a maintenance dose. I know everyone is different, but this has been terrific for me - it cleared my hand eczema within a month, after spending several years in and out of dermatology appointments having treatments which had no effect at all. The dermatology consultant was so impressed with the turmeric results that she asked me to contribute to a paper she was writing.