The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

Toonie

jk0 said:

Toonie, if you're in Reading, I have some red silk curtains that were in one of my rentals when I bought it. They covered a French window about 6 ft wide. I can't use them, as they don't have a fire label. You're welcome to them if you can collect.

Thanks for the offer, alas I'm in east London.

pollyanna_26

Serendipitious said:

Long time no see - hope all are keeping well.

Went out especially for petrol this morning as my fuel light has been on since Monday and I was worried about queues escalating over the weekend. I think I got there just at the right time as there was only one pump free out of 8 and as I left it was getting even busier. Just got my usual half a tank as I haven't been doing many miles, it will keep me going for the foreseeable. Car only did 1k miles in the last 12 months.

Polly, your mum's saying is very familiar - my Grandma always used to quote the full version - Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you, for if you trouble trouble, it will always trouble you. 

Daz I hope you'll soon be fully recovered, and that the Tupe thing doesn't come to pass.

One of the problems with my mum is she never stood still and would be throwing comments over her shoulder on her way to the kitchen, washing lines or wherever. Your grandma quoting the full version has finally solved the question What was my mum on about. So thank you.

I had to give up driving a long time ago. Two forms of Arthritis, Fibro and CFS would have made me a danger on the roads so I'm not affected by the shortage at the pumps but feel for those who need the car for daily life.

There have been lots of hospital and Drs appts over recent years but we're blessed with a very good local hackney firm who were here long before we moved. There was another private hire firm I sometimes used with drivers who became friends but last year they began hiring drivers from outside this area , many of whom were found to be unlicenced , no insurance with cars not fit to be on the road . The regular drivers were older and often had family members shielding so weren't about so much.

So after a few spats with the incomers i'm 100% back with the Highly regulated Hackneys and they've been a blessing.

They're under contract to our local Hospital trust delivering bloods etc and involved with patient transport so have always been monitored athough they have the big hackney cabs which have always had a screen between  drivers they are still wearing masks a I do if I go out and were all double jabbed as early as possible so I feel quite safe and so far symptom free.

My slow cooker is Crockpot 2.4 L capacity, Model NO CSC046. It says for 2 people but depending what you're cooking you can get more servings. it has a recipe for Harissa spiced vegetables and Lentil Casserole which is really nice and handy for the lentil stashes and any veg you've grown or managed to get your hands on . There are recipies online too.

It has an ovensafe bowl which is useful. I have no idea how much I paid for it last year but it was cheap enough for me not to be muttering Martin's mantra as I've done in the past. As I said it was last year I spotted it. I tend to hang onto a reciept un to town. Tuesday the taxi driver waited while I put the shopping away then we headed to towntil I'm sure something is ok and then destroy it. I've always withdrawn a set amount of cash when going shopping and that's my limit. Having to pay by debit card then add up various reciepts has been a pain.I'd be trying to add up in my head as I went in various shops .

Something I discovered last year is like other shops Coop sell off items about to be discontinued and replaced by another model. Crockpot tend to update products often so mine was a bargain price. My trusty Kenwood Electric Can OPener gave up after years of service early last year.and Coop had it half price. I'd bought an emergency fridge there years ago but never really thought of it for buying electricals . It's a medium sized store but has been a life saver for me. At first I'd do the short walk there but started shopping there on my way to town. Tuesday taxi driver ran me home I dropped off the shopping and then we headed into town. If you're able please support these smaller local businesses. I can't remember when I was last in SBs I know despite the efforts of staff it no longer felt comfortable too many people ignoring the rules that were then in place.

pollyx

Sunfl0w3r

Hello, long time lurker here, I hope you don't mind me posting.

I managed to fill up this morning and I'm glad I did. The petrol station I used has put petrol up 2p since this morning and I noticed another one in town has put petrol up 4p!!!

pollyanna_26

Welcome Sunflower there's always room for another prepper.

I think there's something wrong with my laptop. Just looked at my last post and it's all mixed up as another one was earlier today. Time to contact the family techie.

Take care all

pollyx

pollyanna_26

Toonie said:

I love the slow cookers we have. When my partner and I moved in together we each had one...and he suggested getting rid of one, but I said no. He had a small one, which is perfect for cooking a 750g piece of gammon, or rustling up some soup for a few days. My giant of a thing is great for stews, larger gammons, and chickens. In fact, despite the warmth here in London, I have a beef stew cooking in my big pot at the moment as I have a cold and so want comfort food. The fact that it is nice and cheap to put on is also a very good factor (and how huge and fluffy the dumplings will be when I pop them in later!)

Prep wise I'm still unemployed so I'm hobbling around the house trying to assess if there is anything frugal we can do to make it more energy efficient. Plans so far include trying to find a curtain to pop up behind the dining table where I sit as there is a window to the utility room, and the utility room gets rather cold in winter, and there is a curtain pole there already.

I know your aim is to make the room more energy efficient and agree charity shops are your friend in such times. However there is a heavy demand due to the present situation, cuts and the forthcoming energy price rises.  I would keep looking but your idea of a fleece curtain made on the sewing machine is good. One of my dds lived for a short time in a very cold house. You mentioned you sit in a cold room try layering on clothes jumpers, joggers whatever you have and keep your feet warm. It wont improve energy efficiency but may help you feel warmer and with the seasons changing that's important for your health.

We lose a lot of heat from our heads so a woolly hat helps. Before I discovered arthritis gloves I had woollen gloves with exposed fingertips I'd noticed in a sale in one of the shops in town they kept my hands warm and I could still type. I always have a few hot water bottles here. I was in town on Tuesday and noticed only two customers in Wilkos so I nipped in stocked up on matches and a few odds and ends plus two of their £5 hot water bottles. I've been buying those for many years and they've been good. I always try  to have one or two spares as they sell out quickly now. The staff said everyone is worrying about the possibilty of the heating going off and are buying hot water bottles.

As a child in the 50s my bed would have a stone hot water bottle in it at bedtime in the winter. They're rubber now but have always featured over the years.

pollyx

thriftwizard

Panic buying's a nuisance but I had to indulge in it myself this morning! Got back from visiting my cousin in Wales with about a third of a tank left, after a minor adventure when we thought we'd lost all the coolant, so got "recovered" 13 miles on to my cousin's, as he used to be a professional driver/mechanic - turned out it was the coolant alarm playing up, luckily. I need to take DS3 over to his university 30 miles away tomorrow & haul large numbers of books back, plus I'm working 35 miles away in the opposite direction on Sunday, so actually did need to fuel up.

I'd planned to do it this afternoon as I was busy this morning & at lunchtime, but I headed out first thing after hearing the news. Just as well; one of our 3 garages had already run out. (By lunchtime all 3 were empty, and are likely to stay that way over the weekend.) I had to queue and got yelled at for stretching the hose, but I'd had to go to a pump on the wrong side of my vehicle as that was the only position I could get into from my place in the queue. Luckily again, no harm done, and I do now have a full tank, but there were several people fuelling up in their pyjamas and slippers! That really does smack of panic...

euronorris

We haven't needed to top up car thankfully (tis half full). One of work friends has just messaged to say they headed out to top up. 2 have ran out, 1 only has diesel left and the last she is currently sitting in a queue for hoping she can top up as she is down to 0 miles left! 😱

prepareathome

A very silly reminder - if stocking up on cans even if they all have a pull ring, make sure you have an old non electric can opener in a kitchen drawer.  Ring pulls can come off and if we get any power cuts that will be when it's going to happen and so electric can opener will not work.  I know most here will have at least one but might be some newbies who never thought of having one in.

Just saw a post from someone on FB who was bemoaning the fact that they wanted to make something this evening and was using cans to do so and ring pulls of 3 cans each came away and she didn't have any can opener in the house at all and only buys cans if they have a ring pull - so they were gnashing their teeth at having to pop in the car and drive to nearest supermarket (about 8 miles from them) to buy a can opener ( I did manage to advise them to buy a non-electric one as well as the electric one they were planning on buying in case of power cuts) and they said they would.  It was the waste of petrol that was annoying them most as they said they managed to fill up today but later in day heard the petrol stations near them had run out.  

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
DS2 reported long queues at his local petrel station. It’s not too much of a problem for him as he works from home so he didn’t bother. OH says he’s enough in his van too so won’t be joining a queue anytime soon.
We’re quite able to manage if there are shortages of food too. None of us are fussy and I know we can cope with what’s in my cupboards for a few weeks. Meals might get a bit repetitive but I know we can cope ( we ate some wierd concoctions when we were really skint before we went bankrupt) and still do when we have a big bill or need the money elsewhere.
If the lights go out we’ve plenty of candles, but the flat will smell fabulous. I’ve got some unperfumed  ones somewhere and I’m sure they’ll turn up after I buy a few more, but I’ll just get them next time I’m near a shop.
The more the government say don’t worry about the gas prices rising the more I do. I’ll get out all the throws and check they aren’t musty over the weekend. We’re lucky we can make do with blankets for extra heat, it’s not as easy with kids or older relatives. 

Apparently British Gas are taking over supplying our electricity and we have taken a screenshot of our bill and done a reading as Martin said yesterday. 

Maybe the Martin show needs to do a common sense , how to cope in a power cut show. Or how to feed on family cheaply, making do with what’s in. As an oldie I’ve had plenty of practice over the years, but there must be a lot of worried people out there. I can’t believe how bad things have got so quickly.

slm6002

A lot of people will also bury their heads in the sand too.  I've only just started a new job so haven't mentioned my prepping as not sure which way it will go yet.  At my old job they all thought I was a little crazy prepping for brexit but then when lockdown happened they started seeing how useful it was they changed their mind for a little while. I did mention the petrol situation which they all seemed to have missed somehow.  I did drive to 4 petrol stations yesterday as I let my petrol get quite low as was waiting for payday (must not let this happen again).  I settled for the one in the little village but still queued for quite some time. 3 of the town ones had run out.
I do believe the more the MP's tell us not to panic the more people do as they have heard them say things before and its not been true.