Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2021

Laura_Elsewhere

@2Scratters - the fence panels - I think I would grow something very fast and dense up against them for this year and make a long-term decision more slowly. If they are wood then you will need to treat them unless you plan to replace them every couple of years as they rot! 
Maybe just throw runner beans, peas, broad beans at the bases, any climbing veg you can, at them for the time being, grown up strings tied to the top, and deal with the resulting glut by donating to a local school or foodbank or simply putting a box out the front with a sign saying FREE! 

If you sow in a week or two's time, they'll be up in no time and galloping up their strings... a feast for the local wildlife, a feastfor the eyes as they flower, then a feast for everyone and lasting well into he autumn if you get different varieties that flower and produce at different times. And you don't need much gardening skill to grow them...  

Surely better than plastic fake-leaf trellis that you'd have to pay loads for and still end up having the panels show through and still end up having to Do Something About The Long Term?

2Scratters

@Laura_elsewhere thanks for the support of suggestion, I am happy to treat the fencing which I have done done over the last 6 years, the neighbour complains of the seepage. They don't treat the panels each year which does annoy me. We have the back side which also takes longer to do and seems to need more of the treatment. I have purchased some sweet peas and peas so will make use of those as you have suggested. Thank you

2Scratters

MrsCD

@2Scratters, I'm not sure if we're talking about the same things, but in the UK, sweet peas are toxic, so make sure you know which pea is which when you plant them! I think sweet peas in the US are different plants altogether! 😁😉

2Scratters

Make do -
@MrsCD its fine I am in the UK in not so sunny Lancashire at the moment. The sweet peas are not for consumption just cutting for their lovely fragrance. Thanks for your concern, appreciated.: I am now considering using alternate panels for climbers too. Just trying to do right thing in maintenance doesn't seem to be appreciated. Ay well, let sleeping dogs lie. 
I am going to turn my attention to indoors as it is now raining. On a mission to prep the bathroom for internal painting of the tiles. OH won't be too chuffed, once its on he won't have much choice.

Minimise 
This is still ongoing and slow progress. Small movement of items from the loft are still happening each time I go up there. The very old soaps I acquired some time ago are also on the decline, strict instructions to OH they have to be used before using the nice products on display in the bathroom.

Mend -
That sewing machine is still sat on the kitchen table not earning its space as not much happening here, I am in the process of collecting items that will needs its assistance soon(she says). Think I need to mend the boot to kick myself a kick in the derrier (clearly not how its spelt but you know what I mean )

2Scratters x

Siebrie

While chasing for the dead rat a couple of weeks ago, husband moved the old greenhouse frame from the garage attic to the garage floor. The plastic cover is long gone and cannot be re-ordered (I tried), but I kept the frame for Justin. Over the weekend, I had a lightbulb moment: it will work as a fruitcage! I will rebuild about half of it, so that it is half height, and half depth, put it over the redcurrant bushes, and cover it with netting. The netting was free from the neighbour's house clear-out.

I have longingly looked at adverts for fruitcages, but always found them way to expensive.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Well done Siebrie 👏 Occasionally Justin does come in useful 😉

p00

Started again this week after having to empty sons flat and either sell stuff or have what's left here.
Its amazing how you just get overwhelmed by STUFF.

Yesterday:
I gave away a Curver washing basket ( at least 8 people wanted it)
Sold some years old fabric I never used for £5 donation to cat protection.
Gave away some wall ornament stuff.
3 bags of stuff to charity shop.
2 bags and a box to tip

Next week my intention is to go through all my hobby stuff I NEVER use.

p00 x

thriftwizard

I mended my favourite cardi - again! - this morning; I'm running out of lovely warm woollies & can't bear to let this one die too, especially not when it's still so cold. And yesterday we got the overlocker out; I chopped up a bath towel that was going in holes and made 4 large mop-cloths, as we call them, for wiping up large spills or cleaning the conservatory windows - whatever you might need a large absorbent cloth for. They'll last better with an overlocked edge. Plus I shortened one of DD2's clingy little black dresses; it's now a clingy little black top, but she's happier with it & will wear it more like that. Kind of making-do?

Much minimising planned. There's a bit of a blockage in the system in that I have a boot-load of nice twenty-something clothes to be specifically donated to the local charity that gets stuff to the refugees, but the lass who normally takes them in is busy nursing a friend following an operation just now & can't take them just yet. After that there are two bags to go specifically to a local animal rescue; again, they're not taking stuff just yet so we'll have to wait. I'm thrilled that the Offspring have finally got their acts together and sorted out their excess stuff, so will go along with their wishes as to where it should go. There's a bed frame to list on Freegle; it's been on FB marketplace but no takers. Shame; it's a decent sturdy bed, but probably not the current fashion as it's 10 years old. And then I need to get car-booting again...

fifi63

Made a heat pad for DH using an old unmatchable clean sock and some dry rice that we didn't like. I think it was some we got last year when there were shortages. I filled the sock with rice and overlocked the top. 2 minutes in the microwave and it worked a treat. 

Laura_Elsewhere

MAKE DO: Decided not to do the usual second trip to the shops - we've got into a habit of Monday-Morrison's, Thursday-Sainsbury's, and I can usually carry everything needed), so we're using up things we already have. Next three nights' suppers are sorted, without buying anything new. 
MEND: I managed a whole load of minor mending and darning this week. Some of it's been waiting A Very Long Time...
MINIMISE: three banananas so ripe they were self-mashing once peeled, minimised with some whole milk and some berries from the freezer, picked last summer, to a lovely gloopy smoothie for me