... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...

Latest Articles

... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
Page Previous 1, 2, 3 ... 277, 278, 279 ... 423, 424, 425 Next

Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own

Author

Message

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8600
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Tue Aug 08, 17 4:59 pm Post subject:
All the best with the packing, gregotyn....keep your cool and think of the future!!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 17 6:58 am Post subject:

If you can keep your cool while someone else loses theirs you have won, and they know it. You will get moved eventually Gregotyn.

Had a productive day, but not in the way we had planned. We were hoping to bag some charcoal, but the weather was too damp; drizzle and heavier showers of rain. Husband continued servicing the tractor and I did some green woodwork. Managed to make 3 spatulas, 2 butter spreaders and a spoon. Hope one of the spatulas bends the right way when it dries as it was from the outer part of a log, and already had a slight bend one way to give a nice bit of shape. It was a brute to make as the grain had to be cut one way on one side and the other way on the other. The spoon is pleasing but nothing special, although it does have some figuring in the wood which gives it a bit of character.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8600
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 17 7:08 am Post subject:
pictures please!

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 17 7:39 am Post subject:

I finally finished the vest yesterday (I have decided I need to blanket stitch the edges of the steek though) and it is two sizes too big! Serves me right for not swatching, I got greedy and wanted to start knitting so was not pernickety enough about my spinning gauge. Oh well, I guess I can sell it on - I have a friend who is interested if it fits him.

A sunny day had me out doing the washing and it was all done and dried before the dew started to settle.

I have to go clean the bank tonight, so will pick up some food - I have finished the yummy pot roast I bought and also the pizza that I picked up at the local shop, and am defrosting a silverside roast (silverside is a tough cut of beef, usually sold salted, but this one isn't and will be slow-cooked), but for tonight have nothing to eat, so a quick call in at the shop will sort that out for me.

I will post a pic of the finished vest once it has dried (I washed it today to block it and see if it shrank a bit). I am already planning the next one, and I also finished a sock (I have another to knit before I get a pair).

Oh well, onward and upward.

Hope you are in and snug soon Gregotyn - it will be nice to get your privacy back. And take care of those 18th century documents!!

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2506
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 17 12:59 pm Post subject:

Computer issues yesterday - updated Firefox to 55.0, after which computer would not restart. Mr Jam Lord eventually got it taken care of by totally deleting Firefox (I now use Pale Moon. Feh.) Also deleted two Flash widgets that had updated themselves yesterday and removed a flash drive that had Ready Boost. All - as you can see I am "writing" to you - is well.

The weekend's rain has cleared to a nice sunny day. Off to the Wednesday knitting group, clutching a banana leaf to give to the cafe for use in cooking, as a non-consumed food wrap (think things en papillote.)

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 17 6:40 am Post subject:

Sorry Gz, don't do pictures, but I will see what I can do.

Pity about the size of your vest Cassandra. Going to a good home is probably the best idea, then do a tension square before starting the next one. I have just finished refooting a pair of socks, but need to tidy up the tops as I see they have got damaged somehow. I am taking my latest jumper apart as in spite of doing a tension square it is too small. Will have to reknit.

I had a few problems with my computer yesterday too Jam Lady, but not as severe as yours. Some updates wouldn't reload, and then they did eventually, and took forever. It was being very slow yesterday and generally making a nuisance of itself.

Weather here awful yesterday, so we did the shopping and got wet. Luckily today is fine, as we have to get this charcoal bagged up. We now have 32 bags on order again.

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 17 7:41 am Post subject:

Weather here is unseasonably mild at present, if a little windy. A day in the History Room did not get me terribly much further though the blanket stitching is done and about 20 rows of sock 2. There were several interruptions and a 'stayer' doing research who would regularly interrupt my thoughts with updates on his social calendar and health (which are intimately linked, apparently).

Some photos of pets and projects to amuse.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8600
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 17 8:07 am Post subject:
I see that the animals have the best spot !

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 17 2:03 pm Post subject:

Much going to plan and should be out by/for the w/e. And a fresh start for the new week, from 1/2 a mile down the hill further away. If I am honest, I liked the caravan, at the worst only 24 ft. from where I needed to be, with a beautiful view across the valley and wonderful morning sunshine. My house is dark and damp, but I have a dry bedroom, and a fire to be organised in the kitchen for hot water, and I will be checking it all out before I turn the taps on! I had 2 Christmases in succession when I came home to water running down the road outside from the bathroom above; I should have learned first time! Guess it will be camping in the house for a few days, (read weeks!)

I have a young couple with 2 horses living across the road and they are grazing the ground. The lad is going to bring his digger and prepare a site for a stable 'block' and tack room, which if they leave will become a workshop for me, this is plan 'a', but all change if they move elsewhere first. So I want him to prepare a site even if they move on! They are good company, practical and look after me a bit-well she has threatened to feed me one evening!

With both you, Jam Lady and MR having a bit of computer grief, I feel lucky that the library do all that sort of "stuff" and keep us safe from computer nasties. I avoid all forms of money transactions on line, and send cheques for anything I buy on the net straight to the supplier by post, better than losing money.

Glad the weather has changed for the better for you Cassandra, sort of a break from winter. However much I like cooler weather, winter here can be a bit harsh on occasions, and sometimes I could spend the whole day in bed. I like the pics. of the livestock, mpp's. I am sorry to say I have never yet had a dog who would tolerate a cat.

We are in a heat wave MR, beautiful afternoon and fairly warm when I went out at 5am. I am hoping for the same tomorrow and a good weekend too, get it all done and dusted, metaphorically of course.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 17 7:02 am Post subject:

Good luck with the other sock Cassandra. I have just finished re-footing a pair, but still have a bit to do round the tops where they have broken away. Think next time that pair are probably officially dead. I have taken apart my jumper and am just testing a different pattern entirely as I think the yarn will give the amount of droop needed for it. Just want to check how it is going to look, as the yarn has a bit of sheen to it that I don't want to spoil, and do a tension square at the same time.

It will be good for you to finally be moved Gregotyn. Can you find where the damp is coming into the house and do something about it? Also sounds as if you need to check and insulate your pipes.

My computer just didn't load an update properly. Once that was sorted it was fine. We have about 3 layers of protection, so hopefully won't get any nasties on it.

Spent yesterday filling charcoal bags and delivering. Got 34 filled, and 32 delivered. We ran out of labels for the bags then, so husband has printed a lot more. We still have some from that firing to bag, but also need to do another firing next week so we have some stock for shows and for some more inevitable orders.

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 17 7:30 am Post subject:

Looking forward to you finally being moved in Gregotyn! I am sure you are too, for all you will lose your view - at least you will also lose the loser of a landlord!

I had the plumber here to sort out the Hot Water and I am hoping I don't have any more problems (and that I can get a refund on the old pump) as it cost almost as much as a new all electric one! And extra hour of labour and a replacement pump really bumps up the costs - no doubt about it.

I planned to have a Tagine cooked for tonight's dinner but between not being able to run the hot water as it was a sunny day (and that would have drawn super-heated steam into the pipes), and the plumber being here with various water supplies disconnected, it didn't happen, though it will tomorrow. Meanwhile this means I will be cleaning the bank tonight instead of in daylight so I can pick up some dinner in town.

I had a jumper I loved MR and it had so many knitted in patches and darns it was hard to tell what colour it had been originally. I did finally give up on it, but it was sad to say goodbye!

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 17 2:33 pm Post subject:

The annoying thing is I did the plumbing myself, when I was young and fit-well stronger than I am now. It all worked first time novelty for me. The only thing I did wrongly was to put 2 wood burners in the house, even though I have 2 sources of air to come in, they both seem to favour the back door route, and from then on neither seemed to want to go well if you understand I will be putting a new air intake for the one in the sitting room.

Talking about darning I found my original 'Teddy' bear minus an ear, which appeared on the ground, so that is a job to sew the ear back!

I probably won't make tomorrow morning here, as the aim is to leave the caravan then. There is the local agricultural show tomorrow and I usually go to support it, and not to view, it is the same stuff every year! The sheep and cattle change, but much is the same!

Done quite a lot since I finished work at 1pm, fitting a mud kitchen to a playgroup fence, to stop it descending onto the children! I am one of those unfortunates who is always in the right place for others to ask favours of; sort of in the wrong place for me at the time! I prefer to do rather than to delegate, but I do get asked a lot!

Weather different today cold and wet at times but started well. I suspect it is autumn en route! I will be looking for some pipe insulation for my water. And I have to clean the chimney in the big sitting room, as last time I lit the fire it sent the smoke into the room!

[/list]

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2506
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 17 4:51 pm Post subject:

Desktop PC computer is now at a computer repair place. I'm on the elderly (bought in 2002, Windows XP) laptop. Grumpy Jam Lady.

Yesterday 8 garden club members went to Snyder research farm to pick peaches for a food bank. We picked 20 boxes, call it 600 pounds of peaches. Then allowed to pick for ourselves.

We (or whatever club members want to volunteer) will go back in September to pick pears, and in October for apples.

Would provide a picture or two of the peach picking but they are on the computer that's at the repair shop.

Coincidence is not causality, but it seems suspicious that I updated Firefox then promptly had a problem when restarting. There are antivirus program, do run SuperAntiSpyware and Glary utility daily. Fatigue or old age (computer is 5 years old, vintage for these things) or who knows what. Jim at the computer shop will know. Hopefully.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 17 6:36 am Post subject:

Hope your hot water is now finally sorted Cassandra, that you manage to finally make your move Gregotyn, and that your computer is soon better Jam Lady.

Your peach picking for the food bank is a nice idea. We don't grow peaches here as the climate is wrong for them. They can be grown, but they are 'tender' and have to have protection, so a luxury plant. On the Isle of Wight they do grow apricots outside, but the crop isn't reliable as it only takes a late frost or cold wind to knock the crop out.

I helped at food bank yesterday and we had a really busy day. Didn't stop at all for 1 1/2 hours and did about 12 parcels. We usually, for some reason, have a bit of a lull during the summer holidays, but it is busier than ever this year. Doesn't say a lot for the benefit situation I am sorry to say. We had one woman who is starting a job next week, but as she has to work a week in lieu, she will have nothing for the first week as Jobseekers stops as soon as someone gets a job offer as they are 'no longer seeking employment'. This can mean no income for over a month in some cases. Stupid.

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 17 7:19 am Post subject:

What a joy to be reunited with your old Ted Gregotyn! Mine are sitting up on the chest of drawers in the bedroom - not terribly cuddly as Panda was stuffed with straw (wood straw at that). He has had to be snuck through customs a few times during the course of my travels, and strictly speaking it was illegal to bring him home from the UK but I popped him in a cupboard and hoped for the best and the best happened.

Computer woes here too JL - the black screen of death a few times lately - I fully expect this laptop to die soon. I finally roused myself to unpack my new backup disc, introduce it to the computer and run a backup, so now if the worst happens, I at least have all my pics and docs.

Today was a return to winter so not terribly helpful for checking the effectiveness of the repairs, but for all that, the frost cycle ran last night and I did have a few moments of pumps running (at the right time and stopping at the right time too) so am sure it works as intended. The shower was so hot I had to add cold water which is a real first in this house! Previously, with the sensor in the wrong place, the hot water was just the right temp for a shower without adding cold haha.

Because it was a bit wild and woolley I am afraid my only progress was making the casserole for dinner. I just have to add couscous to another container and dinner will be served.

Your benefits system needs work MR - ours requires you to continue reporting for a month after commencing a new job, so they can keep you covered and ensure you have a basic income during that initial period. Much kinder. They will even pay us a bit toward petrol costs for that first couple of weeks (we get paid fortnightly, not monthly like the UK).

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own	All times are GMT Page Previous 1, 2, 3 ... 277, 278, 279 ... 423, 424, 425 Next
Page 278 of 425

View Latest Posts