Home Page
   Articles
       links
About Us    
Traders        
Recipes            
Latest Articles
... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
Page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... 282, 283, 284 ... 423, 424, 425  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own
Author 
 Message
Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 17 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Mistress Rose, daughter has flood insurance on house and also on contents. They are in Harris County which has been declared a disaster area by the federal government, which means they can apply for additional help. But that is often little and late.

Granddaughter does not live in a declared disaster area. The house does have flood insurance. In a previous flood they discovered there was not flood insurance on contents so my assumption is that that was rectified.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 17 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thank goodness all your family seem to be alright, Jam Lady. It appears we get it next weekend, this could be interesting for me I'm on the top of a hill with a river each side of the hill so I may not be able to get out but I could at least be out of the water, but stranded! Wales is noted for being wet so it probably won't happen if the rest of the UK gets it.

I think I would be on the stiff letter to the electric people, Cassandra regarding their contractors. A free mop bucket is small consolation, along with a poor pizza; you should remind those who serve food that not everyone eats in an uncouth manner, or is that the norm for their clients? I can't work out the problem with the wool press Is it too high for the rooms, and is going outside?

I suppose the fact that people don't know the difference between the types of routes in a wood is down to education, starting at school ideally. I suppose youngsters are always on the lookout to be different, and want to show a bit of bravado, without knowing the consequences oh dear! There is pressure on teachers to get academic down the children rather than all round life education. Such a shame when there is so much more than the 3 'r's to living.
I have had Fish and chips in Sturminster Newton, and been to a sale in the cattle market of bric-a- brac too. I had an antique shop at the time, and bought Gaudy Welsh china there, and was able to make a good profit here in Wales. In fact I was visiting college friends, and I always managed to break even or better on my visits to the south in fuel terms.

I am meant to be doing something tomorrow so I may not be here, but there is a problem I can't remember what it is I am supposed to be doing-situation normal now for me-Got it I am going to the friends for the weekend in Bridgnorth-bliss a beautiful shower-and decent food, well not my cooking so it is always better; Jill cooks a cake or so for me to come home with and a dinner too, and David is a good lad. I have known them for 40 years-we have been friends longer than I was married-4.5 years!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 17 6:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hope you have a better day after that one Cassandra. Some contractors can be a pain, but some, as we occasionally do contract work, are very careful.

Glad about the insurance Jam Lady. In the UK, if you live in a flood prone area you weren't able to get insurance as the companies were losing too much. The government has made sure now that everyone can get it, but it has put the price up for all of us, as the cost is now spread to everyone. Needless to say, the insurance companies are still making huge profits, but I would prefer to pay a few pounds more if it means nobody is going to be refused insurance.

Gregotyn, have a diary that you always keep in the same place and write appointments in it. One advantage with women having hand or shoulder bags. Hope you have a good weekend.

I did a little in the garden yesterday, but mainly just some picking. I think we will have a Savoy cabbage for the weekend, and picked a few more beans and blackberries. Pulled some more onions, and must dig some potatoes whose tops have died off. Spent most of the afternoon making biscuits.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Sat Sep 02, 17 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The wool press is to be displayed outdoors Gregotyn, but they wanted to build a concrete slab to place it on. Placing that adjacent to (in contact with) the side wall of our building would cause rising damp as ground level is higher than our internal floor, and would also result in a climbing frame for anyone who wanted to access our roof - not a good idea.

Today was our monthly spinning group and as usual everyone knew we had visitors but me (must work on our internal communication). Several people from the Guild turned up to spend a happy day with us and it was all good fun and very useful as one brought a variety of tools to play with that I have lusted after (or possibly already own but do not use) and now I know how to use them, the pros and cons of each option and ways in which I can make the ones I do have work better. It had also decided me to use the carding cloth I have to make a blending board instead of re-carding my carding combs which I will try to clean up and refurbish (they are second hand and have been roughly used and poorly cleaned over the years by the previous owner.

Some brought their looms also so it was good to see their works in progress. It was quite crowded! And rather more fun than usual as more heads made for fewer intense conversations.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Sep 03, 17 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds like a good meeting Cassandra. I only went to one Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers meeting, and that was as a speaker. I was giving a talk on 17th century cloth making in costume, and had quite a nice banter with one of the men present. Sadly I forgot to take my notes, but knew it well enough that I just had to write the headings out again beforehand so I covered everything. The only thing missing was a poem on the people needed to cover from shearing to finished cloth. Useful to now know how to use the stuff you have. I have always blended on the cards; usually self colours, but I have a large bag of onion dyed wool I might deal with some time.

Had another show yesterday. This time it was just one day and in a wood. We were in the same place as previous years in a nice clearing with oak trees round it. I did some spoon making, finishing one and starting another, and son did some leatherwork. He is making another 11/4" cuff with a design of a wild rose on it. I did the original drawing for him, and he has added a bit of stem so it goes all along the cuff. He sold one, and it looked really good. We were lucky that the weather was good; sunny and still, but not too hot.

Met several of the people we know there. One man had a lovely little bonsai laid hedge. He is a hedge layer and a member of our coppice group, so got a picture of it for our newsletter. Other coppice group members had a bigger laid hedge, making hay rakes, gypsy pegs, firelighter bundles usually called pimps, trugs,and gypsy flowers. There were other groups there too, so ancient pottery, pewter casting, power lathe turning (near us with a noisy generator sadly), pole lathe turning, hurdle making and wood carving. The children could have a go at carving soap, so a gently soapy aroma across our clearing.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 17 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

In spite of damp weather which put a stop to the planned day's work, managed to have a productive day. Husband and son filled and fired the little kiln from thin bits we had in the store, and it went really well too by the look of it. I filled log sacks and managed to do 30. Hoping to get a stock of 100 against future orders. Husband then managed to get a load of logs on the truck for delivery this morning.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 17 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

While the family in Texas are O.K. the situation is still dispiriting in the extreme. Daughter and husband get up each morning, have breakfast and then drive to their house to spend 8 to 10 hours every day tearing out flooring, sheetrock, insulation, walls. Wipe things down with bleach and water in an attempt to stay ahead of the mold. Go back to the rental (which they will have only for one month) to have dinner and fall into bed, exhausted. No luck so far finding a contractor - they're already involved with repairs to 2 or 3 houses. Some appliances are likely destroyed.

Their daughter's house is still sitting untouched as if FEMA does condemn it there is no point in having spent time and money on it. Especially when their home is salvageable.

Friends have provided books and toys for the little boy, who lost just about all of his, save for what they took with them in the evacuation. A friend of my daughter's gave gift certificates for massages to all five adults.

It is important to focus on such positive instances - one acquaintance's house was looted, and the perpetrators then smashed and destroyed everything they did not want. Including the man's father's rocking chair. Just vile.

And now an even more powerful storm is heading towards Florida, where Mr Jam Lord's sister and cousin live. Of course it could also veer and track up the coast towards us.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 17 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Strange you mention the diary MR, a lad at work has given to me a pad of paper to write what I am supposed to be doing, fetching or taking, or just putting away! so that in theory-ha ha-I don't forget where I am going to and to do what! All good fun when I get it wrong. I am not planning on a hand bag for a diary or itinerary anytime soon, but it could become a self defence item, if I put a brick in it!!
Our blackberries are passed their best now, but I have had my fair share-several pies with apples and I have given a lot away.

I didn't realise the wool press would be outside, Cassandra, I assumed it would be an indoor display. So now I see why you were concerned about the access to the roof; yobs would be very keen to do damage if and where they can, no point in making access to the roof easy.
It is good when you have the tools and the ability to use them. Wood turning for me was a trial and error thing. I am ok at it now but if only I had had someone to show me how to in the first place, it would have been useful. I took lessons in wood carving but never got on with it for some reason-think it was a case of making too many mistakes with the carving.

Your family disasters seem to be getting under control Jam Lady even if it is taking some time. I hope it all turns out well for the "children". How awful that some folks have to rub the damage factor in for those whose homes have had to be left for safety's sake, and come home to find looters have got in there. I am afraid I would be looking out for such scum and using the gun. What a state of affairs. I hope storm 2 goes out to sea and is lost there, but who can tell? My former wife has a house in Florida, I don't know where, but it will be big and brash-she has too much money and has to spend it.
I have been on here for some time now due to a conversation with a lady who does 'things' for people who are in there 50's and out of work such as teaching them how to use computers and so on, to be able to claim this and that and get free tuition for all sorts-on my tax! In practise I agree with her that once you are 50ish you start to think all is lost-I was like that at 60 when I got redundant, now I think how lucky I was as it opened up new doors for me and I am still working 10 years on, and get up in the morning with a purpose!
See you all tomorrow all being well.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 17 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

How awful to steal and destroy things Jam Lady. That is totally despicable. I hope the perpetrators are found and as well as getting a hefty jail sentence, are held up to ridicule by the people. Glad your daughters house is at least salvageable, and hope they get things sorted out as soon as possible. It sounds from your post as if the authorities are thinking of giving up housing in some of the most vulnerable places, so hope your granddaughter gets a decision soon so she can get sorted. Nice that people have been so kind to your great grandson.

Gregotyn, husband was made redundant on his early 50s, and in spite of having plenty of skills, couldn't get another job. Don't think he has really recovered fully from that even after 15 years of having own company, so I think that the woman is doing a valuable job.

The weather here yesterday varied between drizzle and rain all day. Everything felt wet. Husband and son delivered a load of firewood in the morning then we all went up to the woods. Son was moving some timber using the tractor and forwarder, and husband helped me by getting the logs for me to bag. We have a big pile in there, but not all of it is suitable for log sacks, as they need to be fairly straight with no bit sticking out. We managed 42 anyway, so a reasonable days work. Now hoping that they will dry out a bit in the log store.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 17 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I doubt the vandals will be found, Mistress Rose, or that there is much urgency to search for them right now.

Lawns and curbs are piled - often higher than a person - with soggy furniture and clothing, moldy drywall, insulation, construction debris, appliances, and more. Millions of cubic feet of debris.

An estimated million cars and vehicles were inundated. They have to be disposed of too. Not supposed to be sold, but . . .

Rental vehicles are unavailable, they're being brought in from Austin and Dallas. So there are low income people who have lost their homes and belongings. And vehicles. If they even still have a job how are they supposed to get to it?

Daughter has the rental for a month. No idea where to go after that. Salvaged belongings are in a storage unit. She doesn't want to live in their home again but it is unlikely that they can repair, restore, then sell for what they paid to purchase the house and put in in the way of improvements.

Her daughter and little boy will not go back to the badly flooded house. Which my daughter and son-in-law had purchased and rented to her. FEMA can condemn houses considered unsafe / at risk. And the house had flooded once before, not as severely.

To add to our concerns Mr Jam Lord's sister and her husband live in Florida, on the eastern side of the state. Their house is new enough that it was built with hurricanes in mind - storm shutters etc. But with Hurricane Irma's extremely powerful winds there is concern about the roof. They've stockpiled supplies, their two sons who live in the same community will leave their two homes and come hunker down with them.

So we have troubling things on our minds.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 17 5:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Worrying times as you say Jam Lady. I hope Jam Lord's sister, husband and family get through safely and with minimal damage. At least the house is built for hurricanes. Also hope your daughter and family find somewhere safer to live and can get compensation one way or another for their losses. As you say, it is those with the least that will suffer the most.

The weather was dryer here yesterday, so managed to do my shopping run without getting wet, and husband and son managed to do some of the work they were hoping to do. I managed to pick eating apples, blackberries, courgettes, runner beans, some chard, and the first of the Savoy cabbages to heart up yesterday. Had some of the beans, some courgette, chard and part of the cabbage with home grown potatoes and cold meat for dinner. Nice.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 17 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We have, as they say in the UK, fingers crossed for the best for you and your family, Jam Lady. There does seem to be more trouble brewing in the West Indies. I just hope that your relations will be ok Jam Lady, and that it veers out to sea, and leaves the land alone.
Our weather has been reasonable, some rain this morning as I went to work at 5am., a little breezy and quite warm too. It is overcast now but no rain since 8 this morning.
I am doing more hours now since my boss has just got a new baby in the family, his second girl-or 2 weddings to pay for as someone said! So he is on paternity leave for a week or so. He is a farmer through and through. He will go home to the family farm as soon as his father says he has had enough. Basically the lad does the hard work and the father tells him what needs doing! The boy is 30 now so quite capable of doing a day at work and a day at home, all in the same day!! And he won't read this so I can say he is a good boss.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Sep 08, 17 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am sure he wouldn't be unhappy to hear he is a good boss, even if he reads it Gregotyn.

We went to a Wood Fair yesterday. Some interesting information, but not as good as I hoped, but could result in some advantages, so might have been worth going.

I was able to identify a 'mystery object' that the second hand tool man had. It was a bobbin winder for shuttles for weaving, but being more into outdoor tools, he had never seen one. Apart from being a bit rusty and mucky it was a well made metal one and quite sturdy. I have one and haven't done any weaving for ages, so left it with him.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Fri Sep 08, 17 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad you got something out of the wood fair, MR. Always a pain when you go to a do and it is a waste of time, as you could have been doing something productive elsewhere. I am a fiend for tools at these shows and have to have 'things' that I will never use.
Another week over and I aim to be doing some tidying up at home tomorrow, and start making inroads into moving into another room. Currently I am camping in the bedroom, and have use of the bathroom, but I have so much stuff everywhere that I have to get excited and throw a fair bit away.
I had hoped that the couple opposite would have dug the foundations for a horse shelter for winter so that I can at least start to put the corner posts in and a cover over the top, to keep Neddy dry, but they went away to Manchester for the w/e as it was girl's b'day. So another week nearer to working in the wet of autumn rather than getting the job done in the comparative dry. Lovely day today, sunny and warm, if a little windy. I've been very busy serving customers all morning we have had a surge of folks into the shop for bits for this and that. I expect they are making sure they have all the machinery working for Christmas-forward planning!
I am hoping the lad will appear with a mini digger today and we can have the foundations dug and stoned by next week. As I understand it these horses need to be above the water line for the base of their beds, so if the foundations can be dug and a surround above ground level all will be well with a bed of small stones and rubber matting covered with shavings-all theory, I will watch with interest as the wacker plate solidifies the base rocks and the other internals get built up on top.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat Sep 09, 17 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hope all goes according to plan this week Gregotyn. We had a wet day yesterday, so husband and son just did a couple of log loads as far as I know. No chance of any charcoal bagging anyway.

I helped at the food bank and ended up getting damp bringing in the donations. Very busy day, so really tired by the end of it.

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own All times are GMT
Page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... 282, 283, 284 ... 423, 424, 425  Next
Page 283 of 425
View Latest Posts View Latest Posts

 

Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group
Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
Copyright © 2004 marsjupiter.com