What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

How are you preparing
Yorkshire Andy
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

I've had a mad few weeks...

We won't mention me turning off a fire hose valve that was leaking only to make it much much worse on a caravan site :?

Prepping has helped a few times from a weekend away and swmbo forgetting a bag containing tea bags! Car boot stash to the rescue

same weekend the teenager getting a itchy rash.. OTC holiday medicine bag came in handy with antihistamine creme and tablet's.

Ignoring a old paraffin heater draining onto the greenhouse floor due to a pin hole in the base eBay to the rescue for a new one ..

Tomatoes potted on
Spares for rotorvator ordered since it bust a chain 1962 vintage and you can still get the bits!!!

Car given a full service and its first MOT passed no issue... Bye bye £230! Work mate has a mechanically identical car and his cost him £300! Can't beat a local garage !!!

And today a power cut at work required the jet boil copy for a brew I also put out a fire at work today totally unrelated to the jet boil ;)

New fence panels bought for front way just need some posts and postcrete ready for Easter weekend
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
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Arwen Thebard
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by Arwen Thebard »

izzy_mack wrote: Fri Apr 05, 2019 3:38 pm I'm back after a few months break when I could only occasionally dip in to the forum, oh how I missed it. After spending 9months in a caravan with no water or electric we've moved to a cottage a few months ago. Water comes out of taps :o hot as well as cold! bliss :) Lights come on at the flick of a switch - it's like magic. We've finally got ourselves a phoneline and broadband, it's been very peaceful the last few months as there is NO mobile reception, I rather liked it but the family were not happy at me being here with no way to get help if I needed it, I was fine about it but had to give in.

The thing I missed the most was the freezer, which I've restocked and have a wider range of food for meals as well as being able to buy several loaves at a time, so need to shop less often. I also used stores before we moved - to save flitting them really, so I've been replacing and even adding as I have more storage now. Laundry is also quicker and easier, it did take a lot of time and effort to carry in water, heat it, wash and rinse clothes by hand and wring them out as best I could, but the real boon is the spinning of them, I had to hang out dripping wet stuff before and if it was raining it made life difficult as I couldn't hang them on a clothes horse inside or the caravan would have been a bit wet! I have a log burner in the cottage which keeps us nice and cosy and dries washing well. I have about 5tons of wood so far, half of it cut and split and the other half still tree lengths, hope to add more as the year goes on. I had enough dried and seasoned wood to last us a few months when we moved getting low now but should see us till the warm weather.
there was a problem with the septic tank but the landlord fixed that quickly, was impressed with their attitude to complaints, bodes well for the future. It's the first time I've had a private water supply, and there are 2 rivers below us, not too far if we needed an emergency supply in shtf. So between private water, private sewage and a log stove it's great. Also got a decent sized garden, greenhouse and a few good sheds and garage.
Have already planted some fruit trees, there is 1 apple, 1 pear, 1plum already here. Also planted some strawberries and rasps also seeds in greenhouse. Need to dig up a rough bit of ground to plant vegs, did a test bit and it should be ok.
I enjoyed living the VERY simple life in the caravan but admit I love my cottage. learned lots of things though, like however much water you think you'll need to live a normal life, you're wrong you need much much more than you think, and its amazing the number of things you think you need but actually can manage perfectly well without.
Its nice to get a solid roof and walls around you after so long in a caravan, we spent a year renovating a house and can still fondly remember the water and light luxuries you describe. :D

Sounds like you have a decent set up going now, we wish you every luck with it all.
Arwen The Bard

"What did you learn today?"
jansman
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by jansman »

I have a polytunnel and greenhouse.The greenhouse has seen better days,and at the end of the season I shall take it down,as it is not economical to repair it.I have been mulling over what I shall replace it with. Last night in the pub,the decision was made for me,when a friend asked me if I wanted a polytunnel frame. For nothing! :D So today I went up to the allotment that he is vacating and took it down.In the Autumn,I will go and see an old work colleague who owns a plastics firm and buy a cover for it.You gotta have a project.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
jansman
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Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by jansman »

Started gathering ( reclaimed) materials for my polytunnel project.Hopefully it can be done for little more than the cost of a new skin.Re- jigging my garden crop plan to accommodate the fact that it is now just Mrs.J and me here now.We now have a house that is too big!

Daughter has bought a relatively modern house ( 25 yr old), and in the kitchen has a fair sized pantry,( well that is what she is using it for),and has stocked it up already! We were going to box a load of grub for them, but obviously no need.

It is surprising,after 25 years, how little we use between us.As a result,we are going to run down the stash to a more manageable ,rotationally efficient level.Boy,we have some gear to use!
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
jansman
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Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by jansman »

Forgot to mention that we broke out the emergency electric radiators for eldest daughter.Heating system there is bust and it will be a week or so to get fixed.She did comment that " good old dad has a workshop like a warehouse". :lol:
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
izzy_mack
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Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:35 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by izzy_mack »

STocking up on flea and tick stuff, for dogs and humans. Ticks are everywhere this year, have removed about 12 from ME :o over the last week. Everytime I go into the garden I get at least one. Apparently it's because of the mild dry winter.
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Deeps
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by Deeps »

Allotment is coming along, a lot of stuff in the ground and Her Maj is pestering me to finish off the rest of the groundworks so we can get the rest of her beds in. Been getting more stuff dehydrated, the kitchen window basil plant is starting to go wild so I'll get it stripped and in the leaves in the dehydrator.
Yorkshire Andy
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Deeps wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2019 2:16 pm Allotment is coming along, a lot of stuff in the ground and Her Maj is pestering me to finish off the rest of the groundworks so we can get the rest of her beds in. Been getting more stuff dehydrated, the kitchen window basil plant is starting to go wild so I'll get it stripped and in the leaves in the dehydrator.
Only thing I have in so far are spuds just glad they've not poked out yet as Saturday am we had -2°c the paraffin heater on 2x 1"wicks on low just saved my plants!
IMG_20190413_100029346_HDR.jpg
Last night I lit it and had it as high as I could and 6x 8 hour tea lights under a big terracotta pot and faired a little better
IMG_20190414_195758258_HDR.jpg
And that's with a full bubble wrap lining in the greenhouse!
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
jansman
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Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by jansman »

The main thing is to keep frost off your plants.Once ice particles form on the leaves,then its game over.Right now ,I have tomato and pepper plants in the tunnel ,under fleece,with just a hurricane lamp on to keep the frost off.Works a treat,and saves on fuel.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
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Arwen Thebard
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Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:31 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

Post by Arwen Thebard »

Decent temperatures now forecast for the next two weeks. Could do with some rain now to fill up the water butts.
Arwen The Bard

"What did you learn today?"