Christy

(((( Hugs for the Schnauzer lovers)))))

Miki, you used a word there, sanity.... I seem to remember that from a long long time ago 2010 and 2011 have been very difficult years. At times I wondered if it was worth ploughing on and muddling through. New Year's Eve at 6pm the phone rang and they called to say my dear ex-SIL had passed away. Knowing I can't even fill up the car with gas right now, let alone a ticket to Israel, all we could do was talk on the phone and try to comfort my beloved ex-MIL who was more of a mother to me than my own mother ever was. And I found in the end, how harder it gets, the more I grow. Yes from the meds my stomach hurts so much I barely eat but I lost 7kg. Yes my son is ill but he is rethinking his life and I have faith in him to come up with the right solution. Yes people drop dead left and right and lean on me but come here and I'll comfort them. Yes I fell like a ton of bricks for a wonderful man who turns out to be very ill and has a really bad outlook for life. Who wants to spare me getting too involved cos he might not be around too long. With a disease you don't even wish a nasty person, let alone such a caring one. It sucks and with the smaller things I get depressed. Now things are getting harder faster, just seem to suck it and go on with life. It's as if I'm getting into higher gear and mentally bracing myself for things I've only seen in Africa.

Look at the silver lining here, really, I do too. Due to meds causing havoc on my intestines, I've hardly eaten the last two weeks. And lost 4kg in one week so there's never just dark So last night's diner was half a small rib-eye, green salad with 1 pomodori and 1 olive. Son persuaded me to eat dessert which was a small portion of sticky toffee pudding. Normally I can eat for King and Country and it shows. Healthy meal, frugal and delicious. Dog got the other half of the rib-eye. She thought her birthday and Christmas were rolled into one

Well, since DS just got paid for the book he wrote, he offered to take me out for dinner. I'd rather have him give me the book as a pressie. That's sorted!

Big closets make great pantries, Just saying Mother, I am literally waiting for you to publish your works. I'd be the first buyer.

Hey girls, later on we can say we knew her before she was famous!

Martian, that's you in the pic? You are so beautiful and a real lady. No-one would suspect a full blown survivalette looking at you. You know, camouflage, stealth, dirty fingernails Here's to your blog and book. Well done you! Sounds like you really put a lot of work and time in both.

Due to intense rain here in summer hardly anything grew. But the cardboard I've put down helped suppress the weeds and allowed for less watering. Also planting closer because the hoe didn't need to pass through it. The cardboard will rot to compost over winter and add nutrients.

Watch it, I've got a rolling pin and know how to use it! Secret ninja mini-sword hairpins are hidden in my granny bun. Don't buy me flowers! Buy me flour!!

Hang on, coated with powder sugar it could be Turkish Delight! You're on to something. YES! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_delight

A few years ago I spend some time at the Foteviken museum in south Sweden. http://www.foteviken.se/ If you press reenactment you get info in English. Is a video of the Open Air museum in Eindhoven, Netherlands. I wanted to join a group there but found it too far away to visit weekly. Viking re-enactments are great. You can learn a lot about primitive living and the fighting is something I'd recommend to anyone. Skills skills skills...

Viking re-enactment groups use it and it's smashing. The technique is older, stemming at least from Egyptian times. It makes for stretchy, strong netting that can be used for anything.

Thats what is resembles most. You could be on to something. Green, bio-degradable hockey pucks

That whole Earth makes for good reading. The knowledge here is amazing. I remember posting last year about spinning with nettles. Because they grow like delirious mad at the BOL. They're now scyted down to the compostheap but maybe one day....

Got the same with 10 jars of grape jelly. It's bouncy enough to be used as a spare tyre in case of a flat. I'm just planning by the time we want to start eating it, take it all out, dilute it and heat it and have thinner jam again. Kept in fridge, use thick layers for between cake (think Sacher) should be ok.

That bling spindle is fun eh? There are more ideas to make your own spindle in that forum. Guess the price she's asking for the fleeces is not expensive then. Browsed a bit and it seem fair enough. Not that I've got time or energy but I could fall asleep with alpaca wool cradled in my arms, that's how soft it is.

Dear Annarchy, this is hard news. Sorry for you and your family. I'll keep your sister in my thoughts and'll light a candle for her tonight.

To make your own drop spindle, try craftster. http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=392193.0 Cheap, easy and effective. Dunno if regular sheep is easier to learn. It's havoc on the hands though. I can do 10 minutes and than stop half an hour. But it's worth it. Annarchy, someone here is offering 3 fleeces of alpaca for 80euro. No idea if that is reasonable or not. Any idea? It needs to be carded and spun but then you'd have soft silky... can you tell I'm in love with alpaca wool? white, beige and brown, 3 bin bags full.

They sure have a wonderful setup at the alpaca farm Annarchy.

CLee, it's like darning socks. You put up your warp first. Then with a flat piece of wood which has yarn wound lenghtwise around it, you go up and under. Like darning socks. Et voila, an easy yet beautiful method to weave. Also once you get the hang of it, you can start on patterns and kelim-like designs. Any design really with different colours. Just think up and under with your weft.. a very simplified video:

Arby, I'm an avid sock knitter and have directed Mother to a clear pictorial of how-to. See if I can find it again, if not if she can post it. This site has doable instructions. I use 5 needles in total, 4 for the work and 1 to knit with. wayyyyyyyyyy easier. http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/ 5 needle instructions: http://www.canadiancountrywoman.com/crafts/knitsocks.php

Well Pippenwycks, any suggestions towards Bechterew I'd be glad to hear. Perhaps a new thread in the medical department?

Now a Poultice to break a fever, I can understand and believe. Having something so close to your airways and a possible osmosis, yes. Opinions differ whether certain substances can be taken in by the skin, hence my careful wording. I think it's possible and I do not know which element of the onion would cause the fever to break out. Could be the sulphur, could be something else. But it's something I'd use.

The only effect from onions I can see that a few placed around the house, peeled, would make your eyes and nose water. And perhaps that would flush out a virus a bit to the point of being less vulnerable to flu. A few flush moments of the sinus a day, might keep the flu at bay. It would be interesting to know if rinsing the nose as muslims do before prayer, would help against the flu as well. The ritual washing involves snorting water in and out as if blowing a nose. Done 5 times a day, would this flush a virus or make a person more vulnerable? Let's see later on today if I can find if any studies have been done on this.