Christy

Necie, if ever I came into money, this would be THE purchase. The first two years I was working at the BOL, I only could warm water with a solar bag or on top of a hot woodburner. And have my portly self standing in a small zinc tub.

Washing hair was something else hahaha

Grime, dirt and dust from breaking down walls, hacking years of paint off and peeling wallpaper, it left me in need of a bath sooooooooooo bad.

This would be my ultimate fancy snazzy purchase:

http://www.weltevree.nl/NL/home/dutchtub_4p-30?gclid=CKK626H_ta0CFQaGDgodOT7wnw

Don't laugh but I'm truly thankful for being able to take a hot shower on demand. At the BOL I have to fire up the bathoven first and that makes the bathroom nice and toasty. Just takes an hour or so to heat the 80 liters.

Here, just turn that tap and hey presto, hot water. Only here people would understand and appreciate that me thinks.

(((( 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

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!!

Cut it into cubes and call it "candy".

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.

If none of the above works, cut it into round slices about an inch thick and let the boys use it as hockey pucks ??? ( Don't smack me now.... ) Score!!!!!!

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.

Nice one on the kids Gofish. You can never have enoug hhats.

Btw, how's the really warm 17th century fisher's hat doing?

And I did manage to find a shop that sell the mystery material you can use th teal for. Want me to get it?

 

I found a pertty soft fuzzy teal yarn for one of the scarfs. I'm going to burn the yarn.

Nooooooooo don't burn it. I'm hunting for some material you can use this yarn with and was going to send it you as a surprise. Please tell me you haven't burned the yarn yet?

It does not involve knitting, crochet or anything difficult. It's fun and easy and will be gorgeous when finished. I just need to find a place where they sell this magical thing you need for it.

Please let me know if the teal still lives, otherwise my hunt will be in vain

LindaLou and Ambergris, as a sign of solidarity we've had soup as well today. Well, actually it were the left overs from yesterday. Added stock and pumpkin, cooked and pureed the whole thing.

Tasted rather good.

It must be awful to have to live on liquids for so long. Hope you manage to keep up the calories cos the soup diet is known here to lose weight.