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dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45376
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue May 12, 20 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

i alternate worm and flea treatments but the spot on kills all stuff if handy

not sure re cats but the dog version covers just about everything except tape worm which has an accompanying pill in the set

pill n cats is a nightmare for both, although a few seem to enjoy winning the battle by ripping lumps out of their servant.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed May 13, 20 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad you are getting on well with the pressure cooker. I find ours very useful for things like stews, as it makes it a great deal shorter cooking. When I do Christmas puddings it also makes cooking time a great deal shorter, and no topping up and steam everywhere either. In fact I have never seen a pudding done any other way as my mother had one from the time I first remember.

Hope you get the better deal with your pay. You seem to be doing quite well at the moment, but sure you won't get too used to the extra money, although it is useful. Also hope you don't go down with anything, but sensible to self isolate just in case so you don't spread anything.

It is still being chilly here too, and we have a north easterly breeze again. It was quite still yesterday after the gale on Monday, but the wind has picked up again a bit, although now a moderate breeze to quote the weather forecast. Firing the kiln again, so hope it doesn't make it too awkward or chilly.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Wed May 13, 20 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The extra money is very much coming in handy, and I hear you regarding getting used to it. My plan is that a portion will go to savings, a portion will be for living on (the amount I have been living on) and the remainder will be for replacing deteriorated or defunct items, a few treats and dealing with outstanding jobs that require urget attention (eg the septic and the fence). With the $1500 a fortnight that will be 500 to savings right there, and 200 for replacement items and getting things done which have been deferred too long. The bonus lasts till I am eligible to a pension, which means I will be returning to a higher level of pay than usual but less than at present, so it's quite handy for ensuring I am well equipped for that time, while ensuring I don't get used to the additional funds.

The day was spent doing the washing, putting it away, cooking pastici (the Greek equivalent of lasagne involving layers of macaroni drowned in cheese and butter and eggs, a meat sauce involving oregano and red wine and a white sauce involving more cheese and eggs). Twelve servings from that one, so the remaining ten are in the freezer.

I also applied some of the sample pot to a couple of bits of wall and the result is considerably more satisfactory than the previous green. I will do the second coat tomorrow. It has gone onto bits of wall that are complete in themselves so as to avoid a triple layer once the whole lot gets done.

Chilly tonight so I have to give the fire stir along

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu May 14, 20 6:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thought you would be sensible, but suddenly having enough money to do things can get you carried away slightly.

Glad you have found a better colour for your walls; that so called 'lime green' wasn't really what you want in a kitchen.

We are still making charcoal. Another firing yesterday. Managed to get away from the woods soon after 7pm, but on the way out there were a couple of lads with bikes not too far from the entrance, so we went back to check everything as we have had some vandalism there recently. Came out again and the were still there, so stopped and spoke to them. They had come across and injured deer and were waiting for the RSPCA to come and help. Husband went and had a look at it and from what he said it needed putting down, poor thing. Good lads, so hope they didn't have to wait much longer.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu May 14, 20 6:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thought you would be sensible, but suddenly having enough money to do things can get you carried away slightly.

Glad you have found a better colour for your walls; that so called 'lime green' wasn't really what you want in a kitchen.

We are still making charcoal. Another firing yesterday. Managed to get away from the woods soon after 7pm, but on the way out there were a couple of lads with bikes not too far from the entrance, so we went back to check everything as we have had some vandalism there recently. Came out again and the were still there, so stopped and spoke to them. They had come across and injured deer and were waiting for the RSPCA to come and help. Husband went and had a look at it and from what he said it needed putting down, poor thing. Good lads, so hope they didn't have to wait much longer.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Fri May 15, 20 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The latest rendition of the kitchen is available on Facebook - it has the sample wall colour too (right hue, wrong depth of colour, it's a bit stronger than that). It only took two hours to get the set of drawers level. They would be level but the wrong height, or the right height and all askew. I am too old to be spending time lying on the belly adjusting rear legs then getting up to be able to check the level and go back down again because i was winding in the wrong direction and back up again to find i had gone too far ... you get the picture.

Once I get the new panel for the corner cabinet I will still need to find some sort of filler for the 50mm gap between the two cabinets in the corner (once they are screwed to their neighbours).

I have set aside a large quantity of mugs which match but are an unsatisfactory shape which will go to the hall along with some china bowls, but the rest of the stuff seems to be going into positions that are far more practical for daily use.

Tomorrow's (or possibly the next day's) project will be removing the upper cabinetry and reorganising it so the dish rack is between the two cupboards, the glasses are stored in the cupboard furthest away and the remaining cupboard used to house ... not sure what yet, probably bowls and basins.

A quick trip into Pancakes provided a stockpile of dainties for desserts as well as a quiche which was so late to be eaten I am still full and will probably skip dinner.

And the space in the loungeroom is .... amazing! Perhaps I will clear out the clutter occupying the floor and reconfigure the lounge instead of dealing with the upper cupboards! Who knows. It's nice to be able to do things at my own pace.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45376
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri May 15, 20 10:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

i must have fitted close on triple figures of kitchens over the years, adjusting the feet, what ever sort they are, is always a nightmare.

some are worse than others

a very useful thing for kitchen fitting is a bag of plastic shims of assorted thickness(they lock together to form combo sizes as well) to provide a solid fix between a flat panel, squared unit and a wonky wall or floor or even between units that are "just that bit out"

PS i tend to use a fair bit of assorted glues and my choice of screws etc as well as bits of timber and shims

once the things are fixed and level etc gaps etc can be hidden with suitable timber or adapted for use, teatray holster is a good use of a 50mm gap:wink:

odd spaces can be arranged to fool a rummage team should you think like that.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat May 16, 20 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I couldn't really see the colour of the wall on my screen unfortunately, so I will have to take it on trust that it is a good colour. Certainly better than the original paint. You are doing well, even if it is taking ages. Glad you feel you are too old for all that fiddling around and it isn't just me.

I assume as you are going into town that you have had the all clear for infection. That is good news too.

Our kitchen has got to the stage where we really need to change the worktops and the sink. The sink has cracked, so I have to use a bowl in it or it leaks, and the worktop, as I said it wood, has got stained and the wood edging strip gone part way to rotting. I was assured by the salesman that it was perfectly all right, but not for real life over a good number of years, as I feared. Still, there was nothing else available at the time as it is was the current fashion.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Sat May 16, 20 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Good ideas Dpack. I will bear them in mind. My own stroke of genius was to recall a pneumatic jack which will be used for future cupboard raising, then I can screw down the leg to keep it at that height, and move onto the next one. I have of course not tried this as I got a bit sidetracked today.

My night was rudely disturbed by the local lads burning rubber up and down the high street until one this morning. There seemed to be a bit of an illegal gathering involved too, and several rows which kept me awake longer. Waking at five thirty this morning didn't help so there was a nap involved this afternoon.

I decided to remove the last of the small kitchen cabinets (a wall hung one which won't be going on until the tiles are here) which led to the coffee table beyond that, and removing the cast iron pots, saucepan lids, frypans etc that had been living there for far too long. They went into the dishwasher and the cupboard into the kitchen beside the freezer. I decided to clear a spot in the loungeroom under the window to place the Singer treadly under the window. Access was inhibited by a snakes nest of cables, most of which bulk derived from the 15 metre cable that runs across the room to connect the television, leaving endless loops of unused cable behind. So I gritted my teeth and untangled that lot, then decided the coffee table should be replaced by a chest of drawers to keep the sewing stuff in. That involved excavating space in a third room to remove the drawers, then putting the coffee table into that room to get it out of the way.

The chest of drawers currently supports the two wifi thingies (modem and Smart Antenna for the phone) and the new Singer machine which I just notice is not accompanied by its cable and foot (will fix that shortly). The long cable was rolled up and a series of power boards and short extension cords now currently connects the television to the far wall. I will convert that into a proper arrangement after I buy a suitable extension cord.

All of this involved disrupting aeons of dust, wood scraps and other clutter and so that entire wall is now a model of respectability. I will add architraves to the windows before bringing the treadly in, and also organise the wood cabinet for winter use.

So there are still two tall kitchen pantry cupboards to remove from the lounge, but i think they will wait till I have the rest of the non-kitchen stuff out of the kitchen. Confusing isn't it.

A load of washing allowed me to clean the two throw cushions from the lounge, the rest will have to wait till I work out how to use the steam cleaner.

Hope I get to sleep tonight, but the current warming up of engines does not bode well.

Meanwhile I am aching all over from the exertion and planning a panadol at bedtime.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45376
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sat May 16, 20 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

" Access was inhibited by a snakes nest"



i got to that bit and thought, normal for upsidedownland, she will have dealt with a momma tiger easily

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun May 17, 20 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Electric string is generally less dangerous unless damaged insulation makes it live, but can still be difficult to deal with.

We made a charcoal delivery to one of our outlets yesterday morning, then went into the shop as son wanted a couple of things they sell, and while looking for them, found some of the granary bread flour I use decanted into a paper bag, presumably from a larger bag the shop bought. We had to return via a supermarket, and there I managed to get yeast, a large bag of coffee beans and the loose leaf tea we like, so two very satisfactory visits. Managed to plant out and protect the kale and purple sprouting broccoli seedlings and as the weather is looking good, I hope to get the French beans out and buy some runner bean seedlings this week.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 20 5:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

dpack wrote:
" Access was inhibited by a snakes nest"



i got to that bit and thought, normal for upsidedownland, she will have dealt with a momma tiger easily


Not likely! I would have stood very still till it went back down, then called the snake handler to get rid of it, haha. I like and respect snakes, but it will be a while before i am happy handling them!

Sorry for the prolonged absence. Sorting out the loungeroom involved losing the laptop, but as you can see I have found it again now.

We have a new fish delivery service to town which I took advantage of last week. There's now a fish pie and a seafood chowder portioned up in the freezer, and it was fish and chips on Sunday night. Beautiful fresh fish!

This Friday I am headed up to Campbell Town to collect my grazing box from a local business I have been wanting to be able to use for some time.

I seem to have eluded the dreaded virus and am back driving once more, but the first two trips really stretched the friendship with a very late return on two consecutive nights. The last one was unexpectedly early so it all balances out.

My friend who has been doing the bank job has been stirring things up a bit - she discovered she had been underpaid and queried it. She was informed that I have been working daytime hours, not nights as is required by the current contract. I sorted that out, but I might find I too am owed back pay. But perhaps not as my friend is casual whereas I am permanent part time and that makes a difference to the wage structure.

I have to type up and print out multiple copies of our annual budget letter to Council for the Railway Preservation group, and now I have found the laptop I guess I shouldn't defer that any longer, haha.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed May 27, 20 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Your fish delivery service sounds good, especially if it is all fresh. Strangely, getting fresh fish round here, although within sight of the sea, means a 15 mile journey to the sea to pick them up from the fishermen.

How is the kitchen going? I take it that the loss of the laptop was because you have been taking the cabinets out of the loungeroom to go in the right places in the kitchen, which disturbs other things. I know the feeling.

Glad you are able to get back to your driving and the bank. From your post on FB, it looks as if Tas is now clear of Covid19, or has been for a week or more anyway. Although the south of England has decreasing numbers of cases, we are far from clear, so still keeping up all precautions as a family.

Son had to break social distancing yesterday as a car managed to have an accident a few minutes in front of him, and he and some other motorists had to force a door open so the driver could get out. Driver then needed first aiding until ambulance arrived, then traffic needed to be controlled, and what should have a quick trip out ended up taking two hours. Haven't heard the details yet as he was supposed to be having a day off yesterday, so he will no doubt tell us today.

We are still up to your eyes in charcoal. Every time we think we are getting somewhere, another order pops up, so still running at firing alternate days and at least 6 day weeks most weeks.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 20 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Following on from the water in the garden tank running out, yesterday the controller on the kiln gave up. Husband investigated and found there must have been a loose wire as part of the chocolate block connector had melted. He managed to remake the joints by soldering, and got it going again, but in the meantime we had to use manual control, which meant someone sitting there the whole time and adjusting as necessary. Luckily it occurred near the beginning of the retort cycle, so not quite as tricky. Even so, ran it a bit low, so got a double peak and a rather later night than we hoped, finishing just after 8pm. Luckily I had made pea and bacon soup the previous day, so just had to be heated up.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 20 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I had a snail mail letter from Gregotyn. He is well, has changed his van and is considering resurrecting his Land Rover for around the farm only. He has also cleared his workshop of several inches of accumulated sawdust and among other things found his ripsaw again. He sends best wishes to all, and particularly asked after Cassandra. I gave him the news from here. He relies upon the library computer, but now has a mobile phone for emergencies, which is why he hasn't posted recently.

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