Diversion?

After all the palava of making sure people, dishes and clothes where washed, buckets at the ready etc etc, we woke up to water? Odd? Continued getting water???? Took daughter No 1 to work, still had water, Daughter No 2 to driving lesson, still had water!! So phone the water company to find out what was going on

and the answer was.............

they did it overnight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hrmph!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whilst number 2 was on her driving lesson I went and bought various bits and pieces for chutney making, all will be revealed on my blog later! I then perused the charity shops for books and bought one that caught my eye
'Ration Book Cookery'! I know, I know, I don't really like cookery but with all this hoo haa about the water it got me thinking, how did they do it. Makes for fascinating reading, just for your interest:-

Chronology of Rationing

29 Sept 1939 National Register set up. Identity cards issued.
8 Jan 1940 Food Rationing begins. Bacon, Ham, Sugar and Butter 'on the ration'!
March 1940 Meat Rationed
July 1940 Tea, Margerine, Cooking Fats and cheese rationed.
March 1941 Jam, Marmalade, treacle, and syrup rationed.
June 1941 Distribution of Eggs controlled
November 1941 Distribution of milk controlled.
December 1941 National dried Milk introduced.
June 1942 American dried egg powder on sale.
July 1942 Sweets rationed
December 1944 Extra tea allowance for 70 yr olds and over.
Jan 1945 Whalemeat and snoek (fish like barracuda) available
July 1946 Bread Rationed!!!!

It took all the way to June 1954 until there was no more rationing!

When you look at the above they are your average everyday foods. People grew alot of there own veg and some where even able to keep a pig and 'A limiting factor for many would-be poultry farmers was the fact that grain for chicken food was as scarce as for bread manufacture' so maybe I would not have been able to keep my chickens!!!

OOoooo! don't forget Spam! Who used to get Spam sandwiches in there lunch box for school!!! lol!!

I'm sorry for my diversion but I sometimes think, although I would never wish a war on us, that if we all fell on harder times and foods became scarce that we would appreciate everything more including are neighbours!

Just to prove you are still on the right blog..............

I bought some plants today!!!
This is Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy'



and this very cute one is........
Eucomis vandermerwei 'Octopus'

Interruption To Water Supply!

We have lived here for exactly 20yrs 234days and in all that time we have never had a 'major' interruption to our water supply. Because we live in a village we have the occasional day about once a year where they 'flush the pipes' to flush out the 'bits' probably because we actually don't have enough houses to keep a good flow going! That takes about 4 hours usually sometime between 10.00 and 15.00.

Last week we got a letter, so we have had about 6 days notice, which stated 'Wessex Water will be carrying out essential improvement work on the water distribution network in your area and this will involve interrupting the supply to your property from:
23.30hrs on Wednesday 30th July until 15.30 hrs on Thursday 31st July 2008
I thought, well that's not so bad, but then I thought that includes early morning and the usual early rush for the loo! Some men seem to have an alarm clock set to there bowels and when they need to go theres no waiting they have to go, well I married one of those (although I didn't realise it at the time), his morning ablutions are ridged, this I think is because he has A.D.D. Routine is paramount. I suggested he left for work earlier, No wouldn't consider, so I suggested he visited the loo once then left for work, No, he didn't like this either, so we could use buckets, this was acceptable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I bought two new buckets, one for use upstairs, one for downstairs. In the upstairs bathroom I will fill the bath with water the night before and everyone can
Scoop
Bucket
Chuck it!
Easy!!!
Downstairs is just a loo and wash hand basin! MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm!! Outside the back door is a very large water butt, so the bucket will have to be filled from there! Lets just hope its not raining like it has been the past few days!!!
Now water, just how much water does one use during this time scale? I though about filling pans and kettles etc. etc. then I plumped for the easy option, some very large bottles of water, 15 litres should be enough!
So I think we are ready, tonight everyone can shower, all animal waters will be filled all plants watered, dishes washed, uniforms washed (K has to wash a uniform each night she comes in from work).

See how easy we take water for granted, because its on 'tap' so to speak. If we always used the 'bucket & chuck it' method would we use the loo as much as we do now? What would we do differently? How did they cope before toilets?

Never too Old!

To have a paddling pool!



fill it with water



get in and think mmmmmmmmm! bit cold!



after awhile its actually quite cool



obviously a bit too cool for 'T'!



Oh look K is out warming up and T is in??? But the pool looks fuller??



My girls aren't so soft, as the hose heated up it warmed the water inside it so they topped up the pool with the Hot, yes hot water from the hose!



Sassy thought it a bit hot too but likes to be close to the girls!



The chickens have been moved again, but they found it hot as well so took themselves to bed early!



When ever we go to see to the chickens, Tango always walks with us.

I Love My Garden!

Trying to do a bit around the garden, but having to be careful as the last 2 weeks has taken a toll on my back. I have to move the chickens eglu and fencing twice a week, which is doing me no favours! So have booked myself an appointment with the physio for next week hopefully she can save me! My GP wants a report from her as he wants to send me for a scan to see how bad my back is, which could mean an op!!! I told him I'd had enough ops to sink a ship and maybe I could survive!!!!

Anyway, another trip down my garden to see how it grows? Do you ever get fed up of the same old, same old?? I reckon if you came to visit you could walk my garden blindfolded! I used to do lots of things, crafts and cooking etc all I seem to do is my garden but I love it so much, I feel so rested and relaxed whilst I'm out there.... I have been planning my Christmas gifts, but then I can't blog about them. I could always stop blogging!!!!!!!!!!


I don't think so...........

So lets start with a problem..... my Maurelli... a few weeks ago a leaf seemed to get stuck then since then all it produces is distorted leaves! I have asked the question on my tropical forum so await there answer.



My Red Tiger banana is growing at a pace now the weather has warmed up!



My original banana, seems to have recovered from it leaf colour problems earlier this year! It is sending pups up left, and right. I am hoping that next year the main banana may flower, we will have to see. But once its flowered it will die which is quite sad.



My tree ferns are going mental this year



especially the little one.
My Indian Bean tree has grown massively, probably a bit too massively!!



we may have to move this come the autumn, but I have just the spot!
Whilst K is home I have 'used' her in the garden, she like me enjoys being outside so we have been digging up and planting in. One of the first plants to go in was a palm I had had in a pot for about 2-3yrs and it was really beginning to suffer



since it has been in the garden which is less than a month, it has produced one complete leaf and you can see the spike of a second on its way!!

I am really glad I decided to plant my bamboos in pots



this one as you can see has gone mental!
My first aubergine!



Do you remember this



well it has grown a bit!





and walking back up my jungle patio



Must dash my sister is coming today!!!

Out for Coffee!

Hubby was feeling so much better today I took everyone out for a coffee and we met a few of his friends





He has lost so much weight!!!!



We went to a place called Chief Trading Post apart from selling lovely bronzes and stautes etc it sold lots of my type of plants!!!!

Lots and lots of tree ferns


did you know tree ferns don't need to be planted to grow!



this one is just stood on the ground!! These pics are greeny coloured because of the shading!



Bamboos' too which I have become quite partial too!
The girls thought these loungers where just what we needed.



I on the other hand thought this would look good in my jungle garden.



although we would have to have it delivered and even then I'm not sure it would fit through my house!!
Hubby has always been very partial to elephants and loved this fountain



but at over £13500 I thought it a bit over the top. Why the bamboo swing I liked was only £200, far closer to our price range! So we went off for a coffee and a large pice of cake to discuss it!!!!