What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11

[Frnc]

Couldn't get my paving slab back down. I was trying to dig out some loose cement when I realised the internet cable was running through it! Fortunately it still works. Gonna get a price for getting rid of them and plant some plants. I like the cottage garden look. What grows well in shade? It's facing roughly west north west, so gets virtually no sun. Very small, about 2m x 1m. Can I plant in the late summer?

[GillyBee]

RHS suggestions here.https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/articles/ ... cold-spots
Hops for beermaking maybe? You are better waiting a month or so to plant in the autumn. Bare rooted plants are cheaper and you will not spend the rest of the summer watering them during the dry spell that inevitably occurs just after you plant.

[Arzosah]

the dry spell that inevitably occurs just after you plant.

And there speaks the voice of painful experience! I'm with you, GillyBee!

[Frnc]

RHS suggestions here.https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/articles/ ... cold-spots
Hops for beermaking maybe? You are better waiting a month or so to plant in the autumn. Bare rooted plants are cheaper and you will not spend the rest of the summer watering them during the dry spell that inevitably occurs just after you plant.

Cheers, looking at the list now. Will plant in the autumn.

[Kiwififer]

Apologies, I’ve edited the post as I haven’t a clue how to delete it.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well that's the wife's shockers replaced took me about an hour to do both a nice easy task... For once nothing was rusted solid all bolt heads were shaped properly a nice task once I'd scraped off the sheep grease underseal (lanolin based stuff) I put on about 3 years ago it's done it's job that's for sure.... It needs touching up at some point shortly...

Next up is the cam belt once the water pump arrives got a lovely shiny skf tensioner and belt ready and waiting to meet it's new pump


Tyres are at about 4mm all round so before winter they might well need to be replaced still plenty legal just not overly clever in bad weather once they get more use

Sadly Mrs A lost her job the other week so they'll have to wait the cam belt was over due so must be done moneys tight but a buggered engine will err well you do the maths likewise the shocks needed doing fortunately I can do the tasks myself so it's only costing me parts Vs labour / garage prices did get a quote for the cam belt and pump £350... So that's me saving £300 by DIY probably take me 3-4 hours so the wife best make me something nice for dinner shocks came to £26 per side again a considerable saving vs paying for it doing... I've got the tools and the skills.... Shocks come with a 3year 36,000 mile warranty

I even washed the car for her for some brownie points (that and the windscreen was filthy)

[Mad Scientist]

Andy, so sorry to hear your other half lost her job. Good luck to her. Really well done to you on all those repairs!

[Yorkshire Andy]

Andy, so sorry to hear your other half lost her job. Good luck to her. Really well done to you on all those repairs!

Cheers she will find something soon no doubt just finding somewhere thatll give you a life the big green DFS always a sale on style kitchen company was sucking the life out of her .....

Cam belt got don't Saturday took about 4 hours but I didn't rush did it at my parents on their drive so got well fed and watered by my mum.... (It's one job you can't afford to get wrong so I wasn't rushing)

Started cleaning the garden now next door has replaced the fencing on one side so much more light and gained about 1 1/2 ft of space I savaged the conifers about 5 years ago but they grew back....

Making a few conscious energy saving attempts to save a few extra quid whilst swmbo is out of work the beer fridge has been unplugged (it's not hugely energy efficient been glass fronted ) solar panel and camping fridge is running instead one good thing with her having time off is she's back yellow sticker shopping and able to keep the cupboards stocked.. she's also volunteering at the local food bank which gets her £10 a week in vouchers to use there so not all bad ...

We are comfortable ISH for now got a bit of money set aside and by me not spending on random crap I managed to put £500 aside this month (bit of overtime etc). That otherwise I'd have squandered eBay and Amazon are terrible things

[GeeGee]

Eventually done it house valued estate agents instructed photographer coming next week and putting on market
Hopefully will sell ..
Looking at the wood that needed chopping for the winter
The coal that needed to be brought in ..the large garden where the massive tree in garden behind me will drop most of its leaves... and the backbreaking job of sweeping them all up ...makes me cringe now
Fortunately the ..hidden in plain sight
..preps wont be seen when prospective viewings happen but I will have to whittle them down as I seem to have been a "full on" prep for every eventuality person.. mainly Yorkshire Andys fault with the amount of torches
If it sells i will really miss the wood burner but not the work
Still preparing it for winter in case I'm still here but i aren't getting any younger and the thought of a smaller place with easier management is the thing that gets me through it
Tied down everything in garden with the high winds we have
Sat with coffee now ( prepped and bought in bulk of course )

[pseudonym]

Some more dehydrated main meals, this time 15 x Cottage pie