What Preps are you doing this week

[nickdutch]

Getting what I hope will be the last chore on the mountain bike sorted out this week. Its the inner tubes and I hope halfords can do that in the morning. After getting the panniers fitted and the new chain, the bike is getting a little pricy. Also will be going for a nice stirrup pump as the "high volume hand pump" is ok, but only if I am out and about and am stuck for something to sort me out. Apart from that, I am sorted with gear and keep rain proof jacket and trousers with the reflective strip in the panniers for when I need them and I am out and about.

Also intend to get a bike maintenance kit of a portable nature sorted out for the thing. Puncture repair, spanners and pliers and the like. Will be studying youtube videos on how to do stuff on it this week too. Why the heck they don't teach bike maintenance at school I will never know.

[moocher]

Missus got call,we been given a allotment in town,they have repossessed some for non cultivation,so going to sign paper tomorrow,and see what it's like.

[FEISTY]

Missus got call,we been given a allotment in town,they have repossessed some for non cultivation,so going to sign paper tomorrow,and see what it's like.

That's great Moocher. Just the perfect time to get the ground in order and start planning for next year . Weed growth is slowing, so it'll be easier to clear the beds You'll also be able to get some fruit bushes/trees (if you have room) "bare root" which is much cheaper. So exciting! See if you can beg bits of rhubarb crown, strawberry runners, etc, etc. They'll soon grow.

[moocher]

Yes it's waiting to see size and state of plot lol
We have 2 crowns at home,so I doubt we will plant rhubarb down there,but I'm thinking of hammering half of it an planting some broad beans an seeing if there's some winter veg plug plants left in garden centre.

[junmist]

Found a container so the non alcohol vinegar has been started. Went to see sister over the weekend and found out that no2 nephew had some 1.5 and 2kg containers which I nicked they will be used for the vinegar if this is a success and he can get large water containers so I'm hoping that I can get it in the car.

[FEISTY]

The big garage clear-out is well under way. Floor part painted and BIG DUG heavy duty shelves up. Had to move the shelves from the original position, because the metal beams got in the way, but it's actually better. The shelves are HUGE . Preparing all the filled to the brim buckets to go out to the garage, but need one (or more) of those lid removers that don't damage the lid when you're prising it off. Don't think all the black Really Useful boxes are completely bug proof, so have to think how to make sure nothing creepy crawly can get in. I'm toying with the idea of wrapping cling film around the edges of the lids. Still a huge amount of stuff to deal with, but the upside is we've found a number of things left by the previous owner (undiscovered for several years ), which are useful preps, eg 3 boxes of 10 Prices white dinner candles (about £30 worth, I think, 19 hours burn each). There were some outbuildings broken into near us last week and an outboard motor was stolen. Time to do a security overhall. We keep everything of value in the garage, which has a rear metal locked door, a double up and over electric (when it's working, that is) door with security bolts either side into the wall and a small side window. The window is definitely needing to be looked at, plus some additional PIR lighting and I'm toying with the idea someone else had in their home. At night, if anyone approached the house or came into the garden, the PIRs set off an alarm that beeped, waking them up. After it was sorted not to be set off by cats and foxes, it worked really well. In one way, the good news, if you could call it that, is that one of the lock-ups broken into belongs to a senior police officer - my friend's husband. Their kayak was not taken, but I bet they put the full force of the law into catching the wee rats .

[Stasher]

Adding butter to the melted chocolate will give it gloss/shine, best to melt in a bowl over a simmering pan of water but don't let the water touch the bowls bottom or it will burn the chocolate and make it bitter and grainy.

Many thanks for this. Usually I would add salted butter to chocolate (to enhance the choclateyness), but as this choc is over 70%, presumably unsalted would be better?

[Decaff]

Adding butter to the melted chocolate will give it gloss/shine, best to melt in a bowl over a simmering pan of water but don't let the water touch the bowls bottom or it will burn the chocolate and make it bitter and grainy.

Many thanks for this. Usually I would add salted butter to chocolate (to enhance the choclateyness), but as this choc is over 70%, presumably unsalted would be better?

I would go for unsalted if using dark chocolate, it would be sacrilege to add salt to it IMHO as it will change the flavour.

[pseudonym]

Got a stove jack sewn in my lavvu for winter trips.





Toasty

[Arzosah]

Thats a very impressive tent-and-stove combo