Monday 30 March 2020

Strange Times Week 3 Post 1 .....More Ideas For Saving

The third strange week and the second week of lock-down. Hope everyone is keeping well.


To save on energy bills
Go round the house looking at everything that's plugged into a socket.
There are quite a lot of things that use energy even if the are not being used. I now turn off my microwave at the plug and leave the door ajar after using it because it dawned on me that maybe the reason the last microwave went rusty was because the door gets shut when the inside is still steamy and damp. So the timer lights are now off all the time except when the microwave is actually in use.
The plug on my DAB radio used to feel warm even when the radio wasn't on, so that always gets turned off at the plug nowadays.
I always leap up and turn off the phone charger when it bleeps at me for full battery, if I don't do this it gets forgotten.
Now we're on BST it will be lighter later in the evenings so that should help - just stay in bed longer in the mornings so you don't need lights when you get up!
Turn thermostats down and wear extra layers, thick socks and a hat help too.
When you boil a kettle don't put too much water in or  you could tip excess into a flask for later.
Fill the oven when you cook
Use the coolest and shortest wash cycle possible and wear clothes until they are actually dirty then as you are at home you can pick the right day to do the washing so it can be hung it out  rather than automatically shoving it all in the dryer.
Actually that's a good idea for always saving money - THINK!  is what I'm doing wasting money? and could I do it differently to save instead?

There are loads of energy saving tips on line
Uswitch HERE
Energy saving trust HERE
Money supermarket HERE
and many other places.



Meanwhile.............
Yesterday was a  horrible day here in Suffolk, a really cold wind with snow, rain and hail showers. In one of the sunny spells I got the bike out to see if the house down the road had eggs out for sale - and they did - handy. It was hard work biking home - head wind. I was glad to get in and light the fire.
Different people have been walking past the house and down the meadow footpath all week, and  I need to get the other "Please Clear Up After Your Dog" sign up on my new gate, I fixed one on a tree at the other end of the meadow months ago, but with lots of new people using the footpath I found dog poo on the meadow - Angry face!.
Col's sister and husband also live at the end of a lane with a footpath through the farm yard, H said it's been crazy with people walking and it's even worse for them as they have two dogs,who bark at strangers, she said they seem to be forever looking to see why they are barking and  having to call the dogs in as people walk by.

I brought in my first 3 Tulips - small but perfectly formed. This is the third year for them and I should have dug them up and fed the bed last autumn and just replanted the best bulbs, as now I've got lots of leaves and only short small flower buds. Note to Self.




Back Tomorrow
Sue

33 comments:

  1. A very thoughtful post, thank you.
    The tulips are beautiful.
    xx

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    Replies
    1. The first year they had huge flowers, so they really need digging up and spacing out again

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  2. Thank you for the tulips. My daughter said there was snow in Norfolk too. Microwave ovens save energy, so they save money. I use mine a lot. Thanks for the tips - even the"old faithfuls". It never hurts to be reminded, we all forget things from time to time

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I forgot to turn off the phone charger last night - even after writing my post!!

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  3. Thank you lots to think about. I have never done well with tulips and now I know why!!!

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    Replies
    1. I was so pleased the 1st year as the flowers were lovely but the bed is now many leaves and just small buds

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  4. Good idea about unplugging the microwave. I often keep the door open if it’s been a bit steamy and then of course the light automatically goes on! I get so annoyed when people don’t clear up after their dogs. I hope they take notice of your new sign :)

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    Replies
    1. At least the sign will remind people they are on someones meadow not just a random bit of farmland

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    2. Even a random bit of farmland belongs to someone and should be respected.

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  5. Your energy saving tips are sensible Sue - I really must take them to heart - also leaving the microwave door open as mine is going a bit rusty

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  6. Hello Sue sorry that the weather was not good yesterday my D said they had snow (Bucks) but it was not much, it is cold this morning. I shout at the youngsters for not turning the lights of.
    Just having a cuppa and then try and remember what I did last week to so I could have our singing together like we use to do on a Monday morning. Thank you Sue for always being so cheerful.
    Hazel c uk 🌈🌈🌈

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    Replies
    1. It was just a few flakes here too - but the wind was freezing

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  7. Your THINK put me in mind of my paternal Grandmother, who always said after giving me a message to pass on, "Think on" ie "Remember".

    Our tulips are out too, all red. I would love a mixture of colours, but these were planted by the previous owners and they are a lovely additional colour to the yellow (daffodils) and blue (hyacinth and some asters).

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    Replies
    1. My tulips were a mix called Florists Favourites I think. They are purples, pinks and pastels

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  8. A comment on your/our weather. I am 83 and had a grandmother who lived with us the whole time I was still at home. She was born in 1881 and was an avid gardener her whole life. She told me to not trust the weather until after Easter no matter what the calendar said. I still use that guideline in my attempts to garden. Take care and God Bless. Julia in Texas

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    Replies
    1. Yes, thats a good plan, We can get the odd frost and cold winds right through April

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  9. Some brilliant tips there for saving electricity, I do usually turn off the phone charger at the wall when my phone is fully charged but Alan is a devil for just leaving it switched on, so I have to remember to check it after he's used it as well.

    I don't switch the microwave off at the wall at the moment, as the light always goes off after 30 seconds … I wonder if I should still turn it off though. I might start to do it as it doesn't have a clock on it at all and so doing this wouldn't affect anything.

    Alan is also bad at filling the kettle to the top to make one or two cups of coffee … and then refilling it and putting it back on to boil "ready for next time" ... a habit I think he picked up from his Mum as she used to do this. It makes me seethe!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I seem to have been trying to save electric for ever! I remember when we had 2 children under three years old and when Col was just working as a roadman money was very tight I used to read the meter everyday and try to cut down.

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  10. Good tips, surprising how many people don't think about these things, thankfully for us these things are now second nature.

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    Replies
    1. A lot of people have never needed to think about it I guess

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  11. You have more good tips on saving. It is very smart to unplug items not in use. That is something that is easy to forget but can eventually make a difference.

    I hope all of your family is well. I know the loss of jobs gives a stress on top of other stresses. They are blessed to have you with your experience and steady guidance.

    Please take good care.

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    Replies
    1. Some gadgets seem to use electric even when not in use - a crafty way to get us all to use more electric!

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  12. Nice to find another Suffolk person we are few and far between in blogland!
    What a shame your allotment is so far away, they are usually a good place to get fresh air and exercise.
    My knitting is limited to dishcloths so good luck with the socks

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  13. I didn't know that about tulips, that they need spacing out every few years. Thanks for that tip :)

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    Replies
    1. The bulbs produce bulblets and get crowded - mine are in a limited space in the cutting garden and the bed could do with a good feeding too

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  14. If you put a copper coin in the bottom of a vase with tulips in it will stop them from drooping. Apologies if you already knew thisx
    Arilx

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    Replies
    1. I think making a pin hole through the top of the stem under the flower is another idea to keep them upright.

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  15. Very pretty tulips. I did not realize you need to dig them up every few years. Thanks for the information, I must do that this year.

    God bless.

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  16. The tips are all great ideas! My husband frequently leaves his mobile phone charger plugged in and I can always hear a high pitched whine when he does! He can't hear it!
    Ahhh, people and dog poo drive me mad! We saw so many discarded poo bags on our walk on Sunday!

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