Tell me your low key, patiently built up preps

[bellinisurge]

A lot of prepper YouTube channels are about getting just in case equipment or whatever. The point of this thread isn't really about that but obviously you can post what you want to post. My point is to celebrate the slow stuff:
veg gardening (which I do in the little space I have),
trying to build up physical fitness: I'm very patchy with that but I know even for a clapped out middle aged MS sufferer like me, it makes a difference;
the odd extra tin of tomatoes or whatever in my regular Aldi shop;
thinking about ways to keep down heating and lighting bills this coming winter - my fixed rate comes to an end in December (dreading it).
What about you?

Another clapped out middle aged person signing in. Hypermobility in my case.

Failing on the prepping front currently as two bags need repacking, one after a leaky drink incident. It's been a long bout of fatigue so lots of things are on hold.

Also food needs pulling out and resorting. Waiting until GCSEs are finished and DD can help.

Got things growing in pots in ex's yard. (Raspberries, blueberry, everlasting spinach (recommended by op,) just planted runner beans as it has been really cold here. Got herbs.

I was able to use home made compost in the bottom half of two pots. Made in a compost bag. (Wilco type) There is still half a bag left composting. Now bought a compost bin and that is nearly full of kitchen scraps and prunings. I put the compost from old pots in there as a base as it stands mostly on slabs but there are plenty of small critters in there. Hoping it will cook nicely and we will have lots of compost for pots next year.

Got things growing in pots on my windowsill. Mint parsley and giant spring onions. Plus a self seeded tomato plant. Plus seeds I need to sow.

Always got a lot of backup food due to the hypermobility and difficulties with fatigue which can make cooking/shopping difficult.

Got a solar lantern which is good. It would give enough light of an evening and recharge during the day (September)not sure about in December I have put it on the lowest setting overnight due to a spider related incident about 5 or 6 hours.

Tldr:
Compost.
Brexit/Covid stash.
Growing plants in pots outside/windowsill
Solar lantern.

Need to repack hospital bag and overnight bag.
Need to sort out medicine cupboard.

Need to brush up on makedo and mend by actually mending stuff.

We live in a very old single glazed house, which, as it's listed we can't do much about. So, because of the house being cold most of the time, unless I've lit all the fires, we have invested in electric blankets for all of the beds. They are an outlay at first, but cost pennies to run, and it means that I put ours on high when we go upstairs to bed, and it warms nicely whilst I'm faffing with face washing and teeth cleaning etc and then when I get in I turn it down to the lowest setting for 8 hours. It's much better money wise than boiling numerous kettles for hot water bottles that just get cold, and are just lovely. We probably spent about £120 on three, but that is well worth it. We often fo to bed very early and read or watch a film on the ipad, so no heating is needed either. The added joy of knowing that our two boys are toasty warm in their beds.
For the dog I have also got a headed pad, it goes in the microwave for 7 mins and stays wa for about 8-10 hours, so I know that she's warm too.

We live in a large, cold house too, and we work from home. We do have heating now, but it never feels particularly warm.
-I carefully gather anything that can be burned in our log burner, and I use it regularly to take the edge off the chill. This includes cardboard that is too greasy for recycling, like pizza boxes; bottle corks; pine cones; fish and chip wrapping paper; well-seasoned wood trimmings from the garden. The ash gets used in the garden.
-We have bought electric throws and electric blankets. We also have hot water bottles, but fill these directly from the hot tap; we don't boil the kettle for them.
-We have a large stash of warm blankets.
-Wearing good base layer kit and ski socks makes a huge difference. We wear lots of layers. And really good slippers.

We have been going to gym for the last 6 months. I don’t feel fit- mid 50’s and sedentary- but have improved my fitness level.

The biggest thing I have done is get myself a job! Being out of the house 4 days a week should save a bit on electric and help us put a bit more aside for a fill of the oil tank.
I've been pricing up carpets for the living room which is laminate currently and was chilly last winter.
Today I was clearing out a big cupboard and found a pair of long curtains from when we moved in. I've been planning on hanging a curtain at the kitchen door to stop draughts so they've saved a few quid.
I don't grow much in the garden but have tatties and brocolli growing just now and husband is dropping off some pallets today that will be made into planters.

@WindyGlowers

did you get those planters made?

I am buying what I can while things are on offer. I have a row of new tins to replace the old ones in storage. they will come out to be more easily accessible.

dd is finishing exams soon so we will do a big clean and big sort out of stored goods.

B@BlackeyedSusan I haven't yet, I need to figure out what size screws to get (and maybe rope in my dad for some help!) 😁

We installed a log burner for heat and have our cooker running off gas bottles in garden. So we have heat and cooking in power cuts. We were left frozen for 5 days last winter , so swore that wouldn't be happening again.

We have been slowly improving the insulation and heating in the house over 17 years or so - initially replaced the single panes windows that were rotting with double glazing, later north facing single lanes windows with more insulating double glazing (as we could afford to spend more), roof insulation, seriously insulating walls when we extended, sealing off draughts, putting in far better vents that can be controlled in bedrooms/bathrooms (not just a Louvre over a gaping hole in the wall that was permanently open) etc. More efficient boiler when we needed to replace it. And replacing the open fire with a sealed wood burning stove (we were using a chimney balloon when the fire wasn't lit before the change to reduce droughts). I had really thick curtains to reduce heat loss on north facing windows before we could replace them which had a surprisingly big positive impact (blackout lining and interlined).

Compost bin in the garden which is good for our veggies (or will be again when I build some raised beds that are dog proof...2 seasons lost so far). I only have cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket this year.

Last summer, we put in PV solar panels so free hot water as well as free electricity in daylight hours.

Oh, and lots of camping gear I need as a Cub Scout leader is very handy as emergency solutions at home - torches and lanterns (many rechargeable or Dynamo powered), 1 ring gas stove/mini bbq/Kelly kettle as alternative cooking options (and our ordinary gas bbq), extra blankets for heat, big water barrel, rope/duct tape/zip ties to mend things temporarily....

I could raid the Scout Den in an emergency also - but I suspect there are a lot of Leaders who would have similar ideas...

ah, but can you get there and be gone before they arrive? that is the key.

There are probably a couple who would beat me there - old timers with sensible heads on themselves. But I'd be there long before most of them.

And there are plenty of oars to hold off any marauding hordes or beat down the zombies...

There's cheapo solar garden lights in Aldi just now. Handy if there's a power cut.

I’m trying to do a few things each year. Last year was proper window curtains/blinds that keep heat in/out depending on the season. This year I am hoping to get solar panels. I also really need to look into electricity plans and get the best rate I can.

The big thing Covid prepping taught me was that my pantry was big, but quite random and eclectic. Not a lot of things ‘went together’ and I couldn’t make a meal from the pantry and fridge without buying quite a few more things. I spend Covid ‘eating down’ my pantry items and then buying and storing more sensible items that make complete meals. Food-wise, I feel I am better prepared on both a day-to-day level as well as a bigger level now.

I've paid off most of my debt (mortgage still ongoing) and cut out whatever regular outgoings I can. I've done a lot of work on the house, and I'm hoping to finish all the remaining details before the winter. That includes more draughtproofing and better storage system.

@bellinisurge can I just say thank you for all your posts on Mumsnet - every single one of them helped me.
I prep all the time in small ways. Constant price watching and extra purchases. Even if its just getting extra soap or extra ketchup. The last 2 to 3 years have been completely life changing for me (loss of family, pets, and major health problems) but being prepared has helped me so much.
Thank you again.

You are very welcome

Yes thanks to Bellini, from whom, I have learned an awful lot.

I heard a quotation in one of the videos I am watching while recovering from covid.. <eyeroll> that any prepping means you are in a better position than before and better able to survive/live comfortably/not have to wipe your arse on leaves

another quotation from a video, (Jills journals) "you never know which is your last shop/ fuel fill up before whatever hits". (see petrol shortages and people doing a shop once lockdown was announced) I was caught out by this when we tested positive for covid and I could not pop to aldi for bread as planned. Thankfully I have the means to do an extra delivery shop. two days after the last one, but as a consequence now have 24 extra tins of baked beans. took a gamble on what would likely increase in price shortly and what we use a lot of, and what will store.

even if we could not have shopped , we could have eaten crackers, or rice, or oatcakes, or pasta or rice pudding, or randomly, sage and onion stuffing, or dry cereal in dd's case, or wraps...

Back atcha @BlackeyedSusan

Thinking about another slow built prep....

Foraging: thanks to my mum, I am already able to identify lots of the "basic list" also I was taken blackberrying by my mother and nettle collecting by my gran. I got to play on the park though.

Another one: improving soil conditions with compost over years.

and a different third long term prep:

learning a language.

Brilliant @BlackeyedSusan

It's shocking how quickly knowledge can be lost. My gran picked mushrooms in the wild, my grandad had ferrets, and took my mum rabbiting. She's told me a few tales but I know nothing of this.

Try that again... I'm going to try making ghee in my rudimentary camping sun oven this weekend. Can't bear to have the oven on. In unusually hot weather in the past, I've made pasta sauce and chicken stew in it. I suppose I should try it in more normal British sunshine .

It was only about £25 (can't remember exactly) and it's a shame they don't sell them anymore on Amazon. I'll root around to see if I can find something similar for a similar price.

Snap. I think I may get it out on Monday and take to ex's. Got any recommendations for what to cook?