Diary of a benefit claimant.

I'm quite happy for anyone else to start a new thread.
This was never "mine" as it has helped others, too, and morphed into something quite supportive.

"Taking the dis out of disability" is a great title, pensionpat

Please don't put my name in the title of the new one, or "big me up" (grandsons phrase) in it, either.

Though of course, I shall be in to thrill everyone with my latest health issues, I'm sure!

oops, this was meant to be my post above!

Tall, vegan, gluten-free, no lumps in food, can't lift more than 2 kilogrammes, getting older every day, but wow can he write and produce art!

I laughed out loud where it says QR.

That got my sense of humour.

This is post 997.

So a round of applause please for MissAdventure for an interesting and useful thread that she started.

And shall we hold off posting so that MissAdventure can add a link to her new thread so as to assist anyone arriving here later please?

StarDreamer, you missed out GSOH

Thank you, ixion.

No ladle required StarDreamer

2 litre plastic jug from Tesco.
£2.

Have you any old carrier bags?
You could decant into these until the sack was easy enough to drag through, or completely empty.

As a suggested title for new thread how about “Taking the Dis out of disability”

Thanks SD
I’m glad that you liked the gallery!

I get everything delivered from all over the place with various couriers and the Royal Mail.
I’d say about three things every week.
I haven’t had to sign for anything for a long, long while.
They tend to take a photo instead (not of your face)

Fewer than ten empty post places in this thread now MissAdventure.

So if you start the new thread now you could add a link to the new thread in this thread before it locks.

Thank you, Casdon.

Fanny asked SD do you only use Tesco to get your requirements from?

No.

However, as I have regular Tesco deliveries that are notionally grocery deliveries but some other things are available, if Tesco sells something I want, I do tend to get it from Tesco as there is no extra delivery charge to pay.

So pens, note books, some art things. I saw they have the growing herb plants, so I ordered one.

Anything else I want I get mail order.

I always need to take into account the weight and whether I can get the delivery without opening the door while the person delivering is here.

So Royal Mail and DPD is fine. The post person signs on my behalf when I answer from an upstairs window, I put a signed note on the door for DPD and an online authorisation if I have had a tracking email.

But at the moment I have an issue that I need to resolve.

I want to buy something and it says on the website that their courier will require a signature. So I need to email them to ask about that. The business may or may not reply to my email. If the courier is Royal Mail or DPD, no problem. Other couriers may or may not have a way forward. If there is a way that I can reasonably do, then fine, if not I will need to find another source for the item or go without. It is just how it is.

Hello Fanny Thank you. Grazie. Merci. Diolch. Dankon.

There you are Fanny, thanked in five languages.

I laughed out loud where it says QR.

That got my sense of humour.

SD do you only use Tesco to get your requirements from?
With Amazon the world of Buying Stuff is your oyster!

I nearly wrote Tesco in bold - too much time on here!
Also, I hope the oyster reference didn’t offend you SD - I have no idea if it’s origins; I’ll have a little look…

I got something in Morrisons on sale the other day that would meet your potting compost needs StarDreamer. It was only 75p, reduced as they are getting rid of the garden products because it’s the end of the season. It’s about 8 inches square and 2 inches deep, and is light to carry.

I don't mind a big bag as such, because it will keep, not go out of date. It is just the practicality of moving it these days.

Hi ixion. Yes, I did put seed compost. I need some of each really.

The smallest I have seen is 10 litres. Typical density is 0.7 kilogrammes per litre I saw somewhere once.

So a 10 litre bag is 7 kilogrammes.

If I had one delivered and it was placed on my top doostep I could drag it inside, but then it is on the floor and I would need to get some out of it.

I could probably manage it by buying a large soup ladle or something like that.

However, a 2 litre bag I could lift onto a table.

It is just how it is.

Like things like some seats have low weight limits, some clothes are only available in some sizes.

Lots of nice colours for men's socks size 6 to 11. Only black or grey for 11 to 13. Oh oh oh, no call for them!

I know there are specialist shops! Or made to measure with a large fee and a long wait.

Tall, vegan, gluten-free, no lumps in food, can't lift more than 2 kilogrammes, getting older every day, but wow can he write and produce art!

StarDreamer

There are things I never thought about.

Like if one wants to grow some houseplants and even the small bags of seed compost are too heavy to lift now. Years ago I picked up the large bags with ease. But now is not years ago.

They just don't seem to sell 2 kilogramme packs of seed compost. If they did I could buy several and get them in one at a time.

I wonder if such a product would sell well,

I can imagine the idea being dismissed as "niche" but I just wonder if there could be a huge market for it.

So I bought a growing mint plant from Tesco, and it was delivered with great care. It is in a plastic pot in some seed compost. Tesco sells them with the idea of people picking the leaves off and using them in cooking. But I bought it to be a houseplant so I have not done that at all. It is thriving.

At the risk of meandering?‍♀️, I was perplexed by your use of the words seed compost in the context of potting on houseplants, if I read this correctly? (2 litre bags at Waitrose, e.g.)

If you are repotting houseplants, would you not be better buying a multipurpose compost? A cursory Amazon glance (only) shows these are available in smaller bags.
I am not sure whether Tesco would add compost to your grocery order, in fairness.

A big bag is obviously more cost effective.
You have mentioned the help given you by Age UK in the past.
Maybe they could get you one in?
Or any of the gardening centres/superstore types?

If you don't want to be saddled with a huge bag, you could buy one, decant what you want and offer the rest locally.
I know that schools, allotment societies, community gardens welcome this sort of assistance. You could chose a worthy home on Freecycle.

An article about it
www.boredpanda.com/quarantine-gerbil-art-gallery/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202208/medium-168452-5d1135dc-3619-4f5f-8c1f-df5086c0eb63.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202208/medium-340122-5cf73c7c-8c4c-4b11-88e3-56855484a69e.jpeg

Hello
Re tiny art gallery.
A couple made this during quarantine. How amazing is it? ?

Teacheranne it was the first thing I checked for when buying my fold up shower chair. It takes up to 250lbs. So I knew it wouldn't collapse under me.

I used to be over 19st but over the last 5 years counting calories and weighting and measuring everything I eat and drink have lost over 7 st.

When I had my wheelchair in 1988 it had to be specially made to take my weight.

Because I used to be big I check weight limits on anything I stand or sit on. I am no slim Jim but still see my size 32 not my size 16 self. Decades of being overweight it's hard to see yourself differently.

MissA I didn't know you could grow a plant from a pineapple top can you do it with other fruit?

A friend of mine made herself a raised bed in her small yard using tiles she got of a free site looks lovely and grows all her plants in pots.

Dear teacheranne,

Thank you,

Signed,

Fatty.

Seriously, again, it's yet another helpful tip for people, particularly if they are planning to buy their own aids.

I wouldn't have thought to check, and I will need to.

Just a warning to check the weight limit on mobility aids. I bought a shower stool from a local shop that sells all kinds of mobility equipment but after a few months the legs started to bend inwards making the stool unsteady. When I dug out the leaflet I noticed that it gave a maximum weight - I weigh more than that so my fault it broke! The replacement is designed for a heavier person and appears to be fine.

A lot of equipment have weight limits, not just mobility aids. I use a folding tripod stool which fits in my back pack when I go out on day trips in case I need to sit down - queuing is a particular problem. It took me ages to find one that specified a weight limit that was suitable. I think the second hand rollator has a weight limit for the seat but I need to research the make as I don’t have a brochure. However, even if I’m technically too heavy for it, I will still use it when the time comes ( it was a freebie on my local FB page so I’m storing it in my garage for now) as even if I break the seat, I think the frame will still work.

At one twelfth scale, the mint plant, which was 7 inches above the surface of the compost is now about 14 inches tall and also is wide, would be a huge 14 foot hedge!

They make all sorts of fittings for dolls houses. It is a big hobby for some people I think.

I am thinking of buying some of the one twelfth scale picture frames as one can fit one's own pictures in them, so I thought of trying to build a model art gallery in a box.

I have lots of ideas of things to do, I do some to some extent.

How lovely!
You may be able to grow a tiny herb garden, with a sundial.
I wonder how "real" you could get it to look?

Like a little area in a real sized garden.

I did not know when I wrote that, but I had a look and there actually are one twelfth scale sundials (plural) for a doll's house garden.

LINK > www.etsy.com/uk/listing/480278494/112th-sundial-for-dolls-house-miniature

LINK > www.thedollshousemall.com/product/wall-sundial/