Grow Your Own Magazine

Just been legging it round the house like a headless chicken, getting on top of the chores and was feeling very proud of myself until I realised that:-
I have the dishwasher;washing machine;tumble drier;self cleaning oven;breadmaker;a stew on one hob and some courgette soup simmering on an other- plus the extractor fan;central heating on low and the computer running. I have set up the ironing board infront of the tv and sky box to watch all the programmes I missed whilst on hols (mammoth ironing piles ).Just wondering ...if I boil the kettle do you think I'll trip the national grid??
Poor ozone layer...now I don't feel so proud of myself!

I know what you mean. I really wish life wasn't so hectic these days, but these machines have been designed to save us time, which is such a precious commodity these days. I too am guilty of abusing the system, and have been known to have the oven on for an hour and a half to bake one potato (my mother would be horrified!)
On the plus side, I'm getting much better at switching the TV off properly, instead of using standby, don't have a tumble drier, use the 30 degree cycle or eco cycle on the washing machine and only ever run the dishwasher when it's full. I think I may just be clutching at straws!!
However, all of us on here are doing our bit on some level, reducing food miles and hopefully chemicals introduced to our bodies.

Well done for making us think Nicos!

I know what you mean tho,it is easy to feel housebound but imagine how hard it was before our luxuries. You sound like you are having a very productive day, just don't burn yourself whilst ironing/computing!!!

Good points made - unfortunately because we are all so short of time these days, especially if you work full time then these appliances are necessary to help us do all the tasks we have to.
The good point is that we Grapes are all too aware of the need to recycle/enviromental issues etc - so I think we are allowed a few pleasures to enable us to have the time to "go digging"! DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

without all these machines we only needed one wage earner to pay the bills/ credit etc, now most of us need two, to buy the machines that save us time that enable both of us to go to work to pay the bills to give us time.
the only people who benifit are the people who sell us the machines that break down after 5 years and arnt fixable.
your right tho ddl we all do our bit

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

I don't think any of us would want to give up our machines and I'm sure we all try to be sensible about it. It's too expensive not to be.

Waffler, I have a little worktop oven/grill that i use when I just want to bake a few potatoes or grill some bacon. I hope it's less wasteful than putting the big oven on. And I use the microwave to heat plates and serving dishes rather than heat the oven to do this.

We decided to go without a dishwasher when the last one packed up and felt pretty proud of ourselves at the time. Now we don't give it a thought.

Its getting the right balance though - though tonight I must admit I put the oven on too early for dinner as OH decided he needed to go off in the car to pick something up. My mum would have baked a cake, but I sat down and read a gardening mag!

Hi Alice, why don't you bake the potatoes in the microwave. It will take less time than the oven.

I do mine in the microwave, but still pop them in the oven to crisp up the skin - thats the best bit!!

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smiling is infectious....

http://www.thehudsonallotment.blogspot.com/ updated 28th May 2008

I don't bake the potatoes in the microwave because I don't think they are the same thing at all. Totally different flavour, no baked potato taste. Maybe I'm just too fussy.

I agree Alice - I've tried finishing them in the oven afterwards, but it never gives the desired effect. I'm obviously fussy too!

I agree Alice. I don't like using the microwave it kind of sucks the life out of things. They are not the same as if cooked in the oven or on the hob. A lady I know knows someone with one of those aura camera jobbies. They took energy photos or carrots, fresh and cooked in various ways. The energy picture around the microwaved ones was dismal. In other words nada, zilch, dead. Even boiled ones did better than that and there was a difference between shop bought standard and organic. They didn't check home grown though. Now that would have been interesting.

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Bright Blessings
Earthbabe
If at first you don't succeed, open a bottle of wine.

Microwaves are fantastic for making porridge! The packet stuff - tastes exactly the same as the real stuff (well we think it does) and no horrendous saucepan to wash. In that we have porridge every morning for breakfast, the microwave is worth it just for that.

I don't like doing veg in the microwave, as you say Earthbabe is just seems to suck the life out of them.

I always do porridge or "instant oats" (depending on who it's for) in a saucepan. I've found that if you get water in it as soon as possible while the pan is still quite hot it all comes off quite easily. Mr E tends to do Miss E's instant oats in the microwave but only if he can be bothered to plug it in and switch it on. I've noticed it hums while on and not in use and it annoys me. We also have an ordinary clock in the kitchen so don't need it for that. I use the timer quite a bit though when I'm baking and making.

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Bright Blessings
Earthbabe
If at first you don't succeed, open a bottle of wine.

Baked potatoes - you don't need to have the oven on for an hour and a half. Cheat like I do - 15 min in the micro and then 20 min in hot oven to crisp - lovely

Hate microwaves. Vitamin killing, dodgy natural chemistry of cooking murdering tools of the devil which do not carmelise, crust or keep in moisture. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Don't have a dishwasher though wouldn't mind just never got round to finding space for one.
Machines are great to help us make time for the important things in life. However mindless consumerism which leads to replacing prefectly good things simply to upgrade is repulsive. I've got and use daily the same mixer. food processor, iron and juicer I had 24 years back when I decided to have kids and make a home. They still work great just like this old 'appliance'

I've got a sewing machine that my OH found down the dump and bought for 3 quid. Won't change it unless it actually falls to bits. Agree with you on the upgrading just for the sake of it though. If it ain't broke, why go to the expense of replacing it?
Would however love a dishwasher cos I really hate washing up.

We had to leave our dishwasher behind when we moved here 4 years ago as we had no room for one; oh how my OH misses it; he ends up doing them all the time; even when it's our daughter's turn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quite agree about the mindless consumerism thing. Although sometimes getting something repaired if it is older than about 5 years can be a nightmare. I still have the same sewing machine I bought when I worked in a sewing machine shop at 17. I use the food processor that belonged to my mum and the only bit that is broken is the egg white whisk but I have a hand held mixer that can do those, just wish I could get "balloons" for it, they were the business. We bought new "white goods" when we bought the house and need to replace one of the doors on the fridge/freezer which will be less than getting a new one.

Don't have a dishwasher and don't think I need one at the mo. Our TV is 14" and easily 8-9 years old and will not be replaced until it dies even though Mr E keeps going on about a widescreen one. It's not necessary at the moment.

Some of the tools we use belonged to my dad when they had the house in france and even then I think they were second hand.

And I'm a dab hand at using up leftovers - my mother taught me well.

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Bright Blessings
Earthbabe
If at first you don't succeed, open a bottle of wine.

I travel a lot. Some 3 months or so trips to very exotic locations cost less than £1000.00. Mind you I sleep in a hut and eat local.
I've been told 'You are so lucky to be able to do this. Sigh sigh'
My answer is 'That £1000.00 fake range type cooker you have? I didn't buy one' Good old ugly gas double oven bought second hand for £50.00 still going strong.
Your God knows how many £1000.00s shiny 4 wheel drive vehicle ( cus you gotta have it to go to Sainsburys) with extra twiddly bits. Nope.
Prada handbag @ £500.00? That buys me an Air ticket to Singapore and fast train through Malaysia to the Perhentian Islands. Top diving site of natural Marine beauty in the world. No contest in the desirability stakes in my book
I lust after a bit of land and some damn sturdy boots to stride about it in. I could prob'ly buy it for the same price as a couple of pairs of Jimmy Choos ( or whatever they're called)

Are these people nuts?

Whoops! Sorry for the rant. Back on topic. we should have no guilt about using machines but should only replace them when they cease to be practical not for a style or fashion or ' next new thing' statement.

Well said PT! I agree with you - although some of my friends, who earn "considerably more" than I do, don't understand why I use something till it breaks and cant be mended. Same with clothes - my father was gob smacked when I told him I buy clothes from charity shops. I believe in using what I've got and reusing anything I'm able to. This is particularly true in my garden (as mentioned in other threads) DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

I think you're right Pickledtink. There are people out there who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. I think we all have to set our own values and live life accordingly. I'm sure I've said this before, but I'm glad we're all different. If everybody was the same they would all be the same as me - and they would drive me nuts !

I agree TP... it's about the value you put on things and what's important. I check out the local sense shop my Mum voulenteers in when I want something and won't hide the fact I bought it. I shop in Peacocks etc. I never have much money spare and my aim is to get rid of all outstanding debts (mortgage incl in this task) but evn if I had tones spare I would still live the same as I don't see the point of spending lots of money when I'll likely to be bored of it soon etc, and I like charity shops as it's the 3R's principle plus money goes to a good cause

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter