Tuesday 24 April 2018

Reusing and recycling rubbish

Hello. I had second thoughts about going outside yesterday, it was windy and I didn't fancy doing  more painting, so I stayed in and made some flowers instead. You might remember I made some of these last year, using knitting needles for the spikes. This time I dismantled an old umbrella and salvaged the metal rods, they are 13 inches long. I had some plastic left, I always keep colourful plastic containers with a view to cutting them up eventually. First I make templates with cardboard, three different sizes of petals, and use nail scissors to cut the plastic. 
I make two holes in the centre of each one, thread a button on a short piece of flexible wire, and poke  it through to the back. The umbrella spokes have a small hole at one end where the fabric is attached to, so I push the wire through this, and twist it around the spoke. Then stick some tape over it to hold it in place.

Ready to stick in a flower pot, or anywhere in the garden. If you want to see more of these click on this post from a year ago. There is a video as well.

At last, I have two quarterly bills from Ebico, they arrived at the same time. I sent an email, then rang them, WHERE IS MY BILL? 

So, my bills cover the periods 12th October to 11th January, and 12th January to 11th April. Total payable £285.82 for six months, which is what I expected, as I have been using the heating a bit more than previous winters because it has been so cold. My £200 winter fuel allowance will pay for a large part of this.

There was a price increase in March which they told me about. Electricity went from 15.19 p/kWh to 16.10 p/kWh. Gas went from 4.73 p/kWh to 4.96 p/kWh. I am on Ebico Zero tariff, so no standing charge. I am also not locked into a contract so can leave at any time without having to pay an exit fee.  

I expect a lot less in my summer bills, the gas heating will not be turned on until the late Autumn, so it will only be for cooking and heating a tank of water once a week. My electricity consumption rises only a little bit in the winter because of the longer nights, more lights on. So, I have the money to pay this, I've been saving it as I knew it would come eventually. Not looking so good outside at the moment, a bit dull, a bit cold, I'll stay in till lunch time, then go and pay this bill. 

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

12 comments:

  1. I can't believe it was a year ago that you were making these flowers, its scary how time flies.
    Briony
    x

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    1. I know, it's amazing how time flies by without us noticing it :o(

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  2. Nice flowers. Good reuse of plastic. Heating has been extra here too and we are looking forward to summer warmth too.

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  3. Rain non stop all day here in Leicester,cold n windy too.Fed up of it.Even put the heating on for a while because my 93 year old auntie,who has dementia was here for the day and she needs the warmth.It was interesting because although she hasnt got a clue about day to day things..shes got a good memory from all the holidays we all had together when we were all young.And how every one used to make do and mend,take bottles back and scrub their steps.Not having much ,but not wasting anything.Corner shops and barley sugar sticks.Having an apple n orange n a tanner for christmas!.I was showing my Auntie your summer house on here and how you made it.She was well impressed!.I think that Im going to have a go at making those flowers,because I have a broken umbrella here and Ive being thinking what i could do with it instead of throwing it away.So at least Ive got the stalks to them.xx

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  4. We have central heating but light an open fire when it's really cold and burn scrap wood and logs that my husband gets given by his boss (he works on a farm ) which keeps us warm. Saves a lot on the heating bill in very cold weather like this winter. All the best x

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  5. I love those flowers! Thank you for the instructions. I have a broken umbrella I didn't know what to do with, but now I know . . .

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    Replies
    1. When you have used the metal spokes for the flowers, you can then make a dog coat with the fabric.

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    2. Another great idea; I did a search and found the post where you showed the one you made.

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  6. Interesting comparing Ebico (where I started moving away from the Big Six) to Ecotricity where I am now. They were the first to go all renewable production, although we get the power from local production, so the gas wont be "green"...yet. Which is why I still pay standing charges.
    I like the fact that these two plus Good Energy,and a growing number of other small power companies are charging the same per kw/hour however you pay. After all, you're using the same power!
    I miss having a woodburner, it was fun foraging for wood that storms had brought down.

    On another note,lovely windmills. I'll see if I can find the photo I took at the recycling/repurposing centre in Whanganui in New Zealand. Which is sited in the old prison ! They collected all the multicoloured, mainly plastic,bottle tops and made a mural. Beautiful. I'll put that on my blog if I can find it-incentive to sort the file of photos from there!

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    Replies
    1. I've had a page under construction for ages, and got fed up of searching for all the photo's for it. My filing system is chaotic.

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    2. When I download them from camera to computer, they go in a file for each month...and a special day or trip will have a sub file within that. trouble with the NZfile that its four months of photos in one!!

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  7. Lovely work Ilona. I reckon if you hadnt been a lorry driver you could easily have had just as successful a career in the artistic sphere!

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