A personal experience of seeking a simpler, more frugal and self reliant life after downshifting in 2000
The NEW Forum
Loads of imput and Info !
Kent Cricket
My summer job!
Photo Galleries
Pictures from Down the Lane and more widespread !
Chicken Keeping
Keeping hens in your garden. Loads of pages on housing and up-keep etc.
Downshifting
A personal view on downshifting and how I've coped (and haven't)
Frugal Living
Living the simpler life
Tips from Down the Lane
New section Oct 2008
Vegetables & more to make your garden work for you
Fortnightly Diary
Fortnightly memories going back to 2001
Earning a Living
Ways of earning enough to pay the bills through various ventures.Some you can start pre-downshift!
Ex-Battery hens & Battery Farming
An insight to this terrible farming & how to keep them
Natures Free Gifts
A look at nature close to you and the food etc., you can get from it
Growing up in the 50's & 60's
Being young in the 1950's
Health & Wellbeing
Guest writers Health & Wellbeing
Interests & Hobbies
Looking at the Niche
THE BLOG
Topics interlect to dribble
!
Welcome to Down the Lane
A website showing, through personal trials and tribulations,, the results of a downshifting experience
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Life takes you wherever you want it to go usually. For a large part of it you can be happy and content, then things change around you and it's not what you want it to be anymore.
This sums up how I was feeling in 1999. I had a good secure job, well paid and I didn't have to worry too much about paying the Bills.
Then, in six traumatic weeks, everything changed and it became apparent that taking away certain parts of my life, there wasn't much left. I took stock of the situation and decided I could only have the quality of life I wanted by changing it and making my destiny through my own means.
Out went my Railway Management job and in came the self-reliant world.
The last 8 years has taken me through Oddjobbing, Gardening Work, earning a bit on the Web through Surveys and Mystery Shopping etc.
Now I'm lucky enough to have a summer job of Dressing Room Attendant for the Kent Cricket Team and spend the winter month's on other casual diversities.
Although still not earning half the amount I was 8 years ago, I have supplemented some of this by growing much of my vegetable needs and keep chickens for eggs (but they're pet's really!!).
Working on the "Do I need it and if I do, can I make it" principles, the frugal life has become second nature, the paying of Bills a challenge and the outcomes a sense of personal achievement.
I hope you enjoy the reading !
The Web Site
Down the Lane has grown from just 30 pages in late 2003 to 600 pages as of now, October 2008.
The Website is referred to quite regulary in both National and Local Press, major Websites such as the BBC and has been the subject of two TV Documentaries
.
The Forum, which was refurbished in Spring 2007 now has just about 1,000 members and averaging 100 posts per day
In the last year.....
Through much needed publicity about Chicken Battery Farming (campaigned about by Down the Lane since 2003), the
Chicken Keeping Section has grown considerably to give help and advice to those thinking about having, or who have just started, keeping Chickens in their back gardens.
The Frugal Living Pages
Video's
Many pages now have 'how to' or fun Video's to add to the Sites diversity.
Extra's the Blog
This was started to give me a chance of going off topic, well more off on one is probably nearer the mark!
Subjects vary from the interlect to absolute dribble (but I like it!)
Shopping Pages
Over 30 Shopping Pages have been added which link through to carefully selected Suppliers. Categories include Eco products, Pet Medications, Gardening, Books and much more.
Growing up in the 50's and 60's
I wrote these 30 odd pages because, whilst carrying out my frugal duties, I continually found myself returning to my younger years when frugality was a way of life !
Contact: downthelane@dsl.pipex.com
Chickens in Cold Weather
Care for Hens during Winter
Rats and Chickens
No harm, but a nuisance
Chicken Keeping FAQ's
Some common questions
Growing up in the 50's and 60's
A new section which, for some reason, is attracting many guests
Tips from Down the Lane
Whole new section with money and time saving tips
Film and TV Extra Work
Earning extra cash all year round
New Down the Lane HQ
The long awaited redevelopment has happened
THANK YOU
(visit his great Allotment site Here)
Richard Cannon
Shopping Pages
DIARY
Keep up to date with all things around Down the Lane in the Fortnightly Diary
Down the Lane is dedicated to my beautiful daughter Louise, who along with her partner Tony, was lost to us through a Motor Bike accident in 1997. Still an inspiration.