Preparing for winter II

BitterAndTwisted

Yup, and to my shame my mother had photographs of us wearing them, too.

[Deleted User]

I remember them

and knitted swimsuits

Athome1

mardatha wrote: »

Yes - ours runs 24hours on two good sized shovels of anthracite eggs.

Funnily enough, my OH and I were having a discussion about letting the fire/stove/range go out (or not IYKWIM) after watching Edwardian Farm last night. Ruth was saying she cleaned the fire out and relaid & lit it every morning. :eek: OH & I were amazed as we don't remember the fire being allowed to go out in the depths of winter at all, even when VERY hard up. In my case my dad used to bank the fire with 'slack' (sorry I don't know what it is called elsewhere, but it is the very fine bits of coal & dust that is left after the 'real' coal is used) and the damp veg peelings were wrapped in newspaper and used too.

We don't let our stove go out either during the hard weather, a quick riddle of the ashes, a few sticks and off we go again!:p Tea & toast and hot toes all within minutes curtesy of the stove - I love my stove:rotfl:

Confuzzled

Athome1 wrote: »

In my case my dad used to bank the fire with 'slack' (sorry I don't know what it is called elsewhere, but it is the very fine bits of coal & dust that is left after the 'real' coal is used) and the damp veg peelings were wrapped in newspaper and used too.

not sure about other places but i've heard it referred to as 'dross'

veg peelings... clever reuse and disposal! did it make the house smell good ?


we got back safely from edinburgh, it was actually sunny bright and clear, beautiful day but my goodness the difference in temp in edinburgh from yesterday to today is huge and then the difference between edinburgh temperatures and here in cupar :eek: bitterly cold sums it up and that's WITH bright sunshine.

it hasn't started snowing yet, i'm really hoping it can hold out til at least saturday evening, got to get to my daughters grans for christmas, she hasn't seen her in a year she would be utterly heartbroken if she couldn't go.

she's already worried cuz my ex was supposed to fly in from the netherlands last night but his flight has been cancelled and he won't be getting in til nearly midnight tonight now :eek::eek:

hope everyone is warm and safe!

Athome1

Confuzzled wrote: »

not sure about other places but i've heard it referred to as 'dross'

veg peelings... clever reuse and disposal! did it make the house smell good ? QUOTE]

I don't know!! They were put on last thing when my parents went to bed and mum would have the going when I got up. I use the contents of my kitchen compost bucket in the stove at night but there is no smell as the stove doors are shut.:)

shegar

NualaBuala wrote: »

Oh I read that weather on on boards too, haven't checked it out this year as you lot keep me too busy! So is Ireland due for much snow, some of my forecast websites reckon yes we will get it today.

I LOVED all of you sharing your thoughts and memories, got me all nostalgic about my Nana and her range and Mum and her open fire. And I have always wanted mittens on a string through my coat! I must ask my sister if we warned about chillblains for if Mum gave up on us. We did have a neighbour who warned us about piles from sitting on a cold wall though!

Can I ask what everyone does with the ash? I know pure woodash can be used in the garden but was told coal ash was too toxic (has heavy metals in it). We used to use it sometimes to "grit" our drive and footpath. Can't think of any other use so it always ended up in the bin.

My mum and grannies always use to sprinkle it over the brick garden paths..............

NualaBuala

Oh yes Shegar, I'd forgotten about those paths.


Well I feel all set for winter. I collected a bulk order today and I have enough non-perishables to see me through to Spring by the looks of it! Of course I would get very sick of eating the same stuff all the time but I don't think I'll be forced to live on it, I mainly bought in bulk cos a) I hate shopping so reducing the frequency is a good thing and b) I got a good discount.
I have enough milk, veg, cheese and eggs to do me a couple of weeks but need more fresh fruit - seem to have a satsuma addiction going on!

It hasn't started snowing here but we're told we will have some tonight and tomorrow. I don't have to go anywhere till Saturday and will just have to cancel that if the weather is too severe.

BitterAndTwisted

I've battened down the hatches and stashed my order from Approved Food this morning. I'm just hoping the one I placed with BigBrands gets here before the snow starts. Four kilos of risotto rice for a quid, anyone? If I get snowed in or there's little in the shops I'm hoping I won't get sick to the back teeth of it before the thaw.

rosieben

Athome1 wrote: »

Funnily enough, my OH and I were having a discussion about letting the fire/stove/range go out (or not IYKWIM) after watching Edwardian Farm last night. Ruth was saying she cleaned the fire out and relaid & lit it every morning. :eek: OH & I were amazed as we don't remember the fire being allowed to go out in the depths of winter at all, even when VERY hard up. stove

they must sleep in a hotel somewhere and the cottage is just the 'stage' for the domestic bits of the programme as when they did Victorian Farm; I believe there's only one bedroom in this place too;

they'd probably have all sorts of insurance issues about leaving the place empty with a fire going

[Deleted User]

Justamum wrote: »

Crikey - I just wish I had somewhere to keep a decent stock. I've started a stockpile this week so I have a long way to go, but as the saying goes, every journey begins with the first step (or something like that )

Behind the plinth under the kitchen cupboards for a start. Great for tins and other foods in good plastic boxes. No-one thinks of that area.