Preparing for winter II

Rainy-Days

nikki2804 wrote: »

Does anyone know if Primark stock the fleecy PJs all year round or is it just at Winter time?

I am sticking my neck out here but I believe that it is a seasonal thing. Start looking towards September when the kids go back to school and the stores are getting in their Autmun and Winter collections. I picked up my waterbottle with a nice cover from Primark last year around October time (wit some slippers) but I suspect that they had been in for a couple or three weeks before I got mine in. Again things like those fleecy socks that I mentioned, they are seasonal with Primark so I shall head around October to pick three bundles up which will last me nicely.

To the other poster who mentioned about charity shops again their stock is seasonal so look at September/October for coats and trousers!

Rainy-Days

Rainy-Days wrote: »

Here you go guys it is a severe early weather warning on long range weather forecast for 2011/12 Winter:-

http://arcticsnap.com/index.php?id=288

If this is not enough to get you bobbing along to get your home and contents sorted I don't know what is! :eek:

I have just gone back and read that link and he is forecasting this for November, December and January - so effectively two and half months or thereabouts - that could be quite a nightmare scenario if it does go on for so long!

Confuzzled

Rainy-Days wrote: »

I have just gone back and read that link and he is forecasting this for November, December and January - so effectively two and half months or thereabouts - that could be quite a nightmare scenario if it does go on for so long!

all this talk of a harder more extended cold freeze makes me think that it might be wise for me to slowly adjust my sleeping schedule. since i work from home and home educate we can (and have) worked off our own schedule quite well in the past. the only times adjust ments needed making were on the rare days (during that time frame) where i'd be expecting a large parcel or a flat inspection.

since we have all electric heat here we're on economy 7. thought occurs to me that if i shoogled things around a little we could take more advantage of the lower priced electricity for extra lighting and be up when the heaters are pumping out the most heat simply by getting up say at 4am vs 8:30am and going to be earlier before the worst cold hits because the storage heaters have cooled so much. this also means that half my work day would be cheaper electric for my computer too and we have a skybox so we can watch telly whenever no need to be stuck to those time schedules either... hmmmm

candie_gill

Does anyone know if i batch cook some meals and deep freeze them september time will they be ok through to January? I would like to make lots of stews, casserolles, chillis and currys anf pack my freezer out with them for when the snow comes.

SpikyHedgehog

Scary stuff in the link. Glad we're starting to prepare, and I'm spreading the word... My parents have booked the chimney sweep, getting quotes for having the roof re-tiled, and have a wood delivery on Saturday. My dad asked if DS1 can go over and help stack the wood, so they'll have some good bonding while they do that :-)

Went into town today and got 3 fleeces for £2 each in a charity shop. DS1 laid claim to the brown one as the other 2 are shades of purple, but I'm hoping to have that one downstairs for snuggling on the sofa so we'll see what else I find. I was planning to go into Lidl afer donating blood and see what we could find in there, but I went dizzy and ended up fainting at the bus stop! Feeling better now, but not great.

Rainy-Days

Spikeyhedgehog - getting everything done right now makes sense. The chimney sweep will be able to have all the doors and windows open while they are sorting out the area and the fireplace will be cold for them to do it which is really important. When your parents come to light it at least they know it is safe and will work well with a good draw! The same goes for getting in the wood now, stacking it up while the weather is decent makes good sense. Our neighbours have had their second delivery of wood done on Monday just gone so they are well stacked out. We have completed ours already but we are still on the lookout for the odd branch that has fell down over the field (the farmer does not mind us doing that ). We have a wooden bird table that needs to be sanded down and restained as well as the roof of the seated arbour. That is the next two jobs on our list to get done. Just keep on looking in the charity shops August, September and October time. They move their stock around from shop to shop as well - not sure if you know that! Sometimes you can pick up clothing at car boots as well

Hope you are now feeling better after your dizzy spell and doing your bit!

Candie-gill - yes you can batch cook and freeze no problem, just make sure you label on the outside what it is otherwise it might become a guessing game. Our freezer is out in the garage and when it turns cold those notes on the bags are a pleasure for having to spend minimal time with the door open in the freezing cold

folly

slm6002 wrote: »

Is there anything that i could attach to my buggy wheels to help when pushing in the snow. In previous years they have tended to get clogged up. Just wondered as someone mentioned tyre chains. I will be doing a lot of walking with the buggy so just wondered or is it a little OTT?

Not sure if it would work, but you could try smearing the wheels with vaseline before you go out, I know some people use this under horses hooves when riding in snow , it stops the snow sticking and becoming compacted.

newworld_2

just had to share went into TJ Hughes today bought a single Morphy Richards electric blanket for 7 pounds and a double for 9 pounds. i also bought a single fleece underblanket for 5 pounds 60 and a double for 6 pounds 40. the double is for myself and single for my son. i have been going into sainsbury's everytime i went into town since someone mentioned a long time ago that they had a half price offer on wellies. all those visits were in vain as they never had any in stock. i was determined though and i kept going hoping one day i would find them. i went in today and guess what i see? half price wellies. snapped them up very quickly for only 3 pounds. was tempted to buy 2 pairs one for this winter and one for next but decided against it. TJ Hughes also had hand warmers for 50pence each if anyone is interested.

Alwaysthebusybee

I usually lurk at these posts but I have found the last few pages really helpful - I am now subsribed and plan to catch up properly once DH is on afternoons so I can have a proper read!!

I caught the thread briefly earlier in the year but didn't think much about preparation, however my views on things have now changed. I have no proper winter coat, no proper walking boots or any kind of flat boots, no gloves, scarves or thick winter socks etc.

I have so far:

Got additional rugs in most rooms (washed the grubby ones and got them drying whilst the weather is nice!)
Got a basic list of essentials I need
Got some thermals
Stock cupboard is always built well but I plan to have a good sort through

So far on my list I have:

Turn unused rooms radiators off, and rooms upstairs down.
Line Curtains
Put curtains up at doors
Get single quilt for under my half of the bed
Fleece blanket for my side of bed
Get a lot of winter clothes from ebay, car boot sales or charity shops
Watching some Yaktrax on ebay (but will purchase some of these - I am very clumsy anyway!)
Make a car box up
Make an emergency box up (in case of power cuts etc)

No doubt there will be more to add to my list but really need to get organised this year as I am expecting in the new year and need to be prepared.

I look forward to reading the whole of the thread!!

Busybee x

Klug

Thanks for all the great ideas, especially from Confuzzled. Lots to take on board. I'll try and track down some of those leggings and source a single duvet. Thanks again.