Preparing for winter II

Rainy-Days

Prudent keep looking on Amazon those boots of mine saved £148.00 plus another £6.95 saved from not having to pay for the delivery - had I ordered them off QVC - so that is a massive saving, you will need to keep checking each day and going through different colours. They seem to be marking down the colours that are not selling so well, so maybe just changing to a different colour option may give you a better deal!

Today I dropped off the big beau duvet at the laundette they are going to have it ready for me on Friday morning all dried and everything - cost £11.50 :eek: wasn't expecting that much but it was three years ago it was washed so...

Picked up one of the horses rugs and it looks fab, his outside rug which needs washing and waterproofing I will get on Saturday - total cost £20.00 :eek: another two big spends. Having said that for the horse rugs they are over £60.00 new so you know £20.00 compared to £120.00 - no contest!

Our other lighter quilted duvet is in the machine, as I type, to go out on the washing line in a bit (not long got in from work), so that has saved me a launderette fee at least and then I have one of the horses lighter rugs to go in the machine afterwards. Then I will completely clean the machine right through.

The covers for the hot water bottles have dried beautifully on the line while I was at work and thankfully the list is showing some signs of improvement. :T

Spending has gone from £55.00 or so to over £85.00 now !!

boultdj

GreyQueen wrote: »

Morning all you lovely preppers.

I've just bought a rather elegant wind-up 4-LED lantern, "Rolson" brand, for £5.99. It's purchase was motivated by a camping trip but I'm contemplating trying it around the home in the winter evenings, but not for reading as I don't want to risk my eyesight. I thought about the £land ones and decided they looked a touch flimsy to be lumped around in rucksacks, although I think they would be fine for home-based emergencies. Safer than candles.

On winter nights, if I'm nattering on the phone, I have been known to turn the light off anyway as don't need to see to talk and it's all a saving on the bills, isn't it?

I "wombled" a large quantity of big bubble bubble-wrap a couple of years ago and will use some of it as insulation in my lottie shed. My flat is tiny and very well-insulated but I've spent most of my life in terribly draughty places; in my last flat I had to have a bolt on the inside of the living room door to stop the draughts sucking it open.

Can I recommend those brush-type draught excluders which fit along the bottom of doors? They are very cheap and easy to fit and really help (but they do gather fluff so you need to vac them from time to time).

Come September, I will be in my annual cleaning mode, where all the curtains come down and are washed and appliances dragged out an cleaned under, and a few other thingies which need to be done from time to time but not too frequently. This is my spring-cleaning substitute and I do it in Sept because this was the month I moved into my current home.

Hmmm, will have to start winter-prepping my allotment; treating the shed, rounding up stray items, organising shed, putting away stray items, harvesting and tidying up.

It's a good idea to check roofing felt (or other roofing materials) on sheds and outbuildings now, as well as frequently during the winter esp after bad storms, to check all is well and to make timely repairs. I've known people who've had to replace part of a shed roof because they didn't patch the felt when it needed it and the board rotted. A stitch in time, etc.

Right, must inventory the tinned foods in storage.......and the loo rolls, of course.;)

How many tin's of tomatoe's have you got now???:D

Prudent

Thank you Rainy-Days I don't really mind what colour as long as they are warm and dry and the sole gives a good grip. We had appalling weather here last year and I could have really done with some better footwear.

Prudent

Rainy-Days wrote: »

Picked up one of the horses rugs and it looks fab, his outside rug which needs washing and waterproofing I will get on Saturday - total cost £20.00 :eek: another two big spends. Having said that for the horse rugs they are over £60.00 new so you know £20.00 compared to £120.00 - no contest!

Spending has gone from £55.00 or so to over £85.00 now !!

I don't feel so bad about my spending now. Its nice to talk to others who are making the same preparations.

Thank you for the comment about cleaning rugs. I can add it my 'you did the right thing list'. I have recently given away all my large amount of saddlery and horse stuff to a equestrian charity. I have known for many years that I will never realistically afford a horse again or have enough time. It was heart breaking parting with it all - even though I knew it went to a great cause. I am hoping to drop to job share in 5 years when I am 50 and at that point I want to get a Shetland pony. I used to breed them and miss them so much.

rising_from_the_ashes

bramble1 wrote: »

TK maxx!! This is new thing for me, i don't normally have the patience to search through rails for things.

Snap, I start out with good intentions but get really p'd off very quickly and give up.

Prudent wrote: »

I have recently given away all my large amount of saddlery and horse stuff to a equestrian charity. I have known for many years that I will never realistically afford a horse again or have enough time. It was heart breaking parting with it all - even though I knew it went to a great cause.

I too have finally parted with most of my horse stuff - it's been in DM & DFs shed for years but they've said I've to take all my stuff back and I just don't have anywhere to put it and I'm not going to be in a position to have another for many years either. It was really difficult to get rid of some stuff, esp the bits that belonged to ponies that are sadly no longer with us. (When I retire, I want a small house with a field so I can have a couple of ponies, donkeys and chickens - as well as the cats & dogs ... not too much to hope for surely:o).

Sammy that's some list:D and rivals mine I think!

Quite a successful day so far:

• Took duvet to laundrette (£8) and has been hanging outside for about 3 hours so should be dry!
• Took dog to his favourite place and had a lovely walk on the beach while the duvet was washing (can venture back there now the schools are back;))
• Cut grass front & back
• Weeded paved area
• Cut hedge
• Cleared/weeded under hedge
• Tidied a bit more in the garage
• Bought big hooks at cheap shop to put up in garage to hang hedge trimmer, strimmer etc up
• Plugged in/turned on outside lights on side of garage (turn off in summer)

However, I have come unstuck with changing the bulbs in the outside lights on the house (one front & one back) - the screws are rusted solid:(.

I've tried WD40 but no joy - any other ideas?

rising_from_the_ashes

Still to do today .....

• Drill holes in garage wall for new hooks (not great with the drill :eek::eek:so fingers crossed)
• Lift horrible stinky carpets in both bathrooms
• Wash floors in bathrooms ready for new lino to be laid:D
• Put carpets into garage to use as template for cutting lino;)
• Dig out all fleecy/warm pj's ready for a quick freshen up wash on next sunny day
• Sort out bedding shelf - all mixed up and driving me mad!
• Try to get some big things up onto the rafters in the garage out the way (think my sun brolly is pretty safe going up, I don't think I've had it up since May:()
• List some bits on Free*cycle to get rid of some of the clutter in there
• Start draft excluder for patio doors (think I may give it a try, loads of material so not going to cost me anything)
• Remove moss from drive next to house (never gets any sun and is really damp)

Oh crikey, I better get on!:D

Prudent

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

.



I too have finally parted with most of my horse stuff - it's been in DM & DFs shed for years but they've said I've to take all my stuff back and I just don't have anywhere to put it and I'm not going to be in a position to have another for many years either. It was really difficult to get rid of some stuff, esp the bits that belonged to ponies that are sadly no longer with us. (When I retire, I want a small house with a field so I can have a couple of ponies, donkeys and chickens - as well as the cats & dogs ... not too much to hope for surely:o).
QUOTE]

You make me feel better, thank you I have a cat just now, but she will have to do until I can afford my shetland.

smileyt_2

Prudent can I come and live with you and go halves on the Shetland?

Erm ... this is not really off topic .... we could cuddle up to it at night and keep warm ... save on the heating .... :rotfl:

(will check amazon for boots, thanks)

Prudent

Confuzzled that's a great idea. I won't even need to buy a duvet cover as I bought too many when Argos had some incredubly cheap deals earlier in the year. One is especially nice quality and would be ideal for curtains. I have a sewing machine and lots of thread. I would just need heading tape and a fleece. The duvet is pinks and cream, so maybe a cream fleece. I now need to find some cheap fleeces in cream. Ikea is too far as the petrol would take way from any cost saving.

Prudent

smileyt wrote: »

Prudent can I come and live with you and go halves on the Shetland?

Erm ... this is not really off topic .... we could cuddle up to it at night and keep warm ... save on the heating .... :rotfl:

(will check amazon for boots, thanks)

Perfect