Preparing for winter II

GreyQueen

sparrer wrote: »

Extras for the car - old squares of carpet for a grip under tyres, a shovel, waterproofs, wellies with a pair of thick socks stored inside, extra batteries for the torch and an in-car charger for your mobile phone. I'm sure others can think of more

Ahem, if I can lower the tone slightly, if you were snowed into your car for many hours, a receptacle of some kind to relieve yourself in might be crucial for your comfort.:o

I shall slope off now that I've over-shared........

Confuzzled

GreyQueen wrote: »

Ahem, if I can lower the tone slightly, if you were snowed into your car for many hours, a receptacle of some kind to relieve yourself in might be crucial for your comfort.:o

I shall slope off now that I've over-shared........

greyqueen we most be long lost relatives, as well as our serious love of hoarding loo roll and other products i also lowered the tone by mentioning that last week, and i don't even have a car anymore :rotfl:

great minds (and bladders!) think alike eh?

boultdj

Seeing as it's dry and sunny here so far it's ended up as wash day, so far I'v washed,dryed and put away
4 scarf's
4 hat's and 1 balaclva
5 pair's of glove's
1 aran cardi
2 aran jumper's
1 thin quilt
and 2 fleece blanket's

also been cloth's shopping and got myself another pair of pj's and postie has bought my nikwax freebie, so on the next good wash day the rain coat's will be getting re-water proofed.

Also got the door curtin up at the back door, just need to do the front door now.

Rainy-Days

Someone mentioned ages back that they thought the John Lewis flannelette sheets were the best they have ever had. Does anybody else know? I still have one set to buy for us so that we have two sets - one on the ned, one laundered and in the airing cupboard.

Friend got back from Cornwall and said Trago Mills were okay but thought that Dunelm was better - we have the Dunelm set but are still looking!

Not much to report here, I am still knitting my scarf we are keeping an eye out at the local farms for the potato signs going up. On the things we have left to do there is about five days work max apart from the butcher and the potatoes there is nothing now left for us to buy - hopefully

seafarers_wife

boiler service has been done and considering its a back boiler its in pretty good nick, just really bad energy efficiency wise compared to a combi boiler. i did ask for an idea of prices for a combi being put in, and would be looking around 2K which i dont think is to bad, so will need to see how this winter and the gas bills go before making a decision on that as theres nothing wrong with it apart from it being a back boiler.

list of stuff still to do

buy wind up torch/phone charger - not escential really
curtains for bathroom windows? - not sure, will discuss with mum when she is up
sort out car kit (de-icer, washer fluid, phone, charger, blanket, shovel & brush)
tomato soup (i go through buckets of the stuff)
uht milk - buy in bulk from costco, but only had stuff dated dec 11 so will wait another month or 2
diluting juice
rice

extras that ive thought of after reading more of other peoples prep
more cat litter
de-icer in bulk
screenwash in bulk

sparrer

GreyQueen wrote: »

Ahem, if I can lower the tone slightly, if you were snowed into your car for many hours, a receptacle of some kind to relieve yourself in might be crucial for your comfort.:o

I shall slope off now that I've over-shared........

Strange, after posting my next stop was the loo and it still didn't occur to me :doh:...dementia or what?!

Just thought, a wind up radio might be a good idea to stop the car battery going flat. Perhaps I should get a camper van to carry everything in, at least it'd be comfortable - and have its own loo

*My hot water bottle's just arrived :j

rising_from_the_ashes

GreyQueen wrote: »

Ahem, if I can lower the tone slightly, if you were snowed into your car for many hours, a receptacle of some kind to relieve yourself in might be crucial for your comfort.:o

I shall slope off now that I've over-shared........

Confuzzled wrote: »

greyqueen we most be long lost relatives, as well as our serious love of hoarding loo roll and other products i also lowered the tone by mentioning that last week, and i don't even have a car anymore :rotfl:

great minds (and bladders!) think alike eh?

OMG I've not got any loo rolls in the car!:eek: (I think I may have a couple spare )

Rainy-Days wrote: »

Someone mentioned ages back that they thought the John Lewis flannelette sheets were the best they have ever had. Does anybody else know? I still have one set to buy for us so that we have two sets - one on the ned, one laundered and in the airing cupboard.

I bought a set from JL a couple of weeks ago (£18 for a double) and I have to say it's great quality, esp compared so some others I've seen. Has been washed and dried and it's lovely and soft and very thick.

rosieben

snowbrow wrote: »

... Also does anyone have a list of a winter car kit ...

there's a car survival list on the old thread I've asked squeaky to add it to the front page list

I like GQ's suggestion too

rising_from_the_ashes

redlady_1 wrote: »

Coal has been ordered. It is going up next month so am pleased I did it now. Although the price is increase is 80p a bag from last year, so I ordered 15 bags of New Flame which burns slower than ordinary coal and will keep "Steve" in during the day. Come winter I never let him go out. £7.20 per 20kg bag.

Now just to get more wood in.

Has anyone tried these?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paper-Briquette-Maker-Perfect-Waste/dp/B003WF4JHU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1314198387&sr=8-6

I know they're fairly expensive but if you go through a lot of papers (or your neighbours do) it may help cut down on coal/wood costs a bit.....

rising_from_the_ashes

Well, just back from L*dl and £55 poorer:(

However, around £50 of that is for my winter cupboard & post-op recovery stocks (saw consultant yest, now need 2 procedures - long story - and recovery 3/4 months, so unlikely to be driving before Jan:eek:).

I'll be able to get deliveries from Mr A but there's a few bits I like from Mr L and Mr A&di so stocking up to be done in the next couple of weeks;)

For my winter cupboard, today I've added:

• Mexican rice (6 pkt)
• Chicken curry rice (2 pkt)
• Veg & mushroom rice (2 pkt)

These are yummy (69p but do me twice) and I figured a good way to avoid the need for dried veg (and really easy if it's a case of the camping stove!)

• Chicken noodles (3) - not great, but would do a lunch if stuck
• Beef noodles (3) - "
• Sugar - white (2 x 1kg)
• Golden syrup (big tin) - for my porridge!
• Rice pudding (6)
• Raspberry jam (1) - for the above!
• Pasta bake (2) - already have a couple
• Pasta (2 x 500g) - "
• Lasagne sheets (500g)
• Lasagne sauce (Red & White x 1 each)
• Tinned mushrooms (4)
• Tinned sweetcorn (big) (3)
• Oat so simple (8 x 2) - already have some porridge oats
• Tinned Kidney beans (3)
• Apple juice cartons (8 x 1.5lt)
• Blackcurrant diluting juice (4 x 1lt)
• Sparking water (12 x 1.5 lt)
• Fox's Crinkle butter biscuits (2 x 250g x 2) - £land:j
• Cadbury's fingers (3 boxes) - £land:j(3 for £2)
• Shortbread (4 x 90g x 2) - £land
• Ryvita (but L*dl own) (2)
• Bread flour (4 x 1.5kg)

Our water is vile so it has to have something in it or I have to use bottled.

I know you can probably make bread cheaper than this but as soon as it gets to needing to add yeast etc, mine goes wrong!:mad: Probably lack of practice but I shouldn't really eat it so not going to get more so this will have to do!


Have a wee problem .... the cupboard is full:o. Think I'm pretty much there but still need a few staples such as flour etc (dates still too short on the ones I've seen).