Preparing for winter II

Fruball

jamanda wrote: »

Red Doe, if it gets too bad you'll have to head south bed hopping from one of us to the next. I'll dust the spare room!

Red Doe would be very welcome to warm up here too

Tink_04

Ok my mission this week is to add some tins to stock - get car supplies in and sort out the meds! I feel so far behind but that's may e because its colder earlier now?

Rainy-Days

Good grief Red Doe, I knew it was bad but that is just dire. These flipping oil suppliers they act like the !!!!! the way they go on. Surely by paying monthly installments you would build up a credit with them so that when they do come to deliver the money is there!

It was -14.5 one Sunday morning and I was mucking out, that was so hard work, I got warm of course, but I remember breathing out and seeing the droplets of vapour from my breath freezing and crystalising! That really set me back. I was out six times a day smashing the buckets free of ice. I had to fill the five gallon containers up from the house because despite the well insulated pipe at the stables it just froze up. We packed it with old sacking and really insulated it well, but it made no difference, so we just filled the water and then wheel barrowed it through the snow and ice to the stables.

I just know - I feel it in my bones - that we are going to have an early winter. DH and I walked the dogs this evening and even he said it! We are going to be putting everything away such as the hose, garden furniture etc at the end of September and get everything done by then. That is our self imposed deadline. I feel sorry for the animals that have no protection. Our two dogs have their own beds and are often found curled up together in front of the fire on their Orvis bed (that was our Christmas present to them last year - I know ) and they are probably treated better than humans. The horses have big massive rugs on them and warm stables. They had their fleece rugs with their heavy weight indoor rugs on top of that for extra protection and they did stay warm. Their food is all in and stored away. It's just us now to finish off.

I think this winter is going to be a blockbuster - I hope I am wrong - the signs are all there though and I cannot recall a time when I have seen leaves on the trees turning as fast as they are now. DH and I are alright and we will be okay - it's others we feel for.

annie123

mcjordi wrote: »

Apparently Altnaharra in scotland has had its first bit of snow in August :eek

It's OK it only had a little bit of sleet for a short while and it was 7c.

Rainy-Days wrote: »

Is that bad then?

Not being thick here but I am not sure how far up into Scotland they are as I know some places get snow naturally once Autumn sets in. How does that compare with last year?

The first snow fall last year was 27th September, but it has had earlier snow than that and except for scotland winters have been milder over a lot of the UK.
weather charts if anyones interested:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/he/altnaharra_latest_weather_graphs.html


RE CONCERNS OVER POLYSTYRENE

All decorating polystyrene decorating products are treated these days. It should state that on the packaging or the web site where they are purchased.
Taken from Wicks web site on the link I provided earlier:

Manufactured from flame retardant additive material

Lining paper is more flammable.

The old stuff, those square tiles (not the square tills you can still buy today) give of toxic gases when burnt, which is why they were withdrawn.

If anyone wants to follow the build up of snow and ice in the northern hemisphere:
http://forum.netweather.tv/topic/70678-snow-and-ice-in-the-northern-hemisphere-201112/page__st__51

Daily pics posted so you can watch snow getting closer or further away as the case maybe.

Fruball

Our trees here have very suddenly started to change colour already... and we are in the South :eek:

abwsco

Red Doe, that sounds dreadful:(

rising_from_the_ashes

Rainy-Days wrote: »

Sirens, Masta do some really nice rugs for dogs both our labrador and spaniel have one fitted for them. It has a waterproof outer layer with a fleece iner lining and these last three bad winters they have been a boon for them. The best thing is that if they get wet/dity they are so easy to wash and very quick to dry, the have velcro fasteners as well. Highly recommend them. The lab has had his since 2004 and it is hard wearing bearing in mind we walk ours through the fields.

Try this one:-

http://www.equestrianclearance.com/products/pets/coats/index.html

You will need to measure your dog from his neck to the start of his tail and that will give you the size you need to buy.

Some great coats on there & excellent prices.

I had one made for Mr Ben a few years ago by the person who made my donkey rugs .... he HATES it and turns into an wriggling octopus then I try to get it on:rotfl:.

It's a couple of inches too long (my fault - measurements slightly off!:o) and I've been meaning to alter it but haven't bothered as he's only had it on a few times each year.

He's now 12 and will be wearing it this year so have now added that to my list too.;)

Anyway, a big "thank you" as you've reminded me of something else I must get ..... boots for him. His poor wee paws suffered terribly in the snow/ice and with all the salt last year and I couldn't get any sent as no post deliveries were getting through at the time.

I've had a very quick look and came across these - http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=123&pf_id=54591 - thought they might be quite good as if one gets wreaked, you've got a spare without having to get a new set.

Anyone tried them or recommend any? (he also hates his feet "played with" so need something easy!)

goodgodthatonesevenbigger

With all this talk of preping for winter, its made me think, is it just me or do the nights seam to be drawing in earlier than they used to when i was a lad lol, i have memories of sleeping out in the back yard (in a tent) right up to the second/third week of September when i had to be dragged kicking and screaming back to my bedroom. Im sure that i used to sit out in the garden before hitting the sack at about ten ish and it was still quite light.

Fruball

Yayyyyyy got a friend from LETS coming to put up my curtain rails at front door and landing window so that should keep the hall, stairs and landing MUCH warmer

Got the curtains already and they are lined so unless I can really be bothered, I won't bother attaching fleece to those ones... Or I might... hmmmmmmm or I might make a fleece blind to to in the recess of the landing window... hark at me thinking aloud :rotfl:

Fruball

goodgodthatonesevenbigger wrote: »

With all this talk of preping for winter, its made me think, is it just me or do the nights seam to be drawing in earlier than they used to when i was a lad lol, i have memories of sleeping out in the back yard (in a tent) right up to the second/third week of September when i had to be dragged kicking and screaming back to my bedroom. Im sure that i used to sit out in the garden before hitting the sack at about ten ish and it was still quite light.

Nope! Not just you... Its almost 7 and I can see a huge difference in the way the nights are drawing in