Preparing for winter II

Confuzzled

Justamum wrote: »

No!!! How do you measure out something like a cup of broccoli? Or a cup of chopped carrots for instance? Surely it would depend on whether you slice the carrots or chop them in fine dice?

I don't mind using cup measurements for the cake I normally make as that uses oil instead of marg so it's easy.

when it comes to something bulky the recipe will near always tell you how it should be, so roughly chopped or thinly sliced etc... and basically those tend to be ingredients where the degree of detail isn't vital so if you have a few less pieces of broccoli in your quiche you won't have a horrible quiche (vs if you don't have enough flour or sugar in cake!)

i think for most things it's faster, plus after awhile you can eyeball a cup of many things but like i said before it's what you're used to and messy things can be a bit of a pain if they don't have convenient markings on them already though butter and margerine do and they're the ones that get used the most so it's a non issue for a lot of recipes.

do what i do, use either or depending on what's in them! i still prefer cups for a lot of things but i also like my scales, especially since mine can be set to 0 even if stuff is in them already so i can add as i go if need be, nice when i can't find all my measuring cups :rotfl:

Confuzzled

Alisonpennypincher wrote: »

Oh Red Doe, i wish i was nearer and could help. My dad is in Scotland, not as high up as you ( the north side of Aberdeen) and he gets such bad weather, i can't imagine how it must be for you.

This may sound a little crazy but have a look at home made solar heaters, they can sit in the windows and add abit of heat. I know the sun in Scotland is seen very little in the Winter (and the summer!) But you can make "heaters" quite cheaply that add more heat when the sun is out. As they saying goes every little helps!

I saw one once made from 2p coins pasted on a wooden board and then painted black, these (apparently) retained the heat quite well and made a few degees difference to the room. if you google DIY solar heaters it throws up some made from pop/beer cans too.

As i say may be a little extreme but though i would mention them

APP

plastic soda bottles filled with water will soak up heat as well though glass bottles may work better, i suspect the glass may transfer the heat better but as you said a google search will throw up all sorts of ideas, i like the 2p idea, how clever!

now about the sun in scotland remark *wags a finger, mostly playfully* it's NOT always dank grey and dark in scotland, not even in the highlands where i lived for several years. in fact i've lived all over scotland and found many many many glorious days. first summer i was here it was 30C on the isle of skye for 3 days running and blinding sunlight (i was upset too i'd just come from a hot place and was trying to escape it!)

it's often lovely and sunny here... i realise most comments are tongue in cheek but please don't think we're all mad for living here, when scotland is good it's golden! though maybe i should shut my trap now and let people believe the common mythos so it doesn't suddenly get overcrowded here....

i used to say that midgies were created to keep some rich person from coming into beautiful and glorious scotland, buying it up and taking it back rock by rock to be turned into a theme park called 'Bonnie Scot-Land' :rotfl: maybe the weather has been overstated repeatedly to help keep them away too

Confuzzled

annie123 wrote: »

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art36322.asp

Build a toilet roll wall along the coldest wall, well you've got to store them somewhere :rotfl:

Bubble wrap at the windows, window film too on top if you don't need to remove the bubble wrap to see out

i'm definitely going to try that inside solar collector, thanks for the link! the window at the top of the staircase is south facing so whilst the door at the top of the stairs is always kept shut in winter to keep the cold out (no heater in the staircase) the cold does seep through the glass of that door. i already bubble wrap it, gonna do both sides of the glass this year and a proper curtain not just a net one like before but if i could put a solar collector there it will def help, maybe even be warm enough to dry our smalls

my daughters room is the coldest in the house it's got 2 fully exposed walls, it's windows are west facing so not as ideal but they still catch a lot of light in the afternoon so i'll probably put some collectors in there too, at the very least they will take the edge off, last year she would sleep with me in winter as even the heater in there couldn't take the edge off some nights and we like to sleep in cold rooms :eek: this year she's got warm fleece all in ones, 3 thick duvets etc so we're hoping she can sleep in there as with my knee problems it's not good with me sharing a bed anymore. so i'm hoping collectors will make the difference

we bubblewrap the top of the stairs door and the bathroom window already, really makes a big difference and it only requires a quick wipe of a damp cloth on the glass then careful application of the bubblewrap, gotta love surface tension! this year i'm doing the thin panes of glass in the front door downstairs too, i don't care what anyone thinks i want a warmer house!

Red_Doe

That's true re the weather here...when it's sunny, it's the most glorious place to be.
But when it's bad, it's baaadddd.... Midgies, on the other hand, are THE most evil beast known to man! Every time it rains, you pop your head outdoors afterwards at your own risk. I look like a plague victim this time of year, all lumps and bumps due to the bites and nope, Skin so soft doesn't work as folks thinks so, nor do any of the other insect repellents I've tried over the years. I may resort to pipe smoking to see if that works.

Re rosehip syrup, any basic recipe will do but here's a link which has other hedgrow recipes too.

http://www.overthegardengate.net/garden/herbs/reci_hedge.asp

One thing I'd stress is that when you're straining the rosehips, don't be tempted to squash them through the muslin or the syrup will be cloudy. Not that that makes it useless! But most folks expect the syrup to be that lovely, clear, rosy colour.

Justamum

tugrin wrote: »

Justamum - "What's the point in making a plan? We make a plan. We get there. All hell breaks loose" Is this Ron?

No, it's Harry talking to Hermione

Justamum

Red_Doe wrote: »

You are all very kind people. Last night I turned off the laptop and had a wee weep to myself because of it. There are so many places on this vast site where it seems to be the name of the game to poke fun at others, or just be plain vicious, just for the hell of it.
The OS boards are different, and I'm so glad they are. These threads seem to be the safe haven for folks who are struggling but still retain their decency and kindness and most importantly, common sense. Off now before I start sniffling again! I blame the menopause!

I've dipped my toe into one or two of the other boards. I've had help on the 'techies' site when I've needed it (even if it has mainly gone over my head!) but I think it was on the 'Arms' forum where I found people could be unpleasant. I hardly ever venture out of OS now - but I've just noticed the over 50s savings which I'll have to have a look at soon as I'm 50 in less than 18 months :eek:

I really think you should contact your MSP and your MP about the fuel. It's morally wrong to let anyone freeze just because they haven't got the money up front.

Justamum

Confuzzled wrote: »

i used to say that midgies were created to keep some rich person from coming into beautiful and glorious scotland, buying it up and taking it back rock by rock to be turned into a theme park called 'Bonnie Scot-Land' :rotfl: maybe the weather has been overstated repeatedly to help keep them away too

Midgies - awful things. Why do they always hover at face height? I was on one of my evening walks a few days ago trying to avoid them, but unfortunately managed to breathe a couple in. I think they are some kind of murder weapon - the coughing and choking they cause.

Confuzzled

Red_Doe wrote: »

You are all very kind people. Last night I turned off the laptop and had a wee weep to myself because of it. There are so many places on this vast site where it seems to be the name of the game to poke fun at others, or just be plain vicious, just for the hell of it.
The OS boards are different, and I'm so glad they are. These threads seem to be the safe haven for folks who are struggling but still retain their decency and kindness and most importantly, common sense. Off now before I start sniffling again! I blame the menopause!

as long as you're weeping for the relief of finding a touch of kindness and humanity then weep away darling *BIG HUG* you're quite right that some of the other boards can be a bit vicious, i too have been turned off by some of the backbiting, and to be honest some greed (i do sometimes wonder if those being so vicious realise this is meant to be about moneySAVING not moneyGRUBBING )

i think most people in the OS have, with tight finances, been there, done that, and gotten the tshirt (which they wore til it was threadbare then turned into a rag rug ) and are HONEST about how it is and how it could be any of us in a bad financial situation. i've nearly been made homeless twice in my life, after that i'd never scoff at someone who was struggling, i mean how could i, i KNOW how bad it can get, how fast it can happen and how it really can be through no fault of ones own!

i'm not that bad off financially now, and i know there are plenty of OS people that are here not because money is tight but because they don't want to be in that position again (possibly ever, but i think most of us have been there at least once!).

we help because we remember how hard it was/or still is for some. we help because we're clever and know that 'kooky ideas' save pennies so the pounds can look after themselves. we're here cuz quite frankly we just don't give a damn about the greedy, vicious backbiters or what they think of us (and cuz we can sit back and chuckle a bit smuggly at them when they get what they deserve for being such !!!!!s well ok, maybe that's just me :rotfl:)

we're here because there isn't just safety in numbers, there can be comfort and comraderie too! ok i nearly set myself off with a few tears now so i'm gonna stop but just remember, no matter how hard it gets you can come for a wee rant and know we'll try to feed you full of comfort AND ideas of how to make the best of your situation, or even better maybe even change it for the better

Alisonpennypincher

Confuzzled wrote: »

it's often lovely and sunny here... i realise most comments are tongue in cheek but please don't think we're all mad for living here, when scotland is good it's golden! though maybe i should shut my trap now and let people believe the common mythos so it doesn't suddenly get overcrowded here....

I often say that if Scotland had the climate of the Carribean you would not be able to move for tourists!

On the Winter front, have managed to get my DS a fleece all in one from Primark. He probably won't sleep in it as he gets very hot at night, but it will be great for lounging around the house after his bath. Nearly got me an adult one, but decided i'd only end up tripping over it :rotfl:

Confuzzled

Red_Doe wrote: »

But when it's bad, it's baaadddd.... Midgies, on the other hand, are THE most evil beast known to man!

One thing I'd stress is that when you're straining the rosehips, don't be tempted to squash them through the muslin or the syrup will be cloudy. Not that that makes it useless! But most folks expect the syrup to be that lovely, clear, rosy colour.

Tulloch, worst place i've ever been in Scotland for midgies, literally massive black swarms that practically block out the sunlight! we got stuck there one night, we were meant to sleep at the bunk house there but an unexpected large group of climbers showed up literally 20 minutes before we got there and booked the entire place!

we were forced to sleep outside and had to sleep in sleeping bags with our coats over our faces despite it being hot and humid (yep even gets hot in scotland, fancy that!) i think i slept maybe 20 minutes the whole night. i KNOW i swallowed a lot of them and had midgies matted inside my nose, :shocked: and i won't even go into any more details about some of the odd places i had bites :eek:

as for rosehips, i strain them through my daughters old tights, two layers. for syrup i don't squish, for anything else i do as i use rosehips as a tomato sauce substitute, they make lovely bolagnaise!