Preparing for winter II

tugrin

Sorry last cooment promise - I have been teaching 30 years = even if I only went in at 9 and left a 3.15 it would not be £25 ph maybe if I was a deputy head it would be. However Im at school by 7.45am and usually leave at 4.30-4.45 - many colleagues stay util 6 every night. I then do at least another hour at home otherwise the childrens books would not get marked. 3 times a term I stay until 9pm for governors meetings. approximately 2 hours every Sunday is spent planning. I think this considerably takes down the hourly rate. You see the job cannot be done in just the time you are standing in front of the class.
People may choose to believe what I say or not however I have given my life to other peoples children and cared for them as if they were my own - indeed both my own chldren have made me feel guilty on several occasions whilst growing up by saying I cared more for my class than them. My daughter was walking a mile on her own to school when she was 8 so her mum could get to other peoples kids. I have been a bad mother for the sake of other peoples children and of course to keep a roof over our heads but when you are 8 that is hard to understand. I have worked blood y hard for 30 years (almost no maternity leave too back to work when DS was only 8 weeks old)) so I was merely saying that perhaps I would have been better off in terms of my time to devote to my family and my own time and health by being in a different job.
Please let this end here and accept my apologies if I have seemed smug/superior or belittling - I didnt mean to honestly.

Confuzzled

tugrin wrote: »

I went in to a Matalan today to see if they had fleecy pjs and was frankly appalled at the lack of anythinf remotely cosy.

sounds like my similar rant about christmas party dresses, particulary for children...NO SLEEVES, in December?!?!?!?!?!:eek: i went around charity shops looking for dressy long sleeved small womens shirts with narrow neckholes (my daughter can wear a size 8 without it being too horribly big IF the neckhole isn't massive) to go with a cute kids size party skirt i found her at another charity shop. a few stitches to hold them together and voila, a SUITABLY WARM christmas frock

i've had luck getting flannel (or flannellette or brushed cotton ) pj's from Very and that's despite being a size 26, even Evans don't seem to have them. also for those of less bulky proportions, ebay has them, you may sometimes have to find them in the mens section but they are lovely, soft and very warm.

also the leggings i mentioned made of 90-95% viscose and 5-10% elastane which i use instead of thermals are very cozy in bed. i normally sleep nude (unless my daughter decides to sleep with me due to the cold) and i wear those , also when it's so cold i can't face a 10 minute to warm up the duvet night!

Mad4camping

squeaky wrote: »

Hiya

Could you edit your post to a short quote and a link to the recipe that you found, please?

It looks like this one: http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/vegetarian-polenta-bake-recipe-easy-cheesy-and-delicious-7421

Please Read This Post:- [post=1937659]Copyright[/post]

oops..:o I meant no offence I did say it wasn't mine I'm sorry.. How do I do the link thing...? I am still getting used to posting after lurking for an age....I just wanted to share a great recipe.. sorry again I will try and fathom it out..

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I love reading this thread, but i tend not to post, when i leave for work i am in a t shirt, but over the last 2 days i have had to put a fleece on as it has been quite nippy..

I am going to put the curtain up early infront of the front door, and I must admit but we dont have ( never had in years:cool:) curtains up in the living room, infact any room in the house.

The main reason why i am going to put curtains up is because they are building a big supermarket right by our house, so now we will get people walking from the closest houses, right in front of our house:mad:, but in reality I should have done this years ago to stop the drafts etc.

We have got a coal fire, which we have been burning more and more wood in it, so I expect if we had gas it would avhe been a diff matter with the curtains etc

Eliza_2

I've got some left over underlay that normally goes under laminate flooring and wanted to make good use of it. It's the grey stuff on a roll rather than the solid boards.

I had thought of covering it and making a window quilt but wonder if anyone has any other good ideas for it?

Incidentally, what's the best way of fixing a window quilt to the window?

Thanks

tugrin

Some years ago when my DD was rowing competitively we used to use that insulation for 'cox's bottoms' - they dont move like the rowers but are still out in sub zero temps (and snow) and consequently were at quite a risk of getting hypothermic (they are smal and skinny to save weight too) and since then I have always thought it would make a good seating pad for a cold carseat on a snowy morning - wish I had some to try now we are all insulating everything like made (Dont stand still too long or you will be insulated whether you like it or not!)

Need2bthrifty

broodylass wrote: »

Article in The Times today Forget summer. We’ve skipped straight to autumn - headline says it all

I have to agree with the headline, I'm in the N.E of Scotland and the trees are turning, leaves are falling and I noticed the birds dining on the berries of my rowan tree, so those intending to forage are going to have some competition!!

toottifrootti

I have a huge rowan tree which was totally covered in berries and the birds have stripped it in the last 2 weeks!

sashanut

Hi all :j

Just popping to introduce myself & to say a big thank you to everyone who contributes to this thread as I've found it very useful

I just wanted to tell you about my best purchase last year - it was a double heated duvet (!) in the sale from Lakeland - not cheap at about £60 though. It has controls for both sides of the bed (DH has never had his on). It's washable as well - plus you can have it set to 75 mins or on all night. It was so good I tried to get another one this year, but was horrified to see how much they were (£100+). I did however find one on eBay, brand new & got it for the same price (£60). I know it's expensive but I've found it fantastic in our massive cold house. The make is Sleepwell by Dreamland. HTH

Also I have a pair of the Craghoppers fleece lined trousers size 16 if anyone wants to buy them for what I paid - otherwise they are going back. I did get them before they were reduced again - think they were £16.50. I liked them a lot but they were a little too big so I now have 2 pairs of a smaller size. PM me if you are interested in them.

Here we have all the usual problems of a big Victorian property with large windows that are not double glazed - but we do have an Aga in the kitchen which mean we don't have to put the CH on as yet. Last year we held out till Nov I think - our fuel bills are huge:eek: We have gas CH & an open fire in the LR. We work from home so are here all the time, which means the heating costs are higher.

Am getting prepared more this year, thanks to the thread!!:T

tugrin

Hi sashanut and welcome to the best thread on the site bar none! Lucky you having an Aga although I know they cost and arm and a leg to run but you do get that lovely residual heat all the time. Victorian houses are a nighmare aren't they? It really is a question of draughtproofing like mad and insulating until the availbale space inside is reduced by about a third (that is a joke).
Cant recommend the knauf space blanket insulation enough - on offer at Band Q (millions of thanks to person who posted that one) - its easy as pie to install!
I am seiously going to do the large bubble wrap stuck on the window panes with a mist of water (courtesy of Guy the solar build-it guru), this year.
Still cannot track down the ankle biting draught - feel as if its moving to keep one step ahead of my defences!!!