Preparing for winter II

littleboop

I'm not dreading the winter for the first time in a few years, which makes a change! :j

Our last flat was single glazing (with some of the windows actually painted stuck slightly open) woodern floorboards throughout and no heating system to speak of. Me and the OH would actually get home from work and put dressing gowns on over our clothes then get straight in bed fully clothed to watch tv. We also had 3 duvets on the bed, 2 on top and one under the sheets. We knew it was bad when one morning we found a layer of ice on the inside of the bathroom window :eek:

Now we have a nice new flat, (new for us not a new build ) with double glazing and carpeted throughout. I'm still on the knitting though, so far I've knitted some new cosy bed socks and the next job is lining all the curtains.

aligerdie

Hi all :hello:

Have been lurking on this thread as usual, and picked up some fab tips, thank you!

I've been slowly getting ready, but the next thing on my list is a thick roman blind on the landing window.

I need some good quality fabric, thick cotton preferably, so I can make it myself - can anyone recommend a reasonably priced online fabric shop? They all closed down in our town & dunelm nearby don't stock fabric anymore.

Money is very tight at the moment as hubby's firm looks like it will go bust any day now. The utter fear I'm feeling right now is awful as I'm worried about keeping the house warm during the winter for dd2 who has cerebral palsy. I'm trying to work my way through the list posted earlier in the thread, and failing miserably

splodger_seedswapper

i live in a LHA property - and the heating system (storage) is over 20 years old if not more

anyway - i have been offered a possible heating upgrade - and an assessor is coming over on friday - he tried to put me off having gas central heating put in - should i pursue the possibility of having gas - or should i stick with electric storage heaters?

i am going to ask for a woodburner to be installed - but i really don't think they will let me have one

Hobsons_Choice

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

Thanks[/QUOTE]
Maybe try heavy duty Velcro? Or one of those expanding shower rails (so you don't have to drill walls or anything) and make tabs for the quilt?

tugrin

Hi splodge - thats a toughie - do you get many powercuts where you are because then I would think it would make the choice easier. Having come from 3 years of gas it was fabulous and I think I would opt for that if it was available here but would always have an electric cooker because Im so dangerous with gas stoves!!!

nikki2804

My winter jacket arrived. I opted for a Superdry one as I had heard amazing reveiws about them. I ordered 2 sizes bigger, normally an 8 so I got a 12. It just about fits, sending it back for a 14. Lovely jacket though (OT but how on earth can clothing stores get away with the random sizing? I range from a 4 to an 16 depending on the store, I can understand maybe a size each way but that is abyssmal!!)

Skint Bint - thanks for the M&M link, going to buy the LO them :j.

Completely off topic - my last car payment was made today. I now officially own my car!! Plus that means more money for my emergency buffer/house fund.

Off to Costco tonight so will stock up on what I can

splodger_seedswapper

tugrin wrote: »

Hi splodge - thats a toughie - do you get many powercuts where you are because then I would think it would make the choice easier. Having come from 3 years of gas it was fabulous and I think I would opt for that if it was available here but would always have an electric cooker because Im so dangerous with gas stoves!!!

not many powercuts, thankfully

although there is a gas meter on site - there is no gas supply connected, so that would obviously take time to arrange - the chap said that it would be a major upheaval (for me) to have gas fitted and they would need to get into the loft (that would be a problem - as it is absolutely full of junk :rotfl:)

i guess i will have to stick with electric heating - and just hope that the new storage units will work more efficiently than the old units currently installed

i used to be on a social tariff for the electric - but my provider changed the criteria and i had to go back to normal tariff - but with the pending price rises on utilities - i think i might try again to see if i can go back onto the low tariff again (it's gotta be worth a try anyway)

babyblooz

Aligurdie, I remember my husbands auntie used to hang two pairs of curtains at the same window, one behind the other, shorter ones behind, longer ones at the front. She was very thrifty and said that it kept the cold air out so maybe you could try that if you have some old curtains in the loft or somewhere. She used to use the little plastic curtain hooks to attach the second pair to the heading tape of the front pair. Its quite easy to do, but a bit less easy to explain lol.

Another thing to remember is that roman blinds take much less fabric than curtains so maybe you could re-use some fabric you already have, from old sheets or curtains maybe. You could interline it with some old fabric to make it thicker and even if you didnt like the fabric it wouldnt show as it would be sandwiched inbetween.

We have a flat roofed extension to the dining room coupled with large french windows so I am looking at perhaps some kind of window quilt to hang over the glass. We could put it up at night when we come back in from work and wouldnt need to go out again but it would be a bit of a faff! Then again if it makes the kitchen more comfortable it might be worth it.

Confuzzled

Mad4camping wrote: »

Confuzzled = I found this recipe and thought of you ... with the cornmeal link... I reckon this could be tweaked either to add meat or pare down.. i like it can be frozen as the portions are big.. I have no more room in our freezer though..

Vegetarian Polenta Bake recipe: cheesy, easy and delicious (easily serves 8 greedy people as a main course)
Grease a shallow oven proof dish well. Heat the oven to 180c (160c fan)

---- let me know anybody if its a good one I don't want to post :spam:

cheers for that i'll have to give it a go, i've never had polenta the side dish though i bought some this time from approved foods, i'll try theirs fist to see if i like it and if the wee one likes it, if at least i like it then i'll try this recipe and freeze it up, sounds tasty to me, if the wee one doesn't like the 'test polenta' i'll just make a half batch for me and freeze up plenty

i tell you the freezer is really helping out a lot now. we've been fighting off colds, first in 2 years, not too bad though the wee one was really bad yesterday but she's speeding through it at triple speed so all the vitamin c is paying off! i've got a lot of work on my plate for today but once that's done i can take it fairly easy for a few days so if i do get it as bad as she did yesterday i can convalesce on the sofa and know i can and will be well and easily fed from the freezer contents.

in the end i didn't make it a one day marathon, i spread it over about 5 days but i'll have enough for a month now and i suspect i'll just be doing some big batch cooking days as i feel up to it so i'll never have to have a marathon days, don't think my back and knees could handle that. i don't mind 5 days a month for the other 25-26 i don't have to cook, plus we've been eating healthier, smaller portions (already losing weight :T) and most importantly more regularly, no more 8pm dinners! thank you sooo much to the op who posted that link to their chest freezer, you were the catalyst for this and it's already making a big impact for the better :T:T:T

nataz

Thought I best pop back in to say hello, been catching up on the chat over past few days via mobile but didnt get chance to chat.

DHs craghoppers going back, seems he been eating to many sweets lol, hope they've got 34s left. Mine are lovely, although would have prefered a darker colour.

The thermal blinds from Amazon have arrived, but are still sitting in the box as Ive felt pretty awful past few days but did manage to get fleeces for door curtains from Wilkinsons (pack of two for £5) and a lovely merino wool double blanket from a charity shop up at Rothbury for 50p!!!!!! Mega bargain!!!!!

I have to say last night was freezing, got into bed and practically shivered to sleep. And autumn has defo hit Northumberland, leaves turning, nasty weeds finally dying and berries everywhere. Have to admit it tho, Im part of the love it when its cooler club. Nothing like snugglling up with wooly jumpers and a fleece blanket watching the telly!

Oh and Im still hoping to grab some of those Tesco bargains. I missed the pasta but hopefully the toms and de-icer will still be around today.

I also wanted to say how lovely everyone on here is, Im often around on the debt board (half way through a DMP) and I think they are the nicest boards - although I may go off and find the xmas one.... jingle bells (shhhhh!!!!)