Preparing for winter II

tugrin

Yes Frugal you are soooo right - what in heavens name will we have to call ourselves come March/April time - or are we going to subscribe to the idea that one hot day in July is all the summer UK ever gets - after today it might be a hard one to pull, I think the temp was up in the mid to high 20s here in good ole Norfolk - I actually took my fleece AND my socks off!
Hi Warbaby - welcome to the best place in town.
Sending thoughts to you and yours Chirpy - keep positive and remember your vibes help all those around you (hard I know when you sometimes feel its all too much - but we are all here rooting for you).
I have spent day sorting what I like to call 'my studio' (read shed for that) ready for the bad weather and the visit of a neighbour later in the week who I have only just discovered is A ROOFER!!!!! So thank you for your exceptionally kind offer of help but I am now feeling better about all my beautiful things and piano! I know you are all asking yourself why the hell has she got beautiful things in her shed of all places - well the truth is there just isnt enough room in my tiny cottage and the size of the shed was the the main thing that swung buying this place - I had to have somewhere for the baby grand and all my and DDs pictures. We sound like a righ pair of luvvies....
Last hing to do today is sling all stinky dog mats and beds in washer for their end of summer wash - HOW DO you get rid of that DOG smell - and I know its them not someting that died behind the skirting board!!

abwsco

tessasmum wrote: »

You will love the woodburner - we've had one in the last three houses and couldn't survive without one here so we had one put in two winters ago after being without one for five years and it is wonderful!! Keeps the room cosy, dries washing overnight, saves on heating oil, keeps the family together in the one room rather than them being spread about the house, can even cook on it!

Yes, we can't wait:) Had the gas fire taken out and chimney swept in the lounge last year and it was lovely to have an open fire going.

DH also managed to get a free crate from work instead of pallets to make a log store. All we've had to do is timber treat it and made a couple of shelves with free wood as well. Do need to get more logs though so although we've some in the store now that are seasoning I think I'll bite the bullet and buy a big builders bag of some that are already seasoned. Logic is that we shouldn't use them all this year/early next and it will save money by buying them now.

Will still be keeping an eye out though for wood in skips and any logs lying around:)

Lucy5781

sunnyone wrote: »

PB?

Its getting so cold come 4pm I just want to go to bed!

PB = Purpose Built

kmiller4

Chirpychick-- sending hugs and prayers for your dad. Please keep us informed as to how he is doing and if there is anything we can do to help.

ifonlyitwaseasier-- i'll try to cut and paste the recipe below. For honey wheat, I add about 3 tbsp (45mL) of honey in place of the sugar.


Easy No-knead White or Wheat Bread

6 ½ cups bread flour 825 gm (or 4 ½ cups 572 gm white bread flour and 2 cups 240 gm whole wheat flour)
1½ tbsp yeast (or 2 packets)
3 cups very warm water (720 ml)
1 tbsp oil (15ml)
2 tbsp white granulated sugar
2 tsp table salt

In a large container with a loose fitting cover mix the yeast, sugar and water. Let the mixture set about 20 minutes on the counter uncovered or until mixture looks creamy and frothy with bubbles. Stir in the oil and flour, adding the salt last (salt can kill yeast if it comes into direct contact). Mix together until a ragged dough forms. All the flour should be incorporated but the dough should look ragged and not smooth. Cover loosely and let the dough sit in the sunlight or other warm place until it at least doubles in bulk. Although dough can be used for bread at this point it is recommended that it be placed in the fridge at least overnight. Dough can be stored in fridge up to 10 days before baking.

To bake:
Preheat oven to 350F (about 178C). Grease two loaf pans. Remove dough from fridge and uncover. Sprinkle top of dough lightly with flour to prevent sticking when handling. Divide dough into two pieces. Shape each piece into a football shape keeping the floured surface on the top and tucking the edges under. Do not over handle dough. Place dough into loaf pan. Lightly grease or Pam spray top of dough. Let dough rise on the counter 2-3 hours or until center top of dough is slightly crowned over the top edge of loaf pan.
Bake 30-35 minutes on the center rack. Loaf should be lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped. Cool on wire rack. Makes 2 loaves; can be frozen.

Note—regular all purpose white flour can be used for making bread, but bread flour makes a much better loaf. If using regular AP flour add some vital wheat gluten.

sydneybean

Not sure if anyone else does this but i have started filling my hot water bottles up from the tap rather than boiling the kettle. For me they are much better as they are snuggly much quicker rather than having to wait for them to cool down a bit!

Rainy-Days

Greetings preppers hope you have had a good weekend.

Just back from the inlaws and had a good day with them. Got FIL a Bulldog snow shovel ordered off Amazon this afternoon and he will get it delivered around or just after 6 October. We are hoping that it will be delivered then and no later. Looks like Amazon have been having a run on snow shovels.

MIL helped me with a knitting problem I had and she is off to Primarni next week to get herself the 200 denier fleece tights. They had it pretty bad in Lincolnshire last year in fact they had more snow than us. We are not too worried about them because DH other brothers do not live too far away. They are doing a small amount of winter prep but nothing on the scale we have done. Motorway was busy tonight but glad to be home. Love going away to see them but it's always nice to get back.

Chirpy I'm sorry to read about your dad. 47 is no age and it seems very unfair, but medical science has come on so much in this last 20 years and they are making good breakthroughs in neuro-science and treatments as well. Keep positive - it will be a terrible worry - and have faith that he will be alright!

Thanks Kathy for recipe I shall put it into practice xxx

dawnie1972

Well i've made quite a big discover today - I have two wooden sheds in the garden which to be honest i've never bothered with as apparently they were used as chicken houses - until I looked in to and the biggest one has huge logs in it - and by huge they are more like tree trunks - fabbo - only problem now is how to cut them down in size. And whilst out walking the dogs earlier i noticed one of the trees branches had broken off (it was quite a size) - so i went back with my car and dragged it home (my road is isolated and you dont see a soul at weekends)!!
Also if anyone is interested was looking on lidls website earlier and from Thursday they have a lovely looking dralon blanket for sale for £12.99 here's the link (hope it works) http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_24599.htm

tugrin

Guys I need some advice/stroke help with my hands!!! I dont know if it's because Im getting old (boo hoo) or whether it could be the drugs Im on but EVERY time I go to do anything - even get the hoovr out etc I mange to nick myself or somehow produce an irritating tiny cut which then proceeds to sting and irritatingly bleed everywhere. Drama over I NEED SOME REALLY COMFORTABLE AND STRONG gloves that I can wear almost all the time.
Rubber gloves make me very sweaty very quickly then I get little itchy blisters which eventually burst - d'you think neoprene would be just as irritating. I have those white cotton tings you get from chemists BUT they get filthy.
This is actually stopping me from doing stuff now - please rack your brains!!

dawnie1972

Not sure if this is what you're looking for but do you know anyone that works in the construction industry? If so see if they can get you some gloves that they wear on site - ie some sites have a glove policy whereby all operatives must wear gloves, they are not thick clumsy things and very comfortable, they fit snuggle and you can get fingerless ones too.

LadyDee

tugrin wrote: »

Guys I need some advice/stroke help with my hands!!! I dont know if it's because Im getting old (boo hoo) or whether it could be the drugs Im on but EVERY time I go to do anything - even get the hoovr out etc I mange to nick myself or somehow produce an irritating tiny cut which then proceeds to sting and irritatingly bleed everywhere. Drama over I NEED SOME REALLY COMFORTABLE AND STRONG gloves that I can wear almost all the time.
Rubber gloves make me very sweaty very quickly then I get little itchy blisters which eventually burst - d'you think neoprene would be just as irritating. I have those white cotton tings you get from chemists BUT they get filthy.
This is actually stopping me from doing stuff now - please rack your brains!!

Could you wear large rubber gloves over the cotton ones when you are doing something that requires protection? If you are injuring yourself so easily perhaps it's best if you have a word with your doctor, or at least the pharmacist.