Preparing for winter II

rising_from_the_ashes

chirpychick wrote: »

II am starting to fret that Winter wont be as exciting as the last 2 years!

Ohhhh myyyyyy, I am praying for a mild winter. If I didn't have to go out I'd happily be marooned in the house for weeks on end.

Journey to work was at least 2 hours each way last year (long difficult walk to bus stop through feet of snow, waiting up to an hour for a bus, horrendous journey then staggering across icey paths to get to the office) - instead of a 15 minute car journey.

I ended up losing up to 3 hours time a day which took months to make up (either that or lose pay:().

Also didn't make it to DM & DFs for Christmas Day (1st time ever) which was really hard.

So, being selfish too - I really hope it isn't.

Have a look at http://www.exactaweather.com/UK_Long_Range_Forecast.html for an idea (doesn't look great depending on where you are).

Rainy-Days

Chirpychick - there was a recent report issued last week that waqs forecasting heavy snow at the end of October and a prolonged spell of very bad weather with plummeting tempertures which would last through to January!

I also recall a 'swan song' ending to last September (2010) and then we had the big bang with huge snowfalls and probably the worst winter since 1964! All I can tell you is this, the trees are absolutely laden with berries, which allot of us believe is a portent of a bad winter. Friends of ours who do hunting are saying that the rabbits they are catching have more fat on them this year than in previous times (also another countryside belief is animals fatten up for a very lean winter ahead).

I think this year is going to be a very bad one, whether it will be on a par or even worse than last year I simply don't know, but I hope the above helps!

Rainy-Days

I am with you Rising, on this one! What with work and family life being majorally problematic.

If we get quite a wet winter interspersed with quite a few chilly days with hard frosts - that will be a big boon. If we get the frosts then usually the following day is bright sunshine and that always lifts me tremendously. It's when it is grey and gloomy all the time that I get a bit deflated!

Hoping for everybody for a mild winter, but preparing for a difficult one just in case. Nothing will be wasted or affected by doing what we have done, it will just add to our sense of satisfaction of keeping the heating costs down and not having to go out quite so often

darkrev

i'm going to go slightly off topic ..... but for all you prepers for winter that are filling the freezer full of delights... Moutard on Grabbit has posted some cook books which are are WHSmith on promotion. for £5 if you are quick and also free delivery to store !!!! so if you fancy stretching your repertoire for the freezer or a few early xmas pressies here is the link
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/PromotionLanding.aspx?promotionID=5foodfav&sf=BestsellerRank&utm_campaign=eq_whs&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=awin&awc=3017_1317023360_8b128e3478f2524e633165d168d330b6

:j

Frugal_Dreamer

I've heard it's going to be the worst winter on record since the last ice age. From the end of October expect prolonged spells of ice, snow and severe winds from the Artic. I also read that this change in winter weather may herald the return of wolves that will move across from Scandavia.

singlestep

Talk of wolves and record-breaking apart, I wouldn't mind another cold winter. I love the snowy weather and intense cold and knowing that I am warm and safe inside with a freezer full of food (and, I admit, enforced absences from work at a busy time of year, even if catching up afterwards is problematic). Im only hoping to not be stranded overnight at work. It's selfish of me because I'm not elderly or disabled and I'm in a position where I can afford to stock up and put some money by. I also live in a big city so it's not likely that I'd be cut off for weeks on end... I hope! Now that would be a really bad winter.

Purple_kitten

I have to say it's a bit odd it's so warm at this time of year.

Its odd to think that at the end of next month it will be sooo cold, hence I'm not sure the weather people really know what's going on. I'm sure they do all the panicking people and say ohh look it didn't happen and thats better, so I'm not sure it will be as bad but I don't mind being proven wrong :-)

Fruball

Frugal_Dreamer wrote: »

I've heard it's going to be the worst winter on record since the last ice age. From the end of October expect prolonged spells of ice, snow and severe winds from the Artic. I also read that this change in winter weather may herald the return of wolves that will move across from Scandavia.

But how will they get here?

singlestep

Frugal wrote: »

But how will they get here?

It hadn't even occured to me to ask that ...

The way I look at it, being all set for a bad winter will not go to waste. New clothing will be worn. Money I've set aside for heating can be spent on something else, food from the freezer will be used anyway. My new Wintertrax can be put aside until they're needed. This thread and its fab contributors have helped me set my mind at rest and prepare for whatever happens.

I've used my long weekend to make a decent dent in Christmas present shopping. It wasn't nice last year waiting on things that had been held up in the post. I'm also considering some homemade gifts - I'm not a great cook or very crafty but there must be some that are foolproof :rotfl:

Justamum

Frugal wrote: »

But how will they get here?

They'll probably get a ferry from Norway