Preparing for winter III

PixieDust

Singlestep Hav eyou considered one of these for your Mum? They are small, but not tiny and useless, and not really too badly priced for the leather one (imo)

http://www.thehealthybackbag.co.uk/bag/5100-ep

Ceirdwyn

The only thing we have really done so far this year is to make some door curtains, but I am really shocked at what a difference they have made. The kitchen is a small single brick extension on the back of the house, it has a stone floor and no heating and the back door doesn't fit that well so it get's very cold in there, and the front porch thing is single glaze glass in a rotting wood frame and is full of draughts too. (It's a rented house and it's been on the landlords "to [STRIKE]not[/STRIKE] do" list for 2 years so far)
Anyway, a trip to our local fabric remnents shop, where they rolls of factory seconds fabric for a pound a metre, and curtain wire for 40p a metre. Hubby got busy with the sewing machine and we now have two thick curtains, one at the door into the kitchen and one at the door into the living room from the porch. Doing just that has meant that having the CH on for 30 min 4 times a day is keeping the house at 19oC rather than the 13-14oC it was, all for £6.80:D:T

My next job is to clean out the kitchen cupboards and stock up, but I've not felt up to it for the past few days.

^!£$&

Just spoken to my cousin who lives in Connecticut (east coast, usa) they're having a very early snow storm, with power outages, fallen trees and major transport stopped! I wonder if we'll be next??

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15502380

suzybloo

Oh goodness snowbrow, thanks for the link - batten down the hatches then and get that planning in place - do we not usually get the same type of weather here about a week later?

Rainy-Days

Here we go - Snow has hit New York for the first time ever and it generally always moves across the pond towards us! I am thinking possibly two to three weeks and it could be over here. Long range 14 day forecast is showing no snow yet, but that could all change quickly!! What is on the East Coast of the US generally makes it way over!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055185/Snow-New-York-The-Big-Apple-gets-inch-Halloween-time-EVER.html

tiff

We were in NYC this time last year and expecting it to be cold, but ended up buying t shirts as we hadnt taken any and it was so hot. The weather turned cold on our last day, but no sign of snow then. Incredible.

singlestep

PixieDust wrote: »

Singlestep Hav eyou considered one of these for your Mum? They are small, but not tiny and useless, and not really too badly priced for the leather one (imo)

http://www.thehealthybackbag.co.uk/bag/5100-ep

Thank you. I really like that bag and it looks so practical too - now I'll try to fgure out if mum would. She's so picky (but would deny it if I accused her of it) and, while she would like it, liking it for herself is a different story. If she didn't want it I would! Great idea, and I'm going to pass it along to a friend who was looking for something like this for herself.

toottifrootti

thanks for the link pixie now I want one - and of course I want the most expensive ones - boo hoo!!!!

woke up with no heating so my little halogen heater that I got this week has been try and tested and works really well. may even get another to save moving it about - was only 9.99 in Dunelm - cheaper than most other places I have seen.

will need to get LL to sort the heating asap.

prepareathome

Right I think I have done most things, although bound to be things I have forgotten

Done - HOUSE

Bought winter duvets
Put foil behind radiators
Bought big rug for living room - £16 Ikea and can be washed, doesn't say so but soft enough to fold up and go on a cool wash, have a runner type one in kitchen and I wash that a lot thanks to 3 dogs
Have 6 fleece blankets ( bought two more this year) plus last years cheap slanket and a real slanket I picked up brand new in charity shop - thick, soft and in cream - hubby says it should be his as he is worker in the family I say we should take turns lol
Bought one pair thermal trousers for said hubby - he is a delivery driver and out in all weathers and refuses to wear thermal underwear, wondering if should by second pair
Knitted two new hats for said hubby
Hubbys thermal gloves from last year still ok so no need to replace
All curtains lined and hung - except front door one
Have enough food to keep us going for a bit including tea/sugar/coffee/tinned meats/tinned meals/tinned veg/tinned fruit/tinned cream/In
stant custards/Tinned potatoes/crackers - can be eaten dry - freezer nearly full and also tins to use in case of powercuts ( water to come tomorrow re sains delivery along with few extra bits for emergency cupboard)
Have 5 UHT skimmed milk + 2 packs dried ( makes up to 8 pts) + 1 4pt skimmed in freezer
2 bought loaves in freezer and enough bread flour and other bits to keep making bread for about a month
Checked all oil lanterns and candle sticks are still useable and have oil and candles to go with them
Have half a dozen yankee tarts ( may treat myself to a couple more)
Gas fire in main fireplace but bedroom ones useable - have stuffed pillows up them and have some coal in case need to use them, plus firelighters and newspaper
Have two camping stoves - hob type and plenty of gas for them
Have camping heater that uses the same gas
5 wind up lanterns all work
Solar power radio and solar power/wind up radio sitting on window ledge charging
Solar power charger for mobile phone/mp3 player also on window ledge ( note to self check if it will charge up kindle)
Batteries bought for CD player - note to self must copy some more audio books to cds
Bought new welli-boots ( foot part like a welli, ankle part waterproof padded material
We both have full wellies
We both have walking boots
Bought a sledge ( for grand-kids mainly)
Checked stove top kettle, still fine
Have one large and 2 small thermos flasks, might consider another
Have 4 hot water bottles from last year and still fine
Dogs have new cosy bed and bedding
Have 15kg bag of dried dog food unopened and about 1/4 of another bag should do them till march - only enough wet food for about 4 6 weeks so maybe more
Only 5 boxes matches - better buy some more
First Aid box - human and animal - over flowing but need to see if GP will let me have a few more of my prescription meds so have emergency supply in
Have put a shovel and spade in downstairs toilet just in case of snow, not bothering to buy snow shovel for house

DONE - CAR - Some in car some sitting in hall

Fold up shovel
Tow Rope
Hand Warmers
Emergency Blanket
Torch
Car checked and winterised by garage
First Aid kit
Wind up Radio
Wind up lantern
Screen wash that does not freeze
Fleece

Ordered by not received yet

12vt 4 in one car starter
Rubber over shoes for hubby
Silk lined thermal socks for both of us
Shoe grippers for me
Neoprene Heat Therapy Gloves a pair each

Entertainment if power goes off

Mp3 player - solar charger
CD player - batteries
Portable DVD player - batteries
Books
Knitting
Corded phone - plugged in and working as cordless will not work
Board games

EXTRAS

Cat litter
bucket and scoop - these to make an emergency toilet if they both freeze ,
Oh yes make sure have plenty poop bags

So think I have covered heating, lighting, cooking, entertainment

Still to do

Waiting a rather larger than meant delivery from sainsbobs - blown my Nov Grocery challenge and its not even Nov oh yes that is right its not so could get by and say that this is still for Octs lol, even though its the Nov shop + ) Driver will not be happy as tons of tins and bottles of water, are you allowed to tip a sainsbobs driver I wonder as my hubby is totally joyful he doesn't have to carry any of it and as he is out all day today its me that has to put them away, well might take all day but should get there, although not sure where will be as reorganised cupboards but not that much room in them, but that should be final stocks in, just to remember to rotate them

Find out if I can get calor gas heater checked over for free as not used in in past two years since CH was fitted, but still intend to keep it for emergencies, and need to find out how much gas is left in it - so not to self call the number on it tomorrow and see if the free checks still available.

Note to self - get that curtain up over the front door girl and sort out one outside back - we leave back door open just enough to let dogs go out into garden except when it is at its coldest and windiest, so thought this year a curtain over the outside of back door (no room inside) might just help keep draught down a tad and still let dogs out, so curtain is about 2ft from bottom of door

tugrin

Im so excited that the financial education petition is nearly at 100,00! Less than 300 to go - Ive been watching it like a hawk 'cos its definitely something I wish I'd had at school , maybe I wouldn't be in such as mess now if someone had at least given me a few lessons in budgeting.
Its overcast and grey here and windy enough to make gardening uncomfortable so Im being a Sunday couch potato although I might make some bulk soup for the freezer in a bit. It will have to be lentil and tomato as I dont have any other ingredients.
Prepareathome's list has scared the living daylights out of me and made me feel quite dazzled at the same time - you should feel proud of yourself prepare - its a brilliant list and I wish I lived in your house!!!