Preparing for winter III

Pooky

kittie wrote: »

huge snowfalls on 1-2 dec and 14-15 dec

80% certainty

If you could delay the snow for a week I'd appreciate it....taking Dd1 to Disneyland Paris on the 3rd for her 16th birthday!!!! We went last December and it snowed non stop and was -16!!! Very magical but very hair raising on the coach ride home!

LavenderBees

kittie wrote: »

huge snowfalls on 1-2 dec and 14-15 dec

80% certainty

Please let this be wrong....:(

cbrown372

LavenderBees wrote: »

Please let this be wrong....:(

There is a 20% certainty that it will be wrong

tugrin

I think the lack of activity on the board in th last ek or so indicates that we are all fairly ready now and just sitting waiting. I just want to throw an idea into the pool to get people more focused.
You wake up on Christmas Eve morning and theres no power. Local news says it is unlikely to be retored until Boxing day. Question - Could you clebrate Christmas reasonably successfully with no electricity?
Im not sure I could asI am so dependent on electric heating (inc water) and cooking.
Maybe someone who is good at lists (I am so bad at them) could do a checklist.

CH27

Have you all remembered to get spare batteries for your CH thermostats?

mcjordi

mines mains powered

just ordered a car charger for the phone.. its one thing i forgot last year.. luckily i had a spare battery in the car glove box for my old phone..
and some fuses for the car.. after all its french and likes popping fuses for fun
checked my tyres this morning and one is getting close to the limit so needs replacing soon..

prepareathome

well so long as I remember to bring in camping cooking stoves in from shed - where they still reside, and only need them if gas has gone off, if not have hob, but electric oven, so could come up with a slightly different meal, as no roast. I never cook a big turkey as I do not like it, although do buy a leg for hubby if he wants some, so no hacking to bits a big turkey to fit in a pan. Usually do chicken and beef and could pot roast both on low light on either hobs ( have done so in past). Christmas puds would just have to be cooked old fashioned way, rather than zapped in microwave for a few seconds ( to me its one of the few reasons to have a microwave, cooking steam puddings, heating milk and cooking pasta, never use it for anything else).

Mind you made me think - gas cartridges for camping hobs were bought a good few years ago and sit still packed as bought in shed, I should really check on them just in case package has become damaged and cans become rusty. Would notice the gas smell if leaking, at least hope I would but when dressed I will toddle down to shed and check them - thanks for this, amazing how you just do not think about checking things like that.

prepareathome

To enjoy Christmas with no power you need

Alternative way to cook - camping stove ( hob type the best and easiest to use) - to ensure a nice dinner at least a couple of these

Gas canisters to go with stove ( they look like the ones you used to use to fill lighters

Alternative lighting - wind up lanterns, solar powered lights ( but not just them), candles, matches; oil lamps/oil; candle lanterns - makes using the said candles safer; candlesticks ditto

About half a dozen good size thermos flasks - they can be used to keep food warmed on stove hot till rest of meal cooked

Alternatively a hay box - yes can be used for cooking but also good for keeping cooked food warm till wanted, just make sure it goes in piping hot to keep bacteria at bay. just place things in different parts so as not to disturb those already in it. Try not to spill anything and wet the straw, if do so remove the wet straw.

A fondue set - great for warming up food, and cooking it, did you know they have fondue parties in parties of Canada where people bring food cooked in fondue - ok takes time to cook but will cook, can use methylated spirits or candles.

Make a candle stove - a basic one is a small terracotta pot ( never plastic) and wire mesh that fits over it and that is strong enough to hold a pan - from grill maybe. Place as many candles as you can in bottom, light, wire over and pan on top - Note make sure air can get into candles or they will go out. Slow but works. you can just place them on foil without pot and wire rack over them with pan on top but will take a bit longer to cook as heat builds up better in terracotta pot ( note to self you broke last small one so buy another)

If you must used a mini throwaway BBQ but only do so if plenty and I mean plenty of fresh air coming in as its very smoky and lots of carbon monoxide created - its something I would rather not do unless weather outside very wet and only thing I have to cook on, even then think I would rather have cold food.

So I would cook potatoes and vegetables first - I would use tinned rather than fresh as quicker to cook and can be cooked in the water in the can - no power might mean no water, and you want to save fuel in case power off longer that you wish and fresh will take longer. Then place hot cooked veg in haybox or thermos. Then unless turkey very small, cut it up while vegetables cooking then wrap some up in tin foil - dull side out and place in boiling water and some straight in boiling water with seasoning etc to stew it. Those cooked in foil will remain dry but cooked for those that like it dry rather than covered with gravy. When cooked serve your main course. I would cut up christmas pudding and cook it in small pieces to conserve fuel as smaller pieces will cook through quicker.

That is just my ideas is this any help?

prepareathome

CH27 wrote: »

Have you all remembered to get spare batteries for your CH thermostats?

Jeepers never gave it a thought, of course thermostat just stuck on wall in hall so it must run on batteries, so must open it up and see what ones it takes, also must check fuses I have in, not had to change fuses in a long time now I come to think of it amazing so not sure where fuses are and what I have. House fuse box is one of those flick up ones so no fuse wire needed for that thankfully.

prepareathome

One things for winter preps - prep yourself

If you need a check up at dentist get it done now ( says she who has the first of three fillings today, gulp) but better to get it done now rather than toothache over Christmas( been there done that) or during very bad weather and staff cannot get in. I would buy an emergency dental kit - most chemists sell them or can get one in for you, fillings have great timing and love to come out when dentists are closed or weather bad.

Any need to see a doctor and been putting it off, make that appointment and go.

Eyes needing test get that eye appointment made and go,

Same for kids - but we rarely leave the kids needs, just our own

Same for pets

Ensure you have at least two weeks preferably a months supply of medications aside for You, Children, Pets, Other Half

If you have medications like insulin that need to be kept in fridge you must sort out a way of keeping them cold during a powercut - might be freezing outside but might not. If you have a car a mini fridge might be a good idea as it can run on the 12v Cigarette socket.

Can anyone tell me how long you can run a 12v item on a four in one car charger? ( Kind of question that I used to be able to get answered easily as dad was an electronic engineer but he passed in July

Maybe that could be used as back up to run a mini fridge ( I have one on order but not arrived yet, mine is in hope we can get car to start this year if it freezes - wouldn't start for 3 days last year and so he couldn't get into work so no income, he is part time and so if he has O/T but cannot do it they only pay him the basic 20 hrs, but he usually does 30 hrs a week at least) opps digressing again.

Any elderly family members or friends, check if they have everything they need medication wise as well as food, warm clothes, alternative heat, light and cooking facilities.

None of my children bother with being prepared, well DS2 would but his wife was brought up by a mum that never has anything in house except what was needed and so she copies this ( although said mum as I have been told would go to her mothers during any emergency as her mum did prepare. Her mum passed 8 years ago and so far there has been no emergency, not sure if she will do if there is one, son and wife would ask me for things for her I guess, so better add things in for her as well) so I prepare for all of them. I did buy them camping stoves and gave them gas to run it and that at least was accepted, but otherwise I have the bits and can pass them to them if need be - food, lighting etc.,

So have a think in a powercut or other emergency would anyone turn up at your door expecting help and would you have enough to help - I am afraid neighbours would have to fend for themselves, none are elderly now they have all passed, me at 55 and another neighbour at 58 are the oldies by me now, younger families all bought the homes. I did used to tell people I try and prepare but then after a couple of friends who had regular power cuts would turn up asking me for lights, to cook them something etc and never prepared as they told me, they can always come to me as I have everything and as I am not having the powercuts I will not be using the things, nor did they ever replace what they used. So when hubby was put on part-time I made sure I told everyone how all my stocks had been used up and emergency items had been sold as needed the money, sorry I lied but at one time I had 7 families expecting me to keep them going during a power cut, friends had said to them oh don't worry prepare will have things to help you ( they all lived in the two friends street - problem was a faulty sub-station that was eventually fixed) so that taught me a valuable lesson, state you have far less than you have or when you need things you will not have them and people if they know will go on happily in the knowledge any crisis you will supply what they need.

So now its just family I bother about and one friend who has a daughter but she lives further away than me and no transport, friend lives a mile away if I walk across the fields so if a power cut if she is short of something I would get it to her, but she does stock up as much as she can.

Right hope I have given you food for thought.