Preparing for winter III

splodger_seedswapper

well it won't put me off making wine (i love it too much and it saves so much money) i will just have to be more careful - but i refuse to use a stopping agent in my wines - i want them good and honest and chemical free - so i imagine i'll get a few more popped corks (this was the first one to go)

i try to keep the wine in dj's for as long as possible - but i needed some emptied, so had to bottle a few up - i obviously choose the wrong one to bottle - lol

tugrin

In my youth I made elderflower champagne and my landlord let me have 6 old champagne bottles. I tied the corks on and stored them in the pantry of the cottage near a sack of potatoes - them was a loud explosion one night which I knew was one of the bottles -whole thing gone. Later I found a shard of the glass embedded in a potato in the middle of the sack - shrapnel or what! Needless to say I use plastic bottles now.

catznine

:jHopefully we now have sorted out the problems with the condensing boiler! Last 2 winters the condensing pipe (which ran around an upstairs outside wall - boiler in airing cupboard) froze up and stopped the boiler from working, just when you really need the heating it fails!!! :mad: This then means dh getting out on a ladder with a hairdryer/paint stripper/kettle of hot water to defrost the thing! Well for £330 we have had the pipes taken away and now a pump and tube/piping takes the condenser fluid up to the loft and back down into the bathroom and out into the waste water drain! It has cost us but hopefully we will stay warm and dh will no longer have to balance on a ladder in the snow and ice! We were getting to hate the dratted thing but it did cut our gas bills down when it was first installed. Hope this may help others with the same problems.

Also managed to find, in the sale, some lovely chenille lined curtains for the bedroom so I can keep the fleeces I had set by for laps instead.

Fruball

The golden orb is officially missing in action. Someone has painted the sky white (why does nobody say 'white' when asked what colour is the sky?!) and its cold.

I am officially hibernating. No guilt whatsoever for going up to my bed in a few minutes for a good winter hibernation nap of at least an hour before carrying on with winter preps

Does anybody else nap in the day during winter?

cosmomo

catznine wrote: »

:jHopefully we now have sorted out the problems with the condensing boiler! Last 2 winters the condensing pipe (which ran around an upstairs outside wall - boiler in airing cupboard) froze up and stopped the boiler from working, just when you really need the heating it fails!!! :mad: This then means dh getting out on a ladder with a hairdryer/paint stripper/kettle of hot water to defrost the thing!

Hello! You prompted me to stop lurking:D
We too were up a ladder with a kettle several times last year:eek:. However, the man who came to service my boiler in the summer told me that I could disconnect the bendy pipe that takes the water to the outside pipe and have it going into a bucket underneath the boiler as a temporary measure when it's freezing. I only wish I paid a bit more attention, but I'll put it on my list and investigate it in the near future.

Nicepeach

Morning all, loving this thread, it's really inspirational & I LOVE reading all your inventive ideas.

My preps are going well - purchased flannelette sheet sets & already put on DS & my beds - lovely & snuggly. Spent more than I ought & bought the sets comprising 2 p.cases, fitted flat sheet & top sheet. Wasn't going to bother as have duvet so no need for top sheet but glad I did it's lovely being "tucked in".

Insulated under bath with loft insulation my Uncle had spare from his house renovation. Managed to tuck it behind the side & end of the bath (both outside walls) & along the front inside the panel.

Stocking up on food, making lots of "concoctions" in SC & freezing in portions in takeaway tubs lined with cling film. Don't need so many tubs this way as when food frozen can be removed from tub & wrapped in freezer bag - also eliminates nasty staining if you have any posh freezer containers.

Anyway, to the point. I'd like to buy some of the non-slip clip on things to put on outdoor shoes/boots as gifts for Crimbo & have seen lots of posts mentioning Yak*Trax & wondered how these compare to the Q*V*C* Winter*Trax? Q*V*C ones look almost identical & are £18.95 for 2 pairs so work out much cheaper than Yaks but wondered if anyone had tried either & had any comments/recommendations please? Also can either be worn over wellies?

TIA.

PipneyJane

prepareathome wrote: »

Can I ask has anyone bought anything from coopers of stortford and had their order arrive, its just ordered from them some bits for winter ( £160 gulp) money was taken within a week , had an email saying order completed but no goods - on their website it says do not query till 28 days but that seems so long.

Thanks

No, and my records say that I placed my order on 17th October. However, I've had no "order completed" email from them just one acknowledging that I'd placed the order. I've just checked my credit card and they haven't taken the money. I think I'll send them an email to chase it up.

Anyone else had experience with this company? Anyone live near there who can pop in and check that they're still in business/not going bust?

catznine

cosmomo wrote: »

Hello! You prompted me to stop lurking:D
We too were up a ladder with a kettle several times last year:eek:. However, the man who came to service my boiler in the summer told me that I could disconnect the bendy pipe that takes the water to the outside pipe and have it going into a bucket underneath the boiler as a temporary measure when it's freezing. I only wish I paid a bit more attention, but I'll put it on my list and investigate it in the near future.

Don't forget if you do this to empty the bucket regularily and be careful as the liquid is caustic! This method becomes a problem if you are away from home. It might do you for now as I think the weather is going to get very cold within the next couple of weeks! Good luck! I'll let you know if our new system is working well. Glad this prompted you to stop lurking!

Lucy5781

I'm off work today, and it's cold in here! lol

Yes the weather is colder but I think it's a big difference when OH is not here.

I've started closing the internal doors which makes a huge difference (only a two bed flat on one floor so not a huge space).

youngbudgeteer

hi all,

i have been lurking in the background on this thread for quite a while. me my fiancee and little girl moved house for the first time about 3months ago now. before that we didnt realise how much money was needed for gas/electric :O In away we are quite lucky really as we moven into a new build home which has solar panels and plasterboard wall with loads of insulation in the walls. also with the solar panels which heats the water up if it has been sunny we tend to just put the water on if either of us wants a hot bath and only put the radiators on if we need to dry clothes if they dont dry outside. anyway i have started to buy a little thing more each week to add to my store cupboard (small but getting there) when it stars to get colder we have fleecey throws for the couch to snuggle up in and for them to go under the bed sheets. we also have hot water bottles and intend on buying thermos flasks for hot chocolate and soup for me and oh to take to work. i cant really think of anything else is there a thread with just peoples lists on or are they jumbled in this thread?