Preparing for winter III

ninnoodle

annie123 wrote: »

Braemar has hit -27 twice before, 11/2/1895 and 10/01/82 and Altnaharra once 30/12/95, hopefully this year will not be adding a fourth date!

Don't know how those of you in Scotland can put up with the guaranteed cold in the winter months, being a softy southerner (london) anything below 5c is inhumane and has me wishing that I was born in the caribbean:D

Oops, I meant -27c this year lol!

To be honest we are used to the cold as we have been brought up knowing it. It's not that bad....as the common phrase is, there's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothes! Which I think is so true. I love getting wrapped up warm and cosy. Sometimes I wish it was a bit warmer but I wouldn't swap it for the world.

MancMillyMolly

Hello,

Feel like I'm a little late starting the winter prep this year, as last year I was off work and had oodles of spare time on my hands.

Anyhow, this week I intend to hunt out a heavy curtain for the tall window on my stairs, and begin stockpiling food supplies to make yummy meals should the snow (or more specifically, the ice) make it too unappealing to leave the confines of my house.

Will dig out my checklist from last year for bits and bobs that are to be purchased, maybe that'll aid me not having to use my brain power quite as much :cool::rotfl:

Cheapskate wrote: »

Property-wise I'm going to do draught excluders this week - someone on here (sorry forget who!) suggested simply rolling to size a cheap fleece and tying with ribbons or string - saves sewing - thanks whoever it was! :T

That's a great idea! I'll be pinching that idea too

On a huge plus note, last year we had our loft and cavity walls insulated, but didn't really notice the difference straight away. This year however - WOW!! We are normally quite early in putting our heating on (by comparison to some others), but this year I have kept turning it off when it clicks on. Our house has become sauna-esque. Fabby

MMM

muffin_man_7

Confuzzled wrote: »

unlike you annie i prefer colder climes, i happily escaped from texas which i referred to as 'the latest annex of hell' to come to scotland! it's too darned hot there, maybe it's cuz i'm a winter baby but i prefer to be a little cold than too hot! i suppose it's cuz i can always add a blanket or more clothes but you can't strip off any more beyond down to your bare skin if you get too warm :eek::rotfl:

i agree i'm a winter baby too and i'd rather be cold and put extra layers on( i have 4 layers on just now i need a winter coat)only been home half hour i'm still not warmed up but getting there i prefere lots of layers but really dont like being too hot

[Deleted User]

Cheapskate wrote: »

give him time and he'll think it was his idea! :rotfl:

that is very familiar here. Works every time

I have been doing a bit of winter prep in the garden this afternoon. tidying, weeding and moving/clearing a few plants. I tell myself that it is a lot easier at 10 degrees than at 3 in the wind. Now what do I do with 24 good healthy endive plants, the warmth has been bringing them on too fast and they are all big and ready to start eating

prepareathome

Sadly it seems as if I still have some preps to do, as eventually received a reply from Coopers of Storford to my email I sent on the 9th Nov. All they did was send me the same email they sent me on the 19th October which shows each of my items has been sent by Hermes ( presume delivery firm) and so order completed. I feel from it they have washed their hands, as far as they are concerned they sent the things and if I haven't received them tough. So did try to phone again and was 39th in queue, and on an 0844 number that was not on, did try the alternative number given on say no to 0870 but all you get is a recorded message saying office hours are closed. So have informed them that if I do not either have a delivery date, actually received my goods or my money back by 1st Dec I will put in a transaction dispute with CC something I have never ever had to do.

So now I will have to start looking room to see where I can buy the things I ordered although until I do receive my money back will not able to buy all - order came to over £150. Obviously will not buy till after Dec 1st but so disappointed as read such good things about this firm, and annoying when doing so well with preps now behind. The snow grippers I know I can get elsewhere, if not sold out, but the rubber overshoes I think I might have to order from USA as cannot find anyone else who sells them in UK. Hubby hates boots, will wear wellies if it snowing or there is thick snow on ground, or pouring, but not if its just icy he wears his shoes and the rubber overshoes are great as they stop him slipping but his old pair have fallen to bits. The 4 in 1 car starter I will have to search for as if it does get really cold car likely to freeze up and he will need it to start it.


Supposed to continue mild over next week at least which is good as at last hedges turned up, and very surprised I bought bare root hedges - cheapest way as needed 100, and what turned up is 100 3 1/2 foot dead hedges - still with lots of leaves on but dead but I know they have to be dormant to be sent, so here was me thinking be years till I had a decent fence but hoping now that might not be the case - never bought hedges before, they have always already been in previous houses and although been in this one 19 years the side garden where hedges are for was just used for kids to play in and stayed as grass, but now I want to grow my own vegetables, back to small - putting fruit trees there - and so wanted hedges to try and stop people thinking its a free vegetable patch. Also hoping when they become big enough they will help as a wind break in winter, as side garden faces east and south and as its big when cold and windy the house is battered by them. Thursday I have the guy who does the heavy work in garden coming to dig the trench for them, so fingers crossed will have a nice hedge this time next year. Just have to be careful planting it as already pricked my fingers drawing blood looking at them as its Hawthorn based mixed hedging, wanted something interesting.

Right better stop as going way off topic ( well partly ).

Been knitting hats for grandchildren - my son and his wife don't do hand knitted but every year I make some anyway and this year hit the jackpot, hat for grandson (6) adored and the earflap one I knitted from granddaughter ( 2) is such a hit that daughter-in-law actually asked me to knit another the exact same, so she can use one now and have one new for Christmas day to go with her new coat. They also would like another for grandson same pattern but different colours, so have worn them down at last )))) So I know the children will be nice and snug in their wool hats, and will do mitts to match.

Gosh gone on and on, better go and put out dinner as drs then have to pop over to sons for tea and cake as its his birthday.

sent from a very driech Liverpool where it feels as if the clouds are just beyond touching they are so low, but still not to cold.

prepareathome

net78 wrote: »

Just wanted to share that I'm now the proud owner of a snow shovel:D

Now we all have them, we need the snow to try them out :rotfl:

prepareathome

ninnoodle wrote: »

Oops, I meant -27c this year lol!

To be honest we are used to the cold as we have been brought up knowing it. It's not that bad....as the common phrase is, there's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothes! Which I think is so true. I love getting wrapped up warm and cosy. Sometimes I wish it was a bit warmer but I wouldn't swap it for the world.

I prefer snow to heat and till past few years missed the cold winters of Scotland. Yes we got cold but we layered up and survived and so much easier to wrap up against cold than deal with heat. I was worried living down here would have made me a wimp in bad weather but thankfully I still love it, nothing nicer than being out on a sunny but below freezing day, you really feel glad to be alive on a day like that.:j

prepareathome

Me again to annoy you, just wanted to say, preps like we are doing can come in handy anytime - over the weekend across the water there was a burst water main, and the water got into gas pipes, all the gas had to be cut off till pipes are dried so for many they had no gas for heating, cooking. Just lucky was mild, but I wonder how many had alternative ways to cook, heat their homes as I know many if they have CH don't even keep an electric heater as back up ( my daughter for one).

Confuzzled

prepareathome wrote: »

Now we all have them, we need the snow to try them out :rotfl:

i have a confession

i DO NOT have one but i have a good reason, i can't shovel the snow, my back goes into massive spasms! however we only have a tiny walk way and i've actually found it WORSE on the few times my neighbour has shoveled it for me, the next day it's like glass, better to walk on the snow for me as i cannot afford to mess up my knee any further

instead i have tons of salt and a daughter that loves stamping down the snow. we do have a garden spade if need be but if the snow is that bad i'll just stay inside and peer out my first floor window at it piling up :rotfl:

Flotsam

Hello,

I hope you don't mind me joining in with you lot..........you all seem like a lovely bunch:D
I've been reading all your prep posts and have got to say I'm really impressed and have picked up some wonderful tips. Just got my new Yak Trax today (old ones were past their best) and although the (bill paying) adult in me is dreading the weather turning colder I have to admit that the inner child is just screaming for the snow to arrive:rotfl: