Preparing for winter III

Popperwell

MM,
Its funny I've gone months without chips, not deliberately avoiding them, just not getting around to doing them(been mainly eating salad sandwiches...because it's easy)but in Durham on Sunday I had a portion of chips from a fish shop before going to the theatre and they were so nice...I got the interest back...they were lovely tonight...

Hope you enjoy your meal tomorrow...sometimes simple is good:)

I am more than ever into simple and/or comfort food...

MarilynMonroe_2

I only ever seem to eat simple food too. I have got the fussiest daughter in history who wont eat anything with a sauce on and likes everything seperate on her plate, nothing mixed up, so no exciting winterwarmer foods for us.

Seems about bed time, off topic but my new kitten is turning into a right troublesome thing lol. She knocked the lid of emulsion paint the other day and ran all over the bathroom, landing and bedroom with pink paws, and she's just found some black cross stitch silk and has nearly eaten that - got it off her luckily! I've just spent a tenner on a new bed for her so hopefully she'll take to that and keep out of trouble soon

Popperwell

Goodnight,

Hope you get everything sorted and tidied soon...

Sleep well and stay warm;)

singlestep

I travel by train and so have been leaving an emergency overnight bag at work the last couple of winters just in case. The usual contents are:

• something more comfortable than work clothes that I can sleep in but don't necessarily look like pyjamas.
• change of underwear and socks
• travel sizes of my 'can't do without' things - toothpaste, cleanser etc
• pot noodle or similar and some sachets of instant soup/coffee with milk (although I don't like them it's better than nothing)
• bottle of water
• cereal bars
• emergency supply of lemsip, painkillers etc.

I'm going to add to that an emergency charger for my phone. The problem is that, now, storage of even work essentials has become such an issue at work that there is nowhere to keep even a smallish bag. Considering I have to carry a lot to and from work already - lots of files, documents and paper - I'm not sure what to do this year.


In response to Ellie83, for commuting in winter, I try to do the following:

• layer up. I have thermals for cold days and change before/after work and several layers of practical clothes.
• on particularly bad days, change in to work clothes when I get there and hope other clothes can dry throughout the day.
• take a flask and keep some cereal bars on me in case of train cancellations.
• spare gloves - in case of loss - and a set of handwarmers.
• keep a mini-torch on my keyring.
• have ice grips on me when it gets colder. It's frequently a couple of degrees colder and ungritted in the town I work in than where I live and I need them when I get there even if not at home.
• take my e-book reader. I prefer real books but it's easier to carry and, again, essential in case of train cacellation boredom/anxiety.
• a small supply of essential medication.
• I've cut back on spending but still have loyalty cards e.g. for Boots and for a coffee chain that are 'charged up' with points or credit I can use if stranded in town - it has happened!

Some might consider all of this a bit OTT, but it honestly has helped make things a bit less miserable.

Popperwell

I don't think it's over the top Single Step, just thinking ahead and in some ways the employer is lucky that you thought ahead to leave an item that could be of use especially if you might not be able to get home...

If your employer is now objecting, they deserve to be in trouble if for some reason employees could not attend work or had to leave early just in case they could not get home, you have shown commitment and ingenuity by your original idea they appear to be short sighted.

singlestep

You'd think they'd recognise that I want to maximise attendance and be prepared to stay overnight, eh? Some colleagues just don't show up when the weather is particularly bad, not all of whom have the excuse of living somewhere remote or with bad access, leaving the rest of us to cover for them.

However at this rate, I'll be lucky to find space to accommodate necessary space for books and files and some workspace for when my current one is in use by other colleagues. The wider situation is also posing health concerns but so far the employers aren't listening. I'm seriously considering looking in to whether the same personnel policies designed to protect office-based staff will apply to me.

I can't sleep for fretting about it!

happytails

Hurrah, the radiator is plumbed in in my family room, there will be heating in there non working fire has been taken out so we can replace it, whilst the gas engineer was round it seemed sensible. I've sealed the flue up for now so this is my next thing for winter prep.

It's really chilly here today I think. Brrr.

Sarah x

CH27

I've had to put my cardigan on as soon as I got up. Autumn ir really here.

Fruball

It was very chilly last night and this morning even here in the south. Definately seeing the first signs of autumn with chills and leaves changing colour... It's going to be 19c today and tomorrow daytimes though

We had rain thrashing against the windows and it was windy for a while last night Reminded me how much I worry about the house in bad weather, esp as I don't have the funds to make any repairs that become necessary.

I've got a long way to go with winter preps as i've done nothing in the past few weeks as I have been busy with another project.

Luckily many of the preps I did last year and the year before will serve us well this year too

Sassia

singlestep wrote: »

I've cut back on spending but still have loyalty cards e.g. for Boots and for a coffee chain that are 'charged up' with points or credit I can use if stranded in town - it has happened!

Genius idea. I travel/commute too and so much of your list makes sense, but this really stood out for me as an easy and unobtrusive way to prepare.