Preparing for winter III

tryingtobethrifty

lilme wrote: »

Hi all, just been having a look round Asda and noticed they have snowtrax ice grippers in stock for £8 a pair. They have coils on the front and spikes at the back. http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/banneroffers/banneroffercontainer.jsp?listId=1215042341840 Might get myself a pair, last winter I slipped and smacked my head off the pavement in front of one of the neighbours . Funny how if someone sees you do something like that you jump right back up as if nothing happened even if you're in agony.

I can't get the picture up bigger to see how these actually fit to the shoes. But they look like the ones I got from C0stc0 last year, where you just slip them over the bottom of your shoes. I found that they were forever falling off (I lost one in 18inches of snow). If you're thinking of getting a pair, you could slip some elastic on them to attach them on over the top of your shoes, more like the Wintertrax (I have these now and they're good) or Yaktrax ones. I know I've said it before about these types, but it's just so annoying having to bend down, take your gloves off and slip them back on again. It could be because I have quite tiny feet (size 3) that they weren't staying on well enough.

NorthLondonChick

Actually dont know for sure that the underlay isnt washable - was just assuming! Think I will make one into a heavy blanket/throw (defo needs covering as just unrolled one and scuttled under it -itches like crazy! Cosy tho). Think i will use the other for either a kitchen rug or door curtain (thanks for the tips!) or will try to make either/all of the following out of the one roll:

Ovenglove/heatproof mat (apparently its fire !!!!!!)
one of those double slipper feet warmer things - http://www.phillipsmobility.co.uk/ekmps/shops/phillipsmob/images/electric-foot-warmer-406-p.jpg
4 seat cushions for the dining room chairs
a few rectangles of the same size piled on top of each other and covered to make cat bed (cat from rescue shelter arriving soon!)
Ear muffs
Wondering if i could cover and make lounge curtains. Might not fold v nicely when opened tho.

Not sure if any of that will work. Will defo be using it in some way tho! Shame i cant glue it to the end terrace walls :rotfl:

Might ask over at the crafting thread - thanks for the help and good luck with the winter prep x

tugrin

Do what I have done - put it behind a nice piece of fabric or old duvet cover and staple it to the outside wall - its called a wall hanging in my hous

D&DD

Haven't read back to catch up yet but was reading the Daily Mail re possible power cuts and I'm wondering what meals people have planned for if the power goes out?
Might throw up a few good ideas from the usual I do

In this house we aren't rural but do still get a lot of power outages so when I needed a new cooker I got a dual fuel so I have a gas hob and stove top kettle(coffee yay!! I'm easily pleased!) So I can do things like frying,stews,etc as well as the usual soup out of a tin,but my lot always fancy something baked when we have no electric!!

I bought a weza(small generator) and a low wattage slow cooker so this gives me more options but I'm after a few ideas for finicky kids really
Do you do something in the slowcooker cakes/bread that sort of thing??

savingqueen

Hello everyone :j,

another newbie here though been lurking for a while! Very impressed with the efforts you've all made. I've been feeling very behind with winter preps but then started listing what I have actually achieved and don't feel so bad.

Done:
new zip in DH's winter jacket & washed his gloves, hat, scarves
bought thick wool coat for DS1
DS2 has a lovely wool coat too in great condition passed down from a kind friend
vests, dressing gowns/winter PJs all washed or bought as necessary for DS1 & DS2
waterproof trousers for all of us (DH doesn't know and he will laugh his head off when I show him!)
thermal long john type things for boys for playing out in snow (obviously with other clothes on top )
blankets/throws all out
bought cat loo & litter for our 2 old cats - when weather gets bad they will stay in all night (and probably day too if it snows)
boiler serviced
chest freezer defrosted ready to be re-stocked properly (currently only half full but full up with bottles of water)
cats going for their annual checks and boosters on Sat

Must do:
sort out scary :eek: spare/junk/storage room for space to store supplies etc (we have no loft space so everything gets dump in tiny spare room)
re-stock freezer
do inventory of other stores and replenish - to include food, meds, basic toiletries, cat food, treats & litter, loo roll of course:rotfl:l and anything else I can think of
sort out car bits eg thick cardboard/salt etc for snow and ice
line most/all curtains
change antifreeze in car from summer to winter mixes
bubblewrap or similar for downstairs loo window and front door
general draughtproofing - windows etc
make downstairs loo warmer (no heating and an outside wall brrrrr) - some sort of carpeting/rug at least
bring big rug down for lounge (no carpet)
consider a couple of washable rugs for kitchen (no carpet)
sort winter duvets out (autumn on just now)
get my and boys hats etc out
buy DH wellies (though insists he doesn't need them and will walk 1.5 miles to train station in trainers in the snow and have wet feet/trousers all day)
replace bedding in cats' beds in shed
see if can change boys swim classes from old pool to new one (because old has no heating in manky old changing rooms and new does)
finish winter birthday/xmas pressie buying - someway to go - in case of bad weather.
get rest appointments out of way before its cold eg. dentist check-ups

Hope to do:
sort out bathroom - mouldy ceiling and bath sealant etc
clean outside bins before too cold (they hum so much could play a tune!)
if I get all above done,:rotfl: I can add more!!

EEEK the to-do list seems very long. Oh well I suppose its on-going and its not cold here....yet

Keep up all the good work everyone

smeeth

Thanks again to everyone who are still saying hello

Rainy-Days:I'm sorry to hear about your Mum. I know what you mean about the phone calls just stopping. Me and Dad have said the same, only it was the day after Mum's funeral that people just decided to stop ringing! It was very strange to deal with, as Mum had been at home in a hospital bed since Feb and having nurses and carers in 3-4 times a day and people were constantly ringing the phones for updates, so the quietness was very striking.:(

peking_duck: Newbies together!

rising_from_the_ashes

lilme wrote: »

Hi all, just been having a look round Asda and noticed they have snowtrax ice grippers in stock for £8 a pair. They have coils on the front and spikes at the back. http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/banneroffers/banneroffercontainer.jsp?listId=1215042341840

Brilliant thanks, thinking I may have to do a Mr A order as really need storage tubs for my flour (horrible crawly things:eek:) and they don't have them in my store.

Does anyone know how the sizings translate?

I would think that S/M are ladies and L/XL mens?

Might also get DM a pair for Christmas!:D

D&DD wrote: »

Haven't read back to catch up yet but was reading the Daily Mail re possible power cuts and I'm wondering what meals people have planned for if the power goes out?

Is your cooker mains gas or bottled?

I have a mains gas hob / stove top kettle etc but unfortunately if there's a problem, the gas tends to have to be turned off in a whole area for them to fix it (happened here a couple of years ago).


As a back-up, I've got a couple of camping stoves, and loads of gas:D.

I tend to stick to easy things on this - savoury rice, soup, pasta & sauce etc ... not fantastic but certainly better than nothing:eek:

D&DD

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Is your cooker mains gas or bottled?

Its mains and so far usually its unaffected by the electricity going out and I have a camping cooker and spares too lol

ooh that reminds me spare lighters/matches

Aless they usually do clips for holding voile in curtain shops not sure if something like that would work?

Have finally got the garden in reasonable order just need to pick last few peppers so I can sort out the greenhouse and get some stuff in there to overwinter.

cat_smith

smeeth and peking-duck:wave:

sparrer

MaxSusie wrote: »

Has anyone got any ideas how to draught proof the back of the letter box whilst still allowing the postman to get the stuff through?

Not the prettiest letterbox draught-proofer but my DM cut some shoulder pads she didn't want out of a blouse and drawing pinned them just above the inside flap (laugh I may but it works). She changes them for new ones periodically but to my knowledge she's done this for at least the past 30 years! Not advisable on a upvc door, of course...