Preparedness for when

ragz_2

Weather is finally starting to have an impact here, we aren't in a flood risk area but the fields are so sodden it's getting quite bad. Livestock are suffering, several farmers have lost sheep due to them being in soggy muddy fields. We are helping move a load this weekend as owner (we share pigs and sheep with her sometimes) has been lent a barn by a kind farmer... poor things are getting foot rot and if they aren't moved soon will die from getting too cold and muddy. I hadn't really given much thought to the animals here as we aren't actually flooding, but a phonecall from our sheep-owning friend this evening has shown me how bad this can be even for those who think they are safe...
So much livestock suffering now...

We now have a use for the water from the water carriers that I needed to refresh though, the sheep can have it! (Barn hasn't got water)

Hubby stocked up at Lidl again yesterday, he is getting better at it - not a chocolate bar in sight this time!

[Deleted User]

Things are improving here a bit.

Wind is still light, and the rain has stopped.

For how long, is anybody's guess.

greenbee

The wind is horrible. I've been out and moved my car as I looked out of the window and saw the alarm light flashing so it must have been being buffeted. I've squeezed it in parallel to the (sandbagged) garage doors so it is more sheltered.

Fire has been smoking all evening on and off, but it kept the sitting room up at 24.5 degrees for a while, and even now it is dying down, it's 21 degrees in here - and as I brought the thermostat in, the heating didn't kick in.

Of course, that means that the rest of the house is freezing cold and smells of smoke!

It's very draughty, as cold air comes down the soil stack, which is inside the house and draws air down from the attic into the kitchen from where it can helpfully circulate at ankle/calf level. One more reason to get the soil stack moved outside during the summer

dragonette

An article I just had shared from a friend, about how to manage our environment sensibly with regards to water management (sadly, exactly the opposite to government and EU plans).

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/13/flooding-public-spending-britain-europe-policies-homes?

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Watching the news earlier, and they said they are expecting the very bad snow that the US are having to be with us in several days!!!! What do you think?? Is this right???


If this is potentially going to happen, this is not going to be good on top of all this rain and floods etc.... I haven't got any coal/wood stored as we have used what we had, and now only buy coal, as an when we need it, so will try and spend any spare money on buying coal...

jk0

jk0 wrote: »

This week I have a fence to repair, as no doubt lots of you do also.

Well that was a waste of effort. I posted that on Sunday 9th and did the job on Tuesday 11th. 90 minutes work drilling new holes in the wall for the fence to attach to, and £7.44 for new fixings.

It lasted all of 80 hours, and now lies even more wrecked than before in the garden.

jk0

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

If this is potentially going to happen, this is not going to be good on top of all this rain and floods etc.... I haven't got any coal/wood stored as we have used what we had, and now only buy coal, as an when we need it, so will try and spend any spare money on buying coal...

Would you like a fence to burn?

Seriously, I bet if you go out early tomorrow you will find loads of firewood being discarded.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

jk0 wrote: »

Would you like a fence to burn?

Seriously, I bet if you go out early tomorrow you will find loads of firewood being discarded.

thing is, its too wet to burn... pallets are great, but they do burn quick, so do need quite a few of them...


Has anyone got any links or info on the potential snow from the usa???

GreyQueen

Morning all.

CTC, saw this on the Wail; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2559856/London-New-York-storms-COMBINING-Meteorologists-say-two-storms-holding-hands-Atlantic.html

Was trying to catch the weather forecast on Radio 4 just before 7 am but they had a techy prob and it didn't happen - blown away probably.

Weather report from Shoebox Towers, central Provincial City, somewhere in southern England; Dry and overcast with howling winds. Rain expected shortly..............

jk0, sorry to hear about your fence panels. I spend a fair chunk of my working life raising repairs on council houses inc on fencing. It's led me to certain conclusions about fence panels, chiefly that they are a PITA as they act as sails in the wind. They are also relatively flimsy and prone to rotting and breaking, therefore money spent on such things is money which will be kindling in a few short years.

Dunno what the answer is, possibly hedges (requiring maintenance) or something which is semi-opaque but which can allow the wind to go through, such a hurdles woven from willow? I have seen some rustic fence panels whose panel bit was constructed from what appeared to be reeds and others with brushwork. Anyone have personal experience of living with these and how did they stand up to strong winds?

I've given some thought to fencing mateials over the years as I have just over 70m of lottie to fence and very little money, and I can recall from a permaculture book seeing diagrams of how wind interacts with fencing and that a solid barrier causes an effect where the wind is stronger once it has gone over the barrier and more damaging to the area immediately behind. Which I guess it the exact opposite of what most of us would want to achieve.............:(

I had to have my bedroom window open for a while after midnight as my flat was reeking from the cannabis being smoked in the flat above. Choice of splitting head from that or a bit of ventilation on one of the stormiest nights for a year - great. I cleared the stink out but it was very rough outside with small debris being blown around noisily. Thank goodness our industrial-sized wheelies are chained into their slots.

Today's plan is various plans of a preptastic nature and a visit to my allotmentino to see if the shed has been busted by thieves for the 3rd weekend in a row. If the wind stays strong, I may walk up there rather than cycle.

paidinchickens

I tried online surveys once and after filling them in and getting two questions from the end I got the "your not in the group we're looking for" When they meant ........ thanks we got all your input but we don't want to pay you the pathetic 15p promised :mad:

I soon learnt that far too many hours were required for very little gain. I can't imagine things have changed much but when your on the bones of your @ss you will try anything.

This is my own personal opinion and who knows there may be a millionaire out there who has made his dosh from such endevours and I was just doing it wrong.


PiC x