Preparedness for when

2tonsils

Greyqueen said ''Hokay, time to put the kettle on. No heat on at all today and none needed but there's talk of chilly stuff incoming. I have longjohns, a furry trapper hat and YaxTrax so should be OK for the temperatures as long as the Fashion Police don't come and arrest me for crimes against style...''

Ha ha...are you and my OH related? He bought his dad a furry trapper hat in Prague and when his dad died he brought it back home to wear should the weather ever get cold enough to need it....well, it was certainly cold enough here last night and this morning it was Baltic! He threatened to wear it to town to go to the docs for his acupuncture and I was horrified at the thought of being seen with it in public.

I needn't have bothered worrying....this morning saw the emergence of hundreds of them along with great coats that could only have been issued during the last war and more layers of clothes than I thought humans could wear. My OH wears a ski hat in bed at night and pulls it down right to his top lip, he says it stops him getting a headache if the cold is on his forehead...we call it his 'Sherpa Tensing...'' He he.....

I did have my Lidl thermal suit on today and I was glad of it by the time we arrived at the doctor's office at ten. He even offered me a hot coffee to warm me up as my nose was like Rudolph's by the time we got to the office. In the end I wrapped my pashmina around my face like a bank robber, but then just about everyone was totally covered up by layers. I felt sorry for my OH having to undress to have the acupuncture done..nothing short of a general anesthetic would have got me out of MY clothes....

It was lunchtime before it reached four degrees in the sunshine and the temperature started dropping at three this afternoon. Thank God there is no wind at the moment as the wind chill would be stupefying to say the least. I asked the forecaster what he thought and he said he thinks we might have it in Greece till nearly the end of the month! I really hope not and I hope you don't get it as bad as they are forecasting for you. The only good thing is that we are sunny and dry, the mainland is impassable in many places due to the heavy snow.

A policeman told me that they went around collecting all the homeless last night and taking them to shelters for a hot meal and a warm night inside so they didn't freeze to death on the streets. He said they were all complaining as they didn't want to lose their usual spots in the city.

Had a problem with our heating system that we spotted yesterday but the plumber came this afternoon and said its safe to use it till spring when he will come and sort it out. He didn't want us to go cold in this weather...bless. We filled the tank before the taxes went up on it and are using it sparingly so it lasts the winter for us. We can't afford another refill at those prices.

Going to make a huge pan of cream of celery and mushroom soup later, enough to last us for a couple of days. Very aware that we are in more danger of an earthquake when its cold and dry like it is at the moment. Greece has been very seismically active in the last couple of days. Glad we paid the extortionate earthquake insurance on time this month. It has to be enough to pay for a total rebuild to the original standard here.

Later folks...carry on with the prepping for the extreme cold, you are going to need it if its anything like the cold here at the moment...

2tonsils

Sorry, that turned into a full article lol

bluebag

2tonsils wrote: »

Sorry, that turned into a full article lol

I really appreciate your posts, I find them very informative and helpful. At the moment we are not in such difficult circumstances as greece, but a lot of that is due to us not being in the euro.

Who knows what uncertainties the future brings, but with the massive global economic problems and the wierd and some times very harsh ways governments are dealing with it, I don't think anyones future is going to be all skittles and rainbows.

I find it useful to have insight into the types of problems we may have and how people who are currently dealing with those problems face them.

Stay warm and safe,
bb

BessieBooBoo

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

BBB try charity shops I often see them at sensible prices, or somewhere like T K M*x or Whittards sale if there is one near you. Or ask on freecycle, someone might have a hand crank at the back of a cupboard that they never use. The pooch is normal, ours sleeps whenever he's not eating or demanding walkies, I think he could sleep for england if they ever introduce it as an olympic sport. Shall we start a team? Cheers Lyn xxx.

Hello MrsLW

Thank you, I will be trawling around for one, when I sort out my stores properly. OH keeps raiding it so 'we don't have to shop for it'. I don't think he quite gets the idea it's supposed to be a rotating reserve, not an alternative to shopping!

Well, it's a relief to know she isn't abnormal, she is sleeping again as I type... Let's go for it, 'The sleeping dogs should lie team'.....

Best wishes

BBB

Butterfly_Brain

DH and I had a long talk today trying to decide whether to have the wood burning stove installed before replacing the double glazing in the front of the house or vice verdi. We are both thinking wood burner first, the double glazing can wait, even if some of the panes have blown.

BessieBooBoo

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

DH and I had a long talk today trying to decide whether to have the wood burning stove installed before replacing the double glazing in the front of the house or vice verdi. We are both thinking wood burner first, the double glazing can wait, even if some of the panes have blown.

Hello BB

We got a multi-fuel stove with my redundancy money - it can be hard work chopping up wood (OH says it warms him twice, once on chopping, once again when its going). But the heat it kicks out is fantastic. DDog loves curling up near it, and it's a great alternative to tv, keeps OH amused for hours. So far we've used the top to keep the camp kettle boiling for hot drinks, washing up water, soups, beans, saves on using gas or electric for cooking. Our installers said that another customer makes two huge curry pots up on hers, keeps the family going all week with microwaved portions. We even tried roasting chestnuts at Xmas. Not bad, but, we were too full to eat many! I'm sure you will enjoy yours.

Just try and restrain your OH from making a massive fire, as you don't need bonfire proportions!

BBB


BBB

mardatha

It's been down to minus 20 here and we were still able to go for walks - you need to have the proper clothes Tonsils. Get good quality stuff from outdoor or ski shops/websites.
See the forecast is looking good for some proper winter soon :j I can't stand this dull dark mucky stuff, need some decent cold.

[Deleted User]

I've cooked soda bread in a pair of rectangular mess tins on top of our woodstove, and made mulled cider and invested in a long fish kettle which holds 3 small kilner jars and using the kettle as a water bath I've cooked entire meals very successfully. I made stewed steak, a big dumpling and carrots and celery in stock. It takes much longer than you expect as it's a much slower process than on a hob, but it works really well. My latest aquisition for playing is an old style stovetop coffee percolator which I won on E*ay and I've invested in some beans to grind in my coffee grinder and I'll try it out tonight and report back, Good things Woodstoves yes? Cheers Lyn xxx.

boultdj

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

DH and I had a long talk today trying to decide whether to have the wood burning stove installed before replacing the double glazing in the front of the house or vice verdi. We are both thinking wood burner first, the double glazing can wait, even if some of the panes have blown.

By blown do you mean condensation inbetween the pane's? If so I can tell you what our council did, they got a firm in that 'restore's' double glazing, they drill 2 small hole's in the outside pane,put a soloution in,suck it out and then fit small plastic vent's in, got to admit it has made a diffrence to our window's.

Confuzzled

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

DH and I had a long talk today trying to decide whether to have the wood burning stove installed before replacing the double glazing in the front of the house or vice verdi. We are both thinking wood burner first, the double glazing can wait, even if some of the panes have blown.

if i were in your shoes i'd go for the wood burning stove first as well

there are many ways you can decrease the amount of cold coming through your windows, but the only way you can increase the heat in your house efficiently and cheaply (and indeed safely) you could use an open fire but they are not efficient a stove is and you can of course cook on it too.

i'd recommend asking on freegle or even investing in a log maker, there are several varieties, some use dry ingredients some use wet then they have to try out but basically you could be using toilet rolls, junk mail etc etc all year to make up as much absolutely free fuel as possible, plus gathering stuff out on walks etc etc

can't think of any ways to legally get free gas or electric for heat