Preparedness for when

2tonsils

Hi, just to let you know all is well...we lost our internet on Friday evening after a storm hit the island. We didn't actually get the storm (Just some very surreal wind that sounded like a train passing...and torrential rain). The lightning must have struck the relay on the mountain as I sent a text to the technician informing him today that I had no luck with the internet or his mobile number.....and it was fixed a few hours later. How is that for good service?

I have just skimmed through the posts and I will go back and read them again as I couldn't stop laughing at the dried leeks and the picture of the cow LOL. The ''grass'' actually grows wild here and many of the old folks are known to use it for medicinal purposes in the villages!

Hope you are all wrapped up warm and cosy as it looks like the forecast snow and ice is about to hit the UK. We have had cold days mixed with warm days and its forecast to be a very warm 18 degrees tomorrow. I do hope so! It would be nice to have a day without thermals on. It was 12 today and quite cold with the rain and wind.

Will catch up tomorrow.....nice to be back folks xxxx

GreyQueen

Glad you're back online, 2tonsils, figured the weather had taken your internet down and hoped everything else was OK.

I'm such a big kid that I keep pulling the curtain aside to see if it's started snowing yet. It hasn't. My city is relatively hilly, by the standards of southern england, anyway. About 1 cm will cause chaos and any more than that and they'll take the buses away. Could be in for an interesting commute.

Well, not me personally, I toddle 5 mins up the street with my YaxTrax and trapper hat and mittens on.

Keep warm and well peeps.

pineapple

Well in my neck of the woods so far the beast from the east is more of a pest from the west. The snow is doing its best but not laying where there is traffic or footfall. And it was so mild that this morning I was up the top of the garden in my jim jams on a canine poo monitoring mission. :eek:
I've actually had to ditch the thermals and no need so far for the Veriga Trackers.
Tonight might be a different story tho.

[Deleted User]

I have just made a cup of tea and am thinking that I would pop on here to tell of the feeling in the pit of my stomach. I have just been out, no snow here just the cold that I knew would happen, there is such an eerie feeling in the air and if I were an animal then I would be scuttling for cover. I hope complacency doesn`t set in, we still have a few days to go

2010, we were snowed in for 6 weeks and I have taken measures this year as some things were more difficult than others. I have a big stack of my favourite chocolate, divine and have just started to learn a new indoor hobby, so am hoping to avoid cabin fever. Spinning it is and I also have a couple of drawing and painting kiits, so dh can learn a new hobby too. Food was no problem and won`t be this year and the fresh vitamins comes from sprouted seeds and the kale that I grow close to the back door specifically for snow.

I have two large yankee candles on with draught stop tops and feel that they are as safe as a candle can be. I have soya candles that splutter and spit and smell far too strong so will not replace them when used up and I have lots of smaller scented candles of all sorts but I think in future I`ll only be getting the big yankees, esp as I have found an outlet that sells them half price. Heating went off at 8 and the candles went on and they will keep the heat stable for quite a long time. I do have a lot of tealights which would be very useful for boiling a small kettle if shtf and I am keeping those for as and when

edit: I forgot to add bin bags, lots of them as the bins were not emptied for 6 weeks

ALIBOBSY

Snow here changed to sleet, then rain overnight so not even ice here now. But it is still pretty cold and its that high yellowish coloured cloud all over, so could easily get snow later.

The big "family" car we have-there are 6 of us so we need the galaxy when we all go out together, hasn't been out for over a week as we use the small car for OH to go on jobs and for shopping/trips in the day when we all don't need to go or kids are in school-the small car uses much less petrol. So OH decided it needed a little run today to keep it going before the snow sets in (if t does lol).

Baked some brownies whilst doing tea last night and did a double batch in a big tray. I then put half into a baking tin out of the way to ensure the kids didn't eat then all and some were left for packed lunches. Didn't bank on DS looking at tray in the sink and realising must be more brownies somewhere lol.

Still there was enough left over for the next couple of days. OH can be the worst, he kept appearing with another one to "go with my brew".

Will have to try baking when they are all out in the day and freezing/hiding better lol.

Ali x

grandma247

ALIBOBSY I would recommend baking and freezing it when they are out and wash up the evidence quickly. My lot rarely touched anything though without asking first except cheese which I ended up wrapping in foil and hiding at the back of the fridge.

Still snowing here but sloppy stuff.

[Deleted User]

Morning all, KITTIE I love your knitting sheep, made me smile!!! Odd weather here very cold rain and totally still outside but I know what you mean about eerie feeling, it just feels like it's waiting to do something doesn't it? Stay in and keep warm is the best advice to all of us I think. If you do have to venture out take care and get yourselves home safely. He who knows has just popped down to the village shop for the newspaper and is going to bring back an extra milk as we have room in the fridge, just in case we get bad weather, I think it's a lottery as to where it will snow, the weather on the TV looks very random and they don't seem to be able to predict just where it will happen with any accuracy.

I invested in one of those tabletop food warmers that has 3 tealights to keep food warm, they were in Rob*rt Dy*s and reduced to £5 so I thought it would be a useful addition. I found some small stainless serving dishes that fit on top of it in the 99p shop so got 3 of those and hopefully will be able to reheat things using this method if we do get any power problems. I'll make sure we have things in the freezer that will lend themselves to this and we'll be OK then.

Have a good day everyone, Cheers Lyn xxx.

2tonsils

kittie wrote: »

I have just made a cup of tea and am thinking that I would pop on here to tell of the feeling in the pit of my stomach. I have just been out, no snow here just the cold that I knew would happen, there is such an eerie feeling in the air and if I were an animal then I would be scuttling for cover. I hope complacency doesn`t set in, we still have a few days to go

I know that feeling so well....the air of stillness just does not feel right and you feel as if you are waiting for something to happen but not sure what it's going to be!

My stormy watcher friends said this is just the first bit of the snow, they see it coming in 'waves' and the extreme cold has not started yet according to them. I am sure they said between 16/18th it was going to be like a blizzard and extremely cold. I haven't had an update because of my internet going off all weekend , but some of them said they were worried about a weather system in the Atlantic which would bring atrocious conditions with very high seas.

I think they were referring to the time around 20/21st of January but I am waiting for updates.......will let you all know as soon as they tell me. That would particularly hit the East coast of the UK.

It looks like we might get the snow and extreme cold as well, as far down as Southern Greece this time. I have the feeling in the pit of my stomach as well about what its going to bring to us. Italy was on an extreme weather warning from yesterday about extreme cold and heavy snow fall and we usually get our weather from them. I noticed CNN were talking about the Jet stream moving our way and if it does we will get a long , cold snowy spell like the UK, where it will be stuck for a few weeks.

I went to town today to get my glasses bent back into shape (My OH stepped on them when he had the nose bleed and they did the splits but didn't break lol). It was blowing like a hurricane in the old town and pouring with rain and I walked looking up in case the old Venetian tiles decided to blow down on me. I got my glasses fixed for free even though I bought them online and we made it back to the car safely. We keep having a downpour then the sun is out the next minute. They did forecast 18 degrees but I think it was a fantasy...its just 12 LOL

Just got our electric bill for the two months and it was 203 euros.....110 deposit on the next reading (this is an estimate) and the rest is local and property tax. The property tax is the third installment of five then we move onto paying this years taxes. It was what we expected so no nasty surprises yet and we have budgeted for it.

Right, off to sort out all the scarves, hats and gloves....I have a feeling about OUR weather. Stay warm folks!:j

elona

Pineapple

I read it as Viagra trackers Must be the dried leeks in cupboard affecting me!

Loved the idea of line dancing slugs - have "Bootstep Baby" running through my head now :rotfl:

Around ten thirty was about to post "So where is this snow then!"
Looked out of window and big fat flakes of snow were falling. Made DH and DD hot lunch of sausages, mash and peas (with gravy as they whinged ).

Going to have a long shower with the Anatomicals body wash that is difficult to find but smells gorgeous to cheer myself up.

Our area very seldom gets snow until a couple of years ago so intend to keep out of trying to walk on icy pavements etc as far as possible. Planning pork chops, mashed tatties and turnips and some red cabbage for tonight and have plenty of food in fridge and freezer.

Could not resist making an AF order this morning - lots of stock cubes, gravy mix, curry paste, spices and marinades, cans of coke for dds, laundry capsules for dd when she visits next and a small box of choc mints may have flung itself in as well. Got £120 's worth for under £40 so well pleased (even some long life milk for emergency use.

2Tonsils

I know what you mean about a sense of something looming. I have it too and hope I am wrong.

Looking out boots for dd to use as she has to walk down to medical centre this afternoon and keep getting sidetracked.

Hugs to all and keep safe and warm.

Confuzzled

GreyQueen wrote: »

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Tomorrow's Headlines.

Overuse of word blizzard because it's so much more exciting than moderate fall of snow.

coming from the american midwest, on the tail end of lake effect snow, i am always amused by this. i've been in scotland nearing 14 years and i've never yet seen a 'blizzard' by american standards at least. the winter of 2010 came close but to me a blizzard is snow coming thick, hard fast, no visibility, deathly cold, very windy and not to be driven in or out in, especially at night. when it's coming down so hard that you know the roads are shutting down and you may not physically be able to get out of the house in the morning then THAT is a blizzard!

i've no doubt marathda and others further north of the both of us have seen them but it's not happened to me yet, actually i've been kinda waiting for one, i rather miss a good blizzard