Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

pineapple wrote: »

I live in a small row of ancient stone cottages with rubble filled walls and I'm pretty sure they can get from house to house! If I see or hear anything suspicious I stick in one of those ultrasonic pest deterrents. They tend to get a bad press but mine really does work.
Also since hearing that that mice can get through a hole the diameter of a pencil. I went round the inside and outside and blocked the tiniest gaps with that expanding foam stuff. (probably a tasty treat for rats :rotfl:)
The funniest thing was when I was renting a farm cottage and I had no idea I had visitors till one day when I put my foot in a walking boot and found it full of crunchy stuff. :eek:
I used to keep the boots in the spare room and it appeared that mice had been transporting dog food mixer from the opened bag in the kitchen and stashing it in my boots! :huh:

Years ago, when my grandad was still alive, the old boy next door found one of his wellies (not used for a while) was full of dried broad beans. His brick shed and Grandad's shed shared a party wall and a mouse had been stealing the seed beans from GD and taking them to stash next door.:rotfl:

Nan's one came back into the undersink cupboard where it had been dining on the flower food sachets you get with bouquets. I tempted one of its predecessors to an unpleasant end by baiting The Little Nipper with the last Elisabeth Shaw choc mint crisp, which worked where cheese had failed.

SHTF time in my city; place is convulsing under relatively-modest snowfall. Buses taken off long before rush hour, inc ones which commuters and shoppers use to get anything up to 20-30 miles home. Roads closed, place like icerink, loadsa people gonna be stranded. In fact, going to text a pal to see if he can get back to his village after work. He might need putting-up for the night.

SuperGran was called this am about a committee meeting she was supposed to be attending this evening - she told the secretary to just cancel it.

Folks were both using their Y*xTrax this morning and at least a couple of other people who noticed how surefooted they were have been introduced to the wonder of this product.

I have Basics rice pud and mucho milk and tea so will hunker down. Hope the boiler is fixed asap Siegemode; they really pick their moments, don't they?!

[Deleted User]

maryb wrote: »

DD1 has a really important exam on 23rd and now I still don't know how she's likely to be affected

(Sorry if this is hijacking thread but you don't accept pm)

where abouts in the uk are you ie ne, sw etc?

siegemode

kittie wrote: »

oh dear SM, I hope everything is sorted very quickly. In the meantime, perhaps plan for living in your smallest room as body heat will suffice

Thanks, being open plan with 2 cats this is a bit difficult but hopefully it will be fixed tomorrow unless parts are needed. We are still counting our blessings and in absolute luxury compared to the homeless. It's certainly a reality check.

blossomhill wrote: »

SM, excuse me delurking but I had a similar-sounding boiler problem and rang the manufacturers' helpline and it was a simple case of low water pressure and they talked me through getting the pressure up - saved me £70 callout

Thanks, we spoke to our local engineer who did the service and I'm sure he could have fixed it at reasonable cost and would do it quicker but since the ins would cover it we have gone down that route. I'm hoping we don't regret relying on the ins, but neither of us are working, oh is disabled and I have ME and fibromyalgia so no spare cash for this. I hate gas and have a real fear of anything to do with it. When told to turn the boiler off I wasn't even sure how to do that. Silly I know but since it was installed 3 yrs ago its been on constantly. The only thing I do is adjust the thermostat.

GreyQueen wrote: »

SHTF time in my city; place is convulsing under relatively-modest snowfall. Buses taken off long before rush hour, inc ones which commuters and shoppers use to get anything up to 20-30 miles home. Roads closed, place like icerink, loadsa people gonna be stranded. In fact, going to text a pal to see if he can get back to his village after work. He might need putting-up for the night.

I have Basics rice pud and mucho milk and tea so will hunker down. Hope the boiler is fixed asap Siegemode; they really pick their moments, don't they?!

Are you in the east by chance ? we are but have got off lightly so far. Only had a little bit of snow but less than 20 miles down the road they have had alot more.
We have covered ourselves with food and supplies, but the last thing we expected was a boiler problem as its only 3yrs old.

maryb

Kittie, we're in the London bit of Kent on the edge of the Downs so trains coming in from Kent often badly affected. DD1 has to get into central London for a 9 am start to her exam. I don't know which of us is fretting more.

[Deleted User]

maryb, looks like no change to what was forecast for jan for your area. My take is that what happens 17+ will not disappear by 23rd. Look at the temperatures he suggests, so it couldn`t unless the councils are ultra good

[Deleted User]

Good Luck Siegemode, hope the boiler is fixed asap but it sounds as if you are in control with your prepping and will be OK and warm until it is. Hope the pusscats are nice and snug , you too of course,let us know when all is fixed, take care, Cheers Lyn xxx.

maryb

Thanks so much Kittie. SouthEastern trains usually get their act together fairly quickly once it's no longer actively snowing even if the snow is still lying. So it's not a personal disaster if we do get snow at the weekend as long as it doesn't snow mid week.

DD2 will whinge if it's still solidly icy because I won't drive (we are on a 1 in 8 hill) so she will have to walk to school - but she can do that in under half an hour. And the station DD1 travels in from is only 10 minutes walk away (at the bottom of said hill) So Yaktrax and snow boots (bought half price in the Cotton Traders sale) should mean they can get to where they need to go.

I will make DH bring his computer home from work this weekend so he doesn't need to struggle in.

GreyQueen

:eek: Just had text back from pal who works in city and lives in village about 8 miles out. Journey took 3 hours instead of 20 minutes and he got car stuck thrice and is kicking himself for buying a rear-wheel drive for the first time ever.

I loathe r.w. drive cars, just don't feel safe in them.

siegemode, I'm cagey about exactly where I live, it's the flipside about being open and honest about other things I do. Let's just say Somewhere in Southern England and leave it at that.;)

Mind you, spoke to Nan this aft and she has 5-6 inches of snow on the ground and more coming down. She's not terribly far from here as the crow flies. The snow seems to be very localised, having talked to family spread across the county; even a handful of miles can really make a difference.

Nan had been told by all of us NOT TO GO OUTSIDE. She is 90 later this year and bad on her legs. Her DD is only 30 yards away and is keeping a close eye and regular visiting, as in several times daily.

Nan has a hospital appt this Fri which would involve my parents driving across to hers on the backroads, driving to town on the main roads, and back afterwards. Not going to be possible on the strength of today's weather.

Ach well, we'll see what we'll see. Keep warm and well, lovely peeps. I've told SuperGran that I am her one-stop-shop as probably have more UHT milk than Tosco have right now.......:p

katieclampet

Its -3 here, snow, ice and temperature continuing to drop. So pleased that I dont have to go out anywhere,
well stocked up and plan to have a quiet few days wrapped up warm and reading my kindle.

I know there are lots of things I could be doing, cleaning, tidying etc, but I really just feel like hibernating. I always feel I use up a lot of energy just trying to stay warm.

to SM, hope you get your heating sorted out soon, you might have to cuddle up with the cats, a duvet and a hot water bottle.

katiex

2tonsils

Have got awful storm outside with very intense lightning so going to unplug for tonight. Feel nervous about starting the job tomorrow but its something I love doing so I should be okay after the first few days of getting into the scheme of things. Stay warm and safe everyone.

Sorry to hear about the boiler playing up, its the last thing you need in those conditions. Can you manage to keep just one room warm enough for you all?

Stay warm folks, it sounds horrendous and it looks like the weekend will be even worse for most of the UK