Preparing for winter IV

jackieglasgow

Possession wrote: »

A shiny new thread! My winter prep has stalled because the pressure rail I got for the tiny area by the front door falls down when I put a curtain up. : (
Can't afford a new rail at the mo and in any case don't have the wherewithal to put one up.

. Could you not nail a small piece of wood onto the wall under where the rail grips, to stop it coming down ( as a sort of bracket, iykwim) you could paint it the same colour as the wall.

shoei

shoei wrote: »

I have a few days off this week so here is my things to do, some DIY but I wan't the house done by xmas so I think that is classed as my winter prep :-)
Finish insulating loft (did the 2nd 3rd yesterday so hopefully get that done)
Paint spare room ceiling
De mould our bedroom walls and decorate
Sort out dehumidifier pots for windows.
Have upstairs and landing carpeted with extra think underlay for warmth.
Clear out spare room of junk
New draft excluder for porch.
Key hole covers to stop the whistling!!
New hinge for gate
New hinge and seal for bedroom window
Paint upstairs window
Log burner fitted
New kitchen fitted
New hallway floor fitted

Well not a bad week for productivity. We have decorated spare room and ours. Ripped up the carpets and have new ones being fitted on Thurs (with extra thick underlay that was a bargain as had been down in show area for 1 year before manufacturer changed design so they had to replace it, still have 25 year warenty!). New hinge has been fitted to the gate. Spare room has been cleared of as much junk as I could!

Still have to;
Paint stairs and landing hate doing this
decorate hall
fit log burner
New hinge and seal for bedroom window
Paint upstairs window
Log burner fitted
New kitchen fitted
New hallway floor fitted
sort out dehumidifier and excluder

It just seems never ending

SpikyHedgehog

jackel wrote: »

Many thanks Darkrev, Popplewell and Sophsnan for the additional help re yak trax(type)footware. Really appreciated.

Spikey - Do tell - what do you do with the snail ? Wanted to ask before but didn't like to show my ignorance !

jac xx

Don't be silly! If we don't ask, we'd never learn!

First, take a child doing French in primary school (umm, must have been year 2, as they've been doing Spanish since they went up to juniors) and a teacher who decides to host a 'petit dejuner' to invite the parents to (at too short notice for me to get time off from work, but luckily for DS2, then-DH had the day off).

Then, search your garden for a snail for DS2 to take in for snail racing. Take ages searching the garden as it's summer and there's a heat wave (remember, it wasn't this year ), use marker pen as directed by the teacher to put DS2's initial on the snail's shell, find it doesn't work so use nail varnish, and send him off to school in an empty margarine tub with holes for ventilation and a bit of discarded green veg for nourishment.

Have DS2 come home from school ('Mummy, why didn't you come to the petit dejuner? All the other mummies were there...') saying he doesn't want to give his snail back to the garden as it's now his pet snail.

Feel guilty because you were The Only Mummy not to go (on interrogation 'Did So&So's (working) mummy go?, it turned out I wasn't really the only mummy not to go) and buy a tank form W1lkinsons like this one, but it jolly well wasn't so much http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/hamster-food+cages/rosewood-pet-products-pet-keeper-large-12l/invt/0314881/?htxt=%2FUvRjc0xAaKk26JwgsxcsV6E2gjpK53ITJCPcypNRrR6jhjYX3SDlEUFWaOdTpLU0xVcTayKYYOc%0Aw4t9gBa9qg%3D%3D

We put about 4 inches of compost in the bottom so Carl (the snail) has room to burrow into it, a piece of cuttlefish as it's good for his shell, veg trimmings - he only likes slices of cucumber, not the end, and loves cauliflower leaves - and spray the tank and him with room temperature water once or twice a week. He lives on the shoe cabinet in the hallway as it doesn't get too warm for him out there.

DS2 takes Carl outside to let him crawl round the garden as well, but I think last time he did that, Carl met another snail as he laid eggs in the tank, much to my horror! I'm afraid they went into the compost bin . He has become really confident and doesn't hide in his shell when you look at him, but turns to look at you! He crawls on DS2's hands when DS2 plays with him, but I prefer to move him on a piece of leaf or by his shell if I need to move him in an emergency (sorry, Carl!).

My sister in law had African land snails but they had 3 in together and they bred, so she was inundated with baby snails, and I really don't want snails all over the house :cool:

I would recommend a snail to anyone who wants a low maintenance pet, especially if fur or feathers is a problem. The tank is light enough for DS2 to take it when he goes for sleepovers, and take it to the garden to clean it out himself. (His hamster cage is over a metre long, so he can't move that by himself!) We've had Carl for over 2 years now, as DS2 is in year 5 at school now. When he started learning Spanish, I did make it clear I would not support bull fighting, just in case anyone had bright ideas about that...

The first lot of soil we put in was garden soil, but then we had other creepy crawlies in it - quite fascinating, but I didn't want them in my kitchen, and DS2 was worried about their impact on Carl. So now we use compost from the big bag.

jackel

Spiky - Thankyou for your very interesting reply regarding the snail. Must say I found it amusing as I did really think it was a misprint, however it is a lovely story. Please say how do you do from me to Carl - facinating ! Thankyou again jacxx

darkrev

winter woolies on sale thanks to cazzap06 on grabbit

http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/search?page=1&fid=43&Sort=PR&ND=-1&must=sale

SpikyHedgehog

jackel wrote: »

Spiky - Thankyou for your very interesting reply regarding the snail. Must say I found it amusing as I did really think it was a misprint, however it is a lovely story. Please say how do you do from me to Carl - facinating ! Thankyou again jacxx

No problem! I do think it is funny having a snail as a pet, especially a garden snail - my best friend thinks its hilarious and always looks to see what Carl's doing (usually nothing :rotfl:) before talking to the cat.

I forgot to say how we clean him out old veg goes into the compost bin, and nay poo gets wiped away from the side of the tank with a tissue, which also goes into the compost bin

pinkmami

well that's it!!!

Winter on teh way cos there is SNOW on the peak of Snowdon:T:j YEY!!

And as I'm currently typing there's a massive hailstorm battering my window....and my stove had been glowing for 7 wonderful hours!

Ahhh winter. I Love it!

MarilynMonroe_2

We had hailstones battering the window for a while last night plus I am out of my sandles so am declaring it officially not summer lol!

*We're feeling a bit better now after the cold bug, but I had to get my daughter another new coat (just bought her one around a month ago!) as it was too tight in the tummy, so she got another and a new hat,
some wooly leggings and a pair of long sleeved pyjamas.. so so much for her being sorted!

*I've now got pants so can wear my ankle boots and a long coat - but have lost my stash of hats, gloves and scarves! So need to find them.

*I bought new pillows and its been lovely having them all squishy round my neck, as opposed to my expensive hard ones. I woke up all cosy, didnt want to get up this morning!

*I'm finding it rather chilly at night though so may consider another light weight quilt, that'll mean 3 quilts though altogether!

*I wore my thermal vest today, has made quite a difference.

* Re cat flaps. Make sure they are clean and hair free round the edges. Mine is sticking open a bit as needs de-haired.


keep cosy x

katholicos

Currently hot water bottles are on 3 for 2 at Boots. They are £6.99 each but the cheapie ones i had from home bargains last year, leaked in the bed and had to be chucked so for me at least, a case of buying cheap and paying twice.

Hth

jamanda

Anyone needing snow boots, Cotton Traders have some at half price £22ish at the moment. Bought DH some yesterday.

I know lots of us had some last year, but thought newbies might find them useful.