'supporting each other through really tough times'

Popperwell

Thanks Fuddle,
Yes on Facebook now and twitter...will hunt out Arriva...

I know what chilblaines are but I was about to say I have never had them but as they happen due to cold and the symptoms are an itch and a redness, I probably have had. Usually on fingers and toes. They can be painful.

Shropshirelass

Hi everyone

I dont remember the 1963 cold spell, although I was 16 at the time - was studying for O levels, so a bit busy... I lived in what is now Merseyside, so perhaps it wasnt so bad there.

I regulary had chillblains as a child, specially in Primary School as I kept losing my gloves. I remember Mum eventually used to fix my gloves so they couldnt get lost - a long tape sewed to each, passed through the coat sleeves and sewn to lining inside back.

Popperwell

Probably because my kitchen is so cold(no heat in there)any more and too many grills/ventilation vents I found my onions from last year are still ok for using...in fact most food remains ok for ages if kept in there. And again the passage alongside the house is very cold which can be handy.

The bedroom I am not using is so cool I can at present leave the milk in there for hot drinks and avoid having to keep going downstairs to put it back in the fridge. You know thinking about it whilst it remains like this a lot of food that I would store in the fridge would still be ok if stored in the dining room, kitchen or in the passage. As the temp is approx the same as the fridge...that could give me extra storage of certain items.

Been looking at Aldi's their Super Six and it seems they now keep the same items for a fortnight and do not change the selection as often. So the new selection won't happen until this coming Thursday. If it wasn't for the Super Six I don't find them cheaper on the rest of the range to what I find in Tesco's on the town.

If you can get the latest Tesco's free mag in store there are some nice recipes in it(even they are starting to give ideas to make food go further and use leftovers)They also have a free foodie calendar with the mag and they seem to have revamped their website and it has loads of recipes on it...

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE chilblains are itchy red swellings caused by being too cold, usually on fingers and toes, they can develop into blisters and they are really uncomfortable, so so so itchy but too sore to rub!!! Best way to not have them is to wear warm socks/gloves and have watrproof footware, which we didn't back in the 60s as I had to wear black lace ups to school and they were useless in the snow!!! Not reccommended now or then, Cheers Lyn xxx.

westcoastscot

my Dad was paranoid about chillblains when we were going up - he was still in the army when I was little and had suffered many times when overseas. He used to threaten that we'd get "kin coff" on our bums if we sat on a wall or ground outside without padding!! Must have been a Yorkshire saying - never seen it written so no clue how it may be spelt :-)

Popperwell

I guess chilblaines are a bit like the cold version of hives in the hot weather?

Cheapskate

Thanks again to the positive comments about my leaving work - glad to be in such warm company!

GQ - I know what you mean, so many of my friends are the same. Some, as you say, aren't in a position to leave or cut down work, or say they can't - some def can't afford to stop, but some like the high life too much to get off the wheel. There are so many ill-looking adults at school pick-up time now - it's quite scary.
I'm more glad each day that I've done this, having it tough with money is relatively easy compared with all the mental pressures I've let go on for years, probably most of my adult life, should have done it sooner but you don't see the wood for the trees, do you?

I've bought thermal long johns for the littlies this week - they love them and I couldn't get them to part on washday! They went out with big brother, snowsuits, woollies, the lot, yesterday and had blast in the snow - I watched from the warmth as I don't "do" snow! :rotfl: I was born late 60s but we had plenty of cold winters in our village - cold draughty terrace house on the top of a Yorkshire hill, condensation froze inside the windows, you had to really need the loo when you'd been tucked up warm in bed! Mum did her best to make the house cosy, but you can't help 200 year old windows much, and made fantastic soups, curries and pies to warm us from the inside. I'm so looking forward to doing the same again.

I plan to be a regular here again, it's been like not seeing friends - think of you all as virtual mates anyway. :beer:

A xo

kidcat

I have always wondered what chillblains are, thank you.

Its really odd weather here today, it snowed a little, there is ice lying patchy in places and apparently lots more snow on the way.
I have managed to get the washing done, roast dinner all done and get the place looking tidier again.

No idea what tomorrow will bring so its difficult to know about school, they closed early Friday with heavy snow - but the snow wasnt that deep, so am not sure of the requirements.
Would rather not drag everyone out to school only to be called back an hour or so later to collect them all.

Pops - if your dining room etc are as cold as a fridge that is way too cold and dangerous on many levels, there is personal safety (people do still die from hypothermia) and then there is the safety of your home and belongings. Most appliances are not built to withstand such low temps - I am sure someone on here last year was trying to buy either a fridge or freezer to keep in the shed but when they checked they were not capable of operating at such low temp. There is a serious risk of your appliances breaking or worse catching fire with an overheated motor.

I really dont want to frighten you but am so concerned about your saftey - I dont know if you were on the thread when we were in the last house and the TV caught fire, recently I spoke to a friend who is a fireman and he said he thought that was due to the house being so cold all the time - we could never get the living room temp above 16.

fuddle

I guess we have technology to thank that I have never heard nor had chilblains. Even the cheapest of footwear and socks are a godsend.

Still to this day I attach the girls gloves through their coat sleeves. I just finger knot or crochet a long chain of wool, normally pink to get their approval and stitch them to the gloves at the end.

About to have my ringtons tea at mil's. I have been craving this! Sign I'm getting on but I suspect I'm in good company.

Popperwell

I keep putting the heating on but it often gets no higher than approx 18 and often it can go as low as 10. The TV isn't on at all, occasionally a PC and the fridge/freezer seems to be behaving itself and is not on all the time...

This house used to be warm all the time but the heating was on virtually 24/7. If I keep my food store topped up, I continue to get the present income and...maybe cold weather payments I can up how often it is on...recently I did manage 4 hours daily...but it needs to be on up to 8 hours daily to make a lot of difference.

I do take notice honestly Kidcat. Often it is warmer when the snow comes down...I do watch the hypothermia advice and appreciate how it can creep up on you without warning. It does help moving around a little too...an excuse for comforting warm drinks and meals too.

Our last fridge/freezer would not work in the outhouse either but it is doing so in the dining room. I tend to remain upstairs which has always been warmer due to the pipes under the floorboards and the radiators...

Must get around to using the electric blanket that I purchased...