Preparing for Winter V

mollythewestie

DD and I have been experimenting with soaked shredded paper to make brickettes for the fire - they are currently drying out in the sunshine.

Our new log basket arrived to today, so we have already put a few logs in it to "dress" the fireplace :rotfl:

I've spent the morning cleaning and reorganizing the larder cupboard, we are rearranging things in the kitchen, so we will lose one cupboard that was used as an overflow for tins and packets, It looks like I might need to cut back a bit this year.

[Deleted User]

MOLLY we make papier mache bricks with a press machine and find they dry much quicker in either a greenhouse or a polytunnel or even in the sun in the window of the garden shed. We dry ours on a rack so the air circulates right round them.

Cheapskate

I need to chase up my builder who's going to do the work for our new wood burner - have already started saving offcuts of wood, although only the twigs will be dry enough for this winter. Our joiner is due to do some work in the garage, including putting in some shelves to store wood for drying - I'll have to buy logs and coke this year, but will still be cheaper than running the CH as most of the ground floor will be open plan by then.

The children and I have plenty of woollies, just need a scarf and gloves for DH, and boots/wellies all round as the littlies have finally outgrown every pair we've ever bought or been given!

Freezer dejunking is underway, hardly need to shop except for veg etc to complete meals, as I found enough meat and fish for at least 10 meals! Serves me right for letting the freezers get so muddled! :rotfl:

I love getting ready for autumn and winter, must have squirrel genes! :D

A xo

Tiddlywinks

Cheapskate wrote: »

...... and boots/wellies all round as the littlies have finally outgrown every pair we've ever bought or been given!

I got some cheap Crocs branded wellies from Sports Direct - they are made from the same foam as their clogs. They are so comfie and much warmer than rubber wellies.

They are wearing well for walking in but I don't think they would be robust enough for using a spade for digging.

Just thought I'd mention it as I'd never even considered Crocs wellies before but at that bargain price it was rude not to.

Cheapskate

Thanks for that tip, Tiddlywinks, never crossed my mind that they'd sell wellies of any sort!

A xo

Lucy5781

Distinctly cooler and rainy today (thankfully, I'm 37wks pregnant and always hot!) which makes me want to cook more lol

amber03

Now I have got my holidays out of the way I am now into winter and xmas mode, started by buying a couple of extra tins of food to put away for xmas. Just treated myself to some new socks but will need some more, I always like my feet to be warm. Hopefully having a multifuel fire put in the living room as it needs abit of additional heat if its really cold, but I think DH is pretending to forget about it as it will mean redecorating after its fitted. I think a gentle poke to remind him is needed. :)x

[Deleted User]

We went to Lidl yesterday and as well as the everyday shopping I got a tray of baked beans, another of chopped tomatoes, some porridge oats, some evaporated milk, some tinned corned beef, some packets of muesli and some antibacterial hand wash to go into the stores for bad winter weather. All things that we use anyway so it won't be wasted if we get another warm winter but will be useful if we are stuck in for a few days due to bad weather.

mardatha

I'm planning to stay out of busy shops this winter so we need to get the stocks in as well. I've been knitting socks all summer and shawls as well. It hasnt been that good a summer up here and today is def wintery.

nicki_2

Started my winter prep shopping this week by buying a multipack of balsam pocket tissues. We go through a lot of tissues and keep the packs in our bags so when it rains and they get wet I throw them away. I treated us to branded ones from H0meBargains and will pick some more up when I next go as well as another box of balsam ones. Trying to clear the freezer out, and start planning some meals to do in rotation over the winter. DD isn't keen on stew but if I put the likes of black pudding in it she will eat it. I'll have to sort a trip to the butchers out before she goes back to school (probably the week she's due back so that she can use her term time bus pass ) to stock up on cheap meat.

Last week I took some time to sit and read through this thread from scratch again and wrote out a massive list for me to tackle. :eek: Lots of it is little things which just need to be checked off, but its still a big list so I need to now sit and plan out when I can get things done as I haven't achieved very much at all this summer