Preparing for Winter V

mardatha

The great thing about coal heating is that one load of coal every 24 hours keeps ours going all the time. It's never off, apart from really hot days in summer. Tons of boiling hot water, clothes dry overnight, warm stone walls. I love it

THIRZAH

Just been looking at pictures on Facebook of a wreath laying ceremony this morning at the site of an aircraft wreck at the top of the Snake Pass and it was snowing! Can't see any on the hills so I'm hoping it didn't settle.

Thriftkitten

Hi Thirzah, not much good now as is dark but the pub called The Cat and Fiddle up there has a live webcam with weather update...

Cafekate

There are also webcams at Flash Bar Stores on the Buxton to Leek road and one further down the same road at the WINKINGMAN pub. I live in Leek and there have been lots of occasions where I'veneeded to refer to these for up to date weather conditions !

THIRZAH

I have seen the live webcams on the Buxton weather site but usually just look out of the spare bedroom window. If I can see cars on the Snake Pass I know it's open.

Thriftkitten

Cafekate wrote: »

There are also webcams at Flash Bar Stores on the Buxton to Leek road and one further down the same road at the WINKINGMAN pub. I live in Leek and there have been lots of occasions where I'veneeded to refer to these for up to date weather conditions !

I've just seen that the cat and fiddle is closed awaiting new landlords.... I love to watch the cams around that area for my snow fix... Buxton cam is also very pleasing when it's snowy... being here in Cornwall we only get rain and the occasional light frost...Very Jealous of all those peeps squirrelling and busying themselves while their log burners keep them cozy...

mardatha

Thriftkitten you should take a wee cottage up in Glencoe for a fortnight every January for your holidays, get a snow fix

Thriftkitten

mardatha wrote: »

Thriftkitten you should take a wee cottage up in Glencoe for a fortnight every January for your holidays, get a snow fix

Oh I could only dream.... I used to watch the live webcam at "The Kings Head" there.... does it show I am a bit of a snow watcher

Laura_Elsewhere

We've been in this little flat since Jan 2014, and the first winter when Mr N was here alone, the bedroom windows were pouring condensation; I moved in, in Nov 2014, and that second winter the windows were pretty bad - I wiped them dry most mornings, and worried about air-drying clothes or having baths; last year, it wasn't very cold, but when it was we noticed almost no condensation.
First heavy frost this morning and only a tiny line of condensation in the bedroom windows.

The bedroom faces south, the sitting room is a triple-width window facing north so we simply don't use that room in winter except for our big sit-down dinners on Xmas and Ne'er's Days. We turn our bedroom into a bed-sitting room, and find it's lovely and cosy. Mr N used to do stage-lighting so we have wonderful lights in here to make the place feel cosy too!

I brought with me my old "stone pig" hot water bottle, and two thick blankets, expecting I would need to muffle myself up, being alone here all day with no heating, but haven't used the pig more than a couple of times, ditto blankets.

The flat has got central heating; we simply don't use it as we find we really don't need it. That does mean we suffer near-heatstroke at others' houses and in shops but we're learning to dress very lightly for any social occasion in winter!

I think simply *living* in a place helps sort out dampness. Also, I really do wonder about air-changing - I open windows front and back most days for 5 minutes, we get a great through-draught and then I close the double-glazing tight again - we still often have the window open at night in midwinter. But I know a lot of people, esp those trying to cut heating bills, don't open windows to air the place for fear of letting the heat out. I try to do it just as I get back in from a brisk walk back from the shops, as then I'm warmed up and by the time I cool down, the incoming-cold air has warmed up a bit and it really doesn't seem to make much difference overall, ime.

[Deleted User]

It seems as though winter is here NOW!!! very cold down here this morning with a lazy wind (goes straight through, not round) adding to the chill factor. It was really nice to light the stove yesterday evening and we had to add throws to the bed as the lighter quilts were just not enough. Looking to make some nice warming food this week so Carrot Pottage made this morning for lunches and I'm also making African Beans which are mildly spicy but real comfort food in colder weather. Looking at the full log store on a day like this makes sense of all the processing of the wood that goes on through the rest of the year and looking at a well stocked larder and spice cupboard at the start of the colder weather makes me feel like a squirrel but gives me a good feeling as I know we'll be warm and fed no matter what winter can throw at us, feels good!!!