Preparing for Winter V

[Deleted User]

blooming miserable here at the moment, dead white skies and grey atmosphere. Ice everywhere, gotto watch the feet, make sure they are plonked down flat when I walk to the shed

All bird feeders are full and am watching the pigeon looking for fallen seeds. They are all having a hard time.

Three candles on in metal lanterns, which give out a good bit of warmth. I don`t want the stove on all the time as the dry air is affecting my eyes, so also have a humidifier on. Its the type of house and the lime plaster walls, never gets damp but too dry at the moment. I am glad to have a stash of food in, don`t want to go out, too dangerous

mardatha

Tropical heatwave up here, over 9C! But real cold expected in the next week or so.
I have a system kittie.. the stove stays on 24/7 for 10 months of the year. If the room gets a wee bit hot I open the door and let cooler air in from the hall. If it gets very hot I open a window. Air con peasant style lol. The stone walls stay warm all the time and I really notice the difference when I go to neighbours with electric heating, their houses always feel cold to me. My daughter's in a 70s build modern boxy wee house and its baltic- they need the heating on all the time.

Eenymeeny

Kittie you might have just solved a problem for me! I've spent a lot of time indoors during the very windy weather we've been having lately. Doing very little, apart from computer and catching up on Call the midwife on Drama. (Very lazy I know )
I've been blaming my irritated eyes on that and have just realised that maybe the dry air is to blame. I knew that it was time to shake myself and get out for a brisk walk in the (very!) fresh air thank you!

[Deleted User]

I think we're weakening! It's a dank, dark, dreary foggy cold day down here in Hampshire and He Who Knows has a sore throat and has just lit the stove.....and it's only 12.48!!! Shock Horror!!! mind you it feels arctic in here because we were away for most of the week so I'm all in favour!!!! We're turning into southern softies!!!

[Deleted User]

eenymeeny, same here re the computer, staying in and the drama channel on tv and also knitting. Did my eyes no good at all. Candles and humidifier yesterday made a huge difference, as does a steamy shower. I get worried about the eye surface being damaged through being dry, so I am using wetting drops if the stove is on, if I start feeling the grittiness. The stove pulls more air through and so the room air is drying out, humidity was 53 with candles and started going down when the stove was on. I was at my worse when it was 44. Also managed to get some udos oil to take, I see my skin drying too. Older age as well, so I am turning into a prune

MrsCD

Just a quick visit to thank everyone who has helped with being prepared. We woke this morning to a power cut, but thanks to having two small gas bench top 'hobs', we were able to have a hot cuppa, and some hot lunch later on. The electricity came back on at 1.45 pm, so the food in the freezers should be ok.
Happy New Year everyone!

Eenymeeny

Just checked out Oudo's oil Kittie, interesting. You've made me give a lot more thought to hydration than just drinking more water, Thank you.

Tink_04

Freezing cold today! I'm going to give my gas and elec. enter reading and see how the bill is looking - we got a new boiler in November (other one died) and in mot sure if it's better or worse? It has a completely different setting system and heats the house to a certain temp then goes off? This feels like more than we were using before but I can't be sure - think I'm just worried about the bill.

[Deleted User]

Another difficult day today re cold. -5 right now and no breeze at all, have a journey to do today so will leave early and take my time. Just thinking of how much difference wool garments make to feeling warm and esp when there is something warm around the neck and shoulders

I am finding a caplet very useful, made from left over pure wool. Have a look at the knitters thread if interested. I am about to make another, different one with a size 19mm crochet hook and several strands of wool. I got out and did pruning yesterday but came back far too cold, 2 and below is dangerous weather for anyone older. Took a while for finger pain to go and to warm up, helped by hot tea

Am finding the candle heating in the evenings very good wrt humidity, I draw thick woollen curtains and the warmth stays in. Eyes now feel normal but took several days and I will be taking that udos oil all winter. Am using stored food stocks now but freezer is rammed as are cupboards. Frozen milk etc

[Deleted User]

I am experimenting tonight because I have a huge candle stash, well I could not resist the special offers I was sent and also the full boxes of dinner candles that were freebies from years ago They are all stearin wax. I suppose it is a bit Marie Kondo, in that I need to free up their space. I was too worried about leaving the dinner candles, they are 2 cm tall, I have sturdy wee willie winkie holders but nevertheless, I wasn`t going to leave them

So this evening all my candles are in metal lanterns, three of them, the dinner candle is in a tall metal lantern, already giving off a good amount of heat at the top. I am not putting the stove on, even though my eyes are better. I think the dinner candle will burn a good 8 hours. The room feels nice and comfortable, there is a through air flow as I have mechanical ventilation. I am expecting freezing this evening, so this is going to be a pretty good test. Important for me to do this test as a power cut means no heat at all in my house. They are on a stone floor and safe and I use a snuffer, I don`t blow them out

I suppose this is my safety net back up plan. I have some instant heating meals, a small gaz stove and canisters and now the candles for warmth. I can keep warm with woollens on but not good to breathe very cold air when (sigh) getting old. I always have an air intake here, even if the mech ventilation goes off, any puff of wind outside draws the old air out, its a stack system, so I feel safe re oxygen burning

Back to my knitting, candle watching and calmness