Preparing for Winter V

LadyhavershamLost

3 of my brood are off on their hols with their dad tomorrow so using the time they're away wisely to sort bedrooms, do a bedding stocktake, make sure they have boots that fit etc...

Once that's done, off to the Swedish store of delights for meatballs for tea and to buy some new throws for the living room, candles and things I might need .....

Was driving through the Surrey Hills this afternoon - was glorious - nd a lot warmer than it was at 6 am this morning!

VintageHistorian

Me and DH went to a John Lewis with the gift cards we were given as wedding presents and bought ourselves two lovely new duvet sets in super king size. We have a regular double duvet at the moment but a king size bed and it's already causing a few problems with stealing the duvet during the night, so next month will involve buying a new (13.5 tog) super king duvet for the bed! Our current one is 13.5 tog and it's very nice, I sleep under a patchwork quilt when it's too hot anyway so a similar tog will be good to help keep DH nice and warm.

[Deleted User]

I am not a summer lover either and very much look forward to autumn. I do seem to respond to the seasons and my sleeping pattern is unfortunately governed by the moon. I have a very heavy blackout curtain in my bedroom and it is pitch black at night but full moon energy always stops me sleeping. I toss and turn on those nights and am always tired the next day. I might not know it is a full moon, until the next day when I look at my weather station, which displays the phases

Blankets/duvets, it isn`t so easy to find that correct sleeping comfort solution and I find as I am getting older, that I swing from just a sheet, to adding a blanket, then adding a throw, then returning to a thinner duvet, then a medium duvet and rarely, in a very cold winter, both duvets buttoned together. My sheets change too, cotton, best in summer then gradually I change to brushed and ultimately cozee home fleece. No wonder the airing cupboard gets so much use. It is definitely harder to regulate the body temperature as you get older

At least now the temperature has gone down somewhat, so I am going to do some winter sorting in my storage shed area. I may well just add some flours, I already have yeast. Plenty of dehydrated foods, some foods that heat themselves. I have a small backpacking device that will work on meths or a few wood pellets, which is my stove fuel. I have a can with it, in which I can bake a small amount of bread if needed.

VH, yes always a good idea to have much bigger bedding when co-sleeping. I use a double size sheet on a single bed, fitted sheet on the mattress, I don`t like it too tucked in

fuddle

All hail the cosy store cupboard feeling pooky and smashing that your DDs have 'picked it up'. It's all I want for my girls. It doesn't matter what job they go for, what life they choose etc but if they have the ability to sensibly stand as secure and warm as they can while they appreciate they can make good even the most dire of situations. I hope.mine 'pick it up' too.

My stock cupboard needs work these coming weeks. I have took my eye off the ball. I'm wondering if there are any recommendations for where to source dehydrated goods. My thinking is I would be able to utilise less cupboard space this way because, hopefully, I can begin canning my Lottie produce in the years to come. Dehydrated goods strikes me as a bridge from now to then. Whaddaya think?

[Deleted User]

fuddle. This is a good company, been shopping with them for years, re dried foods, a little goes a long way
https://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/dried-vegetables

fuddle

kittie wrote: »

fuddle. This is a good company, been shopping with them for years, re dried foods, a little goes a long way
https://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/dried-vegetables

That's my coffee break research topic sorted. Thank you Kittie

Cheapskate

kittie wrote: »

fuddle. This is a good company, been shopping with them for years, re dried foods, a little goes a long way
https://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/dried-vegetables

Thanks, kittie, I've been trying to look for stuff like this, too.

Carp weather here today, and not feeling good, so we're staying home. All I'm going to do is wash up and make tea, and crochet in-between. I've spent too many years not looking after myself, and think I need to now, minor health problems are becoming a bit more serious, so I'm being a bit selfish today! Oh, and will be drinking copious quantities of Ovaltine as if feels decidedly autumnal here!!

A xo

carolbee

kittie wrote: »

fuddle. This is a good company, been shopping with them for years, re dried foods, a little goes a long way
https://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/dried-vegetables

That's useful kittie, they're about 3 miles away from me too!

smeeth

kittie wrote: »

my sleeping pattern is unfortunately governed by the moon. I have a very heavy blackout curtain in my bedroom and it is pitch black at night but full moon energy always stops me sleeping. I toss and turn on those nights and am always tired the next day. I might not know it is a full moon, until the next day when I look at my weather station, which displays the phases

I always thought I was going mad to draw this link but I am exactly the same, I never know it's a full moon until I get no sleep and check the next day. Glad to know I'm not alone!

Bought a new hot water bottle today off eb*y, 2litre with a fleece cover, hope it's good quality when it arrives.

[Deleted User]

Don`t forget to get the chimneys and flues cleaned and keep the certificate near your insurance documents. An insurance company told me that if there was a fire, even if not concerning the chimney or flue, that there would not be a payout unless there was a certificate from a certified sweep or stove maintenance person

My stove is done, the only thing I need to do differently in future is to clean around the small mesh air intake at the back. The stove man said that you would not believe the number of people who don`t notice the air intake because the stovet is often in an alcove and the mesh intake gets absolutely choked in webs, which then causes big problems with the burner

So that is done and now I have that winter cleaning urge on me, like spring cleaning. I started that yesterday and got very hot doing it but am bottoming everything. They are harvesting around here now, so I have to keep on top of any dusting. There was a waft of soot from the stove when I walked past but I found the source, the horizontal vents on the back, they made the duster grubby but the smell has gone. Must have settled after the stove clean. I also have an airvax, on 24/7, keeps the room air nice and clean all year round

I am slowly sorting in the shed too and putting some allotment raised beds to sleep, once I have cut down the second crop, a green manure. I then lightly turn the soil and cover and weight the covers down. Then the worms do the rest. I don`t do any digging.

Its all about getting my hibernation nest ready