Preparing for Winter V

-taff

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

YES we're getting one as soon as we possibly can! The wood stove guy will send us some ideas for suitable models for our space and we'll drop down to the big showrooms and decide which we like and put in the order there and then. With luck we'll be up and working before Christmas!

Just one tip. If you buy the stove yourself direct, rther than order it through the woodstove guy, you will save VAT on it. If you let the wood guy order it, he has to charge VAT on top because he's performing a service.
And make sure you're going to get a HETAS certificate and have a CO2 alarm fitted. They will let building control know, and then you get your certificate.

Laura_Elsewhere

fuddle wrote: »

The other child person (14) has a muffled ear. I've bought ear wax softener but as I was paying olive oil came to mind. Have I got that right - olive oil for ear wax?

Any mild plant oil will do - I use almond oil. I heat the teaspoon in a mug of hot tapwater, and then pour a little oil into that, get the victim to lie comfortably on their side, towel and pillow under head, ear nice and level, then trickle the oil in carefully, moving their head til the angle is right for it to glug in. then open and close their jaw once or twice, but then the dull bit is they have to lie there for a full ten minutes by a timer.

that's for one ear, for preventive measures, but if the ear is actually blocked or muffled, you'll need to do it daily or even twice-daily, for quite a few days! It's gentle, but that means it's also slow...

My Mr Nice had a totally-blocked ear, and we tried for a week with warm oil, twice daily, whcih helped a little but in the end he went and had them syringed, and the nurse told him that with an ear blocked seriously like that normally they actually get people to use warm oil for a good 3-4 days before they agree to syringe, because it softens the wax. So even if you decide to go and get the ear syringed, keep doing the warm oil beforehand as it makes it more efficient!

We have now decided to do each other's ears every few months over the cold weather. We both sorted them out in Sept, so we'll do them again in early Dec, and again in February probably, to stave off problems.

cbsexec

Dont know if you have a H*me B*rgains near you but they have olive oil for ears in an easy to use dropper bottle for 99p

[Deleted User]

One of the pound shops has paracetamol capsules at 49p I can't remember if it's pound world or poundland. As a child I had to take some huge tablets when I had bronchitis (all too regularly) which were much too big to swallow so my mum would grind them up to a powder (pestle and mortar or bash 'em with the end of the rolling pin in a plastic bag) and mix it with a spoon of jam and I could swallow that. Hope that doesn't offend all principles but it works!

fuddle

It'll work in an emergency Lyn. pound shops, warmed plant oils (almond is on my list any way for my face) and a very handy dropper bottle would do the trick. Very much appreciated, as always.

luvchocolate

I use olive oil also, but the nurse told me not to warm it, I just use it at room temperature.

VintageHistorian

I succumbed and had the central heating on for an hour this evening. House felt cold and damp when I got in from work, hoping that I can get away with having it on once or twice a week in October before putting it on regularly in November.

Pooky

Fuds, I've always found tablets easier to swallow with milk - thats how I got my 2 started on them and they both still reach for a glass of milk to take them now.

We use olive oil for ears too, youngest has always suffered with blocked ears when she has a cold, she does have to resort to syringing now and then though.

flubberyzing

I also had to have my ears syringed quite a few times as a young person. The last time I had to have them done was while I was an undergrad at uni.

Even now, my ears are prone to waxiness, especially if I've got a cold. But I use a tip my mum gave me... I'll preface it with "use with great care and gentleness!". Wrap the dull end of a bobby pin with a tissue, and use that to give your ears a gentle scrape out... I wouldn't recommend to do it for anyone else, on their ears, but you can do it on your own, no problem.
Strangely, it always makes me cough! But I do it maybe every other month, and it's hellish-satisfying!!

Living_proof

cuddlymarm wrote: »

It fascinates me how many people feel it’s acceptable to cough and sneeze without even attempting to cover their mouths these days. I was always taught coughs and sneezes spread diseases.
Cuddles

Have any of you noticed how frequently people spit in the street these days? We were always brought up to think it was disgusting and spread disease like TB which was at the time still not fully eradicated.