Preparing for Winter V

fuddle

Well I'm hoping one decides to own your stove keep feeding the dreamies. HWK won't be able to resist giving a stray a home.

mardatha

I'm another one who loves getting a fire going. Never minded getting up in a cold house to lay the fire, one of my fav jobs. I miss it now we have the stove, it stays in 24/7 for about ten months of the year. Boring lol

WeegieWumman

mardatha wrote: »

I'm another one who loves getting a fire going. Never minded getting up in a cold house to lay the fire, one of my fav jobs. I miss it now we have the stove, it stays in 24/7 for about ten months of the year. Boring lol

Oh! Mar,
I just can't imagine anyone being content to get up on a cold morning and lighting a fire.
You're such a glutton for punishment. :eek::eek:

mardatha

Did it all my life WW, just liked the routine of it Although it's nice to get up in a toasty warm house as well, I still miss my old fire. A stove isn't the same.

Pooky

Well I've successfully swept the chimney this morning, another task ticked off the list. Living room has had a spring clean and windows are all sparkly inside and out. Have a new sofa coming on Tuesday so I'm ready for it.

Will go fill the logs baskets up in a bit (waiting for floors to dry) and will light the first fire of the season this evening. I feel autumn can properly start now.

babyblooz

Kind of preparing for Winter, as I have prepped my Christmas Cake mixture. I've weighed out my mixed fruit (Currants, raisins, sultanas and chopped apricots) and it is now sitting in a melted mixture of butter, dark brown sugar, mixed spice and water. It has to sit and steep until the fruit is swollen and glossy, then I can add flour and eggs and bob the cakes in the oven. It will sit quite happily overnight and then tomorrow I will line the tins and do the actual baking. I like that I can split the task into sections and do it over a day or so. It's good to know that they will sit happily in the cupboard maturing away until December. I will give them the odd glug or two of something alcoholic and it's good to know it's all home made and squirrelled away safely.

I am also thinking about making some home-made mincemeat. I made it years ago with the children I worked with in school. It's easy to do and a lovely sensory and social activity, as we all sit around and grate orange and lemon peel, weigh out the different fruits and suet and squeeze oranges and chop apples into tiny pieces. I never add candied peel to mine as we don't like it but each to their own. Once it's all packed away in jam jars you just need to store it in a dark cool place to let the flavours mingle. We never added alcohol in school of course but I probably will add it to mine. I have a new recipe for a mincemeat tray bake with a crumbly demerara sugar topping so being able to use my own mincemeat should make it extra more-ish.

I think we need a few home-made treats to help us make it through the long, dark and dreary days. For me, it's right up there with brushed cotton bedding, knitting and crocheting, good books, a cheery fireplace and a comfy chair with a fluffy throw. :smileyhea

thriftwizard

I'm also hoping to do mincemeat this week, babyblooz, using the last few of our home-grown apples. They're not good for storing this year, sadly. I made mincemeat last year & really enjoyed it, both the activity and the result!

Must ring the guys who look after our boiler again, too. I've had one try at organising the annual service; they left a message on our answerphone saying they assumed the engineer had rung me to organise it, but actually he (or she) hadn't! So it's time to chase that up. I must also sew the new curtains for our bedroom; the current ones, though pretty, aren't that good at keeping our Victorian drafts out, but the "new" fabric is very heavy & should stop them in their tracks! It came in on a job lot of stuff I bought at auction for my market stall, and is just perfect for our room, and there's exactly the right amount, so I reckon this was Meant To Be, as I already have header tape, lining fabric etc. so they'll effectively be free!

Frith

A (very) rare large purchase deposit paid so hoping it'll be installed before November - a new front door!


Goodbye, 1970's brown thing where you can see daylight down the side. Hello, composite shiny black door with 2 narrow double glazing panels (clear glass so we can look down the garden).


We only have one outside door (tiny cottage) and the draughts around and under it have been horrendous for years.


Have also got more logs now as my brother brought about 20 wheelbarrows-worth round. Have lit the stove a couple of times already.

[Deleted User]

I've just made the first 'winter salad' of the season, more robust flavours than summer leaves and with ingredients available all winter long so white cabbage, celery, cox's apples, spring onions and diced cheddar with a dressing made from white wine vinegar, rapeseed oil, mild mustard, salt, pepper and sugar all shaken together in a jar and we're having that with some sausage rolls. Time tout down warm weather food I think and start thinking rib stickers, warming curries and chillies, stews, hot pots, savoury pies and the odd roast dinner. Lots of nice thick soups too and things on toast for supper. All these will keep you warm and nourished through the colder weather.

fuddle

It's cold here too and our 24/7 friend is back - the wind! Apparently we're to get a warm couple of days this week but it's here nor there really.

DH has pointed along the bottom of our outside kitchen wall. When we looked at it it looked like water was seeping into the wall. It's now waterproof and water can't sit in the groove.

Wilkos are delivering our kindling than goodness. I struggle to find it locally and my stash of pine cones has not been renewed due to me not being able to walk back up the hill all year.

Wood is in stock and ample but I need back up coal. I'm waiting for lidl to get stock in and send DH down in the car. I may get a bag in my shopping trolley but I think that's taking my need for independence too far! :rotfl:

Pooky do you sweep your own chimney?