Preparing for Winter V

Nargleblast

Newspapers are now suggesting it might be the coldest winter since 2012, so prepping against cold is on the agenda.
 Leggings and thermal vest between undies and clothes, still opening bedroom windows briefly in the mornings to exchange the air but closing it shortly afterwards, making sure curtains are drawn mid afternoon to keep in the warmth.
 Happily I live in a well-insulated, centrally heated house. The thermostat is set to 20 degrees which gives a comfortable ambient temperature throughout. The separate fire in the living room is only put on occasionally if the heating is off and it's particularly cold. There's a thick throw on the back of the sofa in case of need.
 I reorganised the food cupboard yesterday, releasing a few bits for the food bank. Now I can see what we have, there's plenty of stuff to make a meal with. I won't need to do a major Christmas food shop as I have been getting things in gradually over the past few weeks, and if necessary I can use the two village shops - no getting caught up in crowds in supermarkets.

I don't know if the cold weather forecast includes lots of snow, but it's worth prepping for getting snowed in just in case. If we can't get out, some delivery vehicles might not be able to get in.

Laura_Elsewhere

The car went for its MOT today, so we emptied it at the weekend, and sorted through the box that lives in it - tow-rope, old towel, remnant of Goretex fabric to kneel on in wet weather if needs be, container of dishwasher-salt granules (cheaper than salt, cheaper than grit, far more effective than cat litter; works immediately as physical grit, then melts as salt to prevent re-freezing), bottle of water and Mars Bar and packet of dry-roasted peanuts in case of stranding, torch with new batteries, etc. 

@Nargleblast - if the newspaper forecasting the coldest winter since 2012 is the Express, then you can probably relax, as they forecast SNOWMAGEDDON and ARCTIC FREEZE every single year, regardless of actual forecasting  

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

The car went for its MOT today, so we emptied it at the weekend, and sorted through the box that lives in it - tow-rope, old towel, remnant of Goretex fabric to kneel on in wet weather if needs be, container of dishwasher-salt granules (cheaper than salt, cheaper than grit, far more effective than cat litter; works immediately as physical grit, then melts as salt to prevent re-freezing), bottle of water and Mars Bar and packet of dry-roasted peanuts in case of stranding, torch with new batteries, etc. 

@Nargleblast - if the newspaper forecasting the coldest winter since 2012 is the Express, then you can probably relax, as they forecast SNOWMAGEDDON and ARCTIC FREEZE every single year, regardless of actual forecasting  

Too true.  

The only thing to note with salt (dishwasher or otherwise), is that if you apply it on a frozen surface at home, say to defrost your driveway, it will eat into the concrete and potentially kill plants living along side.  (I know this from experience.  DH's aunt was staying with us back in ?2010, when we had weeks of snow on the ground.  We applied salt to make the route to the front door less slippery for her  It killed the moss and mortar that was holding our brick front step together, and pitted the concrete of the main path.)

- Pip

Nargleblast

A bit of snow would be nice, just over Christmas, then it can sod off.

littlemoney

A lot of snow just before and for a week over the Christmas period would be good for our health by reducing the spread of the covid virus as not so many people will be able to travel and gatherings will be smaller.

baggins11

That's very true littlemoney. I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised what peoples plans are i have spoken to. Most people said they are massively reducing the gatherings or doing non. I don't expect that to be the case for everyone though.

I just think it is madness what they are planning. I would just leave it as support bubble plus household if it were me so no one is forced to be alone.

Living_proof

It's not just the mixing of folk over the holiday, but also the travel arrangements which will have to be made. We used to travel from Northamptonshire to the east coast of Scotland quite often at Christmas and the journey just before the festivities was never straightforward.  With so many people using the roads at once there are bound to be lots of accidents, breakdowns, comfort breaks and service station food stops. Each stage offers a new risk and also for the emergency service, breakdown guys, etc. There is also the necessity of staying over with relatives or friends, sharing facilities and surfaces many will have used. Technology has never offered so many options before and I really think we should have a very low key festival with our own household or bubble and save the real family get together for mid-summer. 

joedenise

That's exactly what we're planning @Living_proof - just us for Christmas and then, hopefully, "Christmas in July" with family.  If the selling channels on TV can do it why can't we?

baggins11

We are planning the same also. I am certainly not driving around the country at the moment. We have gone through so much I don't see why people can't hang on a few more months to save lives. 

Primrose

Another older household  just planning to stay at home.  Road travel is never fun at Christmas anyway.  Reckon too many people have already suffered enough stress this year and many will just be taking the opportunity (or excuse ! ) to just stay home, relax and have a few days of peace and quiet.  Understand  that those living alone will perhaps most of all want to travel to meet up with family or friends but for many of us who've got used to living with these restrictions it seems a shame to have borne them patiently thus far and then fall at the last major hurdle!