Preparing for Winter V

silverwhistle

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

You could replace the sacking with cardboard or a piece of old carpet.

Or snow tyres! My experience is coloured by living in the Alps for a number of years. Keep an eye on the discount supermarkets for folding shovels (unless you are an off-piste skier:D in which case you'll have a good one already ). A space blanket is cheap and handy although I carry a sleeping bag in really bad weather. Having a hi-viz vest is compulsory in many countries and is a generally good idea anyway for if you break down. Water and a bit of chocolate/hi-energy food is also advisable; or my home-made flapjacks.. Quite a number of people used to be caught in the gallery/tunnels of the side valleys where I lived by avalanches. They'd be safe but trapped until it was safe enough for the snow ploughs to get through, but in the UK it's more about wind and snow drifts.

Rummer

I love prepping for winter although my OH is prone to sighing when I start mentioning it in July :rotfl: My winter crochet and knitting has begun with a blanket for my DD and a selection of hats, gloves and scarfs for everyone. Also need to make some water bottle covers. There are also other things that I need to purchase:

• Ankle high snow boots for me (recommendations welcome)
• Knee length waterproof coat for me (recommendations welcome)
• Wellies, snow boots and coats for the children
• De-icer
• Top up the medical kit
• Extra animal food
• PJ's and slippers all round

Then there are the usual things like bleeding the radiators, relocating the grit, pulling together the car kit, washing all the winter woollens and bed blankets.

parsniphead

I'm very jealous Uneven income. We came to Linc's last year for the first time and fell in love with it, its beautiful.

I'm sitting outside the caravan in mablethorpe getting some fresh air before bed. My its a bit chilly. The winter prep list is forming quickly in my head.

Rainy-Days

Interesting read on the bags - thanks guys for the information .

I am making a really big effort now to take bags with me on every shop. That way when October hits, it will not be a big shock to my system. I have a couple of pretty bags at the moment and I also have a lovely wicker traditional shopping basket which I might press into action for fruit and veg etc.

Its a good thing these bags are being fazed out. I remember back in the 1970's there was no such thing as free carrier bags and mum had this big brown leather shopping bag and a trolley as well. I also recall the dustbin was no where near as full as ours now is even on a weekly basis. :eek: All packaging and pretty much unnecessary IMHO

We had a big blitz in the garden yesterday getting the height of some of the conifers reduced right down. The light that has now come flooding in is amazing. We have three more conifers in the back garden to go, but the two in the front have inspired us to get them all done.

Most of the winter preps are done TBH. I have found that once you have the major stuff in place after the first two years, beyond that you are just topping up / keeping on top of things, which makes life easier and cheaper.

pollys

We are about to have a few expensive months. We need two new windows and a door, just waiting on the quote. The plumber is replacing the bathroom radiator tomorrow - I've just resealed and grouted round one of the bathroom windows, I'll do the other window later, DH is at work and I can't get the blind down.
When the living room and bedroom window have been replaced both rooms need decorating. We are putting down carpet rather than laminate in the living room. the bedroom is already carpeted. We have blinds at the windows, which we love, but we are also getting some curtains to make the rooms extra cosy.
I have plenty of candles and jam jars to put them in. I'm treating myself to some snow boots and a new winter coat this year.
Good luck with the prepping.

Polly

craigywv

I live I Northern Ireland and we have had the levy on the bags for a good while. at first I was always forgetting my bags so constantly buying plastic ones each week until I worked out average of tescos shop approx. 8 bags a week then say 5 from Iceland or asda etc roughly 15 a week x 5p =£39.00 a year not counting pop in shopping at local shops for milk etc ....opened my eyes a bit so now I have the boot filled with the bags for life or the heavier ones sold in supermarkets even used sons old schoolbag before I would pay for a bag now,it becomes obsessive lol

muffin_man_7

Thanks Craigywv when you add it up it is expensive and I've been trying to justify a new shopper trolley can't carry bags as much as I'd like to these days
when you add in extra bags for Xmas shopping etc its gonna jump it up even more I've been saving the larger bags from argos £world etc but have also started keeping a ball of string handy make my own handle that way I'm Deffo not gonna feel bad getting new shopper thinking of 4 wheels this time so should be less strain on me back I hope also only shop for me and the dog now all kids have moved into their own places youngestis 18 peace at last till they pop in for milk or bread or something lol
They never understand why I got extra maybe they will now

On the prepping side I don't know if I'll be moved b4 winter got to down size to a 1 bed place so as I can't prep home I'm concentrating on winter clothing and I've just got 3 chunky knit throws in asda for £15. Bargain as they were £15 each I also got 2 quilted throws as well half price so £ 17 for both ok they're pink but if I want a change of colour ill juSt pop them in a quilt cover same with the knitted ones might have to do that anyway cos of me dog luvs to eat quilts but not if they're in a cover ?? And luvs getting under them too when temp drops even now in early hours if it too chilly for just a t shirt he'll be trying to snuggle up
not sure what else I can do now till I'm moved
I've started a winter heating moneybox cos I'm on pre pay meter and don't want to loose my top up when I move
I've some good news I'm gonna be a granny again

muffin_man_7

Sorry for the long post I'm on my phone and it's hard to see how much I've written

muffin_man_7

Hi polly I like to put candles into jars for safety too but since I've had the dog been wary of lighting any instead I've got the led battery powered xmas light handy in each room I'm thinking I might bunch them up and slot them in a jar be safer than candle and might give off more light I use rechargeable batteries in them the last ages I've even got a set that turn themselves off after 6 hours and then on again the next day be handy as it start getting dark early thank u for reminding me I've been trying to find last year's prepping notes I made but can't remember where I put them the way it's going we'll have reAl fog b4 brain fog goes oh well keep up the prep and keep jogging my memory many thanks

Rainy-Days

Not sure if it is of any help to any of you, but Next have door curtains very reasonable in their online sale! Go to the homeware tab and then curtains and there is about five pages or so of reduced curtains!

http://www.next.co.uk/sale/