Preparing for Winter V

Fruball

Toonie said:

I'm wondering whether the cashmere might be a good fit for me. I find "normal" wool to be itchy so would be interested in trying out something else if others find it soft. Might wait for my PIP cost of living payment to come through and treat myself to a pair on ebay. If no good for me, I'll send on to my sister.

They're not itchy at all. Very nice to wear.  😊

Scrimps

The dehumidifiers came out today. Putting the soaking wet coats and shoes in the kitchen after getting home from the school run had really made a difference. Also the condensation on the bedroom windows has started appearing to 'look mummy its foggy outside' as I draw the curtains back, so it was certainly time.

DH and I have been nursing a cough and temperatures the last week. So today, despite the room thermometer saying it was warm, I felt very chilly so put the heating on for a test...heating is working fine.

My mother has messaged me back to say she would like a heated throw for her birthday after all. She's not in great health and spends a lot of time sitting and watching telly. She was worried about heating costs, when I suggested getting her a heated throw, she stated that it would make her too hot...so no thanks...the logic of parents!  Now she would like one. I feel a bit better that she can worry a bit less about energy costs and I have a nice and useful gift to give her.

MrsCD

pixie__girlie said:

Hi all, long time lurker here

Does anybody know where sells the cheapest hot water bottles? I remember when I was a student...err..over ten years ago I suppose    you could get them from pound land for the bargain price of a pound! Not any more of course. Anyway I don't venture round the shops much so if anybody has seen some reasonably priced please do holler.  x 

I bought a hot water bottle from asda last week for £3. It doesn't have a cover on as I'm planning on crocheting one myself. A blanket or towel would wrap around it just as well though.

SuperMoose

C_J said:

@SuperMoose Thank you for the Turtle Doves reminder. The link didn’t work for me but searching eBay found their new listing, so I ordered a pair. An offer code popped up for £5 off, valid until tonight, so the wrist warmers ended up costing me £2.99 including postage. I’m delighted!

Just looked at the link I posted earlier and it ended when they sold 1000 pairs. Wonder how many went to MSE folks?

New link below if anyone else would like a pair. As of now they've sold 188 pairs in 24 hours.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363996390078

Wednesday2000

I have a to-do list for the next week or so related to winter prep.

1. Pull up the weeds in the front and back.
2. The door is ready to be fitted next week by the workman as we are moving living rooms around and need a new kitchen door fitted to keep out drafts. Move the rooms around after the door is done.
3. De-flea my pets.
4. Work out how to put up the door curtains out of the curtains I bought from a chazzer. I might have to buy an extender pole for that.
5. Hopefully buy a second hand chair or sofa for the new living room as the room we are going to be using is slightly bigger.
6. Get my Covid booster jab.
7. Give the shed a second coat of paint and put the door handles back on.
8. I'm moving the cat litter tray out of the bathroom as it will be far too cold to have the bathroom window open in winter. I need to look for something to go under the tray to catch stray litter as it will be in another room which is carpeted. I think I might have something in the shed rather than having to buy a new tray or mat.
9. Test the central heating for half an hour one evening.
10. Look out for a pair of boots in a charity shop as my brown pair gave up the ghost recently.
11. Book the electrician to come round to fix the bathroom extractor fan.


I'm sure there is more...Lol.

PipneyJane

cuddlymarm said:

Hi guys
Normally I don’t start on Christmas ( sorry I know it’s still August) until the end of September but I’m spreading it a bit further this year. So I’ve made my food , drinks, crackers and a vague idea of presents list ( the direct members of the family do a list each which comprises of needs, would likes and just downright silly ( I usually ask for world peace, unfortunately I’ve never got it yet ) which we then have various WhatsApp pages so that we don’t duplicate.
Today I’m going to clear a kitchen cupboard which no one apart from me can go in to start my collection.
I have a couple of bits I need for winter. A very slim floor lamp for behind the sofa so that we don’t have all 4 ceiling bulbs burning at night, a food flask to take my lunch in and I got vouchers for my birthday and have seen a coat I like so I’ll see if I like it in person tomorrow, as it’s my day off. I’ve also put a small torch on my online shop this week.
Anyway I’d better get on, lots of little jobs to do so I’ll just keep plodding and see how many I get through.
Have a lovely day guys
Cuddles

@cuddlymarm apologies for the late reply.  If you haven’t bought your lamp yet, may I suggest an iKEA halogen uplighter?  We have one and, for our first 6 years in this house, it lit our lounge.  (We had no choice.  The lounge had a false ceiling, 1970’s spot lights and very dodgy wiring.)

On the subject of food flasks, when L!dl last had these for sale, I bought a pair.  Took them along, filled with stew, when we sat on the side of the A4 to watch the Queen’s last journey.  Lunch was piping hot.  Well worth the £7.99 I paid for each of them.   Do keep an eye out for them.

- Pip

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Oooh, thinking of putting torches in the car - dishwasher-salt granules! 

I haven't done a costing exercise lately but every time I have done, these come out far cheaper than even buying sacks of rock-salt or grit or any other kind of anti-ice stuff. 
Get the granules specifically, because then it works in two ways - immediately you get grit to help reduce slipping and then as the ice melts, you get the4 salt released to prevent re-freezing. 

We keep a bag in the car, and a small container in the flat for doing the outside steps; my parents keep a small tin just inside their front door so if they go out in icy weather they can walk safely if slowly, strewing it ahead in a narrow path, and then just leave the tin by the front gate to pick up as they come home. Their postie often thanks them in winter!

Do be careful, though, with your dishwasher salt.  Remember the long, snowy winter of 2010-11?  I used it with disastrous results.   Our brick front step was totally destroyed when the salt killed the moss and damaged the mortar that held it together.  It also ate into our front path, taking off the smooth, top layer of concrete.  Salt eats into concrete. 

- Pip

cuddlymarm

Hi PipneyJane
I bought a food thermos to take to work but moved OHs small bedside lamp (which he never uses) out onto a coffee table. It gives off a nice cosy light and cost nothing.
We’ve not needed the heat on here yet managing with just throws but have had to resort to some tumble drying. I have a wash and wear setting that is relatively short and just leaves the clothes slightly damp which I then shake and put on a rack. Putting the washing on a rack was taking too long leading to musty smelling clothes. 

We live in a flat with no outside space so it is a matter of balancing out the cost of electricity against the cost of damage to our property and health if we allow damp to form. 

I_Love_comps

I have a dehumidifier, this helps drying the clothes. This keeps the house from getting damp.
We also sometimes use a heated during rack , which is cheaper than a tumble dryer.

otb666

in a previous post someone mentioned burning wood furniture Be careful as I was annoyed this week as on telly Money for Nothing featured an antique library table which i had and got rid of when i moved value £1000.  Darn it.