Preparing for Winter V

nicki_2

The house is noticeably colder this morning. Thermostat in the hall is saying 16.5C at 8am when I usually have it set to 18C

I need to do one more coat of paint on the front door for aesthetic reasons then hopefully I can put everything back on it properly including the mortice key cover. Really wish I'd been able to strip it fully back to the wood as it would have taken less coats of paint, but the stain I'd used the past 8-10 years just would not budge in places. Hopefully next year my landlady will replace it with a upvc one and I won't have issues of it swelling shut or letting a draft in.

DD is off school tomorrow so I'm dragging her out to do errands. Plan is to get some door curtains from Linen Warehouse as they have thermal ones on sale for £20. Whereas Dune1m start at £30 and the Ar9os ones don't have very good reviews. She'll moan, but hopefully I can persuade her if I can get her the desk lamp she wants while we're there

*Foxglove*

One thing I need to do is some preserving. I have a freezer full of various fruits (blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberry, loganberry, raspberry, blackberry, plum) that need make into jams etc. I've also got to large bags of pumpkin that need making into soup..

My little one has got his first cold of the new school term:( although he's gone off to school. They seem rather too strict with the attendance rate which should be over 95%. So if they are more than 2 days off a term, the head will get in touch and ask why (flaming cheek). Last year he had chickenpox and the year before he had reactive arthritis....what are parents suppose to do....send ill kids to school?

sesw75

toozie wrote: »

I have jump leads, first aid kit, high vis vest, woolly hat ( I hate wearing hats but if I was stuck in the dark in snow- needs must!)
Orange triangle -this is in car anyway from times of going to France.
Couple of bottles of water, cereal bars, £3 in coins. car phone charger. A blanket-this is on back seat anyway, and a thin waterproof big coat thingy-like a Kagool with hood, and it's half way to my knees. I would put this over my work, everyday coat if I had to walk in a snow storm.
Woolly gloves.
Head ache tablets-to relieve the stress of keeping the car on the road in ice!
There is probably more but I can't think!
It's all packed into a box in the boot, doesn't take much room.

I guess that if bad weather was forecast and I had to go to work (there is nowhere else I would be going in snow or ice!) I would probably be wearing suitable footwear/boots/snow boots already-or be taking them in the car that day.

Hope that helps a bit, oh and de-icer

Thank you for your reply. I'm planning on sorting the car out at the weekend.

Rainy-Days

I put the brushed cotton sheets on the bed yesterday, it was really fab getting into bed last night - very cosy!

Job for tomorrow is getting the hanging baskets down and emptied and then empty the pots of the summer plants, and planting up with pansies and heathers. It will look pretty bare by the end of tomorrow afternoon!

nicki_2

Yesterday I bought a curtain pole & curtains from Dune1m mill to put up over the doors. They say they have a thermal covering, heat control and most importantly to me they are machine washable. It was £34.99 for the pair which is cheaper than buying 2 of the cheapest door curtains and £9.99 for the pole. I got the 90" drop so they can be hung well above the doors as the 84" drop on door curtains meant it would be sitting right on the edge of the top of the door frame and therefore I wouldn't have been able to pull the curtain across as the adjoining wall is at an angle off it and the two door frames are joined. They curtains are a 66" width so I should be able to get some good gathering on them as well

I also bought a tension rod to put some fleece up in the serving hatch between our kitchen & livingroom. That makes it sound posh, but its literally a hole in the wall which lets light through! I also bought a short net curtain rod so I can hang a fleece covering over the glass in the kitchen door. It may be double glazed, and will have the curtain over the door as well, but every little helps! Our kitchen can get bitterly cold in the winter overnight and I have the dog to think about!

Speaking of which I need to convince the dog not to lay on the floor by the door overnight, but to sleep either on the sofa or his bed! Maybe then we won't come down to a cold dog!

missyrichards

nicki wrote: »

Speaking of which I need to convince the dog not to lay on the floor by the door overnight, but to sleep either on the sofa or his bed! Maybe then we won't come down to a cold dog!

My dog gets cold in the winter and I have a few dog coats for her, she even wears them indoors.

BettiePage

notjustlaura wrote: »

I can remember ice on the inside of my bedroom window in the 1970s ...

I remember it in the mid 80's. My Dad didn't believe in putting the heating on for more than about 5 minutes a day, lol.

muffin_man_7

Was staying at my in laws in '82 half the glass was frozen all in a crackly pattern that was first time I got the flu as well never been so cold since and place I'm in atm gets down to 8c with no heating on no ice on windows here just cold

dragonette

I'm struggling to think of ways to insulate my flat, I rent so am a lil more limited in my options. A fleece of the appropriate colour to go behind the pretty coloured gauze over the bathroom window, v lil drafts from the door or windows. All single glazed - today was the day in months I've had to dry the inside of the windows, I usually use a towel waiting to go into the wash.

Got a throw over my bed and an electric blanket. I'm sure there's more I could do

fuddle

bubblewrap on windows? Just wet it and adhere to the glass. I've used it before and does help with the cold coming from glazing.