Preparing for Winter V

Rainy-Days

Down in Northants at the present on the house sitting bit and quite enjoying it. Especially popping in on friends and having that time without looking at the clock.

Put the cover on the garden bench before I left. Been doing some jobs here as well. Off to WI tonight and that is hearty warming winter food - looks good!

CurlyTop

greenbee wrote: »

I want an Aga too But when (eventually) I get the kitchen done I'll be putting in an LPG hob, as we have no mains gas and I hate electric hobs.

However, for anyone who does have mains gas, LPG is a very expensive option. It is usually more expensive than oil (although that isn't saying much at the moment... for once oil is pretty much as cheap as mains gas!) which is why oil is still so common for heating away from the gas networks (I was going to say popular, but that's definitely not the right word!).

Note to self, to make sure you have your glasses on when reading articles in full. I hadn't spotted the LPG reference to the cooker that Mardatha showed, I got it on normal gas not LPG. Same model. absolutely fab and if you got Ao.com, it was the best price around at the time.

thorsoak

nicki wrote: »

Our nearest class is by DD's school and I can't afford them atm. I still need to get him snipped and his jabs from scratch. When he first arrived things were up in the air for nearly 2 months as I got very ill literally the same day he arrived, then it was the school holidays and then I had a house full of workmen so setting the ground rules didn't happen. I'm reading Cesar Milans books and implementing his approaches as I can, but I'm having to re-train DD at the same time. She said the other day she's fed up of him always getting under her feet and jumping up to see her, she rarely walks him (when she does she has the lead so short he ends up getting under her feet and then she yells at him for that), she rags him over to her for hugs etc (something I've told her not to do repeatedly) them moans when he wants to lie next to her and I have to remind her repeatedly to feed him every day :mad: She loves him and plays with him but the novelty has definitely worn off for her, so I've told her either her attitude towards him improves or I'll rehome him for his sake. I'm just glad I didn't get a smaller dog as she would probably have injured it by now either standing/sitting on it or pulling it around to much.

For the dog's sake - GET RID OF THE CESAR MILAN BOOK! Don't even give it to the CS - put it in the recycling! The last thing a collie needs is Cesar Milan type training!

toozie_2

Rainy-Days wrote: »

The Met Office and the rest of them have trouble getting the five day weather forecast right - never mind November and December! And what happened to the summer heatwave that was going to go on for at least a whole month in July? Then we were supposed to have the Indian Summer?

I have actually been roasting today!
Very "Indian Summer like"
Gone a bit cold now, but no heating the house is still warm from being flooded with sun all day!

What will be will be I suppose, but better be ready for the unknown that not ready!

bossymoo

It's been cold here. Youngest and I had mitts on for the school run this morning:( although we managed without coats this afternoon.

Agree about the forecasts - that guy is always predicting an avalanche lol. But nevertheless I shall, as every autumn, make sure we have what we need for when winter arrives, however severe it may or may not be.

In fact I've just used up the cold and flu tablets, and most of the paracetamol (not all at once!!!) so need to replenish stocks.

Think I'm well enough now to go get a flu jab...

[Deleted User]

My ch is on via timer and thermostat and realising that many people have done the same, so there will be big drains on the electricity supply, which this year has a very low supply margin, I am making a concerted effort to keep everything charged up from last night.

I have some expensive makita batteries, which I use for power tools, strimmer etc but they also keep my radio doing for a very long time on FM or AV. No point thinking of DAB as it is a big drain on power. They can also supply a good light that I have, good enough to read by.

I have various mp3s around the place but the sandisk ones are especially useful. I was on audible for a year once and downloaded loads of books onto sandisk and they must be charged too

I had to sort some small drawers yesterday and located my old style plug in phone. I have candle lanterns tucked away in a cupboard upstairs and they will come down now, anyway they are decorative in their own right. They each hold from one to three pillar candles so give off quite a bit of light as well as warmth and are part of my action plan if the electricity goes off for quite a while, when of course the ch or my stove cannot run

babyblooz

I think I should also get some candles in now. I will go for some nice warming smells to make the house feel warmer even if its not lol.

Rainy-Days

jim-jim wrote: »

Hi, does anyone know if it is ok, to drill into upvc doors?

I'm wanting to fix a thermal blind onto it. Would this work as a substitute for a curtain, as it is impossible to fit a door curtain.

Thanks jim-jim x

Yes you can, but you will probably need to use a small head drill bit - thats what we did when I had a festoon blind put up years ago! Had a feeling that when the fixings were screwed in they used a sealant so that the screw 'stuck' to the actual uPVC - IYKWIM.

Your local installer should give you a good idea and also mark the area with pencil prior to drilling!

missyrichards

I just made a draught excluder out of a pair of tights stuffed with some plastic bags and the dogs are busy shaking the life out of it as they thought I was making them a new toy!:mad::rotfl:

[Deleted User]

The energy situation in this country for winter is dire. Our energy reserve is worse this year and unlikely to survive a long cold spell with high pressure or a power station failure and the ussr have us dangling on a thread

I read somewhere that rabbits are digging their burrows very deep this year as though winter will be vicious. Note this is something I read, I am not passing on any weather information any more so don`t read anything into it. No hints from me whatsoever. Also from a lurcher user, rabbits kidneys are unusually surrounded by lots of fat. Nature seems to know something

I am well prepared for whatever, including lots of foods that can be used if I cannot open my packed freezer due to a prolonged power cut and plenty of alternative methods of making hot food and drinks. Also made more space and bought a couple of good inflatable beds in case any of my family are struggling. I can put several of them up if needed

Loads of bird food in store here too