Preparing for Winter

Caterina

Hi all

Yesterday I went to Aldi to check their thermals, as the ones I bought are too small for myself (no problem, just passed them to my kids) and their stuff is FAB!!! I bought myself a white set (long sleeve top and long johns) and a black set.

Back home I tried them on (the black) and I look like a right Ninja :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: but they are super warm!

The set costs £7.99, I recommend it!

Caterina

Charis

ceridwen wrote: »

As another child of the sixties - I know what you mean - as I have an intelligent brain (provably) but darn all in the way of qualifications. [...]I think that cold unheated bedroom was the main "nail in the coffin" though.

I sympathise Charis - as it is obvious from your posts and emails to me that you are intelligent and I would have expected you to have done well on the job front - had all else been equal.

Thank you Ceridwen, for that little confidence booster. I had to share a bedroom with a toddler sister. It was far too cold to work in the winter (we had winters in the sixties didn't we - like 1962/3? :eek: ) and even during the warmer months there was no guarantee she wouldn't find my books and scrawl on them.

Sorry to hear about your experience of bullying. My DD has never regained her confidence after being bullied at school. Bullies just know who the sensitive souls are don't they?

I wanted to leave school (and home) asap, so I took the first job offered instead of going on to higher education. Now I have the time I'm studying with the OU. They are kind to those on low incomes and give me a bursary which covers my fee each year

If I reach my goal, I'll get my bus pass just after I get my degree, so I won't be looking for a career but I'm studying Creative Writing and English Language and have no intention of stopping writing until it becomes physically impossible. I might even make a little 'pin money' to top up the pension and pay the bills.

I don't regret the lack of a career. I'm finding life gets better as I get older. I understand more and I need less. Just as well in these cash strapped days.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

mardatha wrote: »

Who was it who mentioned Lakeland moisture crystals ?? I'm wondering how much you get for £4.99, would it just be enough for one windowsill?

Hi,mardatha it was probably me I use them all the time.The bag size is 2.5 kilo.I use them in the proper containers and in little dishes all over the house.A bag does the whole house and lasts around 6 -8 weeks before dissolving.To give you some idea I have 9 rooms and I use them in my cupboards and wardrobes as well so I think a bag is good value.
Inoticed they also do a fragranced one now but I can't say what they smell like.

pigpen

Ken68 wrote: »

Don't believe it Ceridwen.....as a pensioner I get £250 a year allowance towards heating, free medicine, free optician help, a third off rail fares, and now free buses.
Plus single person council tax allowance and if really poor would get help with that.
And TIME to grow food and TIME to research moneysaving, TIME to do slow shopping looking for bargains.
Pensioners have never been so well orf. As I said in another post, something seriously wrong with lifestyle if pensioners are freezing to death.

Granted.. but some oldies are so frightened by the media screaming at us that the prices of fuel are rocketing and the food prices are increasing and they are genuinely believing they WILL be unable to pay.. We have only 2 grandparents left in our family now.. one is 80 the other is 88 and neither are very savvy when it comes to 'cutting back' .. yes htey both lived through rationing and remember it clearly but that is adding to their fear. They don't WANT to be hungry or cold or absolutely destitute again.. and now they are older and one is quite sick it is harder for them to keep warm and to manage their money.. they simply have lost touch time has moved on and they haven't. Many are not well enough or able enough to grow their own food and cannot use a computer to research online they have to rely on their own skills!

I have told my husband to sort his gran out.. she thought the thermostat for the heating was the on/off switch!!!!.. So when she was cold turned it up (it was at 32'C when he went round last!!) and when she is hot turns it to 0'C.. then opens a window! They are slightly better on food... one can get about and the other has an Aldi a couple of doors up an someone to shop for her.

A huge amount of this 'credit crunch' rubbish is scaremongering and the powers in the world are frightening intelligent people into believing we will all be bankrupt by next year simply because they do not understand how it works!... and while the fuel companies are permitted to increase the prices as they are doing and getting away with it the media is screaming about it and those who are not in a position to understand it are cutting back to the detriment of their own health. So yes, older people will be freezing to death regardless of the money they have coming in!

parsonswife8

Caterina wrote: »

Hi all

Yesterday I went to Aldi to check their thermals, as the ones I bought are too small for myself (no problem, just passed them to my kids) and their stuff is FAB!!! I bought myself a white set (long sleeve top and long johns) and a black set.

Back home I tried them on (the black) and I look like a right Ninja :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: but they are super warm!

The set costs £7.99, I recommend it!

Caterina

_____________________________________
(quote Caterina)
Back home I tried them on (the black) and I look like a right Ninja

Come to think of it, jumping around like a ninja would warm you up! And you may as well look the part.
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Caterina

I think that a large part of the problem re. old people and heating/feeding themselves well etc.. is that as they get older and more frail and forgetful they seem to lose the ability to look after themselves, lose confidence in their abilities and fail to do basic things for their health (that's why we - in our younger ages - ought to adopt at least one older person each, to give them a hand and keep an eye out for them!).

We have a good friend in her 80s who recently has become very frail and timid after a very independent and adventurous life. A few days ago she came around to our house for dinner with some other friends and we all got talking about the credit crunch etc. and I mentioned how we are only using the woodstove at the moment and not put the central heating on.

At this, she let it slip that she CANNOT put the central heating on because she does not know how to and has been suffering the cold for the last few weeks.

My DH went to see her in her apartment yesterday and showed her how to put the heating on and also wrote down the instructions on how to do it. When he came back he told me, horrified, that not only she did not have heating, but also no hot water and that she had been taking COLD baths!

She rang me, really delighted, to thank me for having sent my husband out to sort her (I felt really humbled) and to tell me that she is now sitting in a nice warm room.

Please keep an eye on your elderly neighbour, all it might take is to teach them (or remind them in my friend's case) how to switch the heating on!

Caterina

BigMummaF

I cook for our pooch all the time Sammy Kaye, & the vet has said that boiled rice & chicken is the best thing for poorly pups. Because our Pup has home-made food, he has plenty of water from the food he eats like pasta, stock & veg. When you have a chicken or chicken portions, save the bones & put them in enough water to just cover, then let them simmer away for a couple of hours to make a stock to cook the rice, pasta or couscous. You'd be surprised at how much meat comes off, so in effect all that gets thrown away are the boiled bones & skin..hth.

I've bought fleece snood thingies from Millets in years past & almost certain I've seen the polo neck version like you describe Elljay. Admittedly I haven't looked this year, but they did have masses of fleece garments in their store when I walked past last week.

pigpen

Caterina wrote: »

I think that a large part of the problem re. old people and heating/feeding themselves well etc.. is that as they get older and more frail and forgetful they seem to lose the ability to look after themselves, lose confidence in their abilities and fail to do basic things for their health (that's why we - in our younger ages - ought to adopt at least one older person each, to give them a hand and keep an eye out for them!).

We have a good friend in her 80s who recently has become very frail and timid after a very independent and adventurous life. A few days ago she came around to our house for dinner with some other friends and we all got talking about the credit crunch etc. and I mentioned how we are only using the woodstove at the moment and not put the central heating on.

At this, she let it slip that she CANNOT put the central heating on because she does not know how to and has been suffering the cold for the last few weeks.

My DH went to see her in her apartment yesterday and showed her how to put the heating on and also wrote down the instructions on how to do it. When he came back he told me, horrified, that not only she did not have heating, but also no hot water and that she had been taking COLD baths!

She rang me, really delighted, to thank me for having sent my husband out to sort her (I felt really humbled) and to tell me that she is now sitting in a nice warm room.

Please keep an eye on your elderly neighbour, all it might take is to teach them (or remind them in my friend's case) how to switch the heating on!

Caterina

I agree.. adopting an older neighbour to keep an eye on is a fabulous idea.. but then I have none lol.. but we have DGran round the corner. The lovely lady my mum looked after the last few years has moved down south to be near family so she has none now either.

Poor old love taking cold baths!! She must be made of good strong stuff.. I couldn't have a cold bath!!!

I am pleased she has now got it sorted thank to your hubby and yourself of course! Bless her!!!

parsonswife8

Well done Caterina for helping that elderly lady.

It must have been really miserable for her, all alone and no heating or hot water, poor love.

Caterina

It wasn't me really, it was my husband! That's why I felt really humbled when she thanked ME!

Caterina