Preparing for Winter

KittyBoo_2

Princess_kate wrote: »

I'm so glad some of you have liked my grit stashing idea! I shall tell my boyfriend cos he doesnt understand why I want to do it now! Just need to make sure I keep it in the house come winter so I dont have to get up the steps to the grit! Need a shovel too, a garden one would work ok to clear any snow we might have wouldnt it?

My brother was told by a council employee that he was breaking the law by removing the grit from the bin at the end of his road.
He was putting a bit on his path so he could get to work but was told it was meant for the road.
Keep meaning to check with the council.

zarazara

KittyBoo wrote: »

My brother was told by a council employee that he was breaking the law by removing the grit from the bin at the end of his road.
He was putting a bit on his path so he could get to work but was told it was meant for the road.
Keep meaning to check with the council.

What a jobsworth. Who pays for the grit anyway? we do! the council tax payers,so its our grit,we've paid for it.

mardatha

yaaaay very true ! Kate - get a black balaclava and do it at 2am just in case !

ginnyknit

Oh goodness, we are back to commando tactics again - last time it was to check out Tesco's. I think we are reading too many survivalist blogs :rotfl::rotfl:

Another business idea I see - guinea pigs on sticks, hmmm I can gut a chicken, skin a rabbit and kill a fish but my fluffy cute GP's - nah no chance, although I could sow the skins together and make a coat, they do breed fast:T:T

BMF I love the swearing emoticon - maybe they sell real monks habits on e bay, don't think they are warm tho. I also blame Billy Connoly for the lack of sales in incontinence knickers - that had me roaring with laughter.

Kitchenbunny

*grins* what a habit to get into

Finally brought my salt home from my desk drawer at work, and we were watching a TV programme on DVD last night - Flood. It got me thinking about customising a couple of draught excluders to have plastic sandwich bags with something inside to help flood prevention. I need to do a bit more research into it (and it's probably a knee-jerk over-reaction on my part ) but Mum's conservatory has flooded before in heavy rain and I like to be prepared.

KB xx

exlibris

[QUOTE=ginnyknit;


"I also blame Billy Connoly for the lack of sales in incontinence knickers - that had me roaring with laughter."

Ginny - With my reactions to laughter I NEED those incontinence knockers

Princess_kate

mardatha wrote: »

yaaaay very true ! Kate - get a black balaclava and do it at 2am just in case !

Haha, 2am grit run....then my boyfriend will really think I've lost it!

Frugaldom

I've been foraging, so started restocking the preserves. The salt bucket is full and the garage is stacked with pallets waiting to be chopped up for the log burner (which hasn't been fitted, yet, but is also in the garage). The verges along our lane have been topped and neighbour was saying about raking the hay from it. I lifted a little yesterday, whilst it was dry, and used it for the hen bedding. Was hoping I could have got more, but it's raining here today. Drying the cuttings and wrapping them round into tight knots makes excellent kindling, or I could stuff it inside toilet roll tubes for same purpose. Hopefully, it'll dry up soon and the sun will get through, as it would also be ideal for the latest addition to the frugaldom household - our rabbit.

Just had a major repair done that involved a full new roof and the removal of the skylight. Landlords decided better do the lot than have leaky patches fixed, so it should be warmer next winter. I just need some roof insulation but I'm sure I'll can trade for a few rolls of that via LETS or similar.

Had to lauch at the balaclava idea, I had no idea the salt in those boxes was for council use only! I thought it was so the residents of the streets had access to the grit, although I am aware of some weird rule that's supposed to make it illegal for a member of the public to grit public footpaths. I guess that's what happens when folks are jumping to sue one another at the least little thing these days.

I've been putting a few pounds extra into the electricity prepayment meter recently and hope to build the credit up over the next few months

ginnyknit

Well the weather is lousy! but it gives me time at home to start planning. Also having another NSD as I don't feel like going out. Am busy making marmalade etc ready for winter and washing my padded winter curtains from last year. Hopefully Dd and family will have moved out soon so I can get better organised and winter will be cheaper for us.

Frugaldom, I don't know if they have the insulation grants up where you are, but if they do you can get your roof space done for free and various other bits like draught excluders on doors. Its a government scheme tho so maybe its one of the cutbacks!

Frugaldom

Thanks, Ginnyknit, will have another look to see if we're eligible for anything that's available here if I can't get a hold of any spare insulation from anyone. The loft is floored with insulation underneath that, but I'm thinking it might be warmer with insulation between the roof trusses, as well. We no longer have a skylight, so no heat being lost through that any more and both chimneys will be in use this winter, so extra heat radiating from those rather than just lost. We've got an extra metre of fluepipe that will be in the kitchen, so that's more heat into the house rather than lost up the chimney. Just need the stove etc fitted and that should make an enormous difference come cold weather and provide a cooking facility during power cuts.