Preparing for Winter

welshcamper

hello newbie here, hope you dont mind me popping in. love this thread a lot of good ideas, hope i post this correctly!

This winter is going to be a struggle found it hard this last year, but son number 2 has flown the nest so
tax credit and family allowence will stop next week. i am in college doing my 3rd and final year, have 3
boys, 22, 21, 19 and a daughter 6. Middle son and daughter still at home with me, but son when he can find
somewher to live wil be moving out because his partner is expecting a baby in april and eldest son is getting married in april!
(sorry for the ramble)

So far i have:
picked plums, blackberries and wimberrys and made tarts,crumble and fozen, planned to pick more this week but weather has been too bad
Picked apples and frozen
Asda has bread flour 50p, so stocked up
bought DD wellies in the market for £2 in july!
Stocked up on rabbit pellets, 99p a bag im B&M bargains
Bought homebrew equipment( 3 Barrel thingies and loads of extras) £5 in car boot sale
Bought a few christmas bargains

Things to do:
Refelt rabbit hutch and stock up on hay from farm shop, a lot cheaper than supermarket
Get a calor gas bottle for my fire, for emergencies when gas runs out (prepayment meter)
Sort car out! (the dreaded car)
Learn how to home brew, havnt got a clue lol
Make jam
buy another clothes airer ( tumble belt snapped 2 years ago, will not replace, saves so much money)
buy a snow shovel ( used a heavy metal one last near, nearly killed me after 4 weeks of snow lol)
A new pair of wellies

NualaBuala

You sound very well-organised Welshcamper! :T I haven't heard of wimberries before, will have to look them up.

It feels milder here today and I was too warm with my jammies on last night so I'm very happy that summer is still here - kind of. I love autumn and winter ... but not the gas bills that go with them!

sammy_kaye18

Welsh Camper where in south wales???

I'm finding all these welshies on here that I never knew before!

Which reminds me

must remember to stock up on salt for the path - almost killed myself on several occasions being pregnant and on slope!

want to see if I can find a small gas fire to use in living room or in our bedroom.

have been keeping an eye on gas / electric every few days to see how much Im using at the minute so will continue to watch and make a note of how much is on there when I next top up so fingers crossed it will keep adding a little each month - ie - if i have £20 gas left over and add my £80 as usual then I'll have £100 on there adn if I use £60 I will carry £40 over etc. Cant be without heating this winter!

Berni888

coldstreamalways wrote: »

Lol, yes nothing too controversial in my opinion, I'm in the army and that shop is on my way home. I try to never go out in public in it and yesterday my efforts were vindicated by that horrid woman.

I don't understand why anyone would abuse someone in uniform. Thank you for serving.:T

PennyPinchingPrincess

I'm not doing very well... I've only bought two boxes of tissues, some cold relief powders and another packet of salt

Been looking out for hot water bottles and more warm pyjamas, but not seen any, though no doubt the shops will soon have new stock!

I have, however, measured my bedroom window, so if I see some reasonably priced curtains I can buy them, and I've made a list of the medicines I still need to get - thankfully not much

Oh! And when I changed the bed yesterday I swaped my matress cover for the fleecy winter one, cosy warm!

Winged_one

The warm PJs are in the shops!! I found lovely fleecey ones this morning on my way to work, so I picked up a pair for DD and may go back for one for me later next week.

ChocClare

cookie9 wrote: »

Starting to get organised ofr winter as the last week days have felt cold. A question for some greenfingered OS out there - I have some herbs in my garden such as basil, parsley, thyme and rosemary. Is it possible to freeze these? Thought might work if a little water and herb placed in ice cube trays. Many thanks!

Yes, this will work fine with parsley and thyme - I've never tried basil, as I tend to make it into pesto and rosemary I don't bother as I chop that all through the winter with no problem.

I have an electric coffee grinder which came free with something (possibly a coffee machine - we've been through quite a few in our time) - which I use just to chop up herbs. I freeze in ice cube trays exactly as you describe.

parsonswife8

I am going to dry my basil and bottle it and stash it in a cool dry place.

http://www.basilguide.com/index.cfm

Winged_one

I seem to be on a roll today. I went out at lunch to look for makeup brushes before I get sewing next week (I am planning on a version of a crayon roll, holding makeup brushes, for my sis for Xmas) - and passed a golf shop with a sale so ambled in. Nothing I particularly fancied (my dad and an aunt are getting golf stuff for Xmas), but across the road there was a sale in Great Outdoors, so I wandered in there to look for cheap camping bits for my niece's present (she's 12, so difficult to buy for, but BIG into scouts and camping) - I got 2 nice "gadgety" things (a spice holder and a holder for cooking anything over the fire) AND found a full ski suit for myself in the pre-season clearance (we are determined to go this year - and it fits and was dirt cheap). I'll use the jacket in cold weather in general too.

And not only that, but I wandered back across the road into Muji, and found a wind up torch and wind up lantern! I have never managed to find them before! So I got one of each for me, and the lantern for Niece for camping also. Result!! Perhaps not teh cheapest versions (€11 for torch, €15.95 for lantern), but worth it if the power goes out.

Miche*

Winged_one wrote: »

The warm PJs are in the shops!! I found lovely fleecey ones this morning on my way to work, so I picked up a pair for DD and may go back for one for me later next week.

Thank you! I'm off into town tomorrow specially for warm pj's hats gloves, thermal vests, tights etc - I do like buying these, makes me feel like i'm looking after my brood - daft I know but there you have a stay at home Mam's version of excitement! lol