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Preparing for Winter
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blimey, it is so HOT today. 27 in the shade at the back. I would be sitting out but the pesky wasps are everywhere as we are surrounded by apple trees. I am glad it is hot though because the water in the tank just heats from the sun when it is like this and the tank water is just about 57, which is good and hot. The air smells autumnal now in the evening and I have been checking my food stocks, which are good. We live in a tiny village and the only ways out are up very steep hills so slippy days are going to be no go days for shopping
Canned gas and burner ready and also camp kettle, wind up lanterns ready, wind up torches ready, medicines ready, crampon thingies ready, candles and matches ready. Alfalfa seeds for sprouting ready as are some mini plant houses that I got in a sale, so I`ll be planting some winter salady foods under cover and the covers will be covered in fleece
I can`t do anything else now as I think everything is done. I just bet now that winter is our usual of long, dark and wet0 -
I went to bed with two hot water bottles last night my feet were freezing, the heavyweight duvet is coming out shortly.Was 13st 8 lbs,Now 12st 11 Lost 10 1/4lbs since I started on my diet.0
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Oh - and does anyone have an explanation for this? Yesterday morning when I got back from walking the dogs, my heating was on! The controls haven't been touched since I turned it off in the spring, thermostat hasn't been touched .... cue spooky music.
Come to think of it - microwave was switched on and flashing the other morning when I came downstairs, and my foster son swears it wasn't him, and it certainly wasn't me .... perhaps I have a ghost!:eek:
Well, at least I know the heating works, so I don't have to test it now ....
Our heating came on the other morning for no reason too....then I realised we'd had a brief power cut during the night and it had reset the boiler which automatically switches itself to "on" when the power comes back."Start every day off with a smile and get it over with" - W. C. Field.0 -
Our heating came on the other morning for no reason too....then I realised we'd had a brief power cut during the night and it had reset the boiler which automatically switches itself to "on" when the power comes back.
I know it wasn't a power cut though because my alarm clock display wasn't flashing which it always does when power returns after a power cut. The mystery remains unsolved ........:eek: It hasn't happened since, though.Aspire not to have more but to be more.
Oscar Romero
Still trying to be frugal...0 -
thankyou for that. we do love the land rover discovery. not decided yet , as at the mo buying a 4x4 is not essetial as we have a fantastic car. but it something we want prob within the year if we can find the right one.
Last winter I went to dinner at a remote cottage near here. The host collected us in his Landrover Discovery and delivered us home afterwards, on a night when I would have been afraid to venture out in my trusty VW Polo. Without the 4WD, none of us would have made it up the mile long track to the cottage in thick snow and ice, and down the 45% driveway to the door. It coped with five large adult passengers and on the return journey started without a complaint and drove us all back up the driveway without so much as a slither. We, on the other hand, had to borrow walking sticks to remain upright once we left the car. Definitely need a 4WD if you live out in the sticks. There is a bus that gets within a mile of the place - once a week during daylight hours. The Discovery is a lovely vehicle, although it is a strange experience travelling on a heated seat if you aren't used to it0 -
Yes it's a Discovery we have, an 03, a gas guzzling beast but earned it's way last winter and I would be scared to be without it now. We don't live in the wilds any more but that wasn't any relief when they didn't grit even some of the major roads here for many days last year. Without it we couldn't have helped family, friends, neighbours and strangers over the winter or got our own supplies in. Many local shops here didn't get deliveries for weeks, it was a little chaotic!
With the car kits, ours is a bit different but I do advise people to carry a rope incase they get stuck as a passer by may help but have nothing to use. Blankets are fab as even in some newer cars they can take a while to 'warm up' for the kiddies especially. Towels if you don't have blankets. Old pieces of carpet/door mats are good for under wheels if you get stuck. Mobile phone charger, daftest thing I forget to leave in the car when I clean it out. Number of a friend with a 4x4 :rotfl:Spare socks always in ours, nothing worse than wet feet after dragging someones car out of a ditch/getting yourself out. Large bottle of water, renew regular and it's there for either in the car or to drink.One day I might be more organised...........
GC: £200
Slinkies target 2018 - another 70lb off (half way to what the NHS says) so far 25lb0 -
Glad to see we're not the only ones who aren't looking forward to this Winter. The thought of sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow which lasts for week after week after week is filling us with utter dread.
This month we've had the car serviced & put on four new tyres. We've also bought four snow shovels on the cheap from the ironmonger, two of the large & wide plasticky ones for shifting large volumes of snow from pathways & driveways etc, two heavier duty ones for digging the car out if we get stuck. A fiver each, not bad. We're not getting caught out by a road salt shortage this year either, OH's been collecting large lidded plastic tubs that the local supermarket have been throwing out with their rubbish, so we'll get them filled at the earliest opportunity too, they'll go in the garage for when required.
She's been working wonders in the house too. She's replaced all the curtains in every room by trawling around the charity shops and looking out for cheap heavy duty, lined curtains. Cost for five rooms and a large hallway ? £14 !! And the curtains are absolutely minted too, the hallway ones must've cost the original owner a small fortune, they're beautiful patterned beige with streaks of gold & silver through them. 90" drop too on all the windows.
I LOVE my girlfriend !
I've not been too lazy either. British Gas were doing these thermal panels which fit behind your radiators, £4 each, you just cut them to size, so 8 radiators are now fully equipped and ready to go. I also bought myself a new pair of Winter boots from Clarks in the Summer sale, £20. OH put the duffel coats in for dry cleaning, they're ready to go too.
In terms of our finances, we're doing much better too. Last Winter we were crippled financially due to our own f.e.c.k.lessness, think we went into the New Year being £1200 overdrawn. That's just being honest. Her Mum was terribly unwell and we went into December thinking it could be her last ... and overdid things a bit. Tragically she made a miraculous recovery and is as hale & hearty as ever she was LOL (I don't mean that).
OH has basically bought all the crimbo presents already, they're in the cupboard. Think there's only two gifts she wants to buy but she's hoping the price will drop for them by December. We've got £100 in the Christmas dinner kitty, so the big days well sorted (only two of us this year anyway, her Mother's off to Florida haha).
Heavens I've written so much. Sorry for boring you to death. Don't think we've ever been so organised in our lives & it's in no small measure due to the advice you guys have been putting out over the last few months. Can't thank you all enough. :beer:I no longer contribute to the Benefits & Tax Credits forum.0 -
Yes it's a Discovery we have, an 03, a gas guzzling beast but earned it's way last winter and I would be scared to be without it now. We don't live in the wilds any more but that wasn't any relief when they didn't grit even some of the major roads here for many days last year. Without it we couldn't have helped family, friends, neighbours and strangers over the winter or got our own supplies in. Many local shops here didn't get deliveries for weeks, it was a little chaotic!
With the car kits, ours is a bit different but I do advise people to carry a rope incase they get stuck as a passer by may help but have nothing to use. Blankets are fab as even in some newer cars they can take a while to 'warm up' for the kiddies especially. Towels if you don't have blankets. Old pieces of carpet/door mats are good for under wheels if you get stuck. Mobile phone charger, daftest thing I forget to leave in the car when I clean it out. Number of a friend with a 4x4 :rotfl:Spare socks always in ours, nothing worse than wet feet after dragging someones car out of a ditch/getting yourself out. Large bottle of water, renew regular and it's there for either in the car or to drink.£71.93/ £180.000 -
Good post tcr - its so good when the two of you can work together.
Anymore info on those thermal panels?Loved our trip to the West Coast USA. Death Valley is the place to go!0 -
There is a bus that gets within a mile of the place - once a week during daylight hours.
*****
Ooooh I wouldnt mind living there ! We have a lot of places like that up here but we have more buses- people either get picked up at the bus stop or leave a bicycle in the old railway line behind the bus stop.0
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