Winter Prep

It's been a very long week indeed.  7 weeks into the new job, I found myself on my own for 3 of the days due to holiday & then sickness.  People from other teams were helpful when I had questions but to say I was relieved when 5.30pm came on Friday is an understatement!

Anyhow, after a blissful lie in (till 8.40!) today, I headed off to get my bargain price professional cut & colour which is always welcome by the time it comes around.

After that I headed to Matalan for some new socks as all my work socks have decided to produce massive holes in the heels and toes at the same time!  Well for £5 from Tesco about 3 years ago (for a pack of 5) they've lasted pretty well!  So anyway I bought my new socks (and a couple more pairs of sports socks for cycling too) then had a look at the knitwear for men as hubby doesn't have too many jumpers or cardigans.  With the colder weather coming and sky high gas prices, I thought some inexpensive additions may be in order.  I found two ideal items, both in blue (he looks good in blue!) for £22 total. 

I came home and he's chuffed with the gifts so that's good.  I popped out after a quick lunch for some fresh fruit & veggies and also a carton of Tesco's own Rose wine *may* have fallen into my trolley too.  Ahem.  I also got a half price tin of Quality Street for the imminent trick or treaters.  Now all I have to do is hope they don't turn up and that's me sorted!  Haha - only joking.

After that whilst hubby was preparing a favourite dinner - a warm, hearty veggie casserole with kidney beans (yum it really is a favourite and really cheap to make too) I hung some new curtains I had found on EBAY a couple of weeks ago.  All three pairs have blackout & thermal lined backing and I am hoping that along with the Radflek, they will really help keep the rooms warmer.  They do look fab actually, they are all very soft and touchable.  The bedroom ones are a deep red wine colour and look fantastic.  I got matching "stone" coloured ones for the lounge window and patio doors...the latter I bought intentionally longer so that they act like a draught excluder and they look lovely as they drape softly.  I am so pleased with them.  Our ageing lounge double glazed window has been taped up with draught excluder tape so I think we've pretty much done what we can for now.  We also have big wrap around fleece blankets for when we're snuggled on sofa.

I took meter readings today for the electricity & gas as I want to keep on top of what we use and know what costs we're accumulating.  I made hubby watch when I submitted them so he could appreciate just how expensive fuel is.  I pretty much look after all the bill paying so, he hasn't been as exposed to the price rises.  So far, since our last bill at the beginning of September, we've used £53 worth of gas and that includes that really warm spell at the beginning of October and most days the heating is not on actually that much...just enough to take the chill off in the morning and evening.  £53.  And we're not even started with Winter yet.  It's terrifying.  Hubby was pretty shocked.

Electricity was about £56 which is also pretty bad.  It's no wonder I am obsessed with avoiding tumble dryer use (speaking of which....3 loads of washing dried on the line today....result!)

So we've got at least 4 months of cold, dark miserable days & nights to get through....I am pretty scared of the financial impact this will have.

Suffice to say, tonight, as it is pretty mild for the time of year, we're sitting here with the heating off!  I bought a cardigan a long time ago, in the sale in John Lewis, which has cashmere in it.  I don't have many luxuries (by Western standards!) but this feels like one...and it is so warm.  Hubby has a thick t-shirt on, with a cardigan on top.  We're feeling warm enough so definitely no expenditure on gas tonight.

How many people out there are going to have to make the choice between food & fuel this Winter?  I am deeply concerned for those who are struggling to make ends meet right now.  And how is it going to get any better?  The other thing that concerns me is the amount of farm land being sold for housing so the importation of food becomes essential.  Doesn't take a genius to work out what is going to happen in the future especially when climate change incidents affect crops - which it will, it is only a matter of time.  Well it's already happening for some poor buggers obviously.

On a more positive note, tomorrow will be nice with the extra hour and as I have got so many chores out of the way, it will feel more relaxed.  Hubby's making a veggie cooked breakfast in the morning so that is something to look forward to.  The only pressing things I need to do are hanging some washing out, pumping my tyres up on my bike and checking batteries are fine on my bike lights.  Not too demanding  eh?

I hope you  have had a good weekend so far and that you enjoy your Sunday too. 

Here's to bracing ourselves for Winter.