The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: HappyHippy on December 21, 2009, 02:44:08 pm
-
Maybe would have been better to have got some shopping in first ! But hey ho I've got my turkey and my sprouts so it's not all bad ;)
We've had about 10 inches so far, but it's still snowing hard and lots more is forecast - at least I don't NEED to go out.......................................yet !
-
I am lucky, have everything in. Saw last week what was coming our way so did all the food shopping on Friday to get that out of the way. I had already stocked up in animal food. We should have been going to friends for Christmas lunch but as they are blocked in and expect to be for the rest of the week we have called off. Will go over the following week if the weather clears.
-
I had hoped Asda would manage to deliver my shopping, but unfortunately they don't have flying reindeer and a sleigh ;)
So sad that my in-laws from hell won't manage to make it down from up North
(http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Winks/ok-wink.gif)
Maybe this snow's not all bad ;D
-
Us, too!
I've got the goose but no fresh veggies yet..I might have to try to find some kale underneath the snow! I'm worried about the power though, the snow is really heavy! :&> :chook:
-
We were extremely lucky over the weekend in Clacks. My sister and brother-in-law, and their two sons and their families plus my own two were all scheduled to meet for lunch here on Sunday from different parts of the country It turned out rather differently than we planned. Son No 1, with wife and two little daughters struggled up the M6 from Huntingdon to arrive here very late Saturday evening, cold, tired and hungry - a nightmare of a journey. Next we heard from my sister - they couldn't get out of Inverness. The Drumossie Brae was like a bottle and cars skidding about all over the place, plus almost impassable. They asked us to check the Glens of Foudland webcam as they would try to come down via Aberdeen. It seemed clear so they set off, but travel was slow and they eventually got here 6 and half hours after they started off from home - normally 2 and three quarters at most. ::) In the meantime Son number two was struggling across from East Calder with his wife and baby daughter, just a little longer a journey but all the time they were here they worried about getting home again. Our bridge was difficult so my daughter and son in law left their cars at the other side, but Donald was OK - a big 4 x 4 took him swaggering into the back yard! We had a lovely afternoon and evening though, swapped presents and decided that Helen and Ken should stay over as well, so I happily gave up my double bed and moved into the study for the night - nearer the computer anyway I said! Neil and Elaine took 3 hours tyo travel a 50 minute journey back to their little cottage, Donald took the same for a 45 minute journey to Paisley - both getting stuck at different bits of the M8, due to heavy snow falls. My sister just called to say that they are home in Inverness safely with No1 son, wife and the babies. A long and tedious but not too eventful journey.
I do NOT like snow! I don't even enjoy ski-ing, sledging, skating or anything related to that horrid white stuff. All it does is interfere with my plans.
-
When I replace my Omega.. I'm buying a Discovery.
-
I replaced my Forester with the Zafira - thinking I wouldn't need a 4 x 4 down here - W R O N G !!!!!!!
-
I replaced my Forester with the Zafira - thinking I wouldn't need a 4 x 4 down here - W R O N G !!!!!!!
;D
I forgot to add "and some lessons in how to DRIVE a Discovery so I don't kill myself on the first snowy road I meet."
-
4 x 4s are easy on snow but they aren't great on ice. We had a Shogun and I absolutely loved it! I was scared to touch it when John got it first then was forced to one day when my Volvo was in the garage and I had to get to the office. He couldn't prise the keys out of my fingers after that! But i thought Disco's were expensive to run? There are better 4 x 4s I think
-
Our Disco ended up in a ditch(and still is) this morning!!
Much better off in Mum's L200 or the Vitara when it comes to snow or ice :D
-
The snow is back on tonight here in Fife and it is heavy so far. This is the last thing we need. >:(
-
snow is back on tonight here in Fife and it is heavy so far
Don't say that, we are traveling tomorrow to collect our holiday visators (3 donkeys), thats that last thing i want, stuck in the middle of nowhere with three stroppy donkeys :o
-
Lucky you, I love donkeys.
-
I have a disco and wouldnt change it for anything at the minute, it is great and not that expensive to run, infact I had a vectra before and I actually dont notice a difference in the amount of fuel the disco uses, hubby has got an L200 and it is quite light in the rear end which is not so good, I prefer my disco.
-
I can't get the van out of the drive!!!!
the car will go in and out, but the rear wheel drive van is no good. Spent hours, digging, breaking ice, shovelling, gritting and i'm still being defeated
it's not a steep slope, but steep enough to defeat me.
Tomorrow, i'm getting the power washer out, hooking it up to the hot water tap and whoosh!!!! I'm clearing the lot!!!!
-
But if you do that, then the melt will turn to a sheet of ice! You'll be able to go ice skating.
We went to Linlithgow today, and deliberately avoided your road, it looked pretty nasty from the Bowhouse side. Not as bad up at Linlithgow Bridge though.
Beth
-
Then it'll freeze Chris - and hot water freezes quicker than cold ;) ;D ;D
-
i've plenty of grit to deal with whats left.
the road outside my hosue is actually OK, we were driving to Livingston today though and hit sheet ice approaching teh bathgate/armadale roundabout. car started sliding, so had to steer it off the road into the deep snow to avoid going into a car on th roundabout.
in the time it took me to gt the car out, i saw about another 4/5 cars spin - one did a 180, 2 collided, one went straight through the junction, over the road and onto the roundabout.
My biggest fear was someone going into me while I was freeing my car
-
In some ways I'm glad my battery is dead then! ;D Will this hamper your new business plans?
-
well, if the web developer had done what he'd promised, then yes, it would have caused me some problems
though, i could actually just pull the van out by putting a tow rope on the back of the car. I don't think it's the ice that's the problem as much as it's the rear wheel drive trying to get up a slope
i've meetings tomorrow with the local baker, a deli and a fitness instructor/nutritionist. Once i've spoken to them all, i'll have my final product list/price list and I'm ready to rock and roll.
the web should be finished by next weekend, then we'll be up and running - a week later than i'd hoped, but not too bad really
-
I don't think it's the ice that's the problem as much as it's the rear wheel drive trying to get up a slope
Why don't you park it in the drive the other way round when you eventually get it out?
-
Best not to go out with all this ice, our paths are still slippery even though Steve cleared them, lot's of frozen doggy poooo as well. I popped out yesterday, wanted to go to Dobbies but then saw the snow comming down so went to Tesco for a few bits and I skidded on the ice around the courner where the flats are, nothing was comming and I did not panic and as I was already going slow, no damage but it was much worse when I cam back...stop in as long as you can, internet is good for delivery!!! I even find it slippery where the ducks and chickens are as they have trampled the snow down hard and it is like a skating ring(http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Leisures_and_Sports/ice-skating-074.gif).... I hate walking in this weather.......stay in and keep warm.
-
I didn't really think about being snowed in much until last night. Yesterday morning the power went off suddenly, and remained so for most of the day (I later found out that somebody had shot through the power line by accident :o). We managed quite nicely boiling water and making pancakes over the open fire!
Last night was another matter though. At about 5pm, something with blue flashing lights raced past the living room window, and when I looked out, I realised it was a fire engine, which then promptly got stuck on the icy hill just past our house. It turned out that the next cottage up the track (1/2 mile away) had a chimney fire, but there was no way the fire engine was going to get up to it. Eventually somebody gave the firemen a lift up in a 4x4, by which time the fire was already out.
However, it makes you think - we're only half an hour from Glasgow here, which I hardly consider 'remote'. It always amuses me how people refer to us as living in the sticks, as frankly 80% of Scotland is far more remote than we ever are. It did make me think though - it's a good job it was only a chimney fire, as had it been a house fire I'm sure they'd have just got the people out and then let it burn. Likewise, there would have been little chance of getting an ambulance up the track in an emergency.
We were going to buy a Landrover as well, but something tells me they'll be fetching a bit of a premium over the next few months, so maybe we'll hang back until the Spring!! ;D
Looking forward to the thaw now!!
-
Amaing, poor people with the Chimney fire, I bet they never thought they were inexcessable either...I suppose the same would apply to the ambulance and other emergency services unless they had 4 track's. We were going to buy one as well, in fact we were bidding for one on E Bay and lost by £100 but reality checked in not to bid anymore as with insurance etc it would have cleared our savings out, they've gone now anyway as the energy bills are in and we have had some other unexpected expenses. I always have wanted a Landrover Defender but now would love any of the other short sheel based 4x4, un-necessary for us but nice...one day!!!
-
I don't think it's the ice that's the problem as much as it's the rear wheel drive trying to get up a slope
Why don't you park it in the drive the other way round when you eventually get it out?
GOT TO GET IT OUT 1ST!!!!!
-
several hours later and we are free!!!!
the house done a grand job clearing the snow/ice (with the help of my fork, rake and brush)
the drive is clear, dry and ice free
I only had a small amount of grit left though so has been used sparingly as I believe there is a bit of a shortage!
fingers crossed I can get it back out tomorrow!! LOL
Was driving through linlithgow today, and I have to say, it's near scandalous that some housing estates still haven't been cleared. I know one tradesman (a plumber) who is in the same situation as me - can't get his rear wheel drive out of his street (he can get it out the drive - which he has gritted and cleared - but the road hasn't been and his van can't get across the snow) I'm sure there are a few folk needing his services this week - must be losing a fortune.
-
My kids just came over to do my drive and the bridge - they tried B & Q, Wickes, Screwfix(closed) and a few building suppliers - they all ran out of grit, sand, and salt a week ago and no more likely to come in for another week.
-
We never had any salt / grit in any case, but have scattered wood ash from the fire along our paths, to surprisingly good effect.
HOWEVER, we're wishing we'd put some on the road as well, since the Scottish Power landrover sent to repair the power line (see above) managed to skid into our porch this afternoon, knocking the wooden structure off its foundations, and somewhat freaking out poor Mrs Womble, who was in the room next door!
None of our stuff was damaged (save a flower pot or two), but I reckon the whole porch will have to be re-built, which will be a right hassle. The front door is now hanging at a funny angle, about 1" lower than usual, and the rest of the porch is now about 6" further South than it used to be!
Then, to cap it all, the rest of Mr Scottish Power's mates turned up, and promptly cut our electricity off for most of the evening whilst they repaired the damaged cable. So, for the next person who says "oh, must be quiet living out where you are - bet nothing much ever happens"............... ;)
-
I promise not to drive into anything when I come out to visit ... I also promise not to come out to visit until the roads are sane!
-
We never had any salt / grit in any case, but have scattered wood ash from the fire along our paths, to surprisingly good effect.
HOWEVER, we're wishing we'd put some on the road as well, since the Scottish Power landrover sent to repair the power line (see above) managed to skid into our porch this afternoon, knocking the wooden structure off its foundations, and somewhat freaking out poor Mrs Womble, who was in the room next door!
None of our stuff was damaged (save a flower pot or two), but I reckon the whole porch will have to be re-built, which will be a right hassle. The front door is now hanging at a funny angle, about 1" lower than usual, and the rest of the porch is now about 6" further South than it used to be!
Then, to cap it all, the rest of Mr Scottish Power's mates turned up, and promptly cut our electricity off for most of the evening whilst they repaired the damaged cable. So, for the next person who says "oh, must be quiet living out where you are - bet nothing much ever happens"............... ;)
I trusty it will be a much improved all singing all dancing porch since Scottish power will pay for it??? That might make my sleepless nights bearable (night coal trains on SAK line)
-
Womble whereabouts are you? You can't be that far from us as we are only 40 mins from Glasgow.
Ash is great for gritting snow, we did it a lot at our old house as our hot water ran on a solid fuel Rayburn.
Beth
-
Beatson's Building Supplies in Alloa have sand/salt. £15 for a bag - twice what it was a few weeks ago, apparently!
There was a queue this morning to buy it. I'm going to spread some now.
-
Don't you just hate profiteering?
-
I tried to find salt today - not a chance! Not even for my dinner! Not that I use much but I feel deprived because I can't have it! Somehow it doesn't sound quite right to go to a neighbour for a cup of salt ;) ;D ;D ;D
-
I put our last household salt on the paths last week and have not had any since, only a bit in the salt cellars, never thought it would dissapear off the shelves that quick!!!!
-
Beatson's Building Supplies in Alloa have sand/salt. £15 for a bag - twice what it was a few weeks ago, apparently!
There was a queue this morning to buy it. I'm going to spread some now.
Rather randomly, I was given a discount card from my work for them last week.
Beth