[HappyHippy]

Oh Russ, here i am sitting here moaning and groaning about the fact we've had MORE snow, on top of all the rest still lying here - it's just not for going!- but after reading your posts (and stopping the tears of laughter rolling down my face ) I'm so thankfull that I've not got any outside livestock at the minute, or indeed really have to go anywhere. We got about another 4 inches last night and the roads which still haven't been gritted since the first lot of snow - BEFORE XMAS ! are treacherous, to say the least. So it's ESSENTIAL journey's only - meaning I'm stuck here with my little 2 legged animals until the roads improve and I can even think about digging the car out to take them to school

[shetlandpaul]

lots more heading south. we had just had a good dumping so watch out.

[marigold]

Lovely videos Russ. I can see why you put up with the difficulties to stay there.

Not sure which one is meant to be me in the picture ...?

My memory is a bit dim on the characters but I thought you might look more like Niel than the others, ......... Hope that' not offensive.. Hope your horses and dogs are not offended by their characterisation either.. I guess if they're  sensitive you don't need to show them.

It looks in the video as though your daily walk is to the field behind your caravan? So you must have to do a big loop in order to get there? or are you staying somewhere else in the winter?

We are struggling in this weather in the shed and the static. The portaloo  has frozen up and now we have poo bucket which is not the best. The shower has frozen up so we are showering at friends houses. It all works after a fashion but it is not convenient or private and needs planning. Last night I was desperate for my own bedroom where i could just retire and read a book. All the teenagers were in the shed for warmth and did not want to go to bed. I think that it is bringing us closer as a family but I do have fantasies about a comfy bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and endless hot water.

We must all make these lifestyle choices for a good reason;- could someone remind me what it is?

[RUSTYME]

Hello Karen ,
          yes we had snow on top of already frozen stuff. From the caravan on the farm here where I live , to the village is about half a mile . !/4 mile is the farm track which is 6" plus of snow .. nothing moving on that , it is a very steep hill . The other 1/4 mile is from the end of the farm track to the village, which the council don't grit anymore. It is like glass , almost impossible to walk on in places. But till today from the village to the land the road was clear, till today that is . On the walk to the land today , it was almost a white out at times , a proper blizzard. Very hard to see where to go , but thankfully the clouds would then clear and a touch of blue sky and sunshine would appear. 
 It took an hour plus to walk to the land today , normally takes 45 minutes. Then carrying the haylage from the road , down a very steep 30 yards of track , then along 300 yards of track to the top field. 8 trips it takes , and is very hard going . I got back at 4.30 that means it took 4 hour's , it normally only takes me 2 hours and a bit to do .

Yes Paul it has hit us already , so far only in short bursts , but they are saying we could get a real big load over night now. Which is great as I now have to go down the road to the shop for milk , and butter sugar and a few other bits , as tesco called off delivery today. Just waiting for the blizzard thats tipping it down at the moment to make a limp for the shop ...

 I was just going to make a dash , but it just got even heavier...lol

 I am still not sure which one is me Kirsty..? 
I don't live on the land as yet , I live on a farm 2 1/2 miles away . Feeding the horses would be so easy if I lived in the little caravan on the land. But everyday life would be even harder down there than it is here at the moment . However if the weather continues to worsen , then I may grab what food I can and go stay there till it improves. Even in this weather it is as warm as toast in the little caravan , as there is a little woodburner in there , and literally  tons of wood to burn . The problem is carrying enough food 2 1/2 miles , not just for me , but for 4 dogs too. Why can't life be simple ? 

 cheers

Russ

[scattybiker1972]

would you be able to train a dog or 2 to pull a sled like a husky?
make them work for their dinner literally and  make life easier for you 

[marigold]

Which one would you like to be?  Isn't Niel the long haired stoner guy? You however don't sound like a stoner. you're far too active.
Have another look at the pic. You are the human being ..... Why don't you send me a head shot and I'll put you in for real?
The great thing about caravans in the snow is that it provides insulation, although the whole toileting thing is a problem as I referred to earlier.

WARNING THE NEXT PARAGRAPH CONTAINS TOO MUCH INFORMATION
You'll all be glad to hear that the portaloo guy arrived at our place today and emptied it so we are now up and running again (no pun intended) apparently he had to crowbar the contents out because it was one big block of ice- smash it up and then take it away - what a job (or should that be be jobbie)

[MiriMaran]

Well at least it wouldn't have been too smelly and anyway if you are like me your poohs will smell of fresh rose petals!

[RUSTYME]

just got back from the shop ...no milk ... bugger... I will have to go the dairy farmer up the road tomorrow, to knackered to go now. I did get a tin of marvel milk powder...I hate that bl**dy stuff , but I also hate black coffee or tea. I forgot to get any ibuprofen tablets for the knee , cheese , and some other bits that I can't even remember now !!
 Snow was still falling hard , I hate to think what tomorrow will bring   .
 I haven't got any clear shots of me , so will have to make do with a pic of Niel . No I am not a stoner ... never touched a single drug in my life apart from legal ones for pain etc. But I have 3 brothers who have been/still are, druggies , not my thing at all though .  

I wish I could train them to do that scattyb....but I don't even have the sled or the gear to connect the dogs to it. This weather has caught me out completely . I normally have enough of everything for a week at least , but every now and then I run out or very low , and this just happens to be one of those times.... sods law .  

Cheers

Russ

[scattybiker1972]

i think if you start with a dog harness and a small tyre,perhaps maybe for future. you can get dog back packs as well.
itd make life easier for you. we tried it with the samoyeds,one was fine,the other just lay down.the bullmastiffs are a bit dense,
tho 
goats can do it too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogcart_(dog-drawn) have  alook at this

[doganjo]

Russ, how does a wood burner in a caravan work?  I want one in my house - a kit house aged about 23 years and they want me to put in a brick wall and a wide hearth.  There's already a flue as they had a gas fire here before they put in this stupid electric one.

[doganjo]

i think if you start with a dog harness and a small tyre,perhaps maybe for future. you can get dog back packs as well.
itd make life easier for you. we tried it with the samoyeds,one was fine,the other just lay down.the bullmastiffs are a bit dense,
tho 
goats can do it too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogcart_(dog-drawn) have  alook at this

I think that's a great idea - you could make a test temporary harness from any leads you have around to see if they will tolerate it.  My Brittanys travel in the dog cage but it's a bit small for my wirehair so she wears a harness attached to a seat belt on the back seat.  Doesn't bother her a bit, and keeps her and me safe.  She used to go hill walking with my late husband and she carried her own food and water in a back pack like a wee saddle.

[bamford6]

4 FEET MORE SNOW TUESDAY  the 53 pens arcs sheds etc are naw coverd .all you can see is a snowey field . we will atempt to move 200 birds ito my double garage we will  be building a massive pen .the garage can hold 3 cars so im going to save these birds even iff it means recing the garage . iv got the wood and help some off the cock birds are worth pounds top silkies from darbey at 75 pound each 2 chocklate orpingtons cocks  and hens .ornimental phesents ducks 2 rams 1000 each no room to feed round bale a day for 6 weeks .not had a let up since 19 december even new yere i was in the pens at 2.30 in the morning very concernd . will put new lights heat etc

[doganjo]

Good luck, Gary.  Hope you get your birds safe inside.

[RUSTYME]

Annie , if you are talking legal wise , I have no idea.  My caravan is just an old heap and the chimney is just a strong metal pipe stuck through a hole in the roof. The caravan was already there when I bought the land , and the hole in the roof was there already also . I put some ali sheet behind the woodburner to deflect heat , and it is about 4" away from the wall and the burner stands on a metal sheet as well. Even when the fire is roaring away like mad the wall of the caravan doesn't get too hot.  
With the legal side of things , you can't do this , you can't do that ...you must follow this rule and do this or that .. I tend to say b*llox, and just do what I want . My caravan , my land , get stuffed... But thats me and I don't say that everyone should be the same . Building regs and planning are a nightmare , so I don't do either ....   But if the woodburner was up against an outside wall, I can't see why a stainless steel chimney couldn't be fitted straight through the wall and then up !! I know they look as ugly as hell , but they serve purpose and would work out cheaper than a whole brick wall I should think ...mind you I haven't looked at the cost of either bricks or s/s chimney pipe lately !!

cheers

Russ

[marigold]

Russ, how does a wood burner in a caravan work?  I want one in my house - a kit house aged about 23 years and they want me to put in a brick wall and a wide hearth.  There's already a flue as they had a gas fire here before they put in this stupid electric one.

We have a wood burning stove in our wooden shed. The flue is a double skinned flexible thing ( i will ask Simon for its proper name) and then the there is a square piece of metal with a flue sized hole in it through which the flue reaches the outside. The square of metal is steel and also double. In between the flue and the wooden wall we have tacked another piece of thin sheet steel to reflect any heat from the flue. The stove itself sits on a rescued flagstone whichis wider and deeper than the stove so that any embers that escape fall on stone.

If the whole thing sat within a brick hearth it would contain the heat better and act as a heat sink to keep the heat in after the fire has burnt down. But heigh ho this is a shed after all.
Simon has just come in..... the flue is 'twin wall flue liner'

The steel squares are the sides of old washing machines.