Elegsabiff

Elegsabiff

Nov 2015

1,266 Views

BAD winter coming up?

A few years back Scotland, even my little tropical bit of it, had a really bad winter, with no warning whatsoever. We didn't have enough gritters, we didn't have enough grit, it was pandemonium for a few days and ever since then we've been on yellow alert each and every winter and ever since then the winters have been mild.

I've got a bad feeling about this one, though. And I say that as someone who loves snow and ice and fog and all the sort of extreme winter weather I didn't grow up with. This could be a snorter.

Any advice on what I should be buying / stocking / preparing for, if I'm right? up to and maybe including a dog-sleigh ...

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Comments (32)

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

talking of dogs, mine insists on a walk the minute I get home. Not snow or hail or gloom of night keeps her from her appointed rounds, although she does walk more briskly in blizzard conditions. Anyway tonight it was dark (of course) and really foggy and out of the dark and the fog I heard a man shouting 'naw, naw, Oscar, coom buck!' and the next minute the Hound of the Baskervilles had charged up. Size of a bloody pony.

My dog is a bulldog and although she has mellowed over the last 3 years with me, she was a rescue dog and hates all dogs with a passion. She drew in breath to attack - took a second look - deflated slightly - hi?

Luckily Oscar wasn't as terrifying as he looked. But her general attitude to dogs could make the dog sleigh a problem. She'll have to tow it herself, or learn to make friends.

Track16●Eastern, Newfoundland Canada

Nov 3, 2015●1,598 Blogs●2,278 Comments

Make sure you have a emergency kit such as food, water, medical supplies and so on. Put a can opener in the kit along with flashlights, batteries, candles, matches.

A few years ago, my province went dark for a week in FEB, I had no kit. By the end of it, I was starting to get nervous because I wasn't prepared.

LucyMaud●unknown, Alberta Canada

Nov 3, 2015●1 Blogs●657 Comments

For you, proper winter outerwear including boots with rubber soles. Winter tires for your car. Coat and boots for the dog. she's short hair so needs the extra warmth and waterproofing and the boots will protect her paws from salt/grit on the sidewalks and streets. Forget about the dogsled....she'll be too interested in checking to see whose been around in her absence to bother with much else!

Lukeon●Port Elizabeth 6000, Eastern Cape South Africa

Nov 3, 2015●484 Blogs●7,155 Comments

So hopefully salt will be freely available when needed? Got no idea what I'm talking about

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Yikes, Track! I always have that stuff at home but will check supplies and make sure I have up to a week's supply. Snow shovel. Tons of salt. I also bought a small camping grill in case the power went out, for emergency coffee, but that would only manage a day or two. More camping gas!

And still I have the lurking feeling I'm not ready. Boy scout motto. Be prepared.

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Lucy, winterwear, check.Boots, check. And I carry a full change of clothes in the car all winter (including wellies) in case I get soaked through at any point.

The dog has beeyootiful coats including a pink one trimmed with swansdown (a gift. I did not buy it! she hates it) but boots? Seriously? Makes sense, of course, but I am pretty sure I have never seen them sold here ... her paws do bug her after winter walks so I will have to look for them. Thanks!

LucyMaud●unknown, Alberta Canada

Nov 3, 2015●1 Blogs●657 Comments

Dog boots have become very popular in most parts of North America. Most dogs hate them,but they do protect their paws. I believe they were 'invented' by someone who raced the Iditarod. I will email you the brand name.

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

And CHEAP - less than a quid a paw, free delivery. HA.

She is going to hate me.

Embedded image from another site

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Oh heavens have I become the sort of woman who dresses her dog?

The black ones go better with her tartan coat, these look more comfortable.

Embedded image from another site

I think the blog has lost direction. And I think it is my fault.

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Lucy, the brand you suggested looks MUCH better. And she's worth paying (gulp) 4 times the price.

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

LAN, my car practically IS a snowmobile. More like a snowmobile than a car, anyway, it is a very odd shape (very nearly square) and last winter proved it could travel sideways as well as forwards and backwards without turning a hair.

Snowshoes, mind you, might be good. Back to Lucy for recommendations!

Minerva88●Beach Paradise, Murcia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●1,796 Comments

You mean you have bears over there ?

Love..I was just thinking of the last blog about being cautious

loveallnite●Eyjafjallajökull, Westfjords Iceland

Nov 3, 2015●573 Comments

haha Viv

Mn true prepared is safe(r)

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

LAN, yikes!!!!!! If the electricity goes I am dead, will be wearing my entire wardrobe with the cat around my neck and my feet under the dog, all 3 of us frozen for eternity. Never ever got that cold yet here but there's this bad moon rising, I feel it in my bones.

A wood stove ...

loveallnite●Eyjafjallajökull, Westfjords Iceland

Nov 3, 2015●573 Comments

Indeed yes Viv, its coldddd in North Central Scandinavia!!

A few years ago I had chance of a job in Greenland, (Grønland as its called here), its Tundra like ice all year round dark some months day/night., the money was astounding, and Tax-free...IF you stayed the full TWO years!, I was excited it was in my field then (power distribution) but due to the perma frost cables cover with ice up to over a meter thick, you cant dig em up so they used small dynamite charges, I thought erm ....no thanks. !

I have a generator in case, three types of heating, a food store (in winter)' and 9 propane tanks FULL in einter just in case

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Okay that sounds terrifying.

LucyMaud●unknown, Alberta Canada

Nov 3, 2015●1 Blogs●657 Comments

A couple of winters ago when we had the Polar Vortex (who comes up with these names?), there were quite a few mornings when it was -45C on the walk to work. Talk about fresh air!!

zmountainman●Motril, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●107 Blogs●7,852 Comments

I seem to recall for the last two bad UK winters, 47 & 63, they managed to dig the trains out of the snow sometime in April, so you only have to survive for around 6 months

here if it's bad we'll all have to put a jumper on

johnjjm●co westmeath0000, Westmeath Ireland

Nov 3, 2015●5 Blogs●1,312 Comments

I thinks the seasons are changing no winter mudh her is still mild enough all summer no sun yesterday glorious strange really thinks its the planes

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Fresh? FRESH?

I'm South African. That's not fresh. That's hell on earth. Why did I think I liked winter!!

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

John, yes, we are having lovely sunshine during the days here too. Sandwiched between the, you know, fog in the morning and the evening. I always thought I could cope with any weather except dreary damp drizzle but these Danes and Canadians are scaring me into fits.

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Deliberate spelling error there to avoid accusations of advertising.

johnjjm●co westmeath0000, Westmeath Ireland

Nov 3, 2015●5 Blogs●1,312 Comments

yep I will settle for our weather does me anyway was in Portugal this year jeepers was hot a few days gotb up to 40 a heatwave I was told woul melt you even the tea I couldn't manage water was the order of the day no just oul Ireland suits me

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 3, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

John, beer's the answer. Refreshes the parts other drinks can't reach. Or, of course, staying in Ireland! Not been to Portugal, did you enjoy it or was it simply too hot to get out and about?

loveallnite●Eyjafjallajökull, Westfjords Iceland

Nov 3, 2015●573 Comments

hehe Viv

its k just bloody pics wont cooperate some times

loulou77●Vancouver, British Columbia Canada

Nov 3, 2015●71 Blogs●5,968 Comments

eleg
Just make sure you have a light source back up and keep a supply back up...water and other things...Vancouver does not get that bad of weather but we are prepared for earth quakes...or at least supposed to...for at least 72 hours...

Solamente●Adeje, Tenerife, Canary Islands Spain

Nov 4, 2015●87 Blogs●1,201 Comments

Just make sure you have a stock of essentials in the house to last at least three days (include powder milk for coffee and bottled water). Likewise, keep a few food and drink essentials in the car in case you get road bound (including a blanket).

ElegsabiffOP●Motril-ish, Andalusia Spain

Nov 4, 2015●358 Blogs●9,358 Comments

Thanks Sola: they were saying on the news this morning that several older power stations have been closed down because of their impact on the environment, and this winter is going to have the slimmest power reserves than in decades.

Where's that list of mine? May need to take a second mortgage at this rate!

Dreamcatcher99●Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Nov 4, 2015●60 Blogs●2,344 Comments

Well, you are always welcome to Malaysia...truly Asia

zmountainman●Motril, Andalusia Spain

Nov 4, 2015●107 Blogs●7,852 Comments

I read somewhere that despite all this talk of global warming the Atlantic is the coldest it's been in 80 years, your tropical part of Scotland won't be very tropical without the heat from the Gulf stream

Crazyheart38●Amman, Jordan

Nov 4, 2015●191 Blogs●5,807 Comments

Legs,

make sure you will have good internet connection for winter

epirb●Dannevirke, Hawke's Bay New Zealand

Nov 5, 2015●37 Blogs●1,341 Comments

An air ticket to Spain for the winter .

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by Elegsabiff

created Nov 2015

in Family Blogs

1,266 Views

Last Viewed: Apr 20

Last Commented: Nov 2015

Elegsabiff has 358 other Blogs

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