Mumsnet Talk

I have been very busy, I have got the snow shovel out of the shed.

Anyone got any tips though?

Apologies to all who have already been deluged but please join in.

Set the alarm clock for about 5am - jump out of bed, look out the window and if the road is covered, there will definitely be no school.

Jump back into bed for a lie in.

After checking school website Leng.

I recommend that everyone goes to their local bookshop and stockpile on books.

and booklights that run on batteries (and batteries)

because if the electricity goes, you will need entertainment.

<<books - providing entertainment without electricity for 700 years>>

Once it snows, put out food and water for garden birds if you can.

I have strategically planned it so that no3 son was off school ill on monday and tuesday and DD was off yesterday and today, so if it's snowed any more in the morning, they can have relapses and no4 son can catch their vile lurgy and we will all fort up in the sofa bed and watch dvds and drink hot chocolate all day

i have liberated the sled from the piles of paint tins in the shed.

lenglogs. great tip!

Don't park your car where snow ploughs are likely to barrel through!

check on elderly neighbours before the snow arrives so you arent lugging their stuff through snow drifts if it can be avoided! (but do check on them during the snow too)

Keep on top of keeping your path clear. This isnt going to all melt quickly for many of you, so the 'leave it to nature to sort it out' tactic is not a useful one to employ.

Quick interruption: ITS SNOWING!!!!!!!!!

get cat litter in if you have cats.

sorry. lost concentration now!

yes, if you put water out for the birds, put it in a container with a couple of balls in it - the balls will move around a bit and prevent it from freezing.

I popped to Tesco for some beer milk earlier and the place was heaving
To be sure I bought an extra bottle of milk and 2 extra packs of beer <priorities in correct order>
I am now off to nail pieces of crooked wood to the windows and dig out my thermals

oops, sparkling please can you ask for this to go into weather!

Good point nickel. I have a book light.

I cracked the ice on the cat's water bowls outside yesterday and put some lukewarm water in them. The blackbirds queued up for a drink Pseudo.

Has everyone got pet food?

If you live in a cul-de-sac, do not de-snow your path until the snow plough comes along. You'll do it, step back to admire your hard work, and the fecking plough will dump another ton on top.

Bastards.

Bugger. Just realised we've not got much food, I never saved the online food order so that's not coming today and we live miles from the nearest shop. Might end up deciding which dog to eat first...

Oil sledge runners

Wax skis

Check you have warm gloves

Smell your milk. If it's off, buy some more.

Have done OYBBK.

No dog eating! It's not going to get that bad is it?

I just hope roofers get the gaping hole in my roof fixed before dark. I'm under the RED bit on the met office map!

The DC's school never closes. Last year I think it was the only one in Suffolk still open during the snow!

You can't get near the car park or up the road but the school is open!

I shall prepare by....ermm buying lots of Rice Pudding
I love Rice Pudding

Ooh pom I am loving the idea of a "relapse"
DS's school shuts at the drop of a hat as such a high proportion of pupils use school transport to get in (as we are quite rural) and this stops at the drop of a hat.
The HT was in the playground at pick-up assuring us that any abscences tomorrow were absolutely fine and we should not put ourselves at risk making the journey- I have a suspicion she has been oiling her sledge runners already

sitting here in Canada it's vair funny watching the panic...

We had about a foot of snow last Thurs/Fri. Barely even warranted a mention!

'tis now 8 degrees and we are awash with brown slush which is worse than the snow esp when it freezes overnight

I'm house sitting for friends at the moment and am having to defrost their chickens' water every morning - any tips or should I just bring it in at night?

My preparation for snow involves going out for fruit, bread and milk and coming back with fruit and cake instead! We're not desperate for bread or milk and supplies get through here, so don't really need to panic on this one.

Anyway, snowing here in Gloucestershire now. Bin has been put out for collection tomorrow (assuming dustbin men come) - saves me having to go out early in snow. Don't laugh, other bin has been placed in front of downward condensing pipe as extra protection as they are always freezing up around here as a lot are on the north elevation. This is the last time I won't my boiler out of action.

PseudoBadger, is there anything else you could put water in for them and then swap out containers daily?

We have the interesting challenge of 2 DC in different parts of the same school - DD (Y1) - 'we'll be here if you insist on bringing your DC, but really don't bother' - DS (Y6) - 'school as usual, if you don't think you will be able to get in then your DC can board tonight and tomorrow night'

There will be much grumping. Ironically, from both of them. [sigh]

Oh shit. Chickens. Water. Excuse me a moment...

Buy a sledge?