Bringing in some light

[Lidlfix]

It's hard for everyone right now, by varying degrees granted, and sometimes it's nice to blether. I'd like a thread that doesn't turn into political debate. A Chat if you like with a Scottish perspective that has a gentler vibe. I admire the posters with strong political views, knowledge, interests and thick skins - qualities I lack. But it's not for everyone.

My fig and blackberry candle is lit and my nice coloured gin bottles have wee LED lights in. I feel refreshed after my two week hols but worried about the term to come. Come share what you're doing to bring in some light, your wee treats, autumn booze concoctions or just blether.

Oh god no I wouldn't want to see that, the thought turns my stomach a bit

I do love all the presenters though, their genuine enthusiasm shines through.

It's amusing in that CP really doesn't get how gross it is!

The seals are wonderful, and the pine martens with their custard cream fancying! Who knew?

I know, custard creams, that's so funny, but I worried they surely can't be good for them?

I did think the same - I suppose unlike with bread and ducks there's not the risk it rots in a pond and causes other problems. If you put custard creams alongside the better food it must be ok as a lure otherwise I can't see CP et al being ok with it, they're pretty ethical.

Yes I thought the same!

Hello, please may I join this lovely thread??

I’ve been woken up by my dog but am now going to go back to sleep planning spiced stewed apples and a Guy Fawkes night fire in my outdoor fire.

Pets are good for that - my ancient cat excellent at making an awful noise until she gets us out of bed.

my cat is very lazy, she is not however dealing with the clock change very well this year (despite being 12) and starts stomping about the house being an arse from about half 2, knowing that she doesn't normally get a pouch until after 4. That used to be 5 by the way but moved to 4pm last autumn clock change.

She has now demolished her entire bowl of crunchies so I suspect the same behaviour from 2 ish today when she sees empty bowls.

I would add that she is not thin and is definitely not just wearing a thick jersey.

Good news is that my central heating system is finally in the process of being replaced

They arrived at 8.20 and already the cold water tank has been emptied (that took over an hour as it's enormous - used to serve the whole house before it was converted into two homes), the carpets pulled back, the radiators are off the walls and being carried downstairs (they're big and heavy), the new radiators brought in, the new giant hot water tank has been manoeuvred upstairs into the loft and the boiler is sitting in the hall.

Very impressed

Warm house soon

good luck with the central heating! we got a new system installed last winter (after years of dodgy boiler cutting off at least once a year...) and it's fab. we got a Hive thermostat thing as well which means that we can put the heating on 20mins before we get home

I actually gave myself a "talking to" about the heating a few weeks ago cause it's one of those things where my inclination is to just keep piling on blankets and cardis but since I'm going to be stuck home all winter and be spending less on travel, etc the least I can do is keep the house at a comfortable level!

Our boiler is still brilliant - a 40+ year old Ideal Standard workhorse - but we had some cowboys in about 6 years ago to fix a leaky valve and they fucked up the distribution so that we couldn't get heat reliably down to the first (main) floor and no-one was able to sort it

After 6 years of very little heating on the main floor, we're well used to extra cardigans, jumpers, thermals and long johns!

It's going to take a while to get out of the habit

I’m still excited to live in a nice warm
Modern house with heating 😊

this has inspired me - we've got an icebox room in our house and maybe it's time to get someone out to sort the radiator since we'll be spending a lot of time in it this winter!

hope you are toasty prettyscarybird

@anon444877

this has inspired me - we've got an icebox room in our house and maybe it's time to get someone out to sort the radiator since we'll be spending a lot of time in it this winter!

hope you are toasty prettyscarybird

It probably just needs the thermostat replacing, takes a few minutes.

When they fail you either get no heat or get all the heat. DH managed to burst the one next to his desk just after lock down (he broke it completely off) so in the end had to move as it came on anytime we were even just heating water and wasn't adjustable and he was sweating like a horse.

Having one that we can control from DH's phone is a source of great entertainment. DDs usually crank it up to Sub Saharan temps whilst prancing about in tiny shorts and cropped tops complaining about how cold the house is. We then turn it down

They realise resistance is futile and put some clothes on.

Though the experience of a beautiful high ceilinged tenement on Byres Rd has had an impact as has extortionate electrical storage heaters. 2 down 2 to go .

Ooooh that sounds promising! We've been here 4 years and not done anything!

I’m really blah today, both my parents are separately being quite awful and it’s just the way they are so that’s tedious.

I’m about to have a large whisky when dh gets home, whack the fire and candles on, and some good music, and just thank my lucky stars they don’t live round the corner!

(I’m grateful for a warm house, this is the first one I’ve had apart from one year aged 21 in a rental. Home, student flats, rented flats, old houses - all brass monkeys!)

I’ve carved some pumpkins and done chores so I can relax a bit now. Also had to relearn how to divide a decimal by a whole number for ds 😳 Was a struggle, then he waltzed in from school and said he knew now ! My poor brain.

All the radiators are up on the walls but we'll not be toasty probably until Saturday. Tomorrow they have to connect them all and install the boiler and giant hot water tank.

They insisted on doing a smoke test on our ancient gas fire before they left - even though I'd promised to bring down the carbon monoxide alarm from the loft (since there's no working gas appliance up there at the moment and they'll be fitting their own new one). And we've had to promise to only put it on for half an hour

We'd already asked the head guy as part of the job to show confidence in his work by capping off and removing the fire once he's finished, as we won't be able to afford a new insert and to get the chimney lined for a while, so we'll just blank it off and paint it black.

Really pleased with the work done so far

Glad your Heating work is going well @prettybird. And I do like your ducks and other fowl.

Nice pics pb, nothing beats a toasty house