Fuel bills, blackouts, potential food shortages, Covid, Ukraine & Taiwan worries are adding layer on layer of anxiety ahead of the coming winter.
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Recent reverses in government policy on energy bills and tax cuts have brought back deepest anxieties about the Cost of Living Crisis (COLC) and the coming winter.
We're going to have to try to stay calm and learn to be resilient in the face of whatever is coming at us.
67goingon50 is a strong believer in the old adage, 'Prepare for the worst; hope for the best'. And don't Panic..it gets you nowhere.
While no one wants to be apocalyptic, the increasing probability of power cuts this winter across the entire UK, not just in the north, needs to be kept in mind.
This post is divided into tips for keeping warm, keeping fed and keeping sane PLUS a section on preparing for Blackouts. (Some material has already been published in the post How to Beat Freezing Weather Frugally).
- Keeping warm: layering up, dressing for outdoors, bedding, heating
- Keeping fed: cutting food costs while cooking, stocking cupboards/emergency stores, don't turn off the freezer
- Preparing for Blackouts:
- background
- what to expect if a blackout occurs
- how to cope with a blackout incl:
(b) getting ready, incl tech tips(c) freezers/fridges
(d) eating in Blackouts
- Tights/leggings/pyjama bottoms/thermals beneath trousers/skirts/jogging pants
- Thermal socks or two pairs of socks, 1 thick, 1 thin
- Dig out summer vests and use as a first layer, then..
- A close-fitting thermal polo/turtle neck then...
- Shirt or blouse, then...
- Jumper, wool, if poss, then...
- Shawl/Wrap/Blanket
Note: The retired, worried about heating bills, might want to spend the entire day dressed like this
- Head: hats prevent heat loss (somehow baclavas are coming back in style!)
- Neck: Long scarves wrapped twice around the neck and chin make the cold more bearable
- Coats: ideally should offer plenty of room for layers of warm clothing without constricting movement (or be made with Heattech, see below), have a hood and a collar that fastens up to the chin, protecting sides as well as back of the neck. Windproofing and some level of waterproofing is helpful; sleeves should cover wrists generously or be elasticated or adjustable to prevent the intrusion of cold air. Pockets should be big enough to hold gloves.
- Feet. Thermal socks can be found at reasonable prices on special offers (eg £12 for 3 pairs) at outdoor shops like Mountain Warehouse. Also Uniqlo.
- Snow Boots: Mountain Warehouse (& occasionally Blacks) stock wallet-friendly wellies & similar thrifty options. Jogging shoes with a deep ridged rubber sole may be sufficient if the snow is not too deep. Catering shoes designed to prevent slipping have a deep ridged rubber sole and sturdy uppers. (£25 upwards at Denny's Hospitality, Berman Street, Fitzrovia - between Oxford Circus & Tottenham Court Road, London - also phone orders 01372 377904).
STOCKISTS:
- 67goingon50 recommends Uniqlo's Heattech for coats, turtle necks, sweatshirts; its special technology traps warm air inside thin layers which keeps heat in without bulk.
- Thermal polo necks & Jumpers (turtle neck & other designs), leggings/long johns, gloves, hats & scarves in pretty colours/designs and in various weights: Uniqlo £6 upwards.
- Thermal underwear at M&S and John Lewis are also good; they also sell thermal gloves & socks at £15-ish upwards
- Serviceable budget-friendly outer winter woolies including thermal gloves, thermal socks, scarves, hats & thick jogging trousers are found at Mountain Warehouse (& occasionally Blacks), £7-8 upwards depending on item but certain styles are often on sale. Kids' snow boots, too. Join Mountain Warehouse's app for special offers.
- Supermarkets sometimes sell really cute kids' mittens and gloves.
- Draft-blocking High-pile Ultra Warm Hooded Dressing Gowns: most department stores £40'ish. Or try the super enveloping over-sized ponchos, hooded or not, online.
- FASHIONABLE reasonably priced full-length and short Thermal coats: Uniqlo; also try H&M and Revolut. For the up-market, John Lewis has a good selection of must-have brands including Barbour (which have been on sale over the summer). M&S's 2021 quilted coat - if you can could get hold of one - was a fashion winner last year and they've produced something similar this year
- Prevent hypothermia: if spare blankets/duvets/sleeping bags are already in use, a winter coat spread on top of covers will add another layer of warmth
- Though 67 has not tested Emergency Foil Blankets (EFBs) - the kind given out during Marathons and in driving/hiking/mountainside emergencies - they are said to be excellent at retaining heat when placed on top of bedcovers or on windows. EFB's are £2 for 2 and can be used more than once. Sold folded in tidy packets, they take up very little space.
- If you can afford it, brushed cotton bedding (the modern equivalent of flannel sheets) is a joy to slide into at bedtime and adds extra warmth. Prices at John Lewis have gone up some, as expected. A double duvet cover is £55 this year but pillowcases continue to start at £5 each.
- Presuming you have power, electric blankets/underblankets can be helpful to some but dangerous to others, even with an automatic cut-off switch.
- Hot water bottles can be lovely if there's no danger of spillage while filling the bottle or warming the bed
- The classic solution still applies: share the body heat of a loved one! Have young children share a bed; they'll love it.
- to have or not have heating on overnight? Decision time. If the background heating's been on all day, overnight heating may be a luxury. But be careful, in cold damp conditions, ear and throat infections can develop
- see ideal home temperatures, including WHO recommendations, for well dressed people, including for sleeping. (Produced by British Gas)
- 1s it worth investing/creating makeshift 4 poster beds from which curtains can be hung to enclose heat and keep out draughts?
- the kitchen is often the warmest place in the house; find a space on the floor for toddler playtime and/or use the kitchen table for homework (unless it's exam time; in which case, solitary work in the bedroom may be more suitable; add a small heater)
- watch telly huddled under a shared duvet (or emergency Foil Blanket??)
- if you have a fireplace and the cold spell is extreme, move in beds/mattresses, sleeping bags -- but not long-term due to possible air pollution
- warm the kids' clothes on radiators for half an hour to make getting dressed more comfortable
- an elderly retired but eccentric friend recommended staying in bed all day, wearing a hat, to keep heating to a minimum
- whatever cooking equipment you have, investing in a cheap and reliable microwave might be an idea; they cook fastest and use up less electricity
- slow cookers use less energy than stovetop or oven AND provide background heat; double up -- in the last hour of cooking place baking potatoes wrapped in greaseproof paper on the surface of the foods in the slow cooker; when done, remove flesh & serve as mash
- reports say some brands of air fryers reduce cooking time much more than expected
- never use the oven for just one thing; plan ahead - make granola or bake potatoes while making a cake or cooking a roast
- As a general rule, 67goingon50 likes to have at least a week's worth of food in the kitchen, whether in the cupboards or freezer
- This year, mindful of the possibility of electricity blackouts, 67 currently adds to the weekly shop one tinned item which does not require cooking (fish, chopped ham, stews, baked beans) or needs very little cooking (ie soup or quick cook pasta/rice)
- Find a cupboard for emergency stores: store at least one extra container of ketchup, mayonnaise, hot sauce, peanut butter, jams, favourite condiments
- Depending on the size of your household, keep at least a couple of loaves of sliced supermarket bread and a couple of blocks of standard/budget cheese hidden away in the back of the freezer for emergency sandwiches
- DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR FREEZER TO SAVE ELECTRICITY before using up the contents; badly defrosted food can cause food poisoning.
- See BLACKOUTS, PREP below
67 recommends that, in every household, one person is appointed KEEPER OF EMERGENCY STORES responsible for deciding if, when and how much of the stores to break open
- Germany: parts of the country switches off lights at public monuments and turns off heating at city-run buildings like leisure centres.
- France: outdoor cafe and bar terraces are not allowed to be heated; illuminated advertising between 1am and 6am is banned
- Greece: office workers are urged to switch off their computers after work; the government renews cooling & window systems
- Netherlands: companies are mandated to invest in energy saving measures if the cost can be recovered within five year
This post looks at:
- the background to a possible UK blackout
- what to expect if a blackout occurs
- how to cope with a blackout incl:
(c) freezers/fridges
(d) eating in Blackouts
BACKGROUND
In National Grid's recent scenarios for winter, the view was that - like previous winters - there will be enough energy. But now the warnings are explicit: expect blackouts from 4-7pm on weeknights in January & February if gas imports fall.
40% of Britain's electricity comes from gas-fired power stations and if gas supplies fall say, due to the war in Ukraine, electricity would also be affected. And that means electricity would be cut-off to homes and companies for short periods.
HOW WILL A BLACKOUT WORK?
The situation as 18 Oct but watch the news for developments:
Expect the country to be divided up into regions. Not all would be affected at the same time or on the same day.
The National Grid plans warnings at least a day ahead. (see below)
Blackouts are most likely at peak times - breakfast time or late afternoon.
In Jan & Feb, afternoon blackouts would start at 4pm and finish at 7pm.
You won't be able to watch telly or use your computer, charge your phone or pop the kettle on. The wi-fi would be down. (Bloggers'emphasis!).
You won't be able to do chores requiring electricity. And, unless you have a gas cooker or have prepped ahead (see below), dinner will be at room temperature.
NATIONAL GRID WARNINGS
As it stands (Oct 18)..
- We'll be told, at least a day ahead, of coming blackouts
- Households can also log on to powercut105.com and enter their postcode to check whether they will be affected.
- There may be alerts, incl via text message, pandemic style. And maybe press conferences, Covid style.
WHO WILL BE PROTECTED?
- Hospitals and major airports
- Customers medically dependent on electricity. Many of this group have back-up power sources but should seek advice from their healthcare provider.
- Businesses/services that have applied for and been granted entry to the Protected Sites List. Warning: a place on the site is not automatically given.
IT'S NOT ALL DOOM & GLOOM (apparently!)
National Grid has contingency measures in place.
Coal-fired power stations are on standby.
National Grid is also launching a scheme offering money off bills for homes and businesses which cut electricity use at key times. The scheme, tested earlier this year, is now being scaled up.
COPING WITH A BLACKOUT
Take care of your own household but remember older family members living independently. (If in the same blackout zone, could they persuaded to move in with you for the duration?)
- EFB's:Emergency Foil Blankets - the kind given out during Marathons and in driving/hiking/mountainside emergencies; they're £2 for 2, folded in tidy packets (taking up little space) and can be used more than once
- Cash
- First Aid Kit
- Torches with spare batteries; maybe a head torch?
- Batteries of various sizes
- Proper candles - not just tea-lights - in sturdy candle holders which are not easily knocked over PLUS generous box Matches
- Thermoses: fill with boiling water, not coffee or tea, for a hot cuppa of choice; they come in individual or family sizes, priced accordingly. A separate thermos for hot chocolate with or without marshmallows would probably make everyone ecstatic.
- Food jars: double insulated, they keep food warm 12-36 hours, depending on size and brand; great not just for soups, also for a layer of rice with vegetables or stew; perfect for elderly relatives
- Cool box
- Power Bank - for phones & iPads but not laptops; reasonably priced but must be charged ahead of time unless battery operated. (If you're flush; a portable power station will set you back over £1,000)
- Battery operated clip-on lamp for book lovers ?
- Night lights for finding your way around ?
- Battery-operated radio?
- fill up car with petrol
- write down important phone numbers and passwords
- just before blackout starts, turn off all electric appliances, especially computers which can be damaged by power surges. Leave one light on so you'll know when it's all over
- Close down unnecessary programs & apps which drain batteries
- Switch off location service on your phone (regular pinging of satellites sucks power), NFC (for payments) and Bluetooth, which often aren’t used
- Use the power-saving mode (on most smart phones), which stops asking apps if there are any notifications and dims your screen.
- Just before Blackout, take what you need out of the fridge and place in a toolbox; during Blackout leave fridge doors shut; UK Power Networks say if doors are not continually opened & closed, food should keep 4-5 hours
- But if Blackout goes on longer than 4 hours, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) says all fridge contents should be thrown out
- FSA says food in a closed freezer will stay frozen for 24 hours or more...the fuller the freezer, the better
- One freezer manufacturer said a full large freezer will keep food frozen 48 hours; it recommended ice blocks to slow down defrosting
- Blogger: remember raw meats can be frozen twice, once in their natural state, once after defrosting and cooking. If raw meat is unintentionally defrosted, cook and re-freeze
- if budget allows, check out the nearest sector that isn't in blackdown and, if possible, plan a meal out -- that way, we help boost the economy, too!
- make a blackout meal a fun occasion - eat picnic style, on a blanket; maybe haul out the tent; dress up like North American Indians around a real/fake fire wrapped in Emergency Foil Blankets (bonus: it will also help pass the time!)
- get organised; the night or a few hours before blackout starts:
- dig out your some of your freezer stores of 67goingon50's frozen chocolate chip or other Cookie dough; bake (or have someone else bake) a platter-full, ready for a blackout treat
- use frozen or tinned fruit to make a quick crumble
- re-heat a frozen stew or casserole, store in a slow cooker on low till the electricity goes off; the contents will stay warm for at least an hour
- blackout dessert: brush pre-baked pastry cases with melted chocolate; add drained chopped tinned fruit (stored in juice, not syrup) and top with clotted or whipped cream with a dribble of chocolate sauce. (tinned pie filling can also be used but is usually high in sugar
BBC News
Sky News
How long does food last in fridge/freezer:Rebecca Miller, Daily Express
How to Prepare Your Home for Blackout: Guy Kelly, Daily Telegraph
Could I survive a Blackout?: Chris Stokel-Walker, The Times
How long does food last in fridge/freezer:Rebecca Miller, Daily Express
National Grid
Protected Sites List67goingon50's Preparing for Winter in a Cost of Living Crisis:
(This material is also available as a stand-alone post: How to Keep Sane & Safe during a Scary Winter)
'We can't cope', 'we're going to be homeless' 'the kids will starve and end up as uneducated louts', 'I don't know where to turn' and 'the family is doomed!'
- Mind Work: don't clutter up your thoughts with ifs and mights
- Physical: regular exercise and a good diet calms anxiety
- Keep Sane: with complementary therapies
- Decide on 1-2 news programmes a day; watch listen to something educational or relaxing/soothing at all other times
- Set aside an hour a day to discuss cost-of-living/government/politicians then put your mind to other things
- Social media is great for keeping in touch but create a What's App group to bypass fake news, rumours, rage and anti-government carping which dominates some sites
- Limit time on your devices; turn off notifications for periods of time
- If you're really keen on ensuring you are well informed in order to do your duty as a voter in a democratic society, form a political group where either each of the main political groups is represented OR to get a broad based view, some members agree to regularly read and report back on coverage of major events to the group
- 10 o'clock news: Sky News or First Edition (Talk TV, Freeview 237: mostly Tom Newton Dunn)
- Spectator TV: The Week in 60 minutes, Thursdays plus You Tube; usually best use of an hour ever
- Sunday Morning: Adam Boulton & Kate McCann: 10-1300, Times Radio (DAB or App) - always interesting & informative
- Laura Kuenssberg, BBC 1 Sun 9am - who'd dare to miss it?
- BBC Newscast: BBC 1, Thurs after Question Time with Adam Fleming & Chris Mason
- Ayesha Hazarika: Times Radio, Sat/Sun 4-7pm; different in-depth approaches to news, in a good way
- Jordan Peterson (podcasts & Telegraph articles)
- Any Questions/Answers: R.4, Fri pm/Sat Noon: brilliant when Adam Fleming is host
Chris MasonAdam Boulton & Kate McCann (together)All those on Spectator TV's The World in 60 minutesTom Newton Dunn
Adam Fleming (really great for those educating themselves in political matters)
b) Don't be afraid to ask for help from banks, councils, charities and local communities; it could be the first step on the road to easing your fears
- Find a nearby park and walk there. If you don't feel safe, walk around the park close to the trees. If you're worried about catching covid or flu from others, get outside close to sunrise - there will be fewer people around (but plenty of loveable dogs) - and the light grows stronger quickly. Welcome the cold; so long as you are dressed warmly in layers, it's bracing and reviving. Being surrounded by greenery and majestic trees is profoundly calming; it helps stop catastrophising or habitually going straight to a worse case scenario
- If you can't get out, try one of the many home exercise programmes on the telly or net. Joe Wicks has taken home exercising by storm and includes kids' workouts on YouTube. Adrienne, also on You Tube, offers free yoga classes. The Blogger's own yoga teacher, Diana Broad, offers excellent reasonably priced yoga on Zoom for oldies/the slightly worn plus relative youngsters aiming to age gracefully. Diana is available in some US states
- Variety of exercise is best for the body: walk part of the time, do weights or dancing some of the time and stretching/yoga the rest of the time.
- Jane Fonda Be Fit 2 (Pinterest): best half-hour ever of all-over exercise; includes light weights. Other free Fonda programmes include a snappy 15 min dance-a-thon and an easier Be Fit 1 on You Tube. (A one-hour low-impact programme for oldies, in which one foot is on the floor at all times, is available to buy on Apple TV for - I think - £6.99)
- Ballet Barre by Sleek: You Tube, 15 min workout of not-too-difficult ballet exercises which effortlessly whittle down the thighs, waist & tum
- BLACKOUTS: Get ready (see Blackout section on this post) but once you have r everything you need, make a Blackout fun. Dinner by candlelight (but be careful with naked flames!). Hot chocolate with marshmallows. Eating on the floor of a makeshift tent, wrapped in EFBs (Emergency Foil Blankets). Those of us who survived the 3-day week in the 1970's were fine; we are hardy people on these islands and will get through this scary winter, too.
- If you haven't already, structure your day. Set up a routine, make a timetable, follow a schedule so that, at the end of the day, you will have engaged in productive activity
- Get up when you wake up...or as near as possible. (During freezing temperatures, if you're WFH, remain under the duvet for an extra half hour until the flat warms up.)
- If not going out to work, jump into the shower and get dressed in clean clothes; casual, ok, sloppiness, not. No jammies/p-jays as daytime wear.
- Put distance between you and the stresses of the Cost of Living Crisis, Ukraine, politics etc with cooking, hobbies, playtime. There are plenty of great cooking shows on BBC 2, Channel 4, ITV and Food Network (Channel 43 on Freeview). Also look around for free activities: community events, museums, exhibitions; hikes along canals or rivers; forest walks
- Find things to laugh at: old films, animals, kids. Laughter eases tension and though it may not make you forget, it could leave you with a smile
- If you can afford it, an hour's massage every fortnight does absolute wonders. Even if you can only afford a shoulder massage once a week, it will help release muscle tension in the neck and face. The difficulty is finding the right therapist; ask friends for recommendations.
- Rescue Remedy, made from the essence of flowers, is a cure-all for stress, anxiety, shock and/or grief. Initially sold as bottles with a dropper, it is now available in sprays with or without additional vitamins. Also useful for 3 am wake-ups - often (not always) puts you back to sleep
- The Metamorphic Technique: a form of light, non-invasive massage on the feet, hands and head. The Blogger has been both patient and practitioner of the Metamorphic Technique. Many clients report deep relaxation and releasing of old habits (including addiction) after treatment. The Association offers slightly woo-woo explanations of how it works, but work it definitely does. Recommended. Session prices vary depending on the Practitioner. Try out free treatments at Complementary Therapies conventions. Contact
- Deep Breathing Therapy: usually associated with Yoga, has been scientifically proven to reduce anxiety. It is currently one of the current in-demand self-learned therapies, so much so that Apple Inc has been offering free classes in its Knightsbridge branch. The next one is on Nov 20th at 6 pm, and yes there is plug for Apple Watch but it includes breathing techniques and mindfulness, and how to make them a daily habit to de-stress. Practitioner James Wong has an App 'JustBreathe' and also offers occasional free community sessions.
- Reflexology: Strangely painful but calming. A bit pricy.
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