My day got off to a good start today when a beautiful double rainbow appeared in the sky as I was driving to work. It then went downhill when I realised half way through the morning that my blouse was on back to front. Yep highly professional as usual. Then got a whole lot better as I was sitting eating my lunch and a woodpecker landed in the tree right beside our patio door. I have never seen one so close before, though it did insist on lurking on the other side of the trunk. Unfortunately the day took a dive when I typed a huge post which was absolutely brilliant, my best yet, award winning writing.....honest.....which then disappeared.
Anyway what I was rambling on about was the imminent arrival of winter and trundling around seriously out in the middle of nowhere little roads where if I were to break down or hit a famously hard Cornish hedge I would have to walk miles for help. So this year I thought I would get organised early, my friends have probably fainted at this stage. My boot is now full of a blanket, boots, coat, hat, gloves, scarf, de-icer, screen cleaner, torch with SPARE BATTERIES! I think I excelled myself with that little extra. As I flit around to various overheated locations in my work role I am often dressed as if it is summer, so actually getting out of the car to walk far would probably see me off. The AA has an excellent winter driving check list here http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/seasonal/winter-checklist.html It advises carrying snacks in the car in case you are stuck anywhere, I would be eating them if I was stuck in traffic for five minutes!
So over to you, what are your winter essentials in the car?
I promised you a chutney recipe, I know how excited you were, but I am still sulking about losing the damn thing that took ages to type out so I will put it in my next post.
Chickpea xx
Welcome to Deb :)
Sorry for any typos, I'm pressing the publish button before the damn thing eats my post again.
just sorting out my box for the car, torch wind up, radio wind up, dont have to depend on batteries, boots, shovel, couple of bits of old carpet, blanket, emergency charge for the phone, road map, water, book, de-icer, tow rope, snacks hat gloves scarf, waterproofs, snow grips to go on my footwear, hand warmers, first aid kit, the car is going for a service in a couple of weeks and will have winter tyres put on. So I will be all set then.
ReplyDeleteWow that is comprehensive, I can imagine it would need to be where you live. Luckily we rarely get snow in Cornwall and when we do we can't get the cars up the hill to get out to the main road as the council don't grit the road. We just work from home for a few days, sliding backwards down the hill once was more than enough for me! You don't eat the snacks? Seriously?
ReplyDeleteYou've forgotten a spade. I always carry one just in case of sudden snow :o) xx
ReplyDeleteSorry about Blogger eating your post. It is so frustrating when that happens.
ReplyDeleteWell done getting your car ready for winter. Now that we live farther south I don't worry so much about having winter emergency items in my vehicle. But I always have an ice/snow scraper and good snow tires on.
Too funny about your blouse! :-)
You're so well prepared! I have my wellies in the book - I always have those in my boot (except when I'm wearing them) and there might be a torch in there I think too, but that's it. I don't worry about it! Luckily, I'm good at snow-driving, I've had a lot of practise and if I do ever get stuck one day, I'd just call my dad! hehe!
ReplyDeleteI never go that far in my little car, just to work and back. Well done you for being so organized this year. My winter kit is an umbrella!
ReplyDeleteI don't prepare anything for our car, we just don't drive when it snows. Living in the city has its advantages sometimes :-)
ReplyDeleteHow funny, you wearing your blouse the wrong way. It happens to all of us: I once wore my dress inside out to the shops. Cx
Really such a great idea. I would add some cardboard or old carpet to use if you hit the slushy side and just need to push the car out.
ReplyDeleteHow I get ready for my winter is to put an umbrella in the car. A few towels for The Square One if they need a quick wipe off. And is that it.
cheers, parsnip
Really interesting to hear your preparations or lack of for winter. It seems to depend where you live and where you have to drive. Thank you for the tips, I will add a shovel and old carpets if we are forecast snow. We rarely have snow in Cornwall as we have a maritime climate, but now I have said that we probably will :)
ReplyDeleteI used to do this every autumn when I lived in the middle of the Brecon Beacons. Essentials included opened out big cardboard boxes for under the tyres - works on mud as well as snow - and a bottle of drinking water. Trail mix is sustaining and won't go off over the winter. and an old duvet. a blanket isn't enough if you get stuck.
ReplyDeleteHappy winter motoring.
I'm absolutely rubbish and have NOTHING useful in the car other than glucose tablets and sweeties in case of type 1 diabetes hypo situations! I will go and have a look at the website and be more sensible in future.....ps - I hate blogger. Recently, even if I'm logged in, the first comment I write on any blog gets wiped out and, unless I remember to copy and paste it, it's gone. I feel your pain. xx
ReplyDeletegood reminder, I need to sort our car out, I usually have a few things in a box, although my husband is terrible for taking it out, he constantly takes out the first aid kit.... trail mix is a good suggestion. I think I usually have a few bottles of water too.
ReplyDeleteI hope your day got better, again. I carry battery cables, a snow shovel and ice-scraper and some ropes and bungee cords and tarps; those last three are for my husband to tie things onto the roof since I drive an SUV and he uses my car when he has to haul big things around.
ReplyDeleteGet a lighter driven immersion heater, bottle of water, mug, spoon and "instant" packet soup, plus blanket and you'll be sorted if you're stuck overnight :)
ReplyDeleteSnacks would be useful too - shove a lock on the storage box and keep the key on your keyring - that should help prevent you from helping yourself too freely, too frequently ;)
Yes, I hate it when blogger eats my comments and posts!!!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about the car winter prep though, I have snacks, water, blanket, snow shovel, coat, hat and so on in there at the start of each winter!! Oh the most useful thing of all is a bag of cat litter, as it is great if you get stuck in snow and ice and gives a lot of grip. It really does work! xx