Have you had a ? day? Are you worried, scared etc?

Reading all these hints to save energy , wearing thermals is making me depressed and worried , I do everything suggested already
Think I’ll throw the iPad in the bin and get some blinkers ,

I read the title quickly and thought you were enquiring about our bowel habits ??

Am very worried and sick at heart and know it won’t help. Brother (18 months older) has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer, told he has ‘months, not years’ by the consultant last week. He lives alone, an hour’s drive from me and doesn’t want any fuss. Am just ‘being there for him’ and going to appointments with him, which is all he will let me do. Feel so helpless and hopeless. Also scared to lose him….

The energy saving advice is scaring me too. Last winter we cut back on heating. We wore extra layers, used thermal curtains, never had the thermostat above 17 and often had it on 15 or 16. We kept the doors closed as much as possible to keep the heat in, batch made food and never left lights on if we weren't in the room. We followed every piece of gas/leccy/water saving advice. I admit we cut our usage but not our costs as the price had leapt up. This year costs are going to be even higher and we can't think of anything else we can do other than turning things off (we don't leave anything on standby except the router and that's only because we were advised not to keep switching it on and off). We can't turn off the fridge or the freezer because we don't want food poisoning by keeping food in fluctuating temperatures. We only use the microwave/oven and gas hob to batch cook. Stews etc. are made in the slow cooker. The only thing left to switch off is the heating but that means that there will be times when the temperature drops below a safe level. I may have to go with the new advice which suggests we don't use the lights but instead use candles which give off light and heat.

We're one of the richest countries in the world. This can't be right.

I may follow your lead aggie. If I think too much about it, I get really anxious.

Katiecat

Katiecat13

vampirequeen has summed it up perfectly; last winter I didn't put my heating on until the temperature dropped to as low as 11 degrees in my living room and then used it only for one hour. No appliances except router and fridge freezer left on standby, only one small energy efficient lamp on in the room, 2 hot showers a week, no baths; it felt grim. It's going to be a lot grimmer this winter because I just don't know what else I can cut back on.

Are you (freelance?) employed by GNHQ, Fanny? (To drum up interest?). If not, and you can’t think of a thread to start, that’s ok!

Some libraries are gearing up for an influx of all day browsers i.e. people who go to the library to keep warm.

I saw that in years gone by.

Some didn't even browse.

They just sat there in their overcoats.

Katiecat13 ?? and gentle hugs. We are all here for you xx

So sorry Katiecat13

I lived in a very poor country for 5 years. Some winters could be very harsh.
It was very normal for lots of older people to go to a friend / neighbours house for the whole day/ evening.
Then it would be someone else’s turn to host. And so on.

So sorry Katiecat13

MerylStreep

I lived in a very poor country for 5 years. Some winters could be very harsh.
It was very normal for lots of older people to go to a friend / neighbours house for the whole day/ evening.
Then it would be someone else’s turn to host. And so on.

I think you’ve hit on something important there MerylStreep. I’m looking for things to do that take me out of the house during the day, I think being out is going to be important rather than struggling to keep warm at home. I know not everybody can, but volunteering, going for walks, using the library, going to the supermarket and having a coffee with a friend etc. are going to be lifelines.

I am trying not to think how bad it could get. I only had my heating on low last winter and it still cost a fortune. I may have to buy some extra strong mints to keep warm.
? for Katiecat

Not sure what to cut back on. We did lots of reorganisation last year with regard to heating. It will be cooking I suppose. It feels really grim. Fuel costs already cut down on visits to distant family.

Katiekat,we are here if you need to talk about any worries.,don't hesitate.

Nit had a good day between a rock and a hard place hubby and my sis have had a bit of a ruck?wish it was bed time!

Katiecat13 ?

I cut back on everything I possibly could last year. I followed Martin Lewis's advice to heat the person, not the house, and saved water. I batch cook, only wash very full loads, don't own a tumble dryer. I'm worried because I have M.E. and am hypothyroid and both of those make me feel the cold, and having M.E. means I have low energy so can't do some star jumps to warm myself up.

I've bought 3 rubber hot water bottles and will hug those while wrapped in my furry throw with my cat on my lap and a cup of tea. .... and just hope that we don't have a very cold winter.

Katiecat13

Brilliant thread.
Well done Fanny for starting this.

Nobody is alone x
❤

I know that it's going to be a hard winter and feel sorry for everyone who is struggling both mentally and physically with the rise in prices. Somehow we have to try and devise strategies of how to look after not only ourselves but also friends,family and neighbours.
However although it is no longer the major headline in the media but lest we forget. There is war in Europe and while we struggle those in Ukraine are still being bombed and attacked. The energy crisis here stems from that war and I am scared that it still continues. War is still the major threat to our lives .