I couldn't believe my eyes this morning - first snow, then sheets of ice - and now more snow on top:(( I am not usually a "good weather" person, but I have to admit: I don't need spring or summer right away - but temperatures of 7 or 8 deg. C plus would be nice for a few days.... (just to get supplies in!) DH thought he can walk better on the fresh snow and just left for town - on his bike! he took the phone with him just in case... in case he breaks his legs and I am supposed to save him on foot? men can be quite foolish at times.... I do hope he doesn't break his neck instead!!
by now the snowfall has stopped and the brighter weather has returned - but just in case this big freeze keeps going, I returned to an old tip against slipping on ice:
normally you should take old woolly socks, pull them over your shoes and walk like this. unfortunately I don't have any old socks that fit over DH's shoes - so I knitted the first of a pair of "oversocks" yesterday evening - the second will follow today. of course they do look rather ugly, made from two threads of old leftover sockwool in not so nice colours, but who cares! I'll add a bit of elastic (or maybe a piece of velcro?) to tighten them up along the ankle to keep them from slipping off the shoe... too late for today, but I doubt that the fresh snow would work so well anyway. but I tried them on ice - and even though they don't give as much grip as shoe spikes would (which a friend in germany ordered for me, but they'll have to be sent over first of course!) - it's better than slipping and sliding around without them! old tips from war times....not everything is out of date:)) of course people at that time would have been happy to only have the supplies we still have left - there's no comparison possible!
10 comments:
What a great idea-I love the ingenuity! Hope the deep freeze lets go quickly-it is tough on everyone!
Boots with a thick rubber sole are my way of staying upright in the ice & snow, however, the snow here is getting deeper and deeper, I went out in old pair of motorbike boots today, nearly up to my knees, insulated, rubber soles and waterproof! We just aren't used to this kind of weather.
I hope your woollen oversocks work.
I didn't know this! Good information.
Just today I was thinking how tired I am of being cold. But at least in winter one can put more clothes on. Once summer gets here I'll soon be tired of being hot but there's only so much one can take off!
I have spent most of my life with cold snowy winters, but never heard the sock tip. What ingenuity the old timers had. Stay warm!
sind denn die sachen bei dir noch nicht eingefroren? wir hatten mal unsere vorräte in einem gartenschuppen und im sommer schmolz alles (mangels isolierung) und im winter erfriert manchmal etwas. allerdings diesen winter hat ja nichts eine chance. ich habe eben den gasofen für die wellensittiche im gewächshaus angestellt, ich fürchte, wir müssen die 5 flattermänner irgendwie einfangen und ins haus bringen. aber wohin, unser kleiner kater ist überall... heute kam unsere verschollene internetverbindung wieder und so werde ich mal bei dir lesen. ich bin eine traurige fiber-fannin, denn niemand weit und breit teilt meine leidenschaft. ich würde so gerne weben lernen, beim filzen könnte ich auch noch empfehlungen gebrauchen... viele grüße aus dem südwesten eliane
Love the sock tip - knitting inside and outside the boot :).
I'm lucky as I still have things called Yaktrax Walhers that fit over the soles of the boot - it's like a rubber net with wire springs twisted round the under side ones. Was thinking it would be quite possible to make these out of the springs and wired of a wall-plate holder.
Happy New Year!
Catherine
That should be Yaktrax Walkers (not Walhers).
thanks for all your comments! I think the main problem was that we didn't have that much snow, but what came down was soon melted and frozen again - and compacted like rocks! walking in snow isn't so bad (and I don't think the socks would be too good for this, because they collect loose snow and you'd end up with rather heavy feet!)and yes, Leigh - I normally like winter - but not if I cannot even get any food into the house:)luckily we don't have to take all our clothes off in summer - with the 20 deg. we usually get it's ok in jeans and t-shirt!
Catherine - I thought of putting thumbtacks through wide elastic - but with the body weight the pins bend too easily... there are probably bits and pieces around the house, which could be used - but they have to last through 10 km of walking for me to make it into town and back!
Eliane - unser shed ist zum glueck bisher frostfrei geblieben, die lebensmittel stehen an der rueckwand zum werkzeugschuppen, der isoliert und an einer seite am beheizten haus! wobei ich sowieso nur dosen dort lagere, nudel- oder reistueten waeren wohl ziemlich nagergefaehrdet, wenn die sowas erstmal spitzkriegen! und wellensittiche bzw. hausvoegel hab ich garnicht, weil ich immer angst habe, dass die sich bei unseren zugigen einfachfenstern im winter den tod holen. und wenn ihr die voegel nur in einem zimmer "unterbringt" und die katze da nicht rein darf? nicht ideal, aber besser als 5 gefrorene wellensittichstatuen:(( das mit dem einsamen fiber-fan kenn ich auch - ich hab sehr lange gebraucht, bis ich kontakt bekam und leider ist meine faserfreundin weit weg in partry (und wir haben kein auto, also faehrt immer sie). aber sie holt mich alle zwei monate ab zum treffen der connacht textile crafters im museum in castlebar - und ich bin mitglied der online guild, wo ich mich wenigstens virtuell mit anderen textilos austauschen kann:))
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Hi Bettina - am now in Seattle! No snow or ice - it seemed so strange to arrive last night in the pouring rain. I'll send your woollysock tip back to Ian in Dublin. Happy skating.
Janet
Janet - good to know that you arrived safely! we had another load of snow yesterday - and I really start to get fed up!:(( the whole country has a thaw, just not us, grrrrh... no schoolbus again, though DS is happy as Larry:))
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