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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Christmas Shoebox update


We've just been sent an email from Lisa, who, on behalf of the Mustard Seed appeal, collects childrens' toys and gifts and parcels them up ready to go to kids in orphanages or who are living in poverty in Romania and other Baltic states.
"Hi Becci, here are some photos of the shoeboxes and boxes before they were collected," she says. "Thank you once again for your help, it's very much appreciated. Without you we couldn't have helped so many people!"
Below is a picture of her hallway, just before the parcels were collected. She says she and her mum "did 40 shoeboxes for the Mustard seed, plus 25 bigger boxes for them as well. We also did 40 shoeboxes for the Rotary club, 55 bigger boxes,and 6 family boxes too!"


Congratulations from everyone at GTC to Lisa and her Mum for all their hard work; we were delighted to support you and look forward to doing so again in 2010!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Top tips for surviving cold weather at home and abroad

"There is no such thing as bad weather," goes the old Scandinavian saying, "just bad clothing," so here are a few hints and tips to keep you warm when you are out and about in the most chilly of conditions.

Many thin layers are more effective than one thick one. Long-johns aren't glamorous but they will keep you warm; if you don't have any then a pair of warm tights is just as effective (there are lots of builders who secretly swear by thick woolly ones in midwinter!).

Eat spicy foods. Chilli, ginger and garlic all stimulate a sweat response and keep the body's circulation working beautifully. Keep a little ziplock bag of crystallised ginger in your pocket to nibble on when you are out on a walk or on the piste to add a little heat. A cup of Indonesian-style ginger tea will not only warm you up, but help fend off colds as well; simply add an inch of smashed ginger root and a teaspoon of honey to a cup of steaming hot black tea.

Mittens are warmer than gloves as the air trapped between your fingers will add extra insulation. Yes, you might look like a four-year old but at least you won't get frostbite... and don't forget a hat either! A huge amount of bodyheat is lost through the top of the head, so wearing a hat in bed as well as in the day will keep you warm.

If possible have a hot shower or bath to warm you up, then apply a thick layer of body oil or lotion to act as an extra insulation layer.

Eat! Have a hot carbohydrate meal that will burn energy slowly and keep drinking hot fluids to keep hydrated and energised. Caffeine speeds up the body's circulation thus making you feel warmer. Avoid alcohol though (shame!), as it causes blood vessels to dilate, thus bring more blood up to the skin's surface where it will just cool quicker.

Hot water bottles aren't just for bedtime. Keep one securely tucked in the front of your clothing and you'll soon feel warmer... if you don't have one, fill a couple of plastic bottles with warm (not boiling) tap water and make sure the lid is securely fastened. Place in the end of your bed ten minutes before you retire for the night and your bed will feel a much more friendly place to be!
If you have cooked a hot meal in the oven, put a couple of bricks in to warm up as well. Wrap them in clean newspaper before putting them at the foot of your bed; not only will they provide heat for hours, they will keep the bed from getting damp in less well heated rooms. You can then leave the oven door open to spread a little more heat around the home or chalet!

Keep toasty warm during the long cold winter nights with a pair of knitted travel slippers (6.95) or one of GTC's bestselling mini hot water bottles. With a knitted cover and a cute heart design in either red or cream they are the perfect bedtime companion at just £6.99!

If you are able to venture of your house and jump in the car it's always wise to be prepared for getting stuck in the snow or even just a long delay in the cold. Here's a useful list of things to keep in your car as a survival kit, all available on the Girls Travel Club website.

Pop a Lifesystems emergency thermal blanket in the boot of your car. For only £2.99 this blanket will reflect over 80% of radiated body heat and keep you nice and warm in any weather.

Sometimes, a nice cup of tea is the best solution to an emergency. With a car kettle (18.99) you can rest assured that you can make a lovely warm drink wherever you are. It comes with two cups so just pop a few teabags in the glove box and you're ready to go!

A handwarmer is the perfect remedy after a morning of making snowmen! An adorable miniature version of GTC's classic Heart Warmer Hottie, the tiny knitted roll-neck cover contains a re-usable hot pack. Just snap the disc to activate; it will keep hands warm and cosy for hours for only £4.99.

Batteries not included! Our Design Go wind up torch (9.99) means that you can wind it up and have light anytime. It's very compact and has 3 LED functions and a cord so you can wear it round your wrist.

A GTC tried and tested tip for staying warm is to wear many layers of thin clothing rather than just a thick sweater. Tilley's Women's Coolmax Extreme Travel Tank Top (£15.75, available in black & white), will fit snugly under your winter warms and keep you nice and toasty.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Let it snow!



Gosh, it has been a chilly week here at GTC Towers. Below are a couple of pics of the front of the cabin, so you can see just how cold it has been... and yes, we had a two day powercut as well. My 18 month old was not happy about the lack of CBeebies but we kept warm by keeping the logburner roaring, and thanks to our obsession with camping equipment we had so many camping cookers and wind-up lanterns that we could have fed an army.






Thanks to all the lovely guys from EDF and Southern Electric who worked so hard to get our village back online again! Mind you, two days without a laptop, Blackberry or phone was quite liberating and we enjoyed our candlelit evenings so much we have decided to have a weekly word game tournament in the near darkness.
Right, it's snowing again so I'm off to put out more birdfood for our resident doves; keep warm!