There’s no way she’ll ever need it. She’s an elderly person living on her own in a two bedroom house.
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That’s interesting. After my Linky was (force-) installed as there was close to zero notice of the arrival of the technician, who incorrectly insisted I had no right to refuse it, I noticed on the documentation afterwards that I had a 6V supply.
I was absolutely certain my other half had said we only had 3V and cautioned me not to use too many appliances at once. Not that this was necessary as I’ve always been careful snd stayed around 2kW or so max at a time anyway.
I had always wondered if EDF or Engie (installers) had upped it as they wanted to install a Linky. At that time I.would certainly have refused, and told the engineer I didn’t want it.
What makes you think you can’t have a Linky with a 03KVA supply???
the cheerful news is that there is a 03KVA Linky in a property near my house… the whole village was changed en masse… a few years back.
A lot of the folks “back home” in Brittany were totally against Linky meters being installed. I used to laugh when walking the dog round the countryside the different methods people were using to keep EDF away from legal threats of standing on their land to totally mummyfying outside meter boxes on their property in plastic bags with loads of duct tape and again threatening with litigation if removed. Personally I did not care and was actually driven to being more economic each time I saw the blinking light flashing faster and it saved not having to be at home when the meter man called every six months.
This morning, we braved the weather and went to town…
came home armed with all sorts of delicious stuff…
That’s definitely Cheerful News… and there’s more…
Then OH raided the cellar…
Today’s Lunch is chunks of fresh, crusty bread… spread with boudin aux chataignes… and washed down with a glorious Pecharmant 2003…
But the Amazing News is that the Pecharmant 2003 is still fabulous… I was worried it might be corked/past its prime… but, NO… phew…
Brings back memories of a Club Visit to the particular vineyard, chatting with the owner/workforce et al… wine-tastings… delicious picnic… then back behind the wheel… in those wild days of our youth… 
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I now have (mostly) safe electrics with a nice new tableau.
According to my potes who make it, Pecharmant is usually safe for 20+ years! So nice not to get a bad surprise 
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Let’s face it… when we bought it all those years ago… it was fresh in the bottle and we were just glad to be able to afford something which was “nice” at the time, but would be really delicious “after a while”… 
As it happens that year was fabulous for many, many wines… hic
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Take a look at the UK Lidl xmas advert. Fair warmed the cockles of me heart it did!
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Today’s cheerful news (so far)…
sunshine for 10 minutes allowed us just enough time to bring more logs into the house…
it’s only a small trailer, but OH fills it with assorted oak/chestnut … cut to small/medium… ideal for the logburner… hurrah… that’ll keep us cosy…
The empty trailer is now slumbering briefly in the garage, waiting for OH to find the energy (and some dryish weather) to cut and fill it with another load… in readiness… 
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I
I can’t be bothered any more, luckily our supplier cuts it into 35cm lengths for us free of charge and I just bring a barrow across every couple of days, it’s made me lazy 
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they’re all the correct length and split… but I find it easier to cope with smaller bits as well… especially for lighting and getting started… and the fire is my plaything
(I’ve even got my Firelighting badge from cubscouting days… )
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Finally had to turn on the underfloor heating to heat the house. It works, which is definitely cheerful. Last year, one of the three circuits stopped working and the heat pump is so old, we couldn’t find anyone who would even look at it. So, we only have two circuits working with one disconnected. Still, two circuits seems to heat the whole house nicely anyway and at least we still have two this winter. Will need replacing eventually.
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we’ve done that since we were kids!
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vaseline on cotton wool balls might work, a camping trick
All very well and good, but how do you get modern so-called safety matches to light. Neither of us can manage it and I bought some little cigarette lighters to keep in this non-smoking household just in case.
Mind you, in the power cut the other night I could find neither them, or the candles.
Must pay more attention to the great Ray Mears and his little bundle of straw and kindling with a couple of sparky things to set them going.
OH’s three-month check up with urologist surgeon this morning. Scan and blood test results, weight gain and general fitness all excellent. The surgeon (given what OH went through) is very pleased and all being well with next scan in 6 months happy to wait for a full year before seeing him again. 
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