Be Prepared!

I was never in the Scouts, I hasten to add, being far too individualistic, not to say bolshie, to accept to join any organisation which forced you to wear short pants and a woggle and chant weird slogans. Still, there is good in all things and their motto has a certain merit..I was led to muse on the need to prepare in advance when one lives in the country by the trials and tribulations of Piglet in France, an excellent blog I can thoroughly recommend. This poor girl who is a recent refugee from the town, is suffering a series of problems related to the cold snap. First she ran low on heating oil, and while arranging for a new consignment, started to run low on wood for the wood-burner as it was being used more intensively. When the oil was delivered, she had problems with the heating boiler refusing to work and turning itself off due to the low temperature(!) A C.H. boiler which works best in summer sounds as much use as a chocolate fireguard, doesn`t it? The wood delivery is still delayed, so she is in serious risk of no heat in a house with a small baby.
  We live some distance from the nearest town, and for shopping need to use our car. We try always to keep a stock of food and other necessities in the house in case of severe weather or mechanical breakdown. Each September, we arrange for our winter wood to be delivered and it is a fine feeling to know that it is on the premises and  we are safe from supply problems like poor Piglet`s. We also use a paraffin stove in severe weather and have laid in a stock of that. We are thus independent of outside supplies even of electricity. Perhaps we are paranoid, but things can go wrong as Piglet has proved and it is better to be safe than sorry.  Be prepared, right? Besides the météo is for snow tomorrow.

       Bye for now, going to fill the hot-water bottles!