Blackout!

[pseudonym]

Glad to hear the powers back on.

Now for the new car.....

[SooBee]

Well done jansman. The short answer is that the aged gentleman is a personal friend...that might make her feel that she should be nicer to you.

I think I might have your unpleasant neighbour's sister living next door to me. She does seem to have issues.
I've tried the peacemaker approach and she just fired up to fever pitch...then her husband joined in.
Next time I'll deliver a broadside and see if that works better.

[jansman]

It brought it home to me that neighbours could be a real issue in a crisis. Good and bad. The Duchess said in future she would not **** on the bitch if she were on fire. Hell hath no fury... and all that.
So the car. We had the meeting. Over the years I have had to haggle with hard nosed international meat dealers. And I thought I was good. Enter the Lady of the House! She ripped the crap out of those two 'suits'. Her damaged car was bought from new 5 years ago. It had 21,000 miles on it, and was a minter. Anyhow, she nailed 'em down to a deal that means we will find a vehicle with no more than that mileage on it. She insisted that it be put in writing, and she keep the courtesy car until a conclusion is reached. And we pay nothing. They started tking about depreciation and the like, but she said that we will just take it to the local papers-especially as two other cars have been damaged this week. Her best friend also is a presenter at our local BBC radio station.
Done a little web research, and it looks like we are looking at a vehicle no more than 18 months old. Result!
What a Woman !

Back to prepping. Make sure you have a bit of back up lighting. And know your neighbours.

[tigs]

well done sounds like Mrs jansman is a force to be reckoned with , only advice would be take cash for the car rather than let them pick it unless you are directly involved in selecting the car, you might decide to get something a bit older but more practical than the one you had like a 4x4 or that little sporty number you always wanted

[redskies]

Sounds like it's a good thing she's on your side!

[Hamradioop]

Well done Jansman and a extra loud well done to Mrs Jansman.

[filsgreen]

Well done Jansmann, great to know that there are still people like you around. About your neighbour, it reminds me of that video on facebook where a boy is caught stealing rice from a street seller in the Far East. The man let him off and years later that same vendor had to have major surgery, which he could not afford. It turned out that the boy who stole the rice was his surgeon and let him off with his medical bill. I don't know whether it is true; I suppose what I'm trying to say is "what goes round, comes around" And after all, your kindness did not cost a great deal, but it was priceless to the old chap. Also, you can say that it was your good lady's negotiation skills that resulted in you not being at loss over the accident to your car. Or you could say it was Kismet, in that every good deed gets rewarded.

Phil

[jansman]

well done sounds like Mrs jansman is a force to be reckoned with , only advice would be take cash for the car rather than let them pick it unless you are directly involved in selecting the car, you might decide to get something a bit older but more practical than the one you had like a 4x4 or that little sporty number you always wanted

she is a scary bird alright! Thing is, the car just trashed was a sporty number. To be honest she has her heart set on a convertible now, and who am I to argue? The Girls both have cars, and I have me pick up, so I guess that'll be that.
Anyhow, thanks all for the comments. Just gonna water the polytunnel, and I am off for a couple of pints of Black Sheep, and then a curry. Ta ta for now.

[jansman]

Well done Jansmann, great to know that there are still people like you around. About your neighbour, it reminds me of that video on facebook where a boy is caught stealing rice from a street seller in the Far East. The man let him off and years later that same vendor had to have major surgery, which he could not afford. It turned out that the boy who stole the rice was his surgeon and let him off with his medical bill. I don't know whether it is true; I suppose what I'm trying to say is "what goes round, comes around" And after all, your kindness did not cost a great deal, but it was priceless to the old chap. Also, you can say that it was your good lady's negotiation skills that resulted in you not being at loss over the accident to your car. Or you could say it was Kismet, in that every good deed gets rewarded.

Phil

I do like that story, true or not. It is the truth that you reap what you sow. Thanks for sharing that.

[Plymtom]

This thread has had me thinking, initially at why I do not have much in the way of back up power options even as an ex electrician, the simple answer to that is that is that in this city center location in since 1986 and my previous address not too far away for a few years before that, we haven't suffered much other than the odd couple of hours of power outage, then things got a bit weird, I got a bit jealous Mr+Mrs Jansman the more rural life, the frequent reminders that life throws your way and the chances to test your preps and smooth out the downs of life with them, along with the sense of community, not only because of the fewer people but the sort of things life throws at you bringing out the best in humanity for all to see, in built up areas so many of us are so disassociated from everyone nearby that it takes things we only see rarely like the flooding last year, the miners strike and power cuts, and Hitler of course.
You're an inspiration Jansman, and that's prepping... making an adventure out of a crisis.