Better to find out on a summers day...

daffy2

Last night we had some exciting weather(!)The power didn't go off at the time, but this morning there were several blips and when it suddenly ewnt off properly at lunchtime in the middle of my omelette cooking I thuoght I'd see if I could find out what was going on - and whether to make salad instead. First problem - don't have telephone number for current supplier as it's been so long since I've needed to ask about a power cut. Root out bills and find it. Second problem - the new phone set I bought when I moved in February doesn't work when the power is off. I'd assumed the cordless one would, but actually of course it won't. Third problem - I have a mobile, but it's the most basic you can get and I put £10 per year on it, how much would it cost to phone?
Inspiration! A £5 Argos phone sitting in its box on top of the wardrobe, bought when I was having problems in the other house and needed to find out if it was me or BT. So phone assembled, number to hand I dialled and quickly(very surprised about that) got through to a pleasant and competent lad who answered my questions. Lunch was a bit late but as per original menu, washing had some extra soaking time, I now have the correct phone number, and have added the phone to my big torch, matches and candles in the understairs cupboard. A doddle on a sunny day, glad it wasn't a winter's evening....

stickywicket

Me, too. Full marks for initiative, daffy. I bet the omelette tasted even better after all that.

dreamdaisy

Well done to you, Daffy, you are able to maintain a cool head in a crisis, a useful skill! Being of an indolent nature I would have made the salad and waited for power to be restored. I don't think I've ever experienced a lengthy power cut apart from when we were staying in a rented house in Derbyshire in December. The power repeatedly failed and it was an all-electric place. It was chilly. DD

barbara12

daffy I worry about the electric going off..especially at night...so I have candles, matches and torches to hand... my OH isn't so organized..good for you..and finding the other phone was a real brainwave..

daffy2

I decided to do a bit of investigation as it didn't seem sensible to me that the phone wouldn't work at all, and wondered if I should think about returning and replacing. After having tried turning the power off at the socket I found that although the pretty lights etc didn't show, there was a dialling tone on the corded base station. I can only assume that something went awry when the power cut happened, possibly to do with being on an extension cable socket, so I've re-arranged things now to keep the phone separate - but the Argos phone will still stay with the other emergency bits!
The other thing I realised was that the gas boiler had its settings re-arranged by the power cut. I wondered why it kept firing up, and the user manual had nothing of use in it. Turns out that the eco setting for hot water that I have on had gone back to the busy household setting that keeps the heat exchanger hot to speed up the hot water response time - not relevant to me.

dreamdaisy

I think it easy to forget just how many usual household appliances rely on a steady power source. If my oven is switched off at the mains its clock doesn't hold and has to be reset along with the other 'unseen' settings - it's a faff. Boilers are a law unto themselves and, in this day and age. far too complex so I offer my congratulations on sorting yours out! DD