What have done towards your prep?

[Pete Grey]

I havent seen a coal man for about 30 years, I think its all imported from Australia these days.
not many places have open fire places , all the new houses are all electric.
I dont think many kids know what a coal fire looks like never mind knowing how to lay one, that was my job as a kid, cleaning out the ashes and relaying the fire.

Our house was built in 1960, originally with gas central heating and a gas fire, but now we have a multifuel stove.

Although we can burn wood, which we do on chilly evenings, through the winter we use smokeless coal, a bucket full of which can last all day and night with care, if we leave the living room door open the heat circulates around the house and can cut out the central heating.

I would say getting the stove is the best prep we have made, and we can also cook or boil water on top of it. If we were starting again from scratch I would get one with a back boiler for the heating.