Induction hob

[Bugtownboy]

Nice job, Joe.

We were impressed with the induction hob in the holiday rental apartment last year, to the point if we hadnt invested in the gert big range cooker and we were remodelling (I’ve been told that’s what it’s called) the kitchen, it’d be the way to go.

Hats off to both you and Mrs JB for your commitment to reducing FF usage. Suppose it’s a ‘drug’ we’ve unconsciously been addicted to for so long.

[Joeboy]

Nice job, Joe.

We were impressed with the induction hob in the holiday rental apartment last year, to the point if we hadnt invested in the gert big range cooker and we were remodelling (I’ve been told that’s what it’s called) the kitchen, it’d be the way to go.

Hats off to both you and Mrs JB for your commitment to reducing FF usage. Suppose it’s a ‘drug’ we’ve unconsciously been addicted to for so long.

Thank you btb, very kind of you to say. Tonight was an apple sauce, garden sourced, pan fried pork loin finished in the air fryer. Garden tatties tossed in olive oil and homegrown chilli flakes and field ! Even with the PC running and big TV on pause we were only pulling 250W from grid. 0.65kW was going to HWT too so it was essentially in balance with the battery outflow. A very mellow way to cook and slightly mind-blowing! I feel as if we have 'arrived'.
At the risk of shooting myself in the foot, we are done with gas. I'll run like this for a year and if SWMBO gives the ok I'll have the gas turned off.

[Bugtownboy]

Today was the first time since mid-May we’ve used ‘bought’ tatties. Felt quite sad

Anyhoo, the salad/new spuds I planted a few weeks ago (Alexandra) ready for Christmas/when we get back from Lanza are going bonkers. Hopefully enough to see us through the new year until we get the first early’s.

Apples have had their best year - just enjoying grapes from the mixed vines.

Whoops, off topic again

[Joeboy]

Today was the first time since mid-May we’ve used ‘bought’ tatties. Felt quite sad

Anyhoo, the salad/new spuds I planted a few weeks ago (Alexandra) ready for Christmas/when we get back from Lanza are going bonkers. Hopefully enough to see us through the new year until we get the first early’s.

Apples have had their best year - just enjoying grapes from the mixed vines.

Whoops, off topic again

Nah, great to hear and fantastic to hear of !

Do tell more!

[Bugtownboy]

At the risk of shooting myself in the foot, we are done with gas. I'll run like this for a year and if SWMBO gives the ok I'll have the gas turned off.

What’s the implication for switching the gas off ?

Yea, I know no gas, but is it just a case of the gas people capping off the supply that could be easily reinstated ?

I recognise it’s, and justifiably so, a big milestone for both of you, but wonder, and it, I’m sure your, isn’t affecting your decision, if there are onward implications.

I appreciate there are many on here that don’t have mains gas, but does not having mains gas when you could (IYKWIM) affect the house value saleability, for example.

[Joeboy]

At the risk of shooting myself in the foot, we are done with gas. I'll run like this for a year and if SWMBO gives the ok I'll have the gas turned off.

What’s the implication for switching the gas off ?

Yea, I know no gas, but is it just a case of the gas people capping off the supply that could be easily reinstated ?

I recognise it’s, and justifiably so, a big milestone for both of you, but wonder, and it, I’m sure your, isn’t affecting your decision, if there are onward implications.

I appreciate there are many on here that don’t have mains gas, but does not having mains gas when you could (IYKWIM) affect the house value saleability, for example.

Good thought, they will cap off and remove meter. According to SWMBO this is end house so its no wahallah. It can be brought back on at a later date if required at the speed of Octopus.

[Oldgreybeard]

Yes, they just remove the meter and cap the pipe. You carry on paying the standing charge up until the day they actually get around to capping the pipe, and this can be a fairly long time after you ask them to do it. All a bit of a con, really, as I think you should stop paying the standing charge the day you stop using gas and tell them about it. Needless to say they can be a bit sluggish about coming around to cap the pipe.

Where we used to live a neighbour (well, he lived about half a mile away) chose to go off-grid. He asked to have his gas supply disconnected and they took months to turn up, during which he was forced to pay the standing charge. In the end he reported a gas leak. Got them out within about an hour and as soon as they turned up he told them to just cap the supply. His advice was that this is far and away the quickest way to get the supply capped and so stop paying them anything. Bit extreme, but they are reluctant to lose money, so will do anything they can to keep people paying them.

[Bugtownboy]

Nah, great to hear and fantastic to hear of !

Do tell more!

The grapes we're currently eating have a story We had them as a cutting, in our first house, from a family friend who’d brought them from Italy (she was an Italian refugee from Libya -1940’s)

Grapes grew well, we took cuttings to plant in the family place in France. Did well.

Brought cuttings back to grow here. Obviously doing well. This represents a period of about 40 years for experience of these grapes.

We also have one we inherited with the house. Was in a green house on a south facing wall when we moved in. ‘Trunk’ as thick as your arm and planted outside the greenhouse. Anyway, was struggling and we didn’t want the greenhouse.

Moved to another south facing wall (along with four other vines) a couple of years ago and now doing really well.

Under no illusion about how much fruit we’ll get - just happy, as with everything, to have a taste of something that you totally now the provenance of.

Highlights how much plants can be part of the continuity of friends or family. Still hoping to get some vines from FiL’s family vineyard in Hungary.

[Joeboy]

Nah, great to hear and fantastic to hear of !

Do tell more!

The grapes we're currently eating have a story We had them as a cutting, in our first house, from Aa family friend who’d brought them from Italy (she was an Italian refugee from Libya -1940’s)

Grapes grew well, we took care things to plant in the family place in France. Did well.

Brought cuttings back to grow here. Obviously doing well. This represents a period of about 40 years for experience of these grapes.

We also have one we inherited with the house. Was in a green house on a south facing wall when we moved in. ‘Trunk’ as thick as your arm and planted outside the greenhouse. Anyway, was struggling and we didn’t want the greenhouse.

Moved to another south facing wall (along with four other vines) a couple of years ago and now doing really well.

Under no illusion about how much fruit we’ll get - just happy, as with everything, to have a taste of something that you totally now the provenance of.

Highlights how much plants can be part of the continuity of friends or family. Still hoping to get some vines from FiL’s family vineyard in Hungary.

Outstanding story and over that length of time too! Need some storage bricks.

[Joeboy]

Yes, they just remove the meter and cap the pipe. You carry on paying the standing charge up until the day they actually get around to capping the pipe, and this can be a fairly long time after you ask them to do it. All a bit of a con, really, as I think you should stop paying the standing charge the day you stop using gas and tell them about it. Needless to say they can be a bit sluggish about coming around to cap the pipe.

Where we used to live a neighbour (well, he lived about half a mile away) chose to go off-grid. He asked to have his gas supply disconnected and they took months to turn up, during which he was forced to pay the standing charge. In the end he reported a gas leak. Got them out within about an hour and as soon as they turned up he told them to just cap the supply. His advice was that this is far and away the quickest way to get the supply capped and so stop paying them anything. Bit extreme, but they are reluctant to lose money, so will do anything they can to keep people paying them.

This advice will be remembered, thank you!,