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Much infrastructure in all Western countries is basically undefended to at least some extent as it's not possible to defend it. Always been the case, other than during WWII during which time someone being stupid enough to push the limits was at genuine risk of being shot on sight. However...

Received today, well packaged and great condition, many thanks. GC

A 4-day basketry course in July covering everything from growing/harvesting to preparation and making. (Have basketry willows growing already, planted this spring). Been on a couple of other courses with the provider and really enjoyed them. Also shown me the limitations of books and the...

Depends where you live too. Since moving, travelling to the Midlands for work takes me over some elevated roads and a "mointain road" to get home (quite a few "mountain roads " in west Wales). So my routine winter drive for work takes me through "wild" areas. My work vehicle is a Hilux, and I...

I will take the Viking please, pm sent GC

A Singer 99 hand cranked sewing machine from a well known auction site. Been after one for a while, this came up reasonably locally, working order, sensible price. Useful for the very heavy duty stuff that my modern machine doesn't like. GC

Connectivity wise, I have Starlink with Ecoflow backup (commercial systems for my business). So if some numpty crashes into the pole that brings our power and fibre up from the village, I can still do core work, and we still have voice-over-wifi for mobile phones. Beyond that, @Chris has...

Or a small trailer (assuming you can fit a towhitch). GC

I wear decent leggings of various types.... being an older rotund female, branded "bushcraft" trousers not a realistic option. Various configurations and fabrics..... cotton vs synthetic, length to just below knee, full length or a pair of Corinne Dennis fleece lined cycle leggings (no seat...

Its aso surprising what the Ford EcoBlue 1.5L engine (that is the turbo Diesel engine- uses AdBlu to meet Euro 6 standards) does. Comfortably gets 70mpg cruising on the M-way, sometimes more (I have had 80mpg out of it, albeit lightly loaded with a tailwind) and if I ever get less that 60mpg...

I recently found my old Trangia when clearing out the shed for moving. It was like meeting an old friend. It's a relatively new one though (only ~30 years old), not the one I used to borrow from my father when I was a young Venture Scout. He bought his in the late 1970's/early 1980's when he was...

Possibly.... but perhaps not as much as we think. Some middle-class jobs of possibly limited value (e.g. some lawyers) but the basics- the core work- will be required still. Hairdressing, picking up the bins, clearing plumbing and so on..... basics. Smart houses: probably no more than now...

There's also a slightly more sinister implication. Basically, the right-on Graun has just suggested that if you're a young homeless chap that the council "housed" by giving them a tent, if you're homeless ex-forces living in a tent/rough, if you're a neurodiverse "backwoods" enthusiast- then...

Have you considered an unfashionable large Estate car? The SUV type of vehicle doesn't seem to carry as much and often costs more in fuel. TIming belts: it's not just belts vs chains, but also dry belts vs wet belts- be very, very careful with some wet belt engines. Check the motoring...

Numark Henry. Light, robust, sucks well, good range of tools, made in UK, what's not to like? We have a couple of Dysons over the years, battery replacement when they fail is costly. And they are notoriously fragile. I got a Henry (well actually a Hettie, same machine tho) for the new place...

I would say early purple orchid is correct, spotted leaves are a characteristic. When I was a bairn, they grew wild and profusely on the road verges (in the North Pennines). The council mowed once a year when they got around to it- never earlier than late summer, but which the plants had set...

There' 2 challenges to address with backup gennies for infrastructure: (1) They need regular maintenance and testing to make sure they will power up when needed; and (2) For critical data applications you also need a UPS which is big enough to maintain power until the gennie starts and is...

When packing boxes to move to the new place, I rediscovered my original Baygen wind up radio- one of the very first ones. Short wave, medium wave, long wave, FM, no batteries, original robust hand cranked generator in a big sturdy case, what's not to like? Hasn't seen daylight for best part of...

You can get some stuff for breakign down pet urine, has enzymes in, maybe that would work? GC

..... and of course portanle solar that can be taken inside (locked away) at night and hidden during use is safer from being nicked than a gennie which makes a noise. In a big outage, anyone with a portable gennie in a location with any ne'er-do-wells in it won't be keeping the gennie for long...