Ideas dealing with no power

In our last house we had an electric hob and frequent power cuts due to overhead power lines (and just bloody cold and windy) so we kept a camping stove handy. Might be a good investment, particularly as we seem to be heading into another stormy winter.

Definitely do this. The answer may be "no help" given you've had due warning, but it's worth letting them know. Particularly, just in case, it isn't back on as scheduled.

Deffo power banks and a torch plus more blankets and comfort eg a scarf etc.
Have you got someone who can 'bring' things like more hot water bottles ready to use as needed? I'd prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Hope all goes well x

Sorry. Complete brain crash. I read OP twice and still thought she'd be without gas CH.

Ignore my stupid posts.

If you don't have them already brushed cotton top and bottom sheets are life changing! For years our window was jammed open and snow actually came into our bedroom! Sheets and bed socks changed everything!

Make sure your phone is charged at the start of the day in case you need to call in an emergency.

This is a really good idea. Priority services is excellent

From the perspective of a very experienced poor person 😁 go to bed as late as you can the night before and lie in in the morning. Sleeping also helps with hunger pangs. If you go to bed at 3 am you may make it as long as 1 pm before you have to get up, and then it's just 3 hours of reading a book before everything is on again. X

Phone the company and tell them you are incapacitated and need them to provide something. They often do for the most vulnerable

It's only 7 hours. Big cosy blanket or duvet and heat the house up to full blast beforehand, you'll be fine. I hate to be the one to say it but there are people that live without heating, even when ill, all the time.

What good is an electric blanket with no electricity?

If you have an Esky or something else insulated put the hot water bottles in there, that should keep them heated for longer.

If you get a big power bank you might be able to run other things off it with the right connector. We have plug in led lights, its essentially a suspended bulb on a cord, they're for camping and cheep, get one with a USB and they just plug in to the power bank. You'll need a big power bank though, but it's a good emergency power source to have. I always keep a couple of big power banks charged.

Call the company doing the works and register as vulnerable which you are as recovering from surgery. They will prioritise getting electric back on for you or provide support. Anyone over 65, disabled, or has children under 5 should register as a vulnerable household.

We are fortunate we have a complex needs care home, nursing home and care home on our street so the power goes off very rarely and is almost always back on within a few hours as they have to prioritise the care homes according to the manager of the complex needs home a couple of doors down.

Remember that you are an efficient heat source- the trick is to prevent your heat escaping. If you’re in bed with enough blankets or duvet, you should be warm enough. A warm hoodie for your top half will help.

Pace your battery usage - get a couple of good books to read during the brightest hours and save the screens and torches for later.

Hot water bottles stay warm for hours if you’re not handling them. So put them somewhere they’re not being touched/moved, like under the far side of the duvet, and take them one at a time.

If you have a flask or travel cup, it will keep soup or tea warm for hours. Baked potatoes also hold their heat really well- wrapped in tinfoil it’s a great hand warmer until it’s cool enough to eat!

Heated socks, throw, jacket. Just make sure you charge the batteries before the power goes off.

@Coldbones prepare a hot water bottle, couple of flasks of boiling water, tea bags, coffee, sugar, milk and biscuits on a tray, stay in bed with a good book. keep dressing gown handy for nipping to toilet. get hubby to bring carry out meal home from work for your tea.

If you’re having major surgery will you be out by Friday? If you’re in at least 2 days then i would go to family or hotel if that was an option.

I'd decamp to a hotel with room service if you can manage the transfer. By the time you've got all these gadgets in it might be about the same cost. Obviously I don't know where you are but the forecast here for next Friday has a high of 4c, and rain all day - it has potential for it to be a total pita if there are any delays.

Can you just go round someone’s for the day?

Definitely get a one person camping stove/gas cannister from somewhere like Go Outdoors. This is handy anyway generally for power cuts. Then you can cook soup, heat water for tea and coffee and hot water bottles etc… you’ll be really glad you got one. Very inexpensive too.

Just get a flask ready and stay in bed
get hot meal on line delivered

we don’t have heating on at night when in bed anyway

so as long as you’ve food and drink you’ll be fine

as for those suggesting calor gas fire they smell and make a massive amount of condensation

I'd look to hire a calor gas heater. Have a Google and see if it's doable. Being very cold when you are immobile and recovering from major surgery could set you back.

I'd be tempted to hook myself into a hotel.

It's getting dark around 4pm. Make sure you have a torch handy. Get phone fully charged and a power bank if you have one.

I have a hot water flask jug thing which I often use to cut down on bills. Saves reboiling kettle during the day.

5L 5000ml Air-Pot Flask Hot Cold Stainless Steel Pump Action Vacuum Flasks Tea Coffee Drinks https://amzn.eu/d/8Qvx0U7

Do you get sunshine in your room? I rarely need heating in some of my rooms if the weather is good. Check the forecast?

Have you got friends/family nearby. Unless you are fully bed bound, the most comfortable solution would be to decamp to someone else's house for the day if there's anyone you could go to.

If not then you've had loads of great solutions and it will be fine, hopefully they've given a long estimate and you'll get power back before the afternoon gloom sets in.

I would get a camping stove (the sort that run on small gas cannisters) for emergencies if you're rural it'll come in handy at some point I'm sure.

Good luck.