What to do?

[JonB]

If you can find a small parcel of land a couple of miles from your house you could stick a walnut tree or two onto it...

Fat chance. Good farmland is sown up, DIRFT up the road is still expanding, and the only smaller lots are pony paddocks, hence expensive with poor access.

Woodstove is looking favourite, although the boiler is playing up, which may make the decision for me.

[fifthcolumn]

I'd buy some body armour. Maybe some small-denomination gold coins too. (That said, I've read that after the Argentinian economic collapse, traders wouldn't accept any more per oz for gold coins than they would for cheap jewellery.)

Jeez L, what the hell has happened to you mate?
You were pessimistic the last time I talked to you, but now you're downright fatal.

Any case, body armour won't save you mate. With the martial arts training I've had over the past four year I'd like to think I can handle almost anybody. Guess again. A couple of weeks ago I sparred with a guy who punched my head in (he was a really good thai boxer). My neck still has a crick in it and my foot is still fuggen agony from an elbox strike he did to it. And I was covered from head to feet in martial arts body armour.

If that happened in a *single* fight can you imagine having to repeatedly defend yourself against armed assailants? Not going to happen.

The only reasonable way to defend yourself is to get yourself a gun.
i.e. join the ranks of the jackbooted thugs before things get bad (if you assume they will that is).

[JonB]

Right.

I'm doing both. (using savings a bit, too)

Going for a Atmos interboiler combi which can take heated water.
Will put in a thermal store and solar later.
Given existing boiler is 20 years+, this will save a fair bit of gas.

Stove is between Dovre 250 mulitfuel or a Stovax Stockton 4 (or 5?)
Bit restricted being in a smokefree area. Opinions welcome.

The only other option if if there is a smaller stove that is smokefree
that could use a back boiler (Dunsley Yorkshire too big) for hot water
for the store?

[kenneal - lagger]

I suspect that a back boiler in most stoves will render them smoky, unless the boiler is after secondary combustion has taken place.

Build yourself a proper rocket stove for the water boiler and keep the woodburner for space heating.

[JonB]

I suspect that a back boiler in most stoves will render them smoky, unless the boiler is after secondary combustion has taken place.

Build yourself a proper rocket stove for the water boiler and keep the woodburner for space heating.

Thought so. Back boiler will be out.

Rocket stove? Suburban semi wihtou the space, so I don't think so.
Also, I think the missus would go ballistic

[JohnB]

Rocket stove? Suburban semi wihtou the space, so I don't think so.
Also, I think the missus would go ballistic

A rocket stove, not a rocket

[JonB]

Rocket stove? Suburban semi wihtou the space, so I don't think so.
Also, I think the missus would go ballistic

A rocket stove, not a rocket

Damn.
I 'd worked out where I was going to put the silo and everything