Well, we've kind of settled down to thinking the electricity will stay on but one of the consequences of the power cuts was an alarming explosion. We were cooking together on the gas hob the next day when there was an almighty explosion and a smell of singed hair! When we gathered ourselves together, checked that neither of us was injured apart from Jon losing the hair on the back of his hand, we found the reason. In the power cuts we'd had to use a cigarette lighter to light the gas hob and it had been left close to the hob. The heat from the hob made it explode but fortunately it didn't hit either of us. Quite a fright though.
As to the credit card, a rather tame ending to the story. We got fed up of waiting for it to arrive at our neighbours' and asked at the bank. It had mysteriously arrived that day (!), addressed to us in England and sent to our local branch (which we'd suggested but were told it was impossible). The young lady who has been very helpful all along was clearly delighted, and so were we.
