And how are we today?
Me? Well truth be told I’m a little worn out and a little bit frazzled.
This post was going to be the semi-traditional post New Year goals and aspirations post, but considering the events of the last week, I think that one will have to wait as I run you through the myriad reasons for my current lack of sparkle.
All Cold
I say the events of the last week, and it is, with almost frightening exactitude, one week (minus a couple of hours) ago today that things kicked off.
You’ll remember, if you hail from the U.K., that last week was on the chilly side. In fact, this time last week we were forecast one hell of a cold snap with weekend temperatures set for -7° along with the dreaded spectre of snow.
So, not a good night for the heating to pack in, eh?
Trippy
Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened. After a brief flurry of panic, we investigated, and found the boiler was not working (so not just no heating, but no hot water, either)/ On further investigation we found the cause for this was that one of the fuse box's trip switches had, um, tripped.
Now, I am by no means a practical man. My knowledge of fuses, wiring, boilers etc is next to nil, and I’m not sure in which direction. Negative numbers might just come into play. Tina, my eternally effulgent wife, is not really one for the odd-jobs either, but nevertheless, between the two of us (70% Tina, 30% me) we soon discovered that not only was the boiler being affected by the constantly tripping fuse, but also the washing machine, drier, and chest freezer we keep in our utility room/garage, along with, for some strange reason, one (and only one) plug socket in the kitchen. A mystery that caused me to enact the standard drill in such situations.
I called my dad.
The Night Caller
By this time it was the following morning, the snow had fallen, and any trace remains of warmth had packed their bags and set off for horizons new. My dad, who I trust with these things implicitly, suggested turning all the affected appliances off and trying them one at a time to see if we could isolate the culprit guilty of trying to freeze us to death, much like some electrically charged game of Cluedo.
It turns out it was all them.
Yes, just as in one of my favourite train-based whodunnits, everybody did it, or so it seemed. At this point, my dad admitted defeat and suggested we ring a local electrician. We don’t know any local electricians, and so we started the onerous task of tracking one down. Checkatrade, they of the earworm jingle, proved to be as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike, but the local Facebook group gave us some leads, including Darren of DLG Electrics. A nice man who contacted us just after 9pm, came round at 10:30pm, and had our heating working by 11pm. Above and beyond the call of duty.
Short Fuse
It was a different story with the aforementioned appliances which to date, are still to be given life. The route cause of this is an old fuse box and some ‘eccentric’ wiring by the guy who put our kitchen in. This has meant a new fuse for the utility stuff, and will also require a new main fuse box for the house in general. Not cheap, especially at this time of year, but very much necessary. Darren is due round tomorrow to finish the job off, at which point we can stop relying on my Sister-in-Law’s washing machine (thanks, Jen), and unpack the perilous Jenga puzzle which is our indoor freezer.
So, not a good night for the heating to pack in, eh?
Trippy
Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened. After a brief flurry of panic, we investigated, and found the boiler was not working (so not just no heating, but no hot water, either)/ On further investigation we found the cause for this was that one of the fuse box's trip switches had, um, tripped.
Now, I am by no means a practical man. My knowledge of fuses, wiring, boilers etc is next to nil, and I’m not sure in which direction. Negative numbers might just come into play. Tina, my eternally effulgent wife, is not really one for the odd-jobs either, but nevertheless, between the two of us (70% Tina, 30% me) we soon discovered that not only was the boiler being affected by the constantly tripping fuse, but also the washing machine, drier, and chest freezer we keep in our utility room/garage, along with, for some strange reason, one (and only one) plug socket in the kitchen. A mystery that caused me to enact the standard drill in such situations.
I called my dad.
The Night Caller
By this time it was the following morning, the snow had fallen, and any trace remains of warmth had packed their bags and set off for horizons new. My dad, who I trust with these things implicitly, suggested turning all the affected appliances off and trying them one at a time to see if we could isolate the culprit guilty of trying to freeze us to death, much like some electrically charged game of Cluedo.
It turns out it was all them.
Yes, just as in one of my favourite train-based whodunnits, everybody did it, or so it seemed. At this point, my dad admitted defeat and suggested we ring a local electrician. We don’t know any local electricians, and so we started the onerous task of tracking one down. Checkatrade, they of the earworm jingle, proved to be as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike, but the local Facebook group gave us some leads, including Darren of DLG Electrics. A nice man who contacted us just after 9pm, came round at 10:30pm, and had our heating working by 11pm. Above and beyond the call of duty.
Short Fuse
It was a different story with the aforementioned appliances which to date, are still to be given life. The route cause of this is an old fuse box and some ‘eccentric’ wiring by the guy who put our kitchen in. This has meant a new fuse for the utility stuff, and will also require a new main fuse box for the house in general. Not cheap, especially at this time of year, but very much necessary. Darren is due round tomorrow to finish the job off, at which point we can stop relying on my Sister-in-Law’s washing machine (thanks, Jen), and unpack the perilous Jenga puzzle which is our indoor freezer.
So, yeah, sorry for the delay on this years aims and goals, but there was no way I could let the last sevens day’s worth of excitement, stress, and going to be fully clothed, go to waste. As a more-or-less weekly blogger, it would be wrong to look such a gift horse of content in the mouth.
And of course, just in the very nick of time, the temperature has risen and the snow has melted.
Until next time.
Hey, there! If you enjoyed reading any of the above, why not take a look at some of my published work? Below you’ll find links to a number of short stories I’m lucky enough to have included in anthologies. I’d love to know what you think.
New Tales Of Old
Death Ship
Pestilence: Drabbles 1
Reaperman: Drabbles 3
The Musketeers Vs Cthulhu
Eldritch Investigations
And of course, just in the very nick of time, the temperature has risen and the snow has melted.
Until next time.
#
Hey, there! If you enjoyed reading any of the above, why not take a look at some of my published work? Below you’ll find links to a number of short stories I’m lucky enough to have included in anthologies. I’d love to know what you think.
New Tales Of Old
Death Ship
Pestilence: Drabbles 1
Reaperman: Drabbles 3
The Musketeers Vs Cthulhu
Eldritch Investigations
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