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Our boiler broke on Tuesday. Again. It's only two months since it last failed, and it failed several times last winter, too. In the past, we've always managed to get it fixed the following morning, although for a while now, the nice (and prompt) British Gas men who have saved us have shaken their heads and sucked in a disapproving breath, saying that the boiler is out-dated, and, to be frank, a bit rubbish, and we really should replace it (at great expense, naturally.) We've got quotes, but haven't yet taken any decisions, so still have the old (is a 14 year old boiler really as antique as they're making out?) rubbish one. Hence the latest failure.
This time, although the nice British Gas man turned up with his usual promptness the day after we reported the problem, he needed a part, so had to return again this morning. He fixed the issue, then realised that he needed yet another part, and will have to return yet again tomorrow morning.
So this is the third evening without heating and hot water. We're having to remember those long-neglected arts of washing hair in the sink using a kettle, of bathing in half an inch of kettle-warmed water, and so on. The strange thing is, though, that I keep acting if other utilities have failed, too. I keep finding myself wandering around in the dark, and repeatedly have surprised moments of revelation when I remember that the lights do indeed work. I keep suddenly realising, with surprise, that we DO have a working kettle. I've several times found myself thinking that our dinner plans will have to be changed because the gas hob isn't working. It seems that my subconscious is a bit confused about utilities and where they come from, and assumes that if one of them isn't working, the whole lot has failed.
This time, although the nice British Gas man turned up with his usual promptness the day after we reported the problem, he needed a part, so had to return again this morning. He fixed the issue, then realised that he needed yet another part, and will have to return yet again tomorrow morning.
So this is the third evening without heating and hot water. We're having to remember those long-neglected arts of washing hair in the sink using a kettle, of bathing in half an inch of kettle-warmed water, and so on. The strange thing is, though, that I keep acting if other utilities have failed, too. I keep finding myself wandering around in the dark, and repeatedly have surprised moments of revelation when I remember that the lights do indeed work. I keep suddenly realising, with surprise, that we DO have a working kettle. I've several times found myself thinking that our dinner plans will have to be changed because the gas hob isn't working. It seems that my subconscious is a bit confused about utilities and where they come from, and assumes that if one of them isn't working, the whole lot has failed.
