Sunday 26 December 2010

I spoke too soon



Remember that rather blase posting, where I mentioned returning to the Old Ways? Well, it would seem that the Old Gods were listening and decreed that Christmas Day would be the day that the central heating boiler popped its clogs . . . We are on the list with Warmfront for a replacement boiler, so even if we had the money (which we don't) there is no point in shopping for another. Hopefully this will get us higher up the list for sorting (we were down for mid January). Meanwhile we will just have to freeze, but we can at least leave the Hergom on longer now to heat the kitchen (and THAT was making some very strange noises the other day, so I am praying we are not going to have synchronicity and THAT giving up the ghost too . . .




There is a problem with a probably-frozen pipe (typically the one bringing cold water into the house!) and my poor husband has been trying to find out where the blockage is, and Day Two of hunt the frozen section starts after breakfast . . .



It hardly seems relevant now, after the event, but here's the Christmas wreath T made . . .

8 comments:

  1. Poor you, that is an awful thing to happen over Christmas, hope the new boiler and the means to pay for it both arrive very quickly. I see you were photographing the sunrise this morning as I was. Your photo is better than mine though, it was really beautiful wasn't it? Very nice wreath too.

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  2. Oh, I do so feel for you, after our own month without heating and the time it took to sort our defunct boiler. Extra layers of clothing I guess - and then for the water pipe to freeze as well. I guess when we long for the 'old ways', it's only the better ones! I'll be thinking of you. Belated happy Christmas (not so happy) and may things get better in the New Year.

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  3. Back to the old ways indeed! I hope you all stay warm and cosy and the boiler is replaced very soon. Hugs to you all and a very Merry Christmas.x

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  4. thats not good news, why do they always break down in the coldest weather. I agree about the old ways, more and more people are looking back now to how things were done in the past, and how to learn from the experiences of yesteryear. I think every home now needs an alternative source for heating as winters seem to be getting colder, and fuel costs more and more unaffordable. the best thing ive done in recent years is re-establish my open fire, at least now we'll always have the means to heat one room..

    Leanne x

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  5. What a shame that reminiscing for shades of times past coincides with calamity like that. We too have a boiler that squeaks and creaks and is listed as 'dead-not-yet-departed' by our gas man anytime he has visited over the last few years, yet it just keeps doing the business.

    I enquired about a replacement this year but {of course} there is no modern boiler that will fit into the small space it occupies so it'll have to be relocated into the utility room on the far side of the kitchen. {I had assumed that smaller modern appliances would be the norm} When the guy told me how many thousands that would cost I had to sit down.

    So I too have been praying to old Gods. So far it seems to be working for us but we know that one day.......

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  6. Many commiserations BB, from one who has had several episodes of central heating shut-down in recent weeks.

    Thank goodness you have the Hergom and are well versed in the ways that our ancestors used to keep warm ( although I hope you are not coating yourselves with goose fat just yet!).

    Hoping that the Warmfront people will be able to help you ASAP, and keeping fingers crossed for Alistair`s boiler too....

    Take care all of you and TRY to keep warm.DW xx

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  7. sorry for your troubles bb and hope it did not/has not put too much of a damper on christmas celebrations. Hope you have some hot water bottles to keep the tootsies warm in bed. I also hope the Hergom is now behaving itself. Hope the problem pipe is located soon. Makes me feel more and more that we should always have a back up system of some sort or the other. The wreath is lovely. I hope everything sorts itself out sooner or later as the type of cold we have been having is not at all good and I hope that you are scooted up the list pronto for a new boiler. Take care

    Pattypan

    xx

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  8. Glad you posted a photo of the wreath--what a pretty one!
    Is there some epidemic in the UK--a virus affecting boilers? My favorite bloggers all seem to be living with recalcitrant heating systems.
    We are grateful for our two woodstoves--although it does mean that the bedroom isn't a place to linger first thing in the morning. I go about in some rather outlandish layers of clothes for the first hour.

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