08 Jan 2010 DON'T BUY FROM B & Q UK

08 Jan 2010. DON'T BUY FROM B and Q UK
Sorry all, to subject your wall to such a wall papering, and I'm not going to be offended if you delete asap, but it helps me get thru the dreary discomfort - so here we are then....

Bulletin from the Cold Snap 2010.
subtitle: DON'T BUY FROM B & Q UK

BACKGROUND: No central heating or hot water since the Tuesday before New Years Day. An engineer came,on Wednesday, got it limping along, and disappeared. Boiler worked for another 4 hours and then breathed it's last. I left a message with the Agents. They thought it was the previous message and did nothing. That took us to the long weekend of New Years. Monday the engineer returned, shook his head. The boiler now officially deceased.

The Landlord (Anglican vicar, Bless his cotton socks) delayed making a decision on buying a new boiler, whilst the Cold Snap was getting worse; until it was too late for the engineer to get one and get up our hill on the icy road to install.

Initially we survived by me living in a blanket "SofaNest" near the gas fire in the drawing room, and my daughter, Shans and her partner, using the little space heater in their bedroom.

Personal hygeine became a long and laborious issue, with much owed to wet-wipes, flannels and the kettle. (There, you can't go, "Eeeyew! Too much information," but if you were here you might go, "Eeeyew! what's that niff?") Hair-washing is an awful problem.

Forget tinsel. With no drying cupboard, damp bits of clothing have taken the place of Xmas decorations and are draped around the room as close to the little gasfire as possible.

Then, when the cold weather became more serious,(like -17*C) and this was predicted to become "The Worst Cold Snap in 30 years", I fought my way into town in Miss Minerva Micra (cars always have names if they have personality and this one does - she's shy and timid and doesn't like sharp corners or hills) and bought 2 heaters and 2 kettles - the cost to be deducted from our rent.

Miss Minnie Micra tried very hard, but she's not very strong, and she screamed and fainted halfway back up our hill. We got her into a parking place and abandoned her, carrying everything uphill to the house. I battled uphill on my sticks, very patriotic with white knuckles, red-face and cussing a blue streak.

I have taught my children that no experience is ever wasted, so I was delighted at how well No 1 daughter has learned my lessons when she pointed out that ,at least, I was getting some valuable "crutchwork" practise.

2 DAYS AGO: A big blow. One heater was useless. Didn't work.. Faulty. Inoperable. Needed to get into town to exchange it. Went to Miss Minerva and tried to get her out but she hates the cold more than I do. Couldn't move her. That was an even bigger blow.

Then Shans informed me that she'd invited a friend from Liverpool to visit. I was aghast. With no heating, or proper washing facilities - was she mad?
No, her friend had just discovered an unfaithful partner, was in bits and needed hugs, so was invited.
I felt really mean when I heard that. My "Guideline" in life is "Always help if you can," so I changed my tune and was a lot more welcoming.

YESTERDAY: When the friend arrived he turned out to have a powerful car - and great tyres!! Yay!. He drove us into town to get the heater changed, to the supermaket to replace dwindling supplies, and he helped me get my car back uphill. Bless!

We came back with the replaced heater, took out the extension cord we had just bought and plugged it in... It didn't switch on. The heater works fine. It's the brand new extension cord from B&Q - it's faulty.
I just can't face battling our way from the village back to B&Q in town over our icy local slopes to replace that cord.

TODAY (early morning) I sat up in the SofaNest until 4 a.m. listening to Shans's friend's pain. He hadn't slept for 36 hours.. I sent him off to sleep. Let the healing begin - I can talk anyone off to sleep. (Please take note Toastmasters, this is another use for public speaking)

I know he'll feel better when he wakes... he leaves this morning to battle his own way back to Liverpool and a new life.

In the meantime the heater sits humming away. Spreading warmth, far away down the passage from his bedroom door because the heater's lead isn't long enough to stretch into the room, and that brand new extension lead is faulty.
That was the second faulty item to be bought from B&Q in 2 days.

Warm hugs to all. Thankyou for all your suppport. X

Copyright author 2010