h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Went to stay with friends in Wiltshire for the weekend. We'd tickets for the cross country phase of Badminton (3 day event - horse trials) on Saturday. Luckily the rain held off most of the time - so we didn't have the knee deep mud of previous years. Though I was a bit disappointed my wellies didn't get a full work out - and why won't my socks stay on my feet when I wear them? Badminton was too crowded in the afternoon - being short I found it a struggle to see much near any of the jumps. Prefer our local 3 day event (Bramham) which is of a more manageable size.

The work on the kitchen continues..... New fuse box was needed (and as far as I can see near full rewiring of the kitchen), and the delivery men were very obnoxious (complaint has been made). Progress was being made - the carcasses of the cupboards are all in place so the outline of the finished product can be seen. But today, disaster, the fitter has done his back in. He assures me he will be back tomorrow, but I'm steeling myself for a delay.

Not sure how much longer I can face washing up in the bathroom basin, nor the obstacle course most of the house has been turned into. It will be worth it, it will be worth it, it will be worth it (it had better be!).

Hi Hebe,

I'm pleased you decided on the new fuse box as this is probably the most important safety device in your home. Sorry you found it necessary to complain about the deliverymen though. Strangely when I was having my new kitchen the fitter did his back in - I won't depress you by telling you how long it took for him to recover.

It really was worth it in the end though so hang on in there.

When it's finished you will find so much pleasure from just making tea and cake

Polly xx

You'll be even more pleased that I've a new fuse box when I tell you the old one was located under the sink, without any protective screen... the joys of this house. Any work done on it reveals yet more bodge jobs....

The delivery men didn't seem to understand the concept of the word delivery. They found it impossible to get a lot of the kitchen (work surfaces, appliances etc) into the house (lots of teeth sucking and being told it couldn't be done). The fitter on his own has managed to carry them in. Mind you of course, he does now have a bad back.

Hi Hebe

As I'm currently planning a load of work on my house I'm watching your progress with keen interest. New fuse box is something on my requirements list too but electricity is something I won't take a chance with. I'll try and get it done before the major works start I think.

What kind of units have you chosen? worktop colour? applicances? and have you an anticipated finish date?

KOKO - it'll be wonderful when its all over

Jane

Wishing you the best for the kitchen, Hebe. And be careful switching lights on! When my great-uncle died last year (bachelor till the end, and a tight-fisted old sod as well) my mum and her 2 cousins went over to his house to clear it. He apparently didn't even have a fuse box - he'd bodged it himself, and the place was a death trap. Mum's cousin's husband nearly had a fit when he saw it. The whole house needed rewiring - and a new roof - but amazingly it sold nonetheless.

Just a thought - you could arrange your own 'Hebe-trials' round an obstacle course of boxes / dead cupboards... have a workout without going to the gym!

Cat x

The fuse box has been a growing issue for a while, but I'm glad it's been done with the kitchen as the fitter has managed to put it (and the electricity meter, we'll not enquire too closely into how it's moved without paying the metering people lots of money) in the same cupboard as the gas meter, tidying it all up. All the other discussions about the fuse box and meter meant it would have been located in a seperate cupboard taking up a lot more room.

Just make sure that, if you move it before the major works, any upgrading needed for the works is included. The new regs seem to mean that everything needs upgrading when you start doing anything... and that may need a bigger / better fuse box.

hebe

I think the obstacle course would result in me joining you in plaster or (more likely, knowing me) a large amount of damage to vital parts of the new kitchen, or smashing precious objects (have already broken the leg of my giraffe carefully bought all the way back from Tanzania while moving it "to safety" during the works...)

Was slightly alarmed by the fitter enquiring if everything seemed to still work as he'd found a wire "left over" which he'd removed...

hebe