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

ten days ago, during the third day of a 4-day spell of very cold weather, my incoming water pipes froze solid.

Since then, I have bought lots of spring water in gallon jugs. I have harvested rain water or melted snow. Bathing? Showering? I bought several packages of moistened wipes and rubbed them on parts of my body that I can reach (this does not include my back.)

I tend to drink spring water anyway, so I had about a dozen gallons of that anyway. This ahs since grown to about twenty gallons. The rain water is used for flushing the toilet, which I do every second or third day.

Today the plumber plugged the heating tape into an outlet. I hope the tape is viable.

Also, my water heater is kaput, meaning that it leaks. So that needs to be replaced before the water comes back online.

"my incoming water pipes froze solid"
Have they not lagged ? by whoever installed them ? whenever laid ?

I know how it is and I feel for you, paulh. I lived without bath and toilet for weeks a few years back.

These last days I lived without space heater and only got through by turning on the oven in my electric stove and leaving the door open.

Thank Bob the electrician came this morning and fixed it. He's not sure it will last, though, so he also brought me an electric fan heater.

Your electrician is named Bob?

I will be ecstatic when I get my water back.

Yes he is. But I notice I accidentally spelled his name backwards

In this case it doesn't matter.

The plumbers have just arrived. There's a mountain of insulation next to my computer.

Both locked down, isolated and insulated. It's a good thing the plumbers are allowed to help you.

They got my water running again.

They put in a new water heater, so now I have hot water again.



It was neither cheap nor free, but could have been much more expensive than it turned out to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-5QPsTUQh4

So we all have both heat and water and heated water now. That is a comforting thought

That's a charming series, prof.

Well, I had water for about 24 hours. At ten-thirty this morning my water stopped. Ten around One, it came back on. I'm leaving it dripping, in hopes that that will keep the stream open.

My space heater is still working but now my oven has given up on me. Repairing it will probably cost more than a new one. Oh well, saves me from cleaning it

My faucet still drips the way I hope it will. (Not dripping would mean the water is not running).I have a basin under the faucet, and I use some of the water that collects.

There have been three occasions when I lived without tap water. The first time was during the drought in 1976 to 1977 when all the taps in Esk Road, East London and surrounding areas. We had to go and get water from the street bowser. The second time was various times in the 60's and 70's when the water pipes froze in Newbiggin Road in Ashington and in Esk Road in East London. The last time was when the water company cut off our water supply because they working on the water pipes as mud was appearing in our water supply.

Got my oven working again today but who knows what tomorrow will bring

Had a nice long talk with Jim. Promised to let you all know he's still alive and is waiting for his second vaccination

Little by little the vaccination program around here is getting off the ground. Nevertheless, the HMO that I belong to would be my preferred place to get vaccinated, and there are at least 40,000 people ahead of me, as they are over 75 years of age (I'm *only* 72.)