Well, our boiler is sorted now. The gas man was there when I got home, so I got the full story from the horse's mouth, rather than the abridged and censored version I would otherwise have received from Jo and Ross. Last night I watched the recording of the previous night's Match of the Day and Jo went up to her computer and busied herself for a few hours.
When I checked the blogs this morning, I assumed there would be a lengthy confession/explanation of why we had to call the gas man out yesterday - but, no - nothing. I'm left with no alternative therefore but to "out" Jo on this one. The reason our boiler broke down is because she put a plant pot right next to the flue outside, blocking it and thus stopping the boiler from operating! Duh!
Of course, it could just be another of her Machiavellian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machiavellianism) plots - she has long been complaining about dead spots in some of our radiators and with a captive gas man yesterday she was able to explore this further. The result - another bill for £800 + to power flush and magna clean our system!
Do you wonder why I'm a little more than my usual tetchy self this morning? I'm looking forward to a few beers tonight - I'll need them by then! Of course, not being able to do any exercise just now doesn't help my mood - I'm giving my knee every chance to recover before we go to Marrakech. Last night I made an appointment to see the physio - Monday at 7:45 pm.
To lighten the mood a little, I spent some time last night doing some advance preparation for our next headbang (5th March) - I always enjoy watching some snippets of the videos - I don't watch them all - anticipation is part of the pleasure.
Lots of holidays coming up, but there's also a threat that our flights to USA could be affected by the planned ballot of staff in BA re industrial action - it was stopped by the courts when they originally planned this for the Christmas holiday period, but now it's scheduled for March. Fingers crossed.
Ian R. Stewart Family Blog
Friday 12 February 2010
Thursday 11 February 2010
Brrr - it's Thursday
What a great start to the day - woke up, went downstairs, tried to have breakfast - no milk (apart from a little skimmed - yuk!). Thought it felt a bit cold in the house - yes, the central heating hasn't come on. OK - no problem, the boiler just needs re-set again, I thought. I tried everything, but couldn't get it going, so resorted to having a shower downstairs - how unpleasant is that?
I then tried to go online and book an emergency engineer's visit - it was still only 6:40 am remember. No joy - next Wednesday the earliest date available. Eventually phoned them - yes they would come out today - what time would you like? All day or just 12-6 pm? All day, says I - by this time, her majesty has arisen - "not this morning" she cries - "I've got a hairdresser's appointment" - cancel it, says I - this is far more important - cue scowling faced wife. What does she want me to do - take a day off work just so that she can keep her appointment at the Ladies Barber Shop? Bah!
Situation eventually resolved with a (near) smile as I headed off to Fraserburgh again - Jo eventually realised she could still go to her hairdresser's and leave Ross to wait for gas man. It has, however, screwed up our plans to go to see Invictus (http://invictusmovie.warnerbros.com/) at the cinema this afternoon.
So, yesterday, I finished my latest audiobook on the way home from Fraserburgh - A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs (http://www.augusten.com/site/a-wolf-at-the-table) - a pretty harrowing and personalised tale from his childhood. The author himself does the reading - and he acts the part out in full. He's tried to make it a bit of a multi-media event as well - the soundtrack has occasional music and other noises added to it for dramatic effect, and, at the end there are a few songs specially written by his favourite singers (including Patti Smith). It's made in 100 little mp3 "chapters" which is quite helpful if you miss a bit and want to go back. A lot of audiobooks come in only 3, 4 or 5 sections and it's pretty awkward to re-wind them.
My home reading has stalled a bit just now - there's a pile of 5 or 6 books lying on the bedside table. I'm reading occasional bits of 2 of them and the others are being saved up for holidays - these include the next 2 instalments in the Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson plus Ginger Baker's autobiography (a Christmas present!).
Incidentally, notice the mis-spelling of "Februrary" in the calendar adjacent? Not my fault, guv.
Are we fed up with Word of the Day yet? No voting on this - I'll decide - and yes, I think so, but, just to round things off, what about one last one? - COQUETRY. It's a noun, meaning dalliance, flirtation - and the example given is "'You were probably very bored by it,' he said, catching at once, in mid-air, this ball of coquetry that she had thrown to him". - extract from Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.
I then tried to go online and book an emergency engineer's visit - it was still only 6:40 am remember. No joy - next Wednesday the earliest date available. Eventually phoned them - yes they would come out today - what time would you like? All day or just 12-6 pm? All day, says I - by this time, her majesty has arisen - "not this morning" she cries - "I've got a hairdresser's appointment" - cancel it, says I - this is far more important - cue scowling faced wife. What does she want me to do - take a day off work just so that she can keep her appointment at the Ladies Barber Shop? Bah!
Situation eventually resolved with a (near) smile as I headed off to Fraserburgh again - Jo eventually realised she could still go to her hairdresser's and leave Ross to wait for gas man. It has, however, screwed up our plans to go to see Invictus (http://invictusmovie.warnerbros.com/) at the cinema this afternoon.
So, yesterday, I finished my latest audiobook on the way home from Fraserburgh - A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs (http://www.augusten.com/site/a-wolf-at-the-table) - a pretty harrowing and personalised tale from his childhood. The author himself does the reading - and he acts the part out in full. He's tried to make it a bit of a multi-media event as well - the soundtrack has occasional music and other noises added to it for dramatic effect, and, at the end there are a few songs specially written by his favourite singers (including Patti Smith). It's made in 100 little mp3 "chapters" which is quite helpful if you miss a bit and want to go back. A lot of audiobooks come in only 3, 4 or 5 sections and it's pretty awkward to re-wind them.
My home reading has stalled a bit just now - there's a pile of 5 or 6 books lying on the bedside table. I'm reading occasional bits of 2 of them and the others are being saved up for holidays - these include the next 2 instalments in the Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson plus Ginger Baker's autobiography (a Christmas present!).
Incidentally, notice the mis-spelling of "Februrary" in the calendar adjacent? Not my fault, guv.
Are we fed up with Word of the Day yet? No voting on this - I'll decide - and yes, I think so, but, just to round things off, what about one last one? - COQUETRY. It's a noun, meaning dalliance, flirtation - and the example given is "'You were probably very bored by it,' he said, catching at once, in mid-air, this ball of coquetry that she had thrown to him". - extract from Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.
Tuesday 9 February 2010
Back again
Been pretty busy - hence no blog since Friday. Not that I did much on Saturday - I vegetated in front of sport on the TV as Jo disappeared to the auction in Montrose. She got back just as I was heading out the door to meet Colin for a beer! We watched a slightly quirky movie on Saturday night, starring Peter O'Toole as a cantankerous old man - Dean somehting or other it was called.
On Sunday, I went to Murrayfield - check football blog for photos and details of travel troubles.
Yesterday was work in Aberdeen and then we watched the final 2 episodes of the first series of The Wire last night.
Got another dusting of snow this morning - it reminded me how much I'm looking forward to golfing in Marrakech - check out where we're staying - http://www.palmeraie-marrakech.com/residence-hotel-marrakech-uk.htm
I'm getting a little concerned about a recent knee problem - my left ("good") knee. It seems to be fine and then, for no reason, I get a really sharp pain in the front of it and can't walk - then it goes away again. Hope this doesn't affect my golf. I was reminded of our family history yesterday when talking to Dawn - she's now got to get her other knee done - and this time it's a full, not just partial, knee replacement - ouch! My father's got a lot to answer for.
That's about it for now - on a day long course at work in Fraserburgh tomorrow - should be a blast (not).
Word of the Day? - VITIATE - a transitive verb - To make faulty or imperfect; to render defective; to impair; as, "exaggeration vitiates a style of writing."
On Sunday, I went to Murrayfield - check football blog for photos and details of travel troubles.
Yesterday was work in Aberdeen and then we watched the final 2 episodes of the first series of The Wire last night.
Got another dusting of snow this morning - it reminded me how much I'm looking forward to golfing in Marrakech - check out where we're staying - http://www.palmeraie-marrakech.com/residence-hotel-marrakech-uk.htm
I'm getting a little concerned about a recent knee problem - my left ("good") knee. It seems to be fine and then, for no reason, I get a really sharp pain in the front of it and can't walk - then it goes away again. Hope this doesn't affect my golf. I was reminded of our family history yesterday when talking to Dawn - she's now got to get her other knee done - and this time it's a full, not just partial, knee replacement - ouch! My father's got a lot to answer for.
That's about it for now - on a day long course at work in Fraserburgh tomorrow - should be a blast (not).
Word of the Day? - VITIATE - a transitive verb - To make faulty or imperfect; to render defective; to impair; as, "exaggeration vitiates a style of writing."
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