Now. We. Have. No. Hot. Water – Again.
Elaine from Tom Sutton Heating rang to tell me they have found a supplier for the new oil tank that is required. There will be a month’s delay before work can start, but I am to receive a phone call to arrange for a quotation visit.
While I was speaking to Elaine Jackie shoved a note under my nose stating “No Hot again”. The water was cold again, The upshot is that we now need a new immersion heater.
The Assistant Photographer produced a batch of images of the heater for reference and I sent them to Elaine.
In the meantime I continued bringing logs into the sitting room from outside, and
Martin was able to continue with the paving project.
As can be seen, his pattern is shaping up nicely,
and he does things that men do according to his mug.
I warned him of the likely title of this post, because he was all that was working here.
This evening we dined at The Hare and Hounds at Sway with Elizabeth. Both the ladies enjoyed prawn cocktail starters; mine was excellent whitebait with salad; Jackie chose a plentiful pulled pork and beef burger with chips and onion rings for her main meal; Elizabeth’s was very tasty liver and bacon tower; mine Admiral’s (fish) pie with vegetables – all were well cooked and splendid helpings. No-one could manage a dessert. My sister and I both drank Los Pico Reserva Merlot 2021, and Jackie drank Amstel.
This is getting far beyond a joke. A month more seems an awfully long time to wait, and then there’s the apprehension that the darn thing might still not work. Pack up the house and head for somewhere warm!
Good grief, now Elizabeth is out to get me with her meal choices.:-)
Thanks very much, Yvonne. 🙂
Plenty of fun and games in your neck of the woods, then Derrick…At least you were all well fuelled! x
Thanks very much, Joy
It’s not exactly a blinding light at the end of the tunnel at the moment. But, nil desperandum, these things have a habit of working themselves out quicker than it appears they might.
Thanks very much, John
Thank heavens for Martin–at least something is working. Even your sainted patience must be getting tested. Hope you have some consideration coming from the supplier of the tainted oil. How are they managing with Miss Ellie and no heat or hot water? Shades of the 18th century/
Quite so, Pat. Thank you very much
Oh, no! It doesn’t rain but it pours. As you say, at least you can count on Martin to work.
Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
There’s not much I can do to help you out, but I am being irritated on your behalf. A month’s wait? Of course there are waiting lists here for various kinds of work, especially anything involved in construction or home renovation, but still: this isn’t a matter of aesthetics, it’s a matter of comfort and health. Since they’ve found the needed part(s), I’m wondering if it might be a lack of help. Many businesses here are short-staffed, and that makes timely work difficult.
At least you’re being well-fed! Those meals sound luscious: well, apart from the liver. Fried chicken livers are fine, but beef liver’s never made it onto my list of favored foods.
Thanks very much, Linda. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten beef liver myself.
I’m a fan of lamb’s liver and onions with mashed potato.
The new paving pattern is certainly looking grand and Martin’s workmanship continues to impress me … the time frame for your hot water tank replacement seems to be an extraordinarily long wait Derrick!!
It’s the oil tank, Ivor. They have to be ordered in. And at the moment there is a shortage of just about everything here in the UK. 🙂
Thanks very much, Ivor. Sue has answered the delay issue
I’m so sorry about the tank delay. We waited over two weeks for ours and I thought was bad enough! Plus they needed to synchronise with the team to drain and filter the oil to remove the water.
Have you chosen single or double skin? Single is virtually half the price of double.
Victoria and Simon chose the recommended double skin. I was against it but was out voted.
My logic was the single skin would last another twenty years and I cannot see them staying here after I’ve gone and the kids have left home.
Thanks very much, Sue. I have wondered what could happen with the oil – we have half a tank left. The skin issue is well worth thinking about – we haven’t had a visit from the supplier yet.
It’s too expensive to waste. That’s what the earlier photograph was, they were draining the oil and filtering it. They also took some away and returned it a few weeks later. I’ve no idea what that was about.
Wow, I hope you can get a replacement water heater soon, and the oil tank! Martin is doing a fine job on the tiles!
Thanks very much, John
I will echo the others: A month?! Holy cats! The patio does look lovely. That’s something at least. Will be anxiously waiting to hear.
Thanks very much, Laurie
Oh my goodness! I thought you were beginning to get over the problem. I do not understand the delay at all. We have some delays here in the US, but a whole month to get a water heater?? Hope the problem gets solved quickly and you can have the hot water again. Is it because you are far away from the city that you are facing these problems?
It means we have to rely on oil and electricity – we have no gas. Thanks very much, Zakiah
I’m glad you went out to eat so no clean up. I’d be eating out a lot in your situation. Maybe it’s time for a vacation, or what you might call a holiday.
Thanks very much, JoAnna.
Oh no, no again! This time the water. You are right, at least Martin is working! I hope these trouble can get solved sooner than later, Derrick and Jackie. A good dinner out sounds like a good ending to a troubling day.
Thanks very much from us both, Lavinia
Oh dear. So are you boiling the kettle to wash in?
I love the mug. – photo opens even though it doesn’t appear in the post.
The paving work looks great.
Yes. We do have one electric shower working, though, Chrissy. Thank you very much
The paving looks really nice! Good luck with your hot water. Hoping A good dinner brings
Brings some solace.
Thank you very much, Val
You have been doing so many house projects! I need to do the same. Putting it off.
Just at the moment I could do with less, Judy. Thanks very much
Oh, gosh! 🙁 Sorry to hear this news.
But, so glad Martin continues to do such great work! I like his mug…and his coffee cup! Ha! Get it?!? Mug and mug! 😀
Great post title! 😀
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️
He does have a very pleasant mug – actually the coffee mug is mine but he deserves it. Thanks very much, Carolyn X
I’d booking into a hotel or similar – or – floating off to a warmer place
Thanks very much, Catherine
Hi Derrick, the paving looks good. Speaking of things not working, for some reason, I can only access your site intermittently. Sometimes I get a message that it isn’t available and other times it works. Weird!
Yes, Robbie – I am sorry about the glitches
No worries, they often crop up and we work around them.
Jetpack was sending people to the old site – should be fixed now
Oh Derrick, you couldn’t make it up! And of course it’s happening in the middle of winter – when else would it be! Do please look after yourselves, all of you, from the oldest to the youngest. And hopefully keep smiling. I’m sure Ellie helps out with that! 😊
Thank you so much, Sandra 🙂
Is the hot water supply for the kitchen, washing area and bathrooms? It must be very difficult to have no hot water. Hope things are ok soon.
Thank you, Lakshmi. You are right, except that we have one electric shower
You seem to be the poster boy for Broken Britain all on your own. It is a heavy burden to carry.
Thank you very much, Tootlepedal
Oh dear! Well, thank goodness for Martin. That patio will be beautiful.
I’ll add my “I’m sorry” to the list, even though it doesn’t help. I hope your heat and hot water are back sooner than you’ve been told.
I hope you’ll not need to wait a month without heater 🥶
Thanks very much, Ribana
I’ve been catching up with my reading today after a break and am very sorry you’re having so many heating outages at such a cold and expensive time. I searched for you in the Reader but it is only showing posts up to Dec 13th. I tried unfollowing and re-following but it doesn’t seem to have changed. I had been following since 2015 and feel childishly sorry to lose that record, on paper, or whatever the equivalent is.
Maybe you haven’t realised that I have changed the management of my site. Have you tried https://derrickjnight.com ? I certainly don’t want to lose you, Susan
Nor me you. I did find it. 🙂
Well done
Oh, my! I thought your heating issues were on the way to resolution! Seems you and Jackie have had more than your share of woes. The patio is shaping up well and at least you will have that to look forward to.
Thank you so much, Eugi
You’re welcome, Derrick.
“When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions”
Thanks a lot, Andrew
Your paved patio is coming along nicely, Derrick, though I’m sure hot water is a higher priority. I hope you’re back in business soon.
Thanks very much, Alys. I hope all is well
I have hot water problems as well. Apparently the weather is too cold for the boilers to work properly. I have learnt to kick start my boiler time and again so that the hot water starts again. It is tedious but have had to do it until the man who repairs boilers is back again. The immersion heater on the tank is useless for now.
Solidarity, Geetha. Thanks very much
Looks like your stone mason is doing a really good job!
Thanks a lot, Dwight
It’s no joke to be without hot water! Hope the problem gets solved quickly and you can have the hot water again.
The paving looks great!
Thanks very much, Aletta
Why do these things always happen when the weather is at its worst!
Absolutely. Thanks a lot, Sheree