– or – Water Disaster!
Today has been a mixture of good news, bad news and it’s only lunchtime!
Trev is off work today – he came home early because of the bad conditions. At least two of his colleagues have a long journey to and from work and it’s just not work risking injury. This morning, one of the directors phoned and told him not to come in and later he was informed that the office is closed until Monday.
YAY! Good News!
I sat typing as I usually do, with my back to the double-doors leading into the kitchen. The wind is howling around the chimney pots and the fire is giving off a nice glow, but I have an unusual draft at my back and so, because he’s at home, I asked if Trev would please put up a curtain rail so I can have a curtain across the doors.
He obliged right away!
I need a curtain and I’m NOT going out to buy one!
As I was looking for a curtain in our bedroom, I had the notion that there’s one in Mia’s bedroom. I went in and you know how you see a glimpse of something but your mind dismisses it as not probable – until you see it again?
Well that happened to me.
I thought I saw a drop of water falling.
I looked down and saw a dark patch on the carpet and I leaned down to feel if it was wet.
Oh… it was wet!
And so is Mia’s bed!
BOO! Bad News!
I shouted Trev who came down from the attic office to look. Oh bloody hell!
He rushed back up into the attic, behind the ‘wall’ into the storage space in the eaves, where he found the dripping pipe!
He eventually came down to tell of his disaster.
There’s an overflow, pressure release pipe and it’s dripping onto the floor, leaking into the bedroom below.
He took a look at the pipe and had a go at relieving the pressure.
He propped his phone up as a torch so he could see and he removed the twist-cap.
The water is under massive pressure at that point and a jet of HOT water spurted out of the valve, knocking his glasses off and the cap out of his hand. Hot water jetted up about 2 feet where it sprayed the underside of the roof.
Yep! THIS bad!
BOO! BAD NEWS!
He had to find that cap and put it back on!
He put his glasses back in place and just where his glasses had been, was the cap!
YAY! Good news!
He managed to replace the cap and stop the jet of hot water.
Then his task was to find where the water should go.
The overflow pipe is frozen solid.
Meanwhile, I phoned my daughter-in-law to tell her we couldn’t have Mia tomorrow night.
BOO! Bad news!
We had a nice chat and decided it was probably for the best that we didn’t go and fetch Mia. It’s not so much that our car isn’t good in this weather, it is – it’s the other drivers out there who really cannot drive in these conditions, yet they still go out!
Trev is busy getting cold outside, repairing and sorting and unblocking stuff.
He’s wearing the hat @danielles made for my Christmas present the other year (2016).
So, I’ve decided to count our blessings.
If I hadn’t have got a cold draft on my back, I wouldn’t have gone looking for a door curtain and wouldn’t have discovered the leak. That would have continued to drip until tomorrow when we have Mia and she would have nowhere to sleep when she got here.
Plus the leak would have damaged the living room ceiling which we've just had repaired from the last leak in the bathroom!
Trev could have been at work and I would have all this to sort out by myself and I really am not a handyperson where DIY is concerned (unless you class ‘Destroy It Yourself as DIY).
All in all, we have been fortunate that the frozen pipe has not caused more damage.
Trev is a little cold, but we have a fire for when he comes back in again.
Even if he can’t un-freeze the pipe, he IS a handyperson and can rig up a temporary overflow to take the drip away until we can get either a plumber out or Trev can fix it after it thaws.
Now, I’d better go and make him a cup of tea.
Most pictures from Google Free to use Search, last three are my own
He is like a golden god in that hat!!! A GOLDEN GOD!!!
Good luck getting everything sorted. It's mental up here too. I am actually snowed in and have been since Tuesday night!
Oh bloody hell! Stay safe and I hope everything is ok up there. We did wonder if you were doing OK. Keep us posted.
Yeah, he's a brilliant husband. I'm very lucky :) (do NOT tell him I said that!)
Hehe, these lips shall stay sealed!
It's mad, I have never been snowed in before! It is also mental because we have a friend trapped here with us who alos has a young baby and that means there are two babies and one child and three adults and we are all going a bit nuts. Well, I am. In fact I need to go and take something for my head!
A very nice hat, @danielles is amazing
I am sorry @michelle.gent but I also had to create the post under #snow-day tag. Your photos of snowy England are just too inspiring.
Hello @michelle.gent
Snow day.
He actually looks great on the hat.
Will love to experience snow fall in Nigeria one day
Life is full of surprises, a blend of good news and bad news. Happy to know that your husband is very cooperative and generous.
It's good to fucus on blessings as its key to happiness.
Trev actually looks good in your hat! lol. So sorry about your snow day and water pipe problems. I'm sure Trevor will get it sorted. Very good thing it was discovered before Mia came over! ... and @meesterboom, you're actually snowed in? Wow.
I'd hate to show you what a "snow-day" is here in Canada! HAHAHAHA! :) xox
The overflow pipe pic is a beauty, Trev is OK too :-)
Hoooww!
What a stormy weather it is.
Every thing freeze.
Snow fall looks beautiful but the frozen things can stop the routine.
Avoid to take out of the home and take care of yours.
Trev is a real gentle man who take care of his family and working in this extreme cold.
God Bless you and your family !!
Hello @michelle, I hope you both are okay. I haven't seen London snowed like this before!!
We're both good, thank you. I hope you guys are staying well too. It's craziness isn't it? We can't remember it being so bad in London either.
Dripping hell! Not the nicest weather to be doing DIY.
Not at all! When he'd finished, he was just getting down from the step-ladder and the wind gusted and started blowing all his tools off the garage roof (that's where he was standing, you see).
It is a good thing to have a handy husband. Look at all you save on repairmen. He looks good in that hat! Kept his ears from freezing and losing more body heat. Hope the storms stop soon and you won't be housebound too long!
Thank you! Yes, he's very good... I think I'll keep this one ;)
What an excellent hat! Not only is it purple, but it actually comes down over the ears. Keep warm.
Snow Fall mean to stop every thing the transport, the communication and the all resources!
Its very hard to survive in such Conditions!
Due to frozen taps and water the life is very difficult.
Take Care of yours!
We're fortunate, we have coal and wood to burn, we have generators and with the snow, even if the pipes froze, we'd have water.
Almost fully self-sufficient :)
Dad that hat looks awesome I’ll have to make you one of your own. In other news our condensation pipe from the boiler is also frozen :(
This is a great description of what can go wrong in the cold. I am so glad he took care of it. Men are handy and I love that about them. So cute the photo with your hat on him.
I hope the cold doesn't come back here. I have had enough of it for now.
Great photos btw ... hope your pipes don't crack from the cold when they thaw out.
The good thing about weather is it changes. Stay warm. ☕️
Hi @michelle.gent
We are now very cold. Today there is heavy snow and strong wind. By my nabbldeniyam fell about 20 centimeters of snow.
Many cars did not start engines. The orange level of danger was declared and people were advised not to leave the house. But only the communal services reacted to these recommendations. That is, those people who must fight the elements :)
I'm not sure what you'll read, I'm like invisible today :)
Good for you two for staying positive. That's a rough situation. Frozen pipes can be hugely expensive, not to mention a pain to deal with. And there's often not a lot to be done until it thaws a bit. I had a truck that had an emergency brake that would freeze any time it got below 32F (0 Celcius). Didn't matter what I did, that thing would be stuck solid if I had it set when the temperature dropped. So I'd have to park on flat surfaces whenever I stopped. It was hugely inconvenient when I lived on a hill because I would have to park in a neighborhood and then walk home. :)
And yes, Destroy It Yourself does count as DIY. It's called "demo."
Hahaha! Demo... yep!
I found another reason to be cheerful. The mattress on Mia's bed soaked up a LOT of water and saved the ceiling below, I think.
We really got away with it today!
Yeah, I'd rather replace a mattress than a floor or ceiling. They're easier to switch out, and much cheaper.
The storms around the world have been crazy. I saw pictures of snow in Rome. I have friends who are trapped in London because of the ice and snow. It's wacky!
My eyes are fixed on the hat
I love snow fall. Its nice post.
Wawooow
good writing..... thanks for sharing...
Very nice your photos @michelle.gent is amazing, i like this
He is a great handyman and looking handsome with beautiful hand made hat @danielles. I am really inspired to see the problem solving techniques of Trev.
Thanks for sharing this.