Plumbing's Not Easy.

The lovely weather continues but there are hints of changes this weekend. This morning I was a junior plumbing assistant  being instructed by ex-plumber Peter. At first it went well, between us we have 1 1/2 working hands and the same for our knees so I was able to unscrew the leaking joint and hey presto there was the problem, a worn out ring that creates the seal. We still have some plumbing stuff but naturally no ring of the right size. Off Peter went to town to get a new ring and on his return I attempted to fit it. I say attempted because in spite of exhortations to make sure I didn't cross thread ?? the nut it wouldn't go on straight and each time I turned the water back on (did I mention how awkward that was?) it began to drip. Peter then decided that he would have to do it and only then did he realise that the plastic hep-2-O pipes hadn't been fitted correctly and the 2 bits I was trying to join didn't meet squarely. At this point I began suggesting that we bite the bullet and call in a proper plumber. But plumbers are expensive and hard to get hold of so Peter is planning on the pair of us replacing that pipework. I'm not so sure this is a good idea. 

Being determined to get things done this holiday I got on with painting 2 of the upstairs windows. As I'm not too keen on working from a high ladder I approached the problem from a different angle, literally - working from inside. By hanging out of the windows, going under and over the open sections and generally being a contortionist I was able to first wash and brush down all the brickwork and then paint it. After 2 windows I needed coffee, co-codamol, cake and a rest in the sun with my book. I finished off the job by washing the windows. Only 6 more windows to do, if the paint lasts.