Cold.

Although we have escaped the heavy snow that fell in other parts of Devon it has been bitterly cold. Much as I would like to get on with the paint removal in the hall my body told me that I have been overdoing things. Unfortunately I didn't get the extra long lie-in I planned because ........ our central heating failed to turn on this morning. Yesterday the boiler had been what Peter called kettling - making bubbling and gurgling noises so we weren't that surprised. Peter and I both identified the problem and solution but from completely different sources. I'd been following the conversation on the choir's FaceBook page where somebody had been given instructions on what to do when her boiler stopped working yesterday. Most modern gas boilers are condensing boilers and to prevent overheating there is a pipe taking the extra condensed water to the outside. This should be insulated so that the water doesn't freeze and block the pipe causing the boiler to shut down. Peter came to this conclusion by looking at the boiler manual and the surveyor's report which had a photograph of the pipe pointing out the lack of insulation. We would never have found the outlet without the photo as it emerges over the front and makes a dog leg into the downpipe from the gutter. The application of boiling water, which wasn't easy to do without getting splashed by the hot water did the trick and the boiler has been working normally since. To stop the pipe from freezing up again I made a temporary jacket from some of the left over loft insulation sealed into plastic bags and taped around the pipe. (Good old Gaffer tape.) 

 There was enough wind to dry this throw which I hung out on the line.

Once the housework was done I spent some time looking at all the broken jewellery I bought in Accessorize to see what I could make. So far I've got the beginning of a pair of dangly earrings.