Monday, April 21, 2008

 

21st A succession of niggles.

I suppose today hasn't been a really bad day, but there have been niggles and worries.

I hope Her Majesty had a fine birthday with no niggles!

I got busy this morning and started describing some more books for EBay.
Bill was working upstairs in readiness for the arrival of the new bed.
And there lies niggle number one.
We decided to pay just a few pounds more to have the delivery men get the bed upstairs to its place in the back bedroom.
And they did just that.
We had thought we could pay a little for convenience and comfort, as if we were really frail old folk - instead of just us with health problems.
Honestly if we had been frail we would not have been well sorted out. The large base with a big drawer in it was dumped into place and after the men had gone, Bill realised he would have to lift it up to fix the little wheels on the base. Huh!

I had done 6 descriptions and then realised it was time for the lunchtime Boggle. Well done Roger - you thrashed me once. Though I will add in my defence that this game was played just after Bill had returned from an exciting trip to B&Q which needed to be shared with me.

Then I got on to prepare a main meal - mostly using left overs from yesterday. We had eaten a piece of chicken - reduced, because it was at its sell by date, to £1.40 and we were glad that it did 2 days.

I did notice as I worked that the cordless phone beeped.
After lunch I went back to Turbo Lister to describe more and it had gone!
The computer had switched itself off. Bill's had also done this but automatically re booted. Confusion and panic!
Thank goodness we have a back up Turbo Lister in my documents - but this mornings descriptions had not yet been backed up and so they were lost.
Also lost were my permanent settings on the programme.
It took a while to sort things out.
So, niggle number 2.

I had just about sorted things when the huge electric storage heater that controls our central heating clonked off after its afternoon boost - and the phone beeped and away went Turbo Lister once again!
Niggle number 3 was easier to sort out, because at least by that time I knew what I was doing.

Niggle number 4 must be about the heater. Something is wrong. It has always seemed to struggle to switch on and off from its nightime and afternoon boosts. I notice that my digital radio goes silent each night at about 11 o'clock for up to a minute when the heater cuts in.
Bill has been on line and found the manufacturer - and it really does seem that that our heater still exists and that they might have parts - not bad after almost 40 years.
He has Emailed them - but will phone during tomorrow because it will be best to talk things through.
Let's hope that Bill's theory that it needs a new switch is correct and this can be done - a new heater of this style for central heating would cost £1600.

Meanwhile I described the 6 items from this morning once again. You may be sure they have been backed up - just in case.
And I have calculated postage charges for 23 more so that perhaps I could describe them on the lap top whilst at the shop tomorrow.
They are due to be listed on Sunday.

We have just watched an enjoyable programme about Salisbury Cathedral on BBC 4. We rarely watch any of the newer channels, though I am sure we miss some treats. Jonathan Meades who created this sort of essay about the cathedral town where he grew up is a cynic about the motives of man and his purposes in a cathedral and yet finds the building has an awesome beauty.

We are both yawning, so will need our bed soon. I don't feel too bad - I think potassium levels are dwindling again thank goodness.