Everybody PANIC

Wednesday 14th Jan

I was half dressed – top half done, but pj bottoms on. TW summoned me through the window and I went out to find the garage flooded with water pissing out of the pipework at the back of Margaret (Margaret is a 1948 Triumph Roadster). I phoned OH who just happened to be in Switzerland, to ask what to do. The instructions were to turn off the tap in the garage, if that didn’t work then to hit the pipe with a big hammer until the water stopped.
The tap in the garage turned off but didn’t lessen the water. I didn’t use a big hammer but went to turn off the tap in the cellar, which did nothing. The hatch where the water meter (and stopcock) is is 2.5 feet below ground and when we opened the hatch the hole was full of water. I ran to the pool to get the pump, which was frozen in the pool. TYPICAL. TW tried to turn off the stopcock with his arm up to his shoulder in freezing water, but it was too cold and wouldn’t turn. We bailed out the hole with a bucket and TW tried again, the handle broke on the stopcock. TYPICAL.

I defrosted the pump from the pool and set it up to drain the hole, it didn’t work very well and I have since found out it hasn’t worked since summer!!! TYPICAL.

The Cavalry arrived and sussed the situation out, braved the water and managed to turn off the stopcock, then we did a very quick trip to the DIY shop and bought 2 options for the burst pipe ( which luckily I hadn’t hit with a big hammer because they were plastic). On return to the house the easy option worked luckily and drama ended after 3 hours panic. Until..........

Saturday 17th Jan 2009
I let the goats out, Hugo – male sheep, thinks Nutella – female goat with young kid, is gorgeous and he wants her NOW.

The goats were running round and round the outside of the goatshed, over all the logs, with kids in tow crying, all being followed by Hugo who was leaning on Nutellas side, tongue hanging out, bleating in a whoooar! kind of way. So they all ran into the goatshed and I managed to trap Hugo inside. He is now on holiday at Jean-Michels farm for a week until we can rebuild the fence and Nutella will be out of heat by then.