The Plumber’s Apprentice

Tuesday I got up at 6.30 in the dark. The streetlights had only just come back on. Why? Because Radiator Repair Man was due - we knew not when, could have been 8 am, so best to be ready! In the event it was about 9.15 when he appeared. Then hoses were attached to the boiler so that the central heating system could drained prior to radiators being removed for repair. The hose went down the street into the nearest drain. I enquired whether this was OK given that the water contained some antifreeze and this is fatal to cats, who seem to have a predilection for the sweet fluid. Gallic shrug - pouf, les chats!

Once drained he set about the radiators. Took them off the wall to reveal some truly gruesome ancient wallpaper that I consigned to the recycling. Adrian swiftly painted the patch with masonry paint. A bit of hacksawing and soldering later the two were back in place and we were ready for phase three. The refill.

First he had to add replacement antifreeze into the system. Next start to fill and bleed each radiator in turn. Adrian was allocated bleed duties and I was detailed to operate the refill tap on the boiler. A simple task you might think, and one I have done before. It consists of turning on the mains until the pressure reaches a certain point and then turning it off. Simples! But no. For some inexplicable reason I turned the tap the wrong way and the water gushed in so hard it burst through the pressure gauge and soaked me! At the same time Nicole across the road was calling to me asking if I’d like a spin in her vintage Triumph  open top sports car! I think I was polite in my refusal but she must have seen all was not well. Anyway eventually everything was mopped up. Heating worked. I dried my hair and changed T shirt and we went for lunch in Roaix. Adrian got free beer glasses with his birth year.