Lay My Hat

Just thought this would interest people.

On Saturday my guests arrived with the news from me that there was a serious burst water main cutting off the water supply to the whole town!

On Monday they had to phone the Police to have a fight stopped taking place outside the property between two male yobs!

Today, Tuesday i have a text message to say that a Starling covered in soot was found in the woodburner this am. They let it out into the room and now i have soot all over the curtains and settee!

I've asked if this has all spoilt there holiday...... I have a reply saying absolutely not and they are enjoying the whole experience.

A holiday they won't forget for some time....... What will happen next?

The water was back on Sunday afternoon but very mucky and cloudy and Yorkshire Water have delivered plenty of fresh bottled water for them to use. They were told to drain off water until clear and YW took water samples before and after, awaiting test results. YW have said i'll get an as yet unknown amount off my water bill to compensate for run off but no more as the water was restored within 24hrs.... only just! minutes to spare.

Getting the curtains and the settee cleaned asap is my next job

It sounds as though you have very reasonable, sensible guests.
at our house in France the occasional bird has had the misfortune to fall down in to the wood burning stoves. They do seem to find their way out via the kitchen then door, fortunately there are only tiled floors and not many furnishings to dirty. Sometimes it happens when we are away and we return to find a corpse.😡

Happened once to clients (friends of ours) they coped with live bird. All part of the holiday experience.😊

Do you not have fine chicken wire mesh covering the chimney or flue? We had the bird down the chimney problem just after we'd finished getting the cottage ready for photos....

PW in Polemi wrote:Do you not have fine chicken wire mesh covering the chimney or flue? We had the bird down the chimney problem just after we'd finished getting the cottage ready for photos....

After living in our house for many years with no problems, jackdaws started nesting in our chimney. The amount of nesting material they deposited in the flue was enormous, removing it proved difficult and in the end cost me a lot of money.
Since then I always ensure my chimneys pots have coverings to prevent birds from nesting in the flue.
Builders merchants stock a variety of chimney caps and they are easy to fit if you don't mind heights. Alternatively a tradesman will fit them. It is worth it in 'the long run'.

Quite an eventful week!

Thank goodness for understanding guests...

Jenny