Month: December 2024

Yesterday, they let me know that the delivery of “logs” scheduled for today would be between 7 and 9 am. That meant an alarm for 6.30 … I got a text bang-on 7 to say that the estimated actual time would be 8.25. They actually arrived at 8.30, which is a time I’d normally be awake but still in bed, so it was worth getting up early I suppose.

Anyway, a dozen packs are now stacked away in the cupboard under the stairs, and a couple of packs behind my chair for easier access. All that is the compressed sawdust “heat logs”, though I do have one bag of real logs, which I ordered with the last delivery. I think that real logs on Christmas Day will feel right – as it’s the first Christmas since Mum died, and only the third Christmas ever that I’ve spent on my own at home, the little things will be helpful.

The Christmas tree went up two days ago – the third year it’s done, which is pretty fair. I might manage to keep it going for a further 12 months if I re-pot it in the spring.

On Monday (9th) the washer/dryer started making very unhappy noises during the drying cycle – five or ten seconds of nasty grinding sounds each time of pumping out water. I completed the load, which was only a light one of four shirts and a jumper, but didn’t risk doing the other needed one.

I’m on a contract for this machine, as washer/dryers have a reputation for unreliability. However, I’ve had it just over ten years, and this is only the second time that I’ve needed an engineer (January 2024 being the first). I went on line – engineer for Tuesday 10th only available in the 0715h slot, which was no good (not only because I’m not good at very early starts, but mainly because on-street parking is impossible at that time!). So, booked for Wednesday 10am-8pm.  Tuesday evening was moving the kitchen table and other things to give a decent space for the engineer to work in, and then cleaning the grubby bits of floor that that exposed!

The engineer arrived about midday, which was great. It took a few tries for the machine to start making the noise, but eventually a faulty pump was diagnosed. He had a spare in the van, so it was quickly replaced – total visit time around half an hour, with which I was very satisfied. And then putting things back in the usual place in the kitchen …

I’m pleased to keep this elderly machine going. Most modern machines seem to be going “smart”, and I really do not want kitchen appliances that have buggy, hackable, and privacy-invading software on them – “Which?” has a longstanding campaign on the poor quality and safety of “connected” machines. And, although Indesit is not an expensive brand, my own experience is that longevity is OK … my Mum’s first fridge (Indes, before it became Indesit) did nearly 20 years, her first Indesit dishwasher did about 15, and this washer/dryer so far has clocked up a decade.

A couple of months ago I re-potted my assorted amaryllis bulbs, which had been rather neglected. As a result, none of the little ones look as though they’re going to flower this year. However, the one formerly on the bathroom windowsill, now living in the front room, has come into flower – about six weeks earlier than it ever has before!  It’s the tenth successive year that it has flowered for me.

It’s a cheerful addition, though if it’s still in flower after next week there may be a problem … for the last couple of years I’ve tended to put the Christmas Tree up the weekend about ten days before Christmas Day (rather than following the family tradition of Christmas Eve, or my own inclination of the Solstice).