And the second load of gas men have just arrived.
Just after I posted (and after Ina had exited with LDD on his morning walk), I was told to evacuate the house, because the level of gas seeping into the utility room was too high.
We have eight (indoor) cats. After a few minutes of total panic I started ferrying cats to the run in the garden where, incidentally, they are still yelling. Into that went Flash, Zara, Kurt and, with some reluctance, Casino, because that would probably be slightly less stressful for him than being confined all day in a box. Four cats went into boxes - Ross, Py, Xolo and Quillan. Of course, these are the most difficult to catch, and had to be hauled out from under Ina's bed. Picking up my handbag and Ina's I hauled the lot into the car and parked it in the street away from the house.
I was assured it was unlikely the house would blow up, but that the gas as at too high a level for them to allow me to stay in it. I waited for Ina. Meanwhile, next door's gas meter had been removed, and a large hole dug in their drive. After that, an even larger hole had to be dug in the pavement.
Meanwhile, Ina turned up. We went to pick up some petrol, then into Barkingside because 1) I had two cheques to deposit and 2) I needed to transfer money to the joint account because the car is paid off this month which means a larger than usual amount of money going out.
Back home. No, we couldn't go in. So off to the Brewers, where we sat outside with the dog and a couple of bowls of excellent tomato and lentil soup (and, in my case, a half of Old Rosie.)
When we got back again, the gas men had found the leak, and that the mains pipe had split right at the edge of our property and next door's, and they were confused by the fact that the opposite side of the road had new plastic mains and ours were old cast iron ones. We referred back to the time we were told our gas mains were going to be renewed, but nothing happened. Much muttering about contractors and how they were going to hear about this.
The leak was repaired a couple of hours ago but, unfortunately, while the gas levels have dropped low enough to allow us back in the house, it appears that there is another leak in front of our drive. A second shift has arrived, and they are digging up our front drive. Electricity has been restored, but the gas won't be for some time. Whether or not our boiler will light at all is a moot point as it is on its last legs and we are having the formal replacement quote on Thursday morning!
It's definitely the Chinese take-away tonight!
We have eight (indoor) cats. After a few minutes of total panic I started ferrying cats to the run in the garden where, incidentally, they are still yelling. Into that went Flash, Zara, Kurt and, with some reluctance, Casino, because that would probably be slightly less stressful for him than being confined all day in a box. Four cats went into boxes - Ross, Py, Xolo and Quillan. Of course, these are the most difficult to catch, and had to be hauled out from under Ina's bed. Picking up my handbag and Ina's I hauled the lot into the car and parked it in the street away from the house.
I was assured it was unlikely the house would blow up, but that the gas as at too high a level for them to allow me to stay in it. I waited for Ina. Meanwhile, next door's gas meter had been removed, and a large hole dug in their drive. After that, an even larger hole had to be dug in the pavement.
Meanwhile, Ina turned up. We went to pick up some petrol, then into Barkingside because 1) I had two cheques to deposit and 2) I needed to transfer money to the joint account because the car is paid off this month which means a larger than usual amount of money going out.
Back home. No, we couldn't go in. So off to the Brewers, where we sat outside with the dog and a couple of bowls of excellent tomato and lentil soup (and, in my case, a half of Old Rosie.)
When we got back again, the gas men had found the leak, and that the mains pipe had split right at the edge of our property and next door's, and they were confused by the fact that the opposite side of the road had new plastic mains and ours were old cast iron ones. We referred back to the time we were told our gas mains were going to be renewed, but nothing happened. Much muttering about contractors and how they were going to hear about this.
The leak was repaired a couple of hours ago but, unfortunately, while the gas levels have dropped low enough to allow us back in the house, it appears that there is another leak in front of our drive. A second shift has arrived, and they are digging up our front drive. Electricity has been restored, but the gas won't be for some time. Whether or not our boiler will light at all is a moot point as it is on its last legs and we are having the formal replacement quote on Thursday morning!
It's definitely the Chinese take-away tonight!