For the past month or so, we have been fairly lucky with our flat. Once the hot water situation last time was fixed everything was fine and dandy, until about 2 weeks ago. The hot water started going on the fritz again. You'd be in the shower, hot water pouring down when bam! it goes icy for 30 seconds then heats up again. This week, it decided to be the opposite... icy cold, then 15 seconds of a tolerable temperature every 5 minutes or so. This has been accompanied by the occasional strange noise emitting from the boiler.
Then this morning happened. Around 9:30 the boiler started making that noise again - somewhere between banshee, dying turkey, and a tea kettle - and, an hour and a half later, it has yet to stop. We called landlord Alan, and a repair person should be sent over before 6. Today is going to be another day of sitting in the flat, waiting for someone to come solve our problems. We'll be lucky if he gets here by 9. If it doesn't get fixed, I'm considering withholding rent until it is.
On the bright side, today is a Tuesday. In April. The second Tuesday, to be precise. What could this possibly mean, you ask? Well, it is Ben and Jerry's FREE CONE DAY!!!! Anddd, there is a B&J's in Leicester Square. So, some of my headache from the boiler noise will be alleviated (hopefully) by a nice scoop of Cherry Garcia, or Strawberry Cheesecake, or... Crap. I can't decide! Too bad they won't give me 6 free scoops to try. On second thought, I'm probably going to get a steamed pork bun in Chinatown, so it's for the best that my ice cream intake will be limited.
So, this is totally unrelated to ice cream or hot water, but I feel I should probably say in just in case. Everyone back home thinks I should go out and watch the procession for the royal wedding, but I am 99% certain that I'm not going to go, for several reasons. First, the tube (and buses) will be running with limited service, and actually might be entirely closed for the bank holiday (still not entirely sure how those work). Second, none of us want to stand in a crowd for hours just to watch William, Kate, or the Queen pass in less than 30 seconds. Third, we are a little concerned about security. Yes, we know that there will be extra security, plain clothes cops, and stop-and-search tactics going on, but we are still wary. Although they are 'above politics', the British royals have been attacked before (think Charles and Camilla a few months back). We don't actually think that something will happen, but we know there's a greater chance that something could happen. The exact schedule and procession route, along with the guest list are posted online for all to see, and if someone wanted to do some harm, this would probably be the day to do it. So, we aren't going to go and watch. I'm sure it will be televised, so we will still get to see it, but we aren't going to be there in person. So, on the off chance that anything does go wrong on the wedding day, don't freak out and think I was present. I'll be safe and sound in my little flat, although probably still without hot water.
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