Alarms.....

Life is NEVER quiet around here. Just after I posted the last thingy, the annoying beep-beep-beep which had been going on for ages nearly drove me crackers. I had been hearing it for hours, and just could not work out what it was or where it was coming from. I walked all over the house trying to find out what it was and nothing. Nothing. So my neighbour and I discussed the beeping which we could both hear in the garden over the fence. I tell you, I thought I would go crazy.

Anyway.

I walked up stairs and there it was, beeping away - the carbon monoxide detector alarm. Now I don't know if you have one, but I do. Alarms make noises when something is wrong. And it was beeping. So I opened the flap and it said it would be a continuous screech if there was carbon monoxide in the air, but if it beeped every minute, and believe me, it was doing just that, I should call a number printed straight away.

So I did.

They were closed for the weekend from 3.40pm. WHAT????

So my neighbour-over-the-fence and I discussed the options, and I called the gas board, who asked me if I had a headache. No, I said - apart from the one being induced by the incessant beeping. Have I got a tickle in my throat? Huh???????? No. Ok, he said, there is no carbon monoxide in the house. HOW WOULD HE KNOW???????????? But he said he would put me through to the emergency helpline. The SAME one which is closed for the weekend.

Groan.

I switched off the boiler. Opened all windows and I am fine. Unless the cold snap returns and I need heating. And I considered burying the beeping alarm, but in the end, I smashed the back and took out the batteries. The beeping ceased.

Meanwhile, I was cooking chinese style pork ribs on the bbq. They were cremated. Black. But I sawed through the black - this was the first bbq of the season after all, and I was going to eat something. The miniscule bits that were edible were delicious. And the lettuce was picked fresh from the garden.

I never did get to sit out there and relax with the book though.