YesBut remember Sod’s law of plumbing.

The horror photo on the left is the innards of a lavatory cistern. The over-flow from the cistern has been dripping for a couple of weeks, (I tell a lie, more like months and for the last month more of a dribble than a drip). But I’ve been procrastinating, I hate tackling plumbing repairs because they always go wrong.

But solving a dripping - OK dribbling - overflow is relatively simple:

• Shut off the water supply
• Remove the end cap on the valve
• Remove the split pin
• Remove the plunger
• Change the rubber washer
• Reassemble and turn the water on.

Simple, simple simple.

But, and there is always a but when it comes to plumbing, because we live in a “hard water” area, the valve was covered in hard limescale, which could prevent the removal of the cap. Soaked the whole thing with scale remover for a couple of days. Then picked up courage, armed with a Mole wrench I attacked the cap. Would you believe it, unscrewed without an effort. Joy of joy, this is one plumbing job which would be care free.

Went to turn off the water, but couldn’t shut the stop valve fully off - but that shouldn’t be a major headache. Went to pull out the split pin, and damn damn damn it broke. The limescale was welding the split pin rock hard into the valve.

There was no alternative but to remove all the gubbins (a good technical term!). Now the fact the water wasn’t tuned off completely became a pain in the butt!!. Because as soon as I unscrewed the gubbins from the supply pipe out flowed the water. Cry for help for Mrs YesBut to bring towels and bucket.

Left Mrs YesBut in-charge of catching the water while I got a hammer and nail to remove the broken split-pin. That done I removed the plunger, damn damn damn would you believe it, it needed a ¾” washer and the one I had was ½” diameter.

Changed my cloths and went to the plumber supply store. Bought a ¾” washer, it cost 10p (20 cents). Yes all this rigmarole over the replacement of a rubber disc costing 10 measly pence!!!!

Got back, Mrs YesBut doing a magnificent job collecting the water. Got everything reassembled in quick time and reinstalled. Figures crossed I turned on the water. Damn damn damn damn and double damn the connection between the gubbins and water supply was leaking - not much, one gentle drip every 10 seconds. Not only that, but damn damn damn, even with a new washer the ball valve wasn’t sealing. “To hell with it” decided to leave it over night to see if the dripping would stop.

It’s surprising how quickly a gentle dripping can fill a bucket!

Next day, still dripping. Decided the only thing to do was buy a new ball-valve gubbins. Back down to the plumbing store. One of those old stores which has little draws of washes, screws, pipe-fittings. Unlike the modern D.I.Y. supper stores which sell things in plastic bags - you have to buy a bag containing 6 screws when you only want one. In the little shop you can buy single items.

“Hello my friend, back again”
“The washer didn’t work, I need to buy a complete bottom feed ball valve”
“OK my friend” placing a plastic gubbins on the store counter.
“No, I want a brass valve”.
“Brass valve! The last time I sold a brass valve was to Noah when he built the Ark. Don’t make them any more”.

Bought the plastic gubbins. Got home had Mrs YesBut standing-by with bucket. Installed the plastic gubbins - great it worked. Damn damn damn, treble damn, it was dripping at the connection to the water supply pipe. Undid the connection, redid the connection, still leaking. Undid the connection again, redid the connection, still leaking. . .What a pain.

There was only one thing to do, apply the Plumbers Golden Rule - if at first you don’t succeed put a bucket under the drip and come back tomorrow.

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Sod's Law

March has felt more like May. Last Sunday people in swimming suits were sunbathing on Hampstead Heath. Mind, only the English would think 16°C was a heat wave.

But since mid February its been great to walk through the parks. The flowers have been out a month earlier than last year. People have been pursuing outdoor activities. The couple on the right were not contented with a mere sand castle. And it brought such joy to passers by. By the following day the River Thames had reclaimed its own and there was no indication the dragon had ever existed.

But all good things come to an end; the weather forecast from tomorrow is winds coming down from the Artic, resulting plummeting temperature and snow. Great we can play snow balls. Now you might detect YesBut isn’t his normal Grumpy and Farting self. True its an exercise in positive thinking. Though I don’t think its going to last long - in fact I know it isn’t going to last. Yesterday afternoon, the hot water/ central heating system sprung a leak.

A clear case of Sod’s Law: the weather has been abnormally warm for nearly two months, and when the temperature drops the central heating system breaks down. And no it cannot be a simple easy to repair leak, it’s not only under a concrete floor but also under a wall. It’s going to take two days, of pneumatic tools hammering at the floor and wall before they can even get to the pipe. We’ve been warned that we will be without heating and hot water till Thursday - something has got to go wrong, so I’m not anticipating we will be back to normal next week.

If I haven’t died of hypothermia by Wednesday, YesBut will be in a very bad mood, which might not be a bad thing - all that indignation is bound to generate internal heat.