The continuing bathroom

The Australian actor, Bill Kerr died today. He was 92 and living in Wagga.

When I heard the news on Radio 4, the announcer called it ‘wagger wagger’ (‘wag’ as in what Day-z and Emma do with their tails). By the end of the programme, the announcer had been contacted by listeners via email and Twitter, setting her straight about the proper pronunciation. She back announced at the end of the show, saying “My thanks to the many listeners who have corrected my pronunciation of Wagga Wagga. It won’t happen again.”

He was very well known over here for his regular appearances on Hancock’s Half Hour. He played the Aussie larrikin and was very funny. Radio 4 played quite a few radio clips of him ‘in action’ throughout the afternoon.

Dead actors aside, the day was very successful though I was worried for a while. Robbie turned up at 8am, filling the truck with more rubbish to take away but that was it. He asked me if anyone else was due today. I told him the plumbers and the electrician but I’d seen nothing of any of them.

At about 9, they suddenly descended on the house and set to work.

Dave the Builder had told me that we were guaranteed a working shower for the weekend. He then added that this was a plumber’s guarantee which doesn’t really mean much. I suggested that it possibly didn’t hold much water but I don’t think he quite understood. When he arrived in the afternoon to check their progress, he wasn’t convinced the shower would be ready.

Tim the Electrical Engineer, meanwhile, set about installing the spotlights for the roof lantern and skylight. This involved a fair bit of hole making in the ceiling, which Tatt-man and his team will now have to fill when they return next week. Once he’d wired it all up, he showed me how to control the lights, change the zones and generally marvel at the brilliant technology.

There was one problem, he said. The spot bulbs they’d sent me were not the dimmable type so we couldn’t use them with the lighting system yet. Grrrr! (I ordered a load of dimmable lights later in the day, to be delivered tomorrow, so that will fix that.) Apart from that, we had a lovely time playing with the technology. He downloaded the app to his phone and showed me how simple it was. He also thanked me for having the system installed. It’s a very new system and was his first of this type.

While we were stood in the extension, talking technology and getting all giggly about the IT, Jem the Plumber came downstairs. He stood and regarded us, slowly shaking his head.

“Not another one,” He remarked. “It’s bad enough listening to Tim go on about computers and hard drives without you as well!”

A little later, my heart sank when they told me they were off to a party. I was somewhat concerned that their social obligations would take precedence over my need for a shower. But they didn’t let me down. By the time they left, we had an operational shower, shower screen and toilet. I was overjoyed.

There was a slight downside. I couldn’t have a shower until the silicone had set properly. Jem suggested I wait till tomorrow. I felt like a carrot had been dangled in front of me, just out of reach. Still, the toilet worked properly.

Tim had also connected the CAT5 cables and new hub so I was able to set up our new Vision TV set top box. We won’t have any live TV until he installs an aerial but at least we now have our movies and On Demand stuff back. Things are gradually getting back to normal.

Mirinda arrived home quite late (she had a pretty busy day), looking a bit frazzled. Her mood improved considerably when she went and looked at the bathroom. It really looks fantastic. It’s all her design and must be very satisfying to see it looking so good.

I downloaded the lighting app to her little friend and she spent quite a while fiddling with the controls, changing the lighting zones, flooding us with light then plunging us into darkness. As I’d thought, she loves it.