All In A Day's Work

Tuesday. 10.20 a.m. It's still mild. Not sunny, although a slight chill. For late January, really mild. I thought it was cold enough for snow, but it doesn't seem cold enough for snow at the moment.

I have been to post the parcel for the grandsons. I drove towards Coffee Hall, but for some inexplicable reason, I missed the turn, thinking I had gone past the turning for Milton Keynes Academy. So I had to take the next right turn into Coffee Hall. A real maze of roads and with some manoeuvering, I managed to get to Garraways where One Stop is which has the post office inside.

I'm gradually transcribing my handwritten work onto word processing. The new MacBook is certainly making life easier in that respect. I have well over 1500 words written and it's going well. Not just transcribing, but making alterations as I go.

Wednesday. 9.40 a.m. I'm continuing with the transcribing. It's going well. A slow process, but it has to be done.

Yesterday evening I watched the first episode of 'The Green Planet', the latest David Attenborough natural history series on BBC 1. (Although I watched it via BBC iPlayer.) What can I say, except that it's beautiful and totally amazing, especially the use of time-lapse photography, to show plants growing? As usual, the final ten minutes is devoted to the people who make the show, answering a question I had as soon as I saw this footage, 'how do they do it?' This is the type of programme which only the BBC can make. The patience of the makers is totally incredible. It's a bit like animation, something else that intrigues me. A very slow process to get a mere couple of screen time. 

Oh dear! Boris Johnson is in a pickle. Nothing new there. He's something of a loose cannon. Partygate, which it has been christened, is all over the papers. There have been parties, both Christmas and the birthday variety, within the hallowed confines of Number 10 Downing Street during the lockdown in 2020. It would appear that there has been a certain amount of hypocrisy going on here. One minute our esteemed Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been telling us to 'remain at home' during the pandemic lockdown, during the almost daily press conferences, the next he has been holding gatherings within Downing Street, one of which was in the garden. It has since been revealed that he has a birthday party held in his honour. There is a picture circulating where he has been presented with a rather tasty-looking birthday cake and he has a wide grin on his face. It seems that he cannot resist cake at any price. Even though he must have know that a gathering of his cabinet or other political allies within Downing Street would have been against the rules. 

Johnson is a combination of Mr Toad, Bertie Wooster, Billy Bunter and Winnie The Pooh!

There is an investigation going into Partygate. It does seem rather extreme, to say the least, and somewhat unnecessary. Will Boris be forced to resign over eating cake? Will he bite the dust? All rather like an episode of the rather brilliant 1980s political sitcom 'Yes Prime Minister."  Even something out of Oliver Cromwell's time as Lord Chancellor. Or perhaps something out of the works of Frans Kafka. Certainly comedic. 

So, what happens after the findings of the independent investigation are revealed? Will Boris be sent packing?

Just tell me, what did this woman Sue Gray investigate? Did she go round 10 Downing Street with a magnifying glass like Sherlock Holmes, looking for birthday cake crumbs? Did she find party poppers on the floor? The candles from Boris's birthday cake? The wrapping paper from presents? It all sounds so idiotic it sounds as if it's been fabricated by some sort of spoilsport.

Another Hot Day

It rained in the night. (Friday into Saturday) We were told on the BBC1 weather forecast yesterday evening. I wasn't aware of it. It clouded over during the evening and I thought it was suddenly going to pour, but it decided against it. But when I got up this morning and peered out of the bedroom window I noticed that the grass in the garden was sprinkled with drops of what must have been rain, but it had hardly dampened the ground. The road outside, having opened the bathroom window when I was shaving, didn't so much as appear damp. I took Alfie our for his early-morning walk (if you can call it a 'walk.' I do the walking and he does the running.)

I went to the One Stop shop in Garraways after 9 o'clock this morning to use the Post Office within the store as I needed a First Class stamp to put on an envelope as I had to post off a form which came from Carol's work, from the salary office. I don't know what it's about, but something to do with her no longer getting S.S.P. (Statutory Sick Pay) and it had to be posted off fairly promptly. I had fun looking for an envelope, but remembered a pack of them which were tidied away when we took the books off the old bookshelves at the time we replaced them with the new IKEA ones a few months ago. All the books were put into various containers and then deposited in the spare room. Fortunately the envelopes were in one of these containers.

Then a shopping trip to Sainsbury's. A need to pick up something for my evening meal, together with milk and a few other items before I went to see Carol on Ward 22.

I decided to walk to the hospital. At least I would be saving on the cost of parking. At the weekend the Macmillan unit is closed so you can't get your parking ticket clipped so you don't have to pay when you leave. It costs at least £4.50 a day to park which soon adds up, so the fact you can park for nothing if you are a cancer patient is something of a relief.

When I got into the ward, Carol said I was just in time as she was going for another M.R.I. scan. Or, at least that's what she thought. There seemed to be something of a mix-up and none of the nurses were sure whether it was booked. Generally you aren't supposed to eat within 3 hours of a scan, and Carol hadn't had breakfast. Then one of the nurses discovered that a scan wasn't booked, which was annoying. We want this done fairly soon because Carol's temperature is now stabilised and the doctor on the ward said that it had to remain stable for at least 48 hours before they could let her be discharged. They needed to see the scan of the infected area in her abdomen before discharging her. Thinking about it, she could have gone home, as she was told she could return home but return to the hospital for the scan and another check-up. A bit of a waste of time, considering she's been in hospital for nearly 4 weeks.

Then a nurse came in to say that, yes, Carol would be having the long-awaited M.R.I. scan. But it wouldn't matter whether she ate, which pleased her somewhat. It seemed to take some time for her lunch to arrive.  Everyone else seemed to have their lunch on the ward well before Carol's arrived. Some people had even finished theirs by the time Carol's arrived.  When it eventually arrived it was a sandwich of some sort, possibly ham, and soup. I don't personally think I could eat hot soup in this current hot weather. I had bought a sandwich from Sainsbury's, along with a bag of Popchips, a flapjack bar and an Innocent smoothie. Carol said that the soup was tasteless, so she had to ask one of the nurses for some salt to put on it. I don't think it exactly improved the taste.

Then the porter arrived with a wheelchair and Carol was whisked off to the M.R.I. scan, not more than a 5-minute ride across the road. The whole procedure took around 20 minutes and I waited in the waiting area.

It was back to the ward after the scan, by which time it was time for me to walk home. I just hope Carol's temperature remains stable and nothing too nasty shows up on the scan so that she can at last be discharged as she really longs to get out of that hospital ward.

Fortunately it hasn't be as roasting hot as of previous days, although the weather forecast says that we're going to get even warmer weather. We do desperately need rain, as the lawns and grass all along the grid roads around Milton Keynes look so parched and brown.

When I got home I thought I'd treat Alfie to another walk. I looked at the post and another letter had arrived asking for some paperwork for our benefit application. I'm now confused as to which address I have to send the form from the salary department, so I scored out the one I had already written on the envelope and put the address they had on this new letter and when we went out for the walk across Eaglestone Park I posted it in the letterbox just along from our house. Alfie was really keen on his jaunt around the park and all told add a few steps on my total for the day, which is now 7712.

Carol Moves Wards

Friday began fairly mild and not a great deal of sun, but as the day progressed, the sun came out and we were back on hight temperatures. The heatwave doesn't look as if it's going to end soon. As much as I like sunshine, I don't like it this hot. Just doesn't suit me.

I drove the car to the hospital, the same as I did yesterday. My thoughts were that possibly Carol would be discharged and we could at last go home, but, unfortunately, the issue of her blood sugar level and her temperature is still causing problems. It is odd that her temperature was around 37.5 only a few days ago and shot up to dangerous levels over a very short space of time as well as her blood sugar levels, which seem to have shot up also. 

The doctors have decided that she needs to remain in hospital for a few more days, to make sure the temperature and blood sugar levels are reduced considerably before she can be allowed home. She was to be moved on to Ward 22 during the afternoon when a bed became vacant there.

Carol had an M.R.I. scan booked for 12 noon. When no porter arrived a before the time, we began to wonder whether she would be going for the scan or not, but by around 12.20 a porter did arrive and she was whisked out of the ward and a short distance along the corridor to the imaging department and around to wait outside the M.R.I. scanner room. I sat in the waiting area outside the doors which had warning signs to 'Not Enter. High risk of radiation.' The whole process took a little under 15 minutes. When the scanning was progressing, the doors automatically locked themselves and lights came on, rather in the manner of when they were filming for television and you got 'Red light and bell' before a 'take.' She soon reemerged and we returned to the ward.

There was a lot going on in Ward 1, during the morning. Lots of patients leaving and new ones arriving. It must be quite difficult for the staff, because they bring new patients in on their beds and there is little enough space to manoeuvre beds around, beds having to be taken out first before new ones can be bought in.

Finally, after a couple of days waiting, Carol was informed that she was going to be moved to Ward 22. We began clearing up her belongings, but we still weren't given an exact time. We just sat and waited, and waited. Bur eventually we were given the go-ahead and   a porter arriving on  the Ward1.

Ward 22 is where we had to go to get the pump removed at the end of one of Carol's chemotherapy cycles, so it was at least familiar to us. Compared with Ward 1, it differs in that the 'bays' are separated into male and female and each 'bay' has only four beds. As a result there's a good deal more room for each patient and each 'bay' has separate toilets and shower rooms. The first thing you notice is how quiet it is. Which makes a change from the constant noise on Ward 1, although, having said that, that ward was relatively quiet compared with some of the other wards we've been on. But on Ward 22 there isn't the constant coming and going of the patients being brought in and taken out. And the patients we came across seem eager to at least chat to you.

Saturday morning. It's started out sunny and bright. I'd decided a few days ago that Alfie needed a treat. He's been locked up in the house every day this week when I'v been to the hospital.  I wanted to take him for a walk before leaving the house. But with one thing and another I forget, but this morning I got myself organised and managed to get him on his lead. Even then he made a great deal of noise, barking and generally getting excited. We got out into the road outside the house and made for Eaglestone Park, where I let him off his lead and he bounded off, running like a little hare. I couldn't see any problems with his back leg which he has previously had a problem with, none of the holding it in the air or anything. Barking madly as usual. We did a complete circuit of the park but when we came down the Redway section near the shops I saw glass in the path. It might well have been as a result of an accident, but the way it looked, with a large and rather nasty larger piece of glass in the centre it looked like it had been put there deliberately to puncture some passing cyclist's tyres. I don't know what sort of idiot would brazenly set up this sort of thing, some mindless fool who should have known better. Even if you were to accidentally step on it with trainers, as I was wearing, it could cause a really nasty accident, with cuts to the soles of your feet, or if you fell on it, you'd need to go directly to the A and E department of the hospital. Also, all around the bench I was hoping to sit on and rest with Alfie during our walk, no end of litter, mostly drinks cans and cigarette butts. How disgusting are people? There is a great deal of litter around the park and it just shows that there is a certain element who live in this area who simply don't care about keeping things clean and tidy, regardless of the fact that there are no end of water bins to put there rubbish. A couple of squirrels running for cover as we walked on, but fortunately Alfie didn't notice them, otherwise he'd have run off in hot pursuit.

I've been up to the One Stop shop at Garraways in Coffee Hall. Just after 7 a.m. once they'd opened. I had to top-up electricity and gas. There's an A.T.M. machine outside so it's easy to check both bank accounts. A few extra bits bought, sandwiches and drink to take with me to the hospital ward which will mean I don't have to go to the shop at lunchtime. From Coffee Hall I drove to the Shell filling station in Grafton Street and put in £40-worth of diesel. One thing I can say about the Renault Captur, it's easy on fuel. The road has been resurfaced , which might explain all the  yellow diversion signs around the area. No road markings, but I suppose those sort of things put back at a later date. They are slowly managing to resurface most of the grid roads in and around Milton Keynes.

Second Chemotherapy Cycle Completed

On Friday afternoon I had to go into the Macmillan Unit at the hospital to meet one of the oncology doctors in the pain clinic who is attempting to make our life easier by giving Carol some new medication. One is a patch which she has to wear on her arm and will replace tramadol and co-codomol. All this to deal with the pain Carol is experiencing. The doctor gave me a prescription to take to the hospital's own pharmacy and fortunately they made it up relatively speedily so I wasn't kept waiting too long.  I've explained in blog posts the difficulty we have communicating with our surgery, Ashfield Medical Centre. We put in a repeat prescription and then, when we come to collect it, we ring the surgery to check where in the system the order is, to sometimes be told 'it's been sent electronically to Lloyd's at Sainsbury's,' and the next time you ring, 'we have it here, printed-out.' So, you can't rely on them to be more clear what is going on.  Also, not very clear whether we're actually going to get the meds we order. Then, when you pick up the medication, they only give Carol enough tablets for no more than 10 days. Which means you are forever ringing and checking and re-ordering medication. The doctor at the hospital was trying to get through to the doctor at the surgery to try to get them to make any medication repeat order be for a larger quantity. My question is, why can't the oncology department order the medications for Carol? Why do we have to go through Ashfield Medical Centre? It seems a rather unnecessary process. Surely it would cut down on N.H.S. bureaucracy. Wasting resources, or is that being simplistic? Why can't they simplify things for all concerned? They seem to have rules and regulations just for the sake of it.  I realise the N.H.S. has to watch what is used and that medication shouldn't be over-prescribed and has to prevent waste and particularly keep an eye of spending. But if you have a long-term health issue, such as cancer, why can't you be treated as an urgent case, have a dedicated phone line to cut down on all the waiting when you telephone? Or is that expecting too much?

 I went on my own as there was no point Carol going with me. But once I got home from being at the hospital I had to drive Carol back for 4.45 as she had to have the pump she's had for the past few days removed. Fortunately it was a quick job, as one of the nurses in the oncology department dealt with it quickly and efficiently. Things are also easier now we know where to go as well as being able to park in the carpark immediately behind the oncology department and it's not too far for Carol to walk. Why on earth I was never told you could use this carpark when Carol was in ward 21 for three weeks I can't think. I had this idea that this particular carpark was for staff only. Simplifying these things makes our lives so much easier.

This morning I've been out to top up our gas and electricity (we have pre-payment meters for electricity and gas which are topped up using a card for gas and a key for electricity.)  I went to the One-Stop shop in Garraway's. The round to the Shell petrol station in Grafton Street to put diesel in the car. I'm just making sure that we're fully fuelled as we might need the car in an emergency.

Cold and Frosty Morning

It's been a cold and frosty but bright and sunny Saturday morning. I had to defrost the car before driving out mid-morning on my way to Garraway's for a few items for lunch. I'm glad I bought some spray defrost as otherwise it would have been a difficult job. Also using the scraper and the car's heated windows to melt the ice.

So glad Carol has no appointments until Monday. I went with her to the pain clinic within the Macmillan unit on Friday afternoon at the hospital and the doctor has increased the dosage of some of her medications. I had to go to the hospital pharmacy to collect the meds as the doctor wrote a prescription. A relatively long walk back towards the main entrance and then a 30-minute wait until the drugs were prepared and then one wasn't available and will have to be collected on Tuesday or at least when the pharmacy has a delivery.

We bought the Christmas tree in from the garden and Carol has been decorating it. It is the first time we've managed to have a live tree survive from one festive season until the next. I think it has grown considerably since last year, although a few of the lower branches needed cutting off as they hadn't gown and were brown and dead. 

And Even More Roadworks

Carol has been off work for two days with 'flu. She has hardly been able to speak. I had to go to Boot's in the centre of Milton Keynes to get Sudafed tablets. You can only buy them 'over the counter' so it was necessary to go to a pharmacy and I knew that Boots would have them in stock. I knew if I was going to park near the main shopping centre I would need change for the machine, so I went to the Eaglestone shop, but, when I arrived at the carpark I couldn't park because it was totally full. I presumed that there must be something going on at the primary school nearby. Perhaps there was something on which meant parents were involved, some sort of performance or assembly, a prize-giving ceremony, which would account for the carpark being full. I thought to then go to the shop at Garraways in Coffee Hall, which is the next grid over from Eaglestone. It meant driving around via Saxon Street. On arriving in Coffee Hall all the roads were clogged up with more cars. Being a Friday, I was aware that the mosque on the corner of Lloyd's, the road into Coffee Hall was busy with people arriving (Friday being their holy day of prayer.) To be honest, I'd seen this building being erected, but wasn't aware that it was a mosque. Anyway, the roads in and around the area were heaving with people coming and going and you wouldn't have found a parking space if you'd wanted to. I managed to get to the One Stop shop in Garraways without too much trouble and then went in to buy some sweets so I'd have change for parking. Then I found that Saxon Street, from the Four Bridges roundabout near Eaglestone was closed off. I think because they were going to resurface the road. About time, because of the potholes, so I shouldn't really complain. It meant I would have to change my route into the city centre so drove towards Marlborough Street, only to find that other drivers had decided to change their route, as there was a considerable queue of cars approaching the roundabout.

I had intended parking where I usually park, near The Point (or what remains of this once-iconic building. It's been left in a more or less derelict state for a good many years. The Odeon cinema which was part of the complex was the first multiplex cinema complex in Britain when it was opened several decades ago. They've since built a new complex near the MK Stadium, which we have visited several times.) Due to the fact that I'd had to approach the city centre from Marlborough Street, I somehow came along Saxon Gate in the wrong lane and couldn't get into the usual carpark so I ended up parking close to the XScape. £1 for an hour, so I had to make sure I was done in the shopping centre before the hour was up. The centre was strangely busy for a Friday. It was also near enough lunchtime, so perhaps people were there during their lunch break. I could think of no other reason for it to be so crowded. I went to Boots and had to queue at the prescription counter. I wanted to get a spare G.T.N. spray and bought one here a few months ago and found it to be a good deal cheaper than elsewhere. I got one in Cox and Robinson some while back and it was one that had an unpleasant taste. If you don't know, these are sprays that you use if you get an angina attack. You spray it under your tongue and it reduces the chest pain by widening your arteries. It does work, but it can make you feel very light headed and can cause a headache. It generally goes off after a few minutes. I use one before we go swimming or if we're going to do a lot of walking or anything somewhat strenuous. I've no intention of letting an angina attack stop me doing anything, so I wanted one as a spare to put in my gym bag. I had one ordered with my repeat prescription but it wouldn't be ready until Saturday morning when we would go to Sainsbury's to pick up the prescription which I'd ordered last week. It seemed to take the lady assistant some while to find the G.T.N. spray on the computer system. But she found it and I purchased the Sudafed for Carol.

I'd been into town a few days previously (remember I'd gone out because of the annoying noise from next door.) I'd gone into The Works for a browse. I love their shops. Books going at very reasonable prices. I'd seen some colouring books (seems like a craze that's really caught on recently) and saw one using Gustav Klimt's paintings as models for colouring and thought that Carol would appreciate this. I also found several books in the 'history' section, one on Waterloo and another, written by Ruth Goodman, who does a lot of television documentaries on various aspects of history. This one entitled 'How To Be A Tudor.' Well worth having at about a third of their normal price. I've bought quite a few books in The Works, and as they now have a loyalty card, you get points which you can use against future purchases.

Time was ticking on. I walked back to the car, with about 15 minutes left on the parking ticket. I next went to Sainsbury's as I needed to get bread which we'd have for our lunch. Another detour caused by the roadworks along Saxon Street.

Saturday morning.

We didn't get up that early this morning. Carol's cold/flu is beginning to abate, thankfully. The Sedated seems to be doing it's job. It makes you sleep well and you have to be careful that, if you feel drowsy to not drive a car.

We went into Sainsbury's. Saxon Street was open to traffic. The large pothole that you had to avoid when you drove along this stretch of road is now repaired. I'm not sure what else is due for repair. They have also been mowing the grass along the side of the grid roads. I managed to mow the grass at the back of our house. Not over-eager to do it, but it only takes around 20 minutes. I did it on Monday morning.

The sky is threatening rain. Dark rain-clouds hang over the city. We actually want it to rain because we don't want the noise to continue from next door's garden. You can see the work they've been doing, laying a patio, from our bedroom window. The rest of the garden looks like a building site.

Fixing the Car Door and Enabling Mobile Top-Up

I've been back to O.K. Garage this morning. The speed that traffic has been moving is making me feel quite unsafe. The people at the garage were talking about this matter, saying that there should be a lower speed limit on the grid roads around Milton Keynes. So, it's not just me thinking that drivers around here have become excessively aggressive. The mechanics have had a really difficult job trying to find where the thing is in the car that controls the car. I waited in their reception area for around an hour and a half and was eventually told that this 'thing' that controls the sliding doors and which is, presumably, playing up and preventing the driver's side door from working properly, is actually INSIDE THE DOOR!!! I can't believe it. It took most of yesterday and near enough two hours this morning to discover this. I would have thought there would be some sort of diagram somewhere or other, probably on a website, which would show the electrical circuitry for the car. There is, but apparently it doesn't show this electrical thingemy. The garage will let me know when they've managed to track down a replacement so that it can be fitted, but it means we have to drive around for a little bit longer with the door still not working properly. It's beginning to become somewhat annoying and wearing having to use brute force to open and close the door and sometimes having to contend with the alarm going on to tell us that the door isn't closed properly.

The other problem has been not being able to top up my mobile, using the 02 code which I bought in One Stop in Garraways. I decided the only solution was to go into the actual 02 shop in the Central Shopping Centre in Milton Keynes. I wasn't exactly over-enamoured of the idea as it was pouring with rain, and, having just spend so long at the garage I wasn't actually in the right frame of mind to be walking around inside the centre. But I was eager to sort out this problem. So I drove into the centre and parked where I usually do near The Point. It's becoming more and more dilapidated and really needs demolishing. As I've mentioned before, it seems awful that such an iconic building should be allowed to get into such a state of decay. How come nobody has been able to take the site over and refurbish it? It has 'For Sale' signs all over it and no doubt it will eventually be sold and the site cleared for more shops and offices. 

I walked into the centre and reached the 02 shop and explained my problem. I was told they could do nothing, the assistant attempted to top the mobile up with the code on the voucher I'd bought in One Stop. It still would not work. I'm beginning to get heartily sick of the woman's voice you have to listen to who tells you how to top the thing up. I bought a sandwich and drink in Boots and then left to return to the car and drove to Galloways in Coffee Hall. I had to queue at the till and eventually got the assistant to try the top-up once more, but no joy. I don't think she had much idea how to resolve the problem but decided to give me the benefit of the doubt and gave me a fresh voucher. I went home and tried it. Thankfully it worked. So the old voucher must have been wrong, but I can't see how, as these voucher codes must be randomly generated. I'm just glad that it now works and I have my £10 credit on the mobile.

Youth and Modern Technology

I had to drive to the shop in Garraways, which is in  Coffee Hall, the next grid square to Eaglestone, to buy a stamp at the Post Office which is within the 'One-Stop' shop. I followed this youth in who wore these enormous headphones over his ears. Do youths realise how ridiculous they look walking around with such things on their ears? I thought you could get really neat 'ear-buds,' which you use with your iPod or other M.P.3 player which don't look so obtrusive. I should know, as I have my own iPod, although not the latest model.  I don't use it much. But I don't walk around with it on. What worries me most about walking around with those things over your ears, how do they hear what's going on around them? There's the possibility of not hearing a vehicle coming when you cross the road and getting run over. Even worse, is seeing a youth riding around on a bicycle with those things on his ears. Not just the danger of not hearing traffic, but the possibility of getting the cable caught in the workings of the bicycle they are riding, the chain mechanism, the handlebars or whatever. Then I was shocked to discover that the price of a first-class stamp is 63p. We very rarely have a need for postage stamps. We use email a lot, but this was to stick on the envelope of a Father's Day card for Carol's dad. It has to get to Bournemouth before next Sunday which is Father's Day.

It's not just headphones that are a danger. How many people have I seen who walk around whilst they are fiddling with their mobile phone? Texting or doing something or other as they walk along, and most certainly not aware of the world around them. The distinct possibility of not concentrating on the world around them, stepping off the kerb and into the path of a vehicle and getting knocked over. How ridiculous is that? Worse still, people having conversations on their mobile phone while at the same time DRIVING THEIR CAR! it's illegal, but people still do it. When we were driving up the M1 the other week we came across this lorry which we tried to pass. It was weaving all over the place, in the middle lane, but it didn't seem safe to overtake. When we eventually drove past it was clear that the driver was texting on his mobile. How on earth can you possibly think it's safe to do such a thing? One small slip and you'd cause a very nasty pile-up. Can't people wait until they are stationary before using their mobiles? It's a pity that the Police don't catch these people before they cause mayhem.

Boiler Breakdown

It's a cold and frosty morning. The boiler decided to play up first thing. It had a red light flashing on it's front, which usually indicates that the gas has run out. We have a pre-payment meter, meaning we have to 'top-up' using  a card for gas and a key for electricity and buying credit for them at either the local shop in Eaglestone or the shop at Garraways in Coffee Hall. I usually do this at the beginning of each month. I had to go out to the bin cupboard, climb on the step-stool and use a small torch we have to see how much credit is on the meter. The card has to be put in the slot on the meter which you have to stretch your arm inside the cupboard as the meter is put in perhaps the most awkward place. It showed up on the digital read-out that it had well over £40 so it wasn't that which was the problem. We tried the boiler again but it steadfastly refused to start. So, we had the prospect of no hot water for baths and washing-up as well as no heat in the house as the central heating system works from the boiler. If it needed repairing we would need an engineer to look at it, which would mean if we went through our landlord it wasn't likely to be fixed any time soon. As we were promised by the landlord that we would have our fence repaired, and still nothing on that (very nearly six months have passed since we signed the tendency agreement with the landlord and moving away from the rental agency.) So, what to do? Ring round to find an engineer who might be able to fix the boiler ourselves or go through our landlord? Fortunately the thing seems to have sorted it self out and is now working. So, I've been able to do the washing-up from last night and the house is relatively warm again. With my heart condition I cannot afford to get too cold. We presume that the boiler needs to be at the correct water pressure to work and this cold snap as interfered with this water pressure.