Lax Vax Max Cracks, Packs, Sacks!

I know it's a rather boring topic, but some boring things make interesting material for writers, surprisingly. A lot of what Alan Bennet writes about is just mundane. But it's brilliant mundane.  Drama is generally about life, but as Alfred Hitchock said about drama that it was life 'with the boring bits taken out.' And he knew one of two things about drama, considering he wrote and directed some of the best ever film thrillers. So, I'm going to mention that we've been having problems with our vacuum cleaner. But it doesn't mean I am going to now use it as the basis for a play or a short story. Although, on second thoughts, it could become the basis for something or other.

We were in the middle of Spring cleaning the house. Carol has been on Half Term this week and we wanted to vacuum the lounge. Over the past week or two I'd had problems with this Vax machine and couldn't get it to pick up even the smallest bits of fluff from the carpet. I'd cleaned out the various filters and emptied the dust compartment (it is one of those machines that doesn't have a separate bag. It has a clear plastic tube where the dust and rubbish collects.) Cleared everything, the brushes were working, the tubes were clear of fluff. Not a pleasant job, but it had to be done. I explained all this to Carol and she couldn't get it to work properly either. I wasn't sure how long ago we'd bought the thing. It was bought from Very, an on-line retailer and we've bought several things from them, so I decided to go on-line and look at the list of items and find out when it was bought. Important if you want to make a claim if the thing is still under guarantee. It turned out we'd bought it in July last year, so it would still be under guarantee. Then I decided to ring the helpline, whose telephone is conveniently displayed on a nice little sticker on the machine. I got a lovely female voice tell me that there was a 'technical fault' and that the phone lines wouldn't be available for at least another two hours. I decided that I wasn't going to wait until later to phone again. I'd give it another go in the morning. The label on the machine told me that the help line was open from '8.30 a.m. until 5.p.m.' So, this morning I rang at precisely 8.30- to THEN be told that they had changed the opening hours from '9 a.m to 5 p.m.' Really irritating me by now, as you can imagine. So, I attempted to ring a little after 9. I just got an endless menu of the what's and why for's and things this and that. I wasn't going to get to get through in a month of Sundays. So, I thought, it's obvious that Vax isn't interested in it's customers, and between us we eventually decided to buy a new machine. After all, if we'd had to send the thing back, even if it was still under guarantee, we'd have to pack it up and post it off and it would cost a fortune in postage, so it was probably going to be a good deal cheaper to buy a new one. You can spend good money buying an extended warranty or guarantee (I never knew what the difference was anyway and to be honest I don't think I'm too keen to find out, thanks all the same.) when it's probably a lot cheaper to just throw the old heap of rubbish in a skip and buy a new model which is, frankly, going to be a lot more efficient than the old model. These extended things are just a rip-off anyway and just a way of extracting more hard-earned cash out of your bank account. Some stores try and sell you these 'extras' when you buy certain things, for example, Curry's or Dixon's (which is all part of the same conglomerate, which also includes Carphone Warehouse). As I said earlier, it's just a way to make more profit and no doubt, extra commission for their staff.

So it was that, when we visited Sainsbury's a little later in the morning, we had a look in their electrical department and browsed the vacuum cleaners they had on display and decided to purchase a Russell Hobbs cyclinder vacuum cleaner, priced at a little over £50.  On  eventually getting it home and assembling it (not particularly complicated as it turned out.) it proved to be a good deal more efficient and easy to use than the Vax machine which it now replaces. A small machine which takes up far less space and probably far more efficient. I'm just annoyed that the Vax machine has barely lasted in a working state for less than a year and that it's so difficult to contact the manufacturer due to the incompetence of their telephone helpline or call centre or whatever you want to call it.

Dog-Walking, Lawn-Mowing and other Trivial Pursuits

Well, it's now a good deal cooler. We have had some rain, although hardly storm conditions. Certainly enough to lay the dust and freshen the atmosphere. The dogs have had three walks this week. One along the Redway and back along the Grand Union Canal and a couple of rounds of Eaglestone Park. Alfie is like one of those clockwork toys which you wind up and then let it go and it runs until the clockwork runs out. We let each dog off their leads once we reach the open area of grass and Alfie runs off madly, but soon comes back when you call. He likes to know that we're not too far away. Poppy, on the other hand, just potters along. She's really showing her age. But come across another dog and she has to run up to it and make friends. Alfie charges in, no questions asked, and the other dog is taken by surprise. We attempt to get them back on their leads, but it can be a difficulty. Try to get Poppy to respond and she does the opposite. Stubborn little minx that she is. 

I have managed to get the grass cut. Done last Friday. Just as well I did it when it was dry because I certainly wouldn't be able to cut it when it was wet. It would clog up the mower. 

I mentioned that our Hoover packed up a few weeks ago. It has now been replaced by a Vax model. Actually far more efficient in comparison to the Hoover. But now the washing machine has gone into decline. I think I've mentioned this on this blog before. It just will not spin. So we are looking at replacing it. We've been to Curry's to look at a replacement. It is actually owned by our landlord, but considering how long it's likely to take for him to replace the said washing machine, it is easier for us to do this ourselves. You may recall, if you've been following this blog, what happened when he replaced the last machine a couple of years ago and how his so called 'friend' came to install it and over-looked the fact that you had to remove the transit bolts which hold the drum inside the machine and how the machine behaved when it was turned on, pulling out the plumbing from the wall and fracturing the piping and so causing a leak which took some time to be repaired. So much for using unreliable workmen who have absolutely no idea what they're doing. We had to get this damage repaired ourselves at our own expense. Hopefully, we can buy the new washing machine next week and have it installed and the old machine removed .

Parcel Arrives

The elusive parcel arrived from Very. At around 6.30. We were in the middle of watching 'Broadchurch' on catch-up. The parcel remained unopened for most of the running time of the programme, but then Carol couldn't resist for long and insisted on opening and taking out the contents. We then had to assemble the Vax steam cleaner, 'Home Master', and try it out which meant we didn't concentrate hard on the programme which is a pity. We had to try out the machine and cleaned some of the carpet in the lounge and experimented on cleaning the sofa. Seemed quite effective. Good as it uses steam and no chemicals. I have since been cleaning the floor in the kitchen and I'm shocked at how much dirt is coming off. We have been mopping the floor regularly and it would appear that most of the dirt is only going to be removed with the steam machine, so very impressed by it's efficiency.

Having taken Carol to work I later went to Ashfield Medical Centre in Beanhill and queued up  in order to get a doctor's appointment (although I was the second person in the queue, so I'm glad I went when I did. No rain, snow or generally unpleasant conditions to stand outside at 7.45 a.m. on a February morning.) I managed to get an appointment with Doctor Haye at 4.40 this afternoon. I have a longer appointment as I have several things to mention, one of them being my review of my medications as I had a note on my package of meds from Sainsbury's pharmacy when I collected it last week, informing me that I needed to see my doctor for a review before I could have my next repeat prescription, hence the appointment today.

Still Waiting for the Elusive Parcel

Well, the parcel we were expecting to arrive from Very didn't arrive yesterday. It was an entirely wasted day as far as I was concerned because I couldn't leave the house, which was somewhat annoying. It is supposed to be delivered by Yodel, and, according to their website, where you can track your parcel by inputting your parcel's number, it must have been put on the wrong van at some stage and went back to the company's depot near Manchester, but, having looked at the site this morning, it is currently in Northampton, so if all goes according to plan we should have our Vax steam cleaner some time today which means I can start trying it out and cleaning the house as arranged earlier. I was hoping, had it arrived yesterday, I could have got a doctor's appointment today because I need to have a review of my medication because when I picked up my last repeat prescription from Sainsbury's pharmacy last week there was a note attached to the package telling me that my doctor needed to see me regarding my review. I don't see that there is a problem but, being on   medication which is on repeat prescription you have to have it reviewed around every six months.

It's foggy out this morning. It doesn't look particularly thick, but foggy nonetheless. It was quite warm and sunny yesterday but by the evening the temperature had dropped, meaning we had to have the central heating on. I don't think we should complain as we are only just into February.