The thaw sets in....

Having cocooned myself in my study (the second smallest room in my house) with the newly purchased fan heater, the weekend crawls by while I try to keep warm with far too much coffee, which results in me getting caffeine jitters and bouncing off the walls. The lovely Marcus has left a message telling me that my circuit board has arrived and to call him, but by the time I finish work at the shop on Saturday, it seems rude to call, so I leave it for the weekend. Even if I have no life, other people do. The guy deserves a break.

My mobile rings on Monday at 8am, as I am driving to work. Ever the law-abiding citizen, I pull over to the side of the road, annoying the drivers behind me who think I have just pulled in to let oncoming traffic pass. A queue builds up as I chat happily to Marcus and he arranges to come round tonight to "sort me out"! (It's been a while since anyone said THAT to me....) I proceed on to work, cheerfully ignoring the hoots and glowers from the small convoy behind me.......

At the appointed hour, Marcus arrives to work his magic yet again, but, rather than play the attentive hostess, I sneak back upstairs to my cocoon and leave my tame heating engineer to work alone in the frigid depths of the boiler cupboard.

I now sit in front of my computer, revelling in the warmth of having HEAT again. Recklessly, I even kick off my shoes to let my toes feel the benefit, but promptly put them on again when the cat beats a hasty retreat from under my desk, looking disgusted. I will never take my utilities for granted again. Although I was only without heating for a few days, it made me appreciate the simple fact of being able to switch the heating on, and *pow* - instant warmth.

The lovely Marcus has promised to call me at the end of the week, to ensure that all is well and that I am happy. Happy doesn't even BEGIN to describe how I feel; I am positively ECSTATIC that I can now walk round my home without looking like an Eskimo. I no longer have to de-ice my computer screen before accessing the internet. No more icicles hanging from my nose as I type, fingers encumbered by woollen gloves. I return to looking like a regular frump rather than a bag-lady, and the glowing red beacon of my nose dulls to a more healthy rosy pink.

I HAVE HEAT, PEOPLE!!!!! *Dances celebratory jig and - lo! Breaks out in a SWEAT!*

So now it seems that I must address the Leaking Sink Scenario............................. *sigh*