The Joys of Winter...

Woke up this morning to frozen pipes. Amazing how long it can take you to compute what the issue is at 5:45 in the morning (hmmm....kitchen tap doesn't work, let's try the bathroom...hmmm, bathroom tap doesn't work, let's try the bath....hmmmm, that doesn't work...wonder why........followed by the sudden jolting DOH of realization). Called my pal A. in Toronto (love those time zones!) who talked me through it, then my pal A. here in Vancouver, and with some good advice in hand (find the incoming pipe and heat it...) went to work.

Well, water comes in to my house under the front porch. Which is closed off. Which has a crappy door that freezes shut. To cut a long boring story short, finally managed (with a crowbar) to open the door, and hunched down under the creepy, spider ridden porch with some hot water, rags and a blow drier. Also dispatched an IMMENSE spider (4 inch leg span, no joke) on the porch door by doing a rather John Cleese-like funny walk manouver (or nazi goose step, depending on your cultural references) and stepping on it - think it retrospect it was dead, having frozen in place. Anyhoo, water is running now, and I am relieved and exhausted.

On a happier note, have managed to hang up the quilt. Pattern fights with the duvet cover, but trust me, looks a heck of a lot better than a door, which is what it is concealing. I think I will likely raise it somewhat so the bottom border shows as well. But Thomas likes it....