Water!

Well, here I am again, with yet more partially completed research!

Early on Boxing Day 2013, we made the journey down to South Wales to visit relatives. Before we could begin our trip, however, we had to call into that mecca that is the petrol station for the obligatory petrol, air and water. While the boys were doing this, I popped into the supermarket for that other obligatory offering – whiskey. It was nearly 11 in the morning, and to me the shop seemed rather busy. Are we all so materialistic that we cannot go more than one day without visiting this modern, unappealing building, I wondered.

Well, we had a great time in Wales, apart from frantic ’phone calls from those we’d left behind, telling us that there was a burst water pipe somewhere, so houses, buildings, shops pubs etc. in LE11 and LE12 were without a fresh water supply. So, we told them not to put the heating or hot water on, just in case. When we returned later that night, our water seemed fine and all appeared to be well, although perhaps a tad cold at 10 degrees! 

Then, next day we received news that the obligatory unexpected Christmas visitors were coming on Saturday, so off I trotted in the evening to buy some extra supplies. It was a bit odd: If I’m driving I always go right to the back of the car park, where I have often encountered people having driving lessons, people hanging around, and people looking, well, downright dodgy, and today was no exception. There were people openly handing things over to people who were driving up in their car, pausing to collect said things, before driving off out of the car park, without visiting the store. Blimey! I parked a bit further away than usual and made sure to hurry with my tiny bit of shopping.

I know you’re going to ask me why I was back in that supermarket the next day as well. It upsets me to have to admit that I needed more supplies, as my preference is to buy in all I need to last from me from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, batten down the hatches and only go out to exercise the legs – so to visit a park, or a footpath - but this year, I didn’t manage this! So, back to the supermarket, in the daylight this time, only to find the same thing happening! Ah, but this time I had someone with me who, having better eyesight than me, and being more up-to-date with immediate happenings in Loughborough, was able to reassure me that it was the Severn-Trent water company dishing out bottled water because there were still many houses in Loughborough with a water supply that was not fit for drinking!

Oh goodness me, that’s relief on several fronts: Relief that Tesco’s were not turning a blind eye to drug-dealing, and relief that our own water seemed not to have been affected by the burst water main.

Hmmm, clean water supply? That reminds me, I was going to blog about my partial research into Archdeacon Henry Fearon: Better save that one for another time.

Hope you’ve all had a very merry Christmas, and may I wish you all a Happy New Year!