Rime of the Auncient Mariner
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 08:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caddymanWell, just as I was leaving work I got a text from Furtle asking me to phone her once I was within striking distance of Waitrose. It being somewhat later than intended, I wasn't sure I'd be there before they closed and told her so. That was when I found out that there was no water in the flat and that torrents were flowing down Totteridge Lane.
And it is all rather warm and showers are most definitely needed tonight.
As it happened, the Northern Line, other than insisting I change at Finchley Central, got me back to Whetstone with 20 minutes to go and after I quick phone call to check that water was still needed, I made it into Waitrose with time to spare. Three Valleys Water have a number of men leaning on shovels looking into a hole in the road and there are temporary TRAFFIC LIGHTS, so it must be serious. The water has stopped flowing down the hill and it has largely dried up, though there is the odd small puddle. Judging however, by the piles of water-washed gravel, it must have been like Old Faithful when it blew! I would imagine there is a flood surge somewhere down the valley as the temporarily mighty Dollis Brook races its way to the Thames some 20 miles downstream.
So. Three large plastic demijohns containing a total of 15 litres of water (what's that in feet and inches? About Imperial 5 gallons or 6 US gallons?) later, plus a spare bottle of tonic water, I made it home. As I turned on the tap to test the water flow for myself, I noted that Furtle had acquired four demijohns of water herself. So that will be 35 litres of bottled water we have.
The mains had been fixed by the time I turned the tap and I got splashed.
That sounds as though it ought to be far more bawdy than it is.
And it is all rather warm and showers are most definitely needed tonight.
As it happened, the Northern Line, other than insisting I change at Finchley Central, got me back to Whetstone with 20 minutes to go and after I quick phone call to check that water was still needed, I made it into Waitrose with time to spare. Three Valleys Water have a number of men leaning on shovels looking into a hole in the road and there are temporary TRAFFIC LIGHTS, so it must be serious. The water has stopped flowing down the hill and it has largely dried up, though there is the odd small puddle. Judging however, by the piles of water-washed gravel, it must have been like Old Faithful when it blew! I would imagine there is a flood surge somewhere down the valley as the temporarily mighty Dollis Brook races its way to the Thames some 20 miles downstream.
So. Three large plastic demijohns containing a total of 15 litres of water (what's that in feet and inches? About Imperial 5 gallons or 6 US gallons?) later, plus a spare bottle of tonic water, I made it home. As I turned on the tap to test the water flow for myself, I noted that Furtle had acquired four demijohns of water herself. So that will be 35 litres of bottled water we have.
The mains had been fixed by the time I turned the tap and I got splashed.
IT is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
"By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?
That sounds as though it ought to be far more bawdy than it is.