Cheese supplies

Following the advertisement at reference 4, I am pleased to be able to report that the cheese supplies came through yesterday.

Not being able to visit Neal's Yard Dairy just presently, I had thought to give their mail order a go, and, just a few days later, a couple of pieces of Lincolnshire Poacher, about two week's supply in normal times, arrived on our doorstep yesterday afternoon.

I am sure the cheese will be up to its usual high standard - but in the meantime I was very impressed with the packaging, which could have stood up to a fair amount of rough handling. I might also say that the postage and packing cost quite a lot less than the sum of the rail fare to London (with senior rail card) and the Bullingdon daily charge (presently £2). On the other hand, I don't get access to the various entertainments which used to be offered in the big town, in the margins of cheese shopping.

The other big incident of the day was caused by the outflow from our downstairs hand-washing sink slowing down - an outflow which has caused problems over the years as it includes a significant stretch of one inch plastic pipe running more or less horizontally. It was unlikely to be the problem, but we thought to check the U-bend just in case. And it wasn't the problem - apart from a bit of loose grit - but the screw joints were old and stiff and they wouldn't go back together again properly.

Don't fix what ain't broke! And I dare say the over-supply of men with time on their hands is generating lots of work for emergency plumbers, just like it does at times like Christmas. So I did not like to disturb the British Gas maintenance people for my problem and investigated further instead - finding that it was a broken ring washer which was causing the leak. Screwing it up ever tighter did not do the business. So down to Wolseley in Blenheim Road, which was open and did sell something which while not identical, did look as if it would do the job, including the important complication that the pipe downstream of the U-bend was an old size, needing an extra widget to make the connection.

And while they could not just sell me a replacement washer, I was able to buy another packet of the siphon washers, noticed at reference 3 and which I have not been able to track down in study or garage since.

Back home, rather to my surprise, the new U-bend went on without difficulty - and so far has not leaked. Maybe job done. As it turns out, a better job than trying to replace the washer on the old and worn U-bend.

PS: the way Blogger colours pointers continues to puzzle. One more thing to puzzle out, in between walks up and down the garden, carrying bricks.

Reference 1: https://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk/. The dairy.

Reference 2: https://www.wolseley.co.uk/branch/epsom/. The U-bend shop.

Reference 3: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/02/a-sign-of-times.html.

Reference 4: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/03/dry-run.html.