Triaphilia is the superstition that incidents occur in threes! But is it true? I don't relish the thought of anymore unexpected happenings to deal with this week.
Washday blues, three loads of washing to do, the sun is out - perfect.
The almost new washing machine control panel flashes red not amber. A suggestion in the manufacturers handbook is to pull out the mains power plug. Not really understanding why, we do so, but with difficulty, hauling a fitted heavy machine out from beneath a countertop is is not easy. We leave it for a minute or two, then plug it in, push the machine back, switch on, but the flashing red light continues.
The girl on the helpline suggests exactly what we have just done, but insists that we leave the machine unplugged for at least 30 minutes or more! She says a couple of minutes aren't sufficient. If it doesn't work then we should get in touch with the technician. This all sounds extremely fanciful and rather far fetched to us, however, without much confidence we do as she says. Unbelievably the machine works - cheers - we are two happy people. If only everything could be resolved as easily as this.
If you happen to own a washing machine with one of these new fangled touch panel controls, it might be worth keeping this trick in mind for future reference.
If you happen to own a washing machine with one of these new fangled touch panel controls, it might be worth keeping this trick in mind for future reference.
Vernacular Cotswold houses such as ours have very steep pitched roofs. At the rear of our house is a gable which looms up above the conservatory. For the past week a fat pigeon has taken to sitting on the gable end and peering down at us. Suddenly the pigeon twirls around to face the opposite direction, lifts it's tail and poops all over the clean glass roof. It splatters everywhere making a terrible mess and if I don't run upstairs quickly with a watering can and try to wash it off it becomes rock hard. This has been happening on a daily basis and so far we haven't been able to decide just what to do about it. Maybe our local Sparrow Hawk will oblige,
and end our problem!
Thirdly, we suddenly have a leaking shower. Not expected as it is reasonably new, but it has started dripping down into the hallway below. Apparently a water pipe hidden inside one of the walls appears to be responsible. Rather drastically a hole will have to be cut out of the landing stairwell wall in order to access the pipework. I am dreading this happening in a few days time, especially with regard to the mess and dust and the extreme weather conditions we are currently experiencing. All of the paintings, objet d'art and furniture in and around the hall will also have to be removed. Fortunately I have some silk embroidered wall hangings on the particular wall concerned which will hopefully hide any residual marks once the job is completed.
Thirdly, we suddenly have a leaking shower. Not expected as it is reasonably new, but it has started dripping down into the hallway below. Apparently a water pipe hidden inside one of the walls appears to be responsible. Rather drastically a hole will have to be cut out of the landing stairwell wall in order to access the pipework. I am dreading this happening in a few days time, especially with regard to the mess and dust and the extreme weather conditions we are currently experiencing. All of the paintings, objet d'art and furniture in and around the hall will also have to be removed. Fortunately I have some silk embroidered wall hangings on the particular wall concerned which will hopefully hide any residual marks once the job is completed.
I'm not superstitious, but I know many people who are. I'm glad to here your washing machine is working OK and hopefully your leaky pipe won't result in to much mess and bother. Best, Jane x
ReplyDeleteI'm not really superstitious either - I like a quiet life and for things to plod happily along, but of course I realise that I am expecting too much - life is just not like that. When the work is finished and if it all works ok, then I will be very happy.
DeleteYou have had the three so, hopefully, no more. I hope the leaking shower is not too difficult to fix and the pigeon can be persuaded to move elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI thought about running out with a loaded water pistol to shoo the pigeon away, but it is just too high up on the gable.
DeleteHopefully this will be the end of the problems. Pesky pigeon!
ReplyDeleteCross your fingers for me please.
DeleteAll bad things come in three is the proverb isn't it? What a nasty pigeon that is, to use your home as a public toilet!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think so too.
DeleteI feel my week has been similar. If not in threes certainly misfortunes seem to be grouped. We too have had plumbing issues and yesterday the turn of the drains. Hey ho maybe I’ll put off the washing for now! Hope you have a calm weekend. B x
ReplyDeleteIsn't that just the case! hope all of your plumbing issues are resolved happily too.
DeleteIt is amazing how these old superstitions survive and I am sure there are those who really believe things happen in threes. Of course, if you dredge through the experiences of the past few days, or week, you are sure to be able to link three events somehow. And it seems to me that the three events are always connected with bad rather than good happenings. In regard to your leak in the wall, we had a similar situation a couple of years ago, but it was fixed pretty quickly by cutting out a piece of the drywall and repairing the pipe. Once the drywall was replaced we painted the whole room, something that was overdue anyway.
ReplyDeleteThat is very encouraging David - hope that my pipe is repaired satisfactorily too. The plumber has said that he will replace the oblong hole that he makes in the wall and repaint it for me too - luckily I still have some of the original paint left.
DeleteI use holographic scare tape to keep pooping pigeons off my balcony. They are terrible nuisances, it's true.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there is no way that we could get up on top of the gable as it is far too high. The pigeon just needs to go away and leave us in peace.
DeleteI know how you feel! I just had a very expensive air-conditioner unit for my upstairs give out and had to replace it. Followed the next week by my car suddenly needing a computer panel and some other part required to make the car start! In others words... I am waiting for disaster number three too. Good luck with that pesky bird and your repair to the pipes. My sincerest sympathies.
ReplyDeleteDear Catherine - I do hope that two things are your lot, both of which sound as if they have been rather expensive. My sympathies go to you too.
DeleteI used to subscribe to things happening in threes until they began to happen in fives. Best to say STOP IT aloud, in a stern voice, just in case.
ReplyDeleteI think I will take up your offer of shouting 'STOP IT' as I don't want anymore happenings at the moment.
DeleteThat expression does seem to fit, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteSometimes it is uncanny the way things do come along in clusters of three.
DeleteMaybe you could have the hose handy for when your naughty visitor comes again!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the plumbing repair is under control. Good luck!
As long the plumber has got the correct location then I shall be very happy when it is all done and dusted. The hose, unfortunately will not reach so high. For the last three days the bird has not been here, fingers crossed (there I go again with another superstition).
DeleteI'm not superstitious normally but I do believe in bad luck in three's just because it's occurred too many times to be coincidence. The first few times that happened I was not waiting for the last two to occur but they did within weeks- then all went smoothly for a few years until another run of three( and I mean fairly major incidents, car stolen, knocked down by van running through a red light, close friend snuffing it etc ) yet I consider myself fairly lucky overall as I have long good spells and good luck in-between. Nice Sparrowhawk photos.
ReplyDeleteThose three events all sound like major life changing happenings - you don't want too many of those. In comparison mine are minor irritations - perhaps it is this very hot weather and all of the continual upset in our country that is also having an impact.
DeleteHello Rosemary, I hope that your troubles are at an end. For me personally, I find that they are not limited to three, but rather adhere to the "when it rains, it pours" motto. It is not surprising that the capacitors in your modern washer needed some time to drain. Similarly, you often need to unplug your computer and wait a bit instead of simply rebooting in order to reset it. If your washer acts up again, instead of pulling out the machine, perhaps you can figure out which circuit breaker goes to it and cut the power that way, unless the same circuit also powers the refrigerator!
ReplyDelete--Jim
p.s. There are some needle-like products (such as Nixalite) which are meant to prevent birds from roosting.
Hello Jim - I prefer your quote 'when it rains, it pours' it is more appropriate to the situation.
DeleteI know nothing at all about technology so was very surprised but happy when the washing machine came back to life. However, now you mention it, I do recall a workman being here a few years ago when the computer was giving a problem, and he told me to unplug it too. I will now remember it for the future. I do know which is the circuit breaker switch the for washing machine as they have all been labelled, so will also bare that in mind - thanks again.
I so dislike anything to do with plumbing! Hope they do a brilliant job for you and all will be put back together seamlessly!
DeleteThe photos of the sparrow hawk are amazing - nature at work often seems sad.
Happy laundry days ahead - plugs are another modern mystery aren't they? My washing machine flooded the kitchen recently, water continued to fill until it was overflowing - we were in another room and didn't know until we realized we were paddling in soapy water! One tiny rubber hose had dislodged - serviceman just pushed it back on and said $145 please!!!!!
Hope the week ahead is cooler for you - can't believe August is almost upon us. Bet you're making travel plans.
Hugs to you both.
Hello Mary - we have decided to delay any travel plans for the moment as our passports run out soon, and we don't really know just what the future holds. Will we still need EU passports or simply UK ones? That is the question that still hangs over all of us, but may be we will have an answer by the end of October. We are not looking forward to seeing how things pan out with Boris at the helm.
DeleteRe: the washing machine - the girl said that if we didn't make sure that the machine wouldn't work by withdrawing the plug then it would cost us money to have a technician call even though the machine is still under a 3 year guarantee. Good job that she virtually forced us to check it again. $145 is a considerable sum for what they did for you!!!
It is way too hot and humid here Mary - I think the weather patterns are now becoming frightening. Perhaps I am too old now for this world of ours.
My mother used to be convinced that bad luck always occurred in triplicate. If anything bad happened she could usually find two more examples to confirm the theory, often having to go back several weeks and fix on very minor incidents. Then she could stop worrying!
ReplyDeleteThat is very amusing John - but you know how the saying goes 'mother always knows best'!!!
DeleteThis is absolutely the worst thing about home owning, isn't it? The annoying, petty niggling yet incredibly inconvenient little problems. I hope that your leaking shower is soon fixed. As for the bird, it is a hard one. Maybe a hosepipe? Tearing the poor thing to pieces seems a little drastic when all it is doing is answering a call of nature ! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are right house ownership is fraught with problems but if you don't keep on top of things the place soon looks neglected - same with the garden.
DeleteI thought about a hosepipe but I fear the gable is just too high - I have abandoned feeding the birds at the moment as the pigeons tend to hang around ready to gobble up the residue that the little birds drop. It seems unfair to the small birds but so far the pigeons have abandoned the garden and gone else - but so too have the little birds. Hopefully when I refill the feeders the pigeon will have forgotten his old habit and return with some better ones!
That photo of a pigeon having his breast removed happened on our patio right in front of our eyes as we were having our breakfast and looking out of the patio window.
As a veteran of knocking holes in walls I can only sympathise Rosemary and hope all goes well. It is a proper pain in the proverbial but it'll be a big relief to get it done.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow is the big day Jessica - these days what you are going through would be just too much for me, but I know that in time you will look back and be glad.
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