Sewerage, Electricity and some Divine Intervention

So, Eric and Ernie had been positioned – albeit after creating a traffic jam during morning rush hour in Over (!) – and secured. It was hook up time.
 

Finding electricity was always going to be easy; simply attach to the mains – and completed on Day One. Sewerage and Water proved more difficult.

Sewerage was tackled first. Unfortunately a smaller member of our family had already utilised the facilities in the main house quite robustly that morning. By 'facilities' I mean a toilet that was 'secured' in place by a couple of pieces of wedged ceramic tile underneath the pan. It is liable to rock dangerously at inopportune moments and still leaks from the back somewhere, which is unnerving.

The Virgin Media Man asked to use the loo. I took him in and explained that the toilet rocked if he needed to sit down. He looked at me, deadpan (no pun intended), in the eye and said 'Don't worry I won't be needing to sit down.' Too much information.

So Day Two of Operation Hook Up, the sewer pipes were being rodded from near the house in order to clear them. In our excitement we were all standing over the open drain watching years of backlog being pushed through. A cheer and a chorus of  'There it is!!' went up as the aforementioned morning deposits happily rolled their way into the sewer system.

 

Rather than choosing a photo of the derelict toilet I've chosen a shot from the orchard back up to the house.  Thought you'd prefer it.

 

 

 

Onto water. The next day we arrived to find the builders had already dug two deep holes to find the water pipe; but to no avail. With all avenues exhausted, Head Builder (HB), in desperation and derision from his team, decided to fashion a steel wire coat-hanger into divining rods.

Bets were placed on the likelihood of finding water, and unasked for advice given as if we were all experts. A passing workman drove up and shouted, 'It does work, mate, but those copper coat hangers are better' and drove off. Off HB went across the mud; a hunched figure gazing intently at two bits of wire. And then the rods undeniable moved inwards. Breaths were held as a 2m deep hole dug..... and to our amazement we struck gold! A thick black water pipe!

A couple of days and glasses of wine later we tried to recreate the Divination in Eric over the kitchen sink. Did it really work? Begrudgingly, I have to say it did.