Ahhh, after weeks without it (since 23/02) we finally got our hot water back today.

Even though we've got an electric shower and a washing machine its been hard work having to boil pans for everything else, but we're kind of getting used to it, so having it back, and having a hot bath, will be luxury.

If you're looking for a plumber I totally recommend Alan Milton of HG Milton & Son, Craignair 51 Hamilton Avenue, Mauchline, Ayrshire, KA5 6BT. Thanks a lot Alan.

... water that is.
Plumbers have come and gone, one of the logo'ed emergency kind and two of the regular suck-in-air-through-the-teeth kind.
The long and short of it is that we need a new hot water tank.
Of course nothing is simple and our rural idyll comes complete with olde worlde plumbing so we can't expect a tank off-the-shelf.
The good news is that it won't be much more expensive than a regular modern one, the bad news is that it'll take 10-14 working days to get here.
What's worse is that we can't use the RayBurn (no sadly its not a fancy new one like those ones it's well past its sell-by date) while we're waiting for it either, so two weeks of cold kitchen and cold water.
Ho Hum.

Its raining outside, again. However this time, thanks to a freak plumbing incident, the effect is heightened because it is also raining inside.
The hot water tank is leaking and dripping through the kitchen ceiling.
I'm waiting for an emergency plumber. Where is he? He should be here by now.