Kettles, irons and toasters

I swear there is a conspiracy. A small appliance one. They are all made to last EXACTLY a year. Although I have to give our kettle credit - it's been hanging around for about 3 years. Our previous toaster was older than our marriage of 13 years at the time it died. I have high hopes for the new one as it is a super funky 4 slice Russel Hobbs. But from talk around the school I know toasters fall into the same category. I am keeping a beady eye on it. And do not even try to have one fixed - no one does it and it will cost you more than a new one. We live in a truly disposable society.

So this morning at about 11 Lucy gives me a call. "It's the iron" , she says. "It made one big spark and it's dead" At least she is ok.  I ask her to find the box and check the date of the slip. It turns out it is almost to the day 1 year and 1 month old - a full 29 days after the guarantee expires. Sigh!

So I bought a new one - at least I went to Pick n Pay and got a much coveted Stikeez more than my normal day to day groceries would have brought me. Does it make up for it? No way - although the kids might disagree.

Do you agree? Am I the only yearly buyer of especially irons?

Every cloud has a sliver lining they say

In this case, make it platinum! For years we have been used to the most rediculous water pressure - really if you open a tap downstairs there was no water in the shower.

So on Monday, on Hunter's day off when he was suppose to do things he like as Lucy was there for the kids (it was a school holiday too), he phones just after 8 to say that the geyser is leaking - big stream of water (into my cupboard mainly). I call our friendly plumber and he confirms that indeed the geyser has burst and that it will be an insurance claim - he very kindly did not bill us a cent after rushing to our help in minutes. At all of 13 years old I guess it is expected. The insurance was rather brilliant (especially as it is the red bank's whom I really hate) and sent over a really nice plumber who for our excess amount of R500,00 provided us with a brand new geyser that has a spiffy new temperature regulator in that should save some electricity.

He also had to change a valve to fit the new SANS regulations and as he took off the old one, he remarked on how this must have been faulty for years. This just flies by us - just a little fact - he shows Hunter how to clean the valve from time to time. As they open the water and the top bath's taps I hear something close to the Vic falls rushing into the bath. Wow! My word! We have water pressure to die for!

You can not believe how happy this little thing makes me. Totally! Huge huge platinum lining.

Another (slightly hidden) platinum lining is that at present while my cupboard is drying out, I have almost all my clothes stacked in a spare cot in the boy's room and in their cupboards. The perfect time to de-clutter big, big time.I am going to be totally ruthless and just chuck out! I know of a couple of charities that would make good use of them.

The street where we live.

We live in and older part of town so we have lots of big trees. Our street is also rather quiet with a single exit at the end. We have always had bushbabies living in our patio roof - a huge honour (check out the link if you want to see). We have also always had a huge flock of guinea fowl living in the trees and I love waking up to their calls in the mornings (that is if the resident hadidahs did not wake you up earlier).

Guinea fowl enjoying the afternoon sun.

A while ago, however someone left some chickens to roam the street, and now we found ourselves joint "owners" of bout 30 chickens, big and small. Several houses feed them daily and they just breed in bushes in the pavements and in some friendly (read dog free) gardens.

The newest additions to the street animal life are bunnies - yes, someone had trouble keeping their pet bunnies penned in and they have "escaped" to the street, to the utter joy of my kids.

Unfortunately their has been a traffic casualty or two and we are contemplating putting up signs "Bunnies, guinea fowl and chickens crossing". The newest development has been a delight to us all - a hen and her 3 chicks has decided that our driveway looks like a nice place to live in and we now have our own 4 chickens to feed (although they do come and go as they please). The Princess has immediately named the hen after herself. I just love it that we have a tiny touch of the farm on our doorstep.

Joining up for Wordful Wednesday at Angie's:

Playing along today with Angie:

All the pictures taken yesterday afternoon and Jenty, this one is just for you!